The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing

De: Tarquin Hall

Narrado por: Sam Dastor

Dr. Suresh Jha, best known for unmasking fraudulent swamis and godmen, dies in a fit of giggles at his morning yoga class when goddess Kali appears from the mist and plunges a sword into his chest. The only one laughing now is the main suspect, a powerful guru named Maharaj Swami, who seems to have done away with his most vocal critic.

Vish Puri, India’s Most Private Investigator, master of disguise and lover of all things fried and spicy, doesn’t believe the murder is a supernatural occurrence. How did the murder weapon miraculously crumble into ash? To get at the truth, Puri and his team of undercover operatives—Facecream, Tubelight, and Flush—must travel from the slum to the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges.

©2010 BBC Audio (P)2010 Sacred Cow Media, Ltd.

Tubelight and Facecream rule!

We loved this book. It is very funny with memorable characters you wish you knew. The heat of Delhi and the customs of the city and its inhabitants are conveyed well while maintaining the flow of the story.

Surprisingly good

Have to admit, early on in this book, some of the accents were annoying me and i wasn't sure i'd finish the book. But eventually, i not only got accustomed to that, but the story kind of grabbed me and i quite enjoyed it. The characters were quirky and fun, with a pretty good mix of personal info blended in with the mystery at hand. Not sure if i'll look for another by the same author, but i might.

Awesome Listen

The performer, Sam Dastor, brings Vish Puri to life. You end up loving all the charaters, Vish, his wife, is mother Mommy G and all the other fun charaters. Good mystery!

Indian Poirot

What did you love best about The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing?

The use of idioms, isn't it?

What other book might you compare The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing to and why?

It is on par with many other good mysteries, with a slightly exotic flair.

Which scene was your favorite?

The women's group being robbed.

A dose of the subcontinent

Having spent a number of years around a diverse group of Indians but never having traveled to India, I find this series utterly charming. The book stands up well as a murder mystery (unless you like a little gore and sadism in your mysteries), and the characters are real and lovely. Please record more of them.

fantastic

Really funny dip into Indian culture. I loved it. Beautifully narrated by Sam Dastor

Funny!

Any additional comments?

As a non-Indian who has spent a year in India I got such a kick out of these characters who are so unique and quirky, but also so typical of certain types that you meet there. I loved the way the author captured the special turns of phrase and expressions of Indian English.The sights and sounds, the smells and tastes of Delhi are so vividly expressed. The reader was excellent.Thoroughly enjoyable.

If you want something different

I have only read or listened to two of these novels. I have thoroughly enjoyed both. Not really heavy, but you can't help liking and smiling at all the characters. Narration is great too.

Man Who Died Laughing

Though I started with the assumption that I'd be drawn into the mystery, I never found much to keep me awake. I even repeated a few chapters with hopes that I'd missed something. Sorry.

Fun, light and entertaining

Any additional comments?

This was perfect for me, because I love mysteries, and I love India. I'm familiar with the Delhi locations and the cultural references. Might be a little confusing for people who don't have this connection to India, but it's an entertaining listen/read nonetheless. It's light and fun, and keeps you guessing. I am definitely looking forward to more stories from this author.