Mysteries set in India!

 For our April Mystery Book club, we read mysteries set in India. We do this once a year with a different country each year. Kind of travelling by books. 

First I will tell you about the book I read then will give you the list of what the other members read.

The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra (Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation #1) by Vaseem Khan

About: "On the day he retires, Inspector Ashwin Chopra inherits two unexpected mysteries. 

The first is the case of a drowned boy, whose suspicious death no one seems to want solved. And the second is a baby elephant. As his search for clues takes him across the teeming city of Mumbai, from its grand high rises to its sprawling slums and deep into its murky underworld, Chopra begins to suspect that there may be a great deal more to both his last case and his new ward than he thought. And he soon learns that when the going gets tough, a determined elephant may be exactly what an honest man needs."

I enjoyed this book. Inspector Chopra is forced into early retirement due to suffering a heart attack. On his last day, he hears about the case of a young man found dead, pronounced drowned, end of story. But Chopra finds the circumstances suspicious. He tries to make sure his replacement will investigate the case but when Chopra realizes he will not, he investigates on his own. 

When he returns home, he finds a baby elephant has been delivered to his apartment building. A letter was also received from his uncle telling Chopra he must take care of the elephant, that he is special. 

The story is about the investigation, Chopra trying to figure out what to do with an elephant in an urban area, Chopra's wife trying to get Chopra to sit and do nothing all day so he doesn't have another heart attack and his mother  in  law. Chopra and his mother in law do not get along. There is very funny banter between the two. The elephant ends up in the living room of the apartment during the monsoons, and Chopra's wife thinks he is having an affair because he is gone so much. 

I liked the descriptions of Mumbai, the people and information about India, as I know nothing about it. There are eight books in this series. I would read more books in the series. 

Here is the list of what other read.

Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the books they chose. They enjoyed reading about the different cities, culture and food! We even had some restaurant recommendations. 

The Namesake and The White Tiger have also been made into movies.

Enjoy!

Ronda George Thrillers by Janet Pywell

 I read a new series by Janet Pywell. She also writes the Mikky Dos Santos thrillers that I have mentioned.

Book One: The Concealers

Talented kickboxer and Masterchef turns detective. Betrayed, bankrupt and broken – Can Ronda get back in the game? 

After her ex-boyfriend’s stolen her savings and confidence, Ronda George is desperate to get back in the game. When she’s employed to cater for a private 50th birthday party at a Castle in Scotland, she also agrees to be the ‘eyes and ears’ for Inspector Joachin García Abascal from Europol. But the family have their secrets and are concealing truths involving an unsolved murder and a stolen rare blue diamond. What should be a simple catering job turns into a nightmare as enemies are bent on revenge. Ronda must use all the skills from her military career to stay alive. The Concealers is the first book in the Ronda George series of thrillers which can be read and enjoyed in any order, although it’s exciting to watch Ronda’s personal development with each book in the series and it’s preferable to read them in sequence. 

For fans of female sleuths and aficionados of Lucy Foley, Catherine Cooper, Allie Reynolds, Shari Lapena, Riley Sager and Lisa Jewell. This series will have you hooked. 

Book Two: The Influencers

Charismatic TV personality Daniel Clarkson employs Ronda George to cater at an exclusive function in his well-known Kent country pub. She’s shocked to find her ex, James Frampton, who stole her savings, is launching a new cryptocurrency. With the help of eight wealthy, social influencers it will take the Internet by storm. But Ronda discovers that the business deal is a scam. James and his business partners will stop at nothing to launch the venture - even if it means silencing her forever. Ronda’s intuition and instincts kick in and she calls on her army and martial arts skills in order to survive and get back what’s rightfully hers.

Book Three: The Manipulators

Ronda agrees to be the ‘eyes and ears’ for Inspector Joachin García Abascal from Europol, whilst catering for an international convention of ‘Religious, Spiritual Minds and Bodies’. At a remote monastery in Wales, the conference is thrown into disarray when tragedy strikes and a body is washed up on the beach. But Ronda believes this is all a cover-up for a more serious crime - a sophisticated wine fraud. As the truth is revealed Ronda must act quickly. She must use all her military training to succeed. But is she strong enough to stop an illegal and profitable crime when there’s so much to lose?

I enjoyed all three books. They are not terribly long and read quickly as there is lots of action. The story lines are different: stolen diamond, cryptocurrency, wine fraud. We see Ronda grow from being insecure after a really bad break up, to being physically and emotionally strong. There are recurring characters that are likeable - Inspector Joachin and Hugo, that becomes Ronda's partner. Tina is Ronda's best friend that looks after Molly, Ronda's loveable dog. 

You can purchase them separately or as a set on Amazon.

If you would like to read more about Janet and her books, here is her website.

http://janetpywell.com/

I received a ARCs and voluntarily provided reviews.

The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan

 I just finished listening to The Spies of Shilling Lane. A mystery book club member recommended it. 

About: "Mrs. Braithwaite, self-appointed queen of her English village, finds herself dethroned, despised, and dismissed following her husband’s selfish divorce petition. Never deterred, the threat of a family secret being revealed sets her hot-foot to London to find the only person she has left—her clever daughter Betty, who took work there at the first rumbles of war. But when she arrives, Betty’s landlord, the timid Mr. Norris, informs her that Betty hasn’t been home in days--with the chaos of the bombs, there’s no telling what might have befallen her. Aghast, Mrs. Braithwaite sets her bullish determination to the task of finding her only daughter. Storming into the London Blitz, Mrs. Braithwaite drags the reluctant Mr. Norris along as an unwitting sidekick as they piece together Betty’s unexpectedly chaotic life. As she is thrown into the midst of danger and death, Mrs. Braithwaite is forced to rethink her old-fashioned notions of status, class, and reputation, and to reconsider the question that’s been puzzling her since her world overturned: How do you measure the success of your life? Readers will be charmed by the unforgettable Mrs. Braithwaite and her plucky, ruthless optimism, and find in The Spies of Shilling Lane a novel with surprising twists and turns, quiet humor, and a poignant examination of mothers and daughters and the secrets we keep."

I enjoyed this book. It is a historical fiction/mystery. I do like historical fiction. As the description says, the story takes place during WWII. We get a peek into what life in England was like at that time; the food rationing, the blackouts, the bomb shelters, the Spam (which I love by the way) and not knowing if the person you had known your whole life could be trusted...

It is a good story about people trying to do their best to survive during these trying times while going through the other things that people routinely go through, as if that isn't enough. There is suspense but also humor. Mrs. Braithwaite reminded me of Hyacinth Bucket (or do you say bouquet) in the British series Keeping Up Appearances. Mrs. Braithwaite is bossy, head strong and self sufficient like Hyacinth but underneath is really very soft. She bosses Mr. Norris around as Hyacinth did her husband. That all is pretty funny. And of course she gets into several spots because of her CHARGE! attitude.

A very good ending makes for an enjoyable listen.

April Hallmark Mysteries and Joe Pickett

 Two new Hallmark mysteries coming up in April

Crossword Mysteries: Riddle Me Dead - First Clue premieres Sunday April 11th 

"Tess (a crossword puzzle editor) gets invited to be a part of a popular game show, but when the host is unexpectedly murdered, she and Detective Logan O'Connor seek to uncover who was behind it all. Starring Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliott and Barbara Niven.

Matchmaker Mysteries: The Art of the Kill premieres Sunday April 18th

"Angie Dove gets Det. Carter's attention by stumbling on a murder at an art museum. Angie's father Nick is on his own case, trying to solve a series of petty thefts at the museum. Starring Danica McKellar, Victor Webster and Bruce Boxleitner."

I always enjoy the mystery movies on Hallmark.

April Fool! Oh I think that is me. I incorrectly mentioned here and to one of my friends that Netflix was working on a series based on C.J. Box's Joe Pickett series. It is Spectrum Originals that is doing that. 

March 21, 2021 "EXCLUSIVE: Spectrum Originals has given a 10-episode order to Joe Pickett, an hourlong drama series based on C.J. Box’s bestselling novels. Michael Dorman (Patriot, For All Mankind) has been tapped for the title role in the project from Waco creators John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle, Paramount Television Studios and Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher’s Red Wagon Entertainment.

Joe Pickett follows a game warden (Dorman) and his family as they navigate the changing political and socio-economic climate in a small rural town in Wyoming. Surrounded by rich history and vast wildlife, the township hides decades of schemes and secrets that are yet to be uncovered. The series will air for a nine-month exclusive run on Spectrum."

Disclaimer: in searching for a potential date for this series, I found another article that says C.J. Box pulled the series, but there is no date on the article, although it looks like it is 2021. So I guess we will just wait and see. I know several C.J. Box fans and we weren't happy with Big Sky. I was looking forward to seeing a Joe Pickett series though.

A Baldacci suspense and a magical mystery series

 Spring is here in Central Texas. Bluebonnets are up and a few of the other wildflowers are coming along. The weather has been great but I think the heat is not too far away.

I really read quite a bit in March but was so busy with that work thing, I didn't have the strength to share. 

First off, I listened to the second Atlee Pine book by David Baldacci.

A Minute to Midnight

About: 

"FBI Agent Atlee Pine's life was never the same after her twin sister Mercy was kidnapped--and likely killed--thirty years ago. After a lifetime of torturous uncertainty, Atlee's unresolved anger finally gets the better of her on the job, and she finds she has to deal with the demons of her past if she wants to remain with the FBI. Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum head back to Atlee's rural hometown in Georgia to see what they can uncover about the traumatic night Mercy was taken and Pine was almost killed. But soon after Atlee begins her investigation, a local woman is found ritualistically murdered, her face covered with a wedding veil--and the first killing is quickly followed by a second bizarre murder. Atlee is determined to continue her search for answers, but now she must also set her sights on finding a potential serial killer before another victim is claimed. But in a small town full of secrets--some of which could answer the questions that have plagued Atlee her entire life--digging deeper into the past could be more dangerous than she realizes."

I had read the first book in book club and talked about it here. Long Road to Mercy.

Atlee continues her search of what happened to her sister by traveling to her hometown. But she gets mixed up in events involving a couple of murders, appears to be a serial killer. To complicate matters, when she advises the local police force to call the FBI as things are more than she or the locals to handle, someone from her past comes to help. Lots of actual, a good thriller. Great ending and hook for book three.

I also read two books in a new series by Janet Pywell. The Ronda George thrillers BUT I am going to post about them and the third book, next weekend, as book three comes out April 6. 

So after three thrillers, I was looking for a break and read:

The Disappearance of Emily by Elizabeth Pantley. I had read book one in this Destiny Falls series also. Let me tell you about both. If you like a good cozy mystery with a little magic, I would recommend these books. They aren't about little kid magic, more of a parallel world where things are magical. 

Falling into Magic - Destiny Falls book one    

About: 

"When Hayden was a child, she lost her cat. Adults told her the cat ran away, but she knew the truth. The mirror had taken her. She knew because the mirror had given her a glimpse of an alternate world and had nearly pulled her in, so she was certain the cat had suffered that fate. Twenty years later Hayden discovers the secret of the mirror when she is thrust into it. She learns of a world she never knew existed, and a family she never knew she had. But danger brought her here, and it followed her. Now, Hayden is on a mission to remove the threat, so that she can begin her magical, meaningful new life in this enchanted world."

The Disappearance of Emily - Destiny Falls book two

About: 

"Hayden fell through a mirror and was thrust into an alternate, magical place. Destiny Falls is home to a family she never knew she had. The town is enchanted and charming, but something is amiss. Then someone turns up dead, and there are too many other suspicious episodes to call them coincidences. All signs point to the mysterious disappearance of her mother – way back when Hayden was just two days old. Can she identify and eliminate the threat before another person in her life is stolen away?"

Here were my thoughts on the books:

Hayden is grown up, living with her grandmother and great grandmother. Her normal happy life is being upset by what seems to be a man stalking her. Hayden is attacked while walking home with her current day cat Sassy, from the groomer. She falls or is pushed into a manhole. When she awakes, she is in a strange room, with her cat, that she can now communicate with her cat. She has gone through some sort of portal into another world. People are saying they are related to her; brother, father, grandparents...all tying back to when she was born and her father and brother went away. The house seems magical, anticipating a person's needs and wants and changes accordingly. Destiny Falls seems like a lovely place with mostly lovely people. But the same man that pushed her keeps showing up. Her "stepmother" seems to want to get rid of her. There is also a thread of a story about an old witch in a cave that someone is being asking her to make a potion so they can take over Hayden's family's place in town. This part is humorous with the witch making demands of the person for the favor of the potion; a Wifi set up, items from Costco etc. 

In book two, Hayden is settling in to her life in Destiny Falls as a Caldwell. She is still secretly wondering if she can return to her life with her grandmother, great grandmother and friend and business partner Luna but it isn't looking good. As she branches out, visiting shops, making friends, she is very intrigued by the ferry business at the water. There is no schedule, no information, people seem to come and go, some in summer attire, some with snow ski equipment. No one can tell her how this works or where the ferries go. The captain of a ferry gives her a very strange saying message saying only she can save her. Who is she talking about? The captain asks her to meet her the next day. The captain is found murdered later that day and a box of papers is delivered to her the next day. As the story goes, the box seems to be connected to the captain and Hayden is deep in the middle of the mystery.
More rooms appear in Hayden's part of the house. Her new yoga room has a mirror that she can sometimes see her grandmother and Luna.
I love the magic in this series. It is subtle but you wish it was where you live. I love the behind the scenes story of the witch in the cave.
We learn more about Hayden's past and her parents. The characters and interesting, quirky and likeable...well most. Excellent feel good ending with a lead into the next book

The Destiny Falls books were ARC's and I voluntarily provided this review.

Coming up, new Hallmark movies, a Netflix announcement, a trip to India (in books) and the Ronda George thrillerd. Whew