The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken

Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator, Book 3

By: Tarquin Hall

Narrated by: Sam Dastor

Dubbed “a wonderfully engaging P.I.” (The Times, London), Tarquin Hall’s irresistible protagonist Vish Puri has become an international favorite through a series that "splendidly evokes the color and bustle of Delhi and the tang of contemporary India" (The Seattle Times). Now the gormandizing, spectacularly mustachioed sleuth finds himself facing down his greatest fears in an explosive case involving the Indian and Pakistani mafias.

When the elderly father of a top Pakistani cricketer playing in the multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League dies during a post-match dinner, it’s not a simple case of Delhi Belly. His butter chicken has been poisoned. To solve the case, Puri must penetrate the region’s organized crime, following a trail that leads deep into Pakistan - the country in which many members of the P.I.’s family were massacred during the 1947 partition of India. The last piece of the puzzle, however, turns up closer to home when Puri learns of the one person who can identify the killer. Unfortunately it is the one woman in the world with whom he has sworn never to work: his Mummy-ji.

©2012 Sacred Cow Media, Ltd. (P)2012 AudioGO

Excellent

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Highly recommend. The story is well-written; from all that I can tell it is very authentic. It is a top-notch story that also gives an inside view of contemporary Indian life. The reader was beyond great. The characters are great - I have read the three Vish Puri books and can't wait for the next.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken?

The denouement when All Is Revealed.

What about Sam Dastor’s performance did you like?

His acting brought the book to life. The accents were authentic, distinguishable, and consistent. He is one of the best readers I've ever had the pleasure to listen to and was exactly right for this book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Great writing, great characters, great setting, great acting.

A good story well read

What did you love best about The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken?

I thoroughly enjoy all of the characters and find the story line very engaging. As always, the narrator, Sam Dastor, makes it all come alive with his wonderful accents. The narration is truly value-added to an entertaining story.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot keeps you guessing, and the manner of its resolution is made more interesting by the involvement of somewhat peripheral characters, and, of course Vish Puri's intrepid mother.

Have you listened to any of Sam Dastor’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to all four of the Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator books and I think that this one is as good as the others. I have found that Tarquin Hall's last two books, including this one, delve into some aspects of Indian society that are more serious, such as some history of the partition and the effects on the individuals who lived through it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I could have listened to this book without interruption, although it was easy enough to return back to when I did have to stop listening.

Any additional comments?

As far as I'm concerned, Tarquin Hall and Sam Dastor can team up anytime with a new Vish Puri mystery and I will be there eager to listen to it!

A visit to India

Such vivid descriptions, without being too wordy, you feel as if you were there. Narrator does a wonderful job. Superb!

Far More than a Detective Story

Let me join other reviewers in singing the praises of the Vish Purry detective stories and the excellent narration by Sam Dostar. This is far more than a detective story, although the mystery plot is itself first class. The richness of this book lies in the colorful portraits of the people, neighborhoods, customs, characters, and mores of modern India. The writing—complemented by the superb and engaging Sam Dostar narration—lets you feel you are right in the neighborhoods described and in the presence of real people.

All in all, both an entertaining and a highly enriching book. Kudos to Tarquin Hall, who I gather is actually a native Englishman who is married to an Indian woman and has lived a number of years in India.

Sam Dastor is perfect !!

Great match for Dastor's narrating skills and this fun mystery book. It's a delightful series, that'll give you some laughs and insight into the culture as well.

good addition to global gumshoe listens

This is not as dark as Colin Cotterill's Dr Siri investigations, not as playful as Alexander McCall Smith, but still a humorous and cozily entertaining global gumshoe listen along those lines. You will learn something about modern India along the way; in fact, you could criticize the author for being too didactic and not as skilled (yet) as the earlier mentioned authors in weaving the learning into the tale.

The author also has something else in common with McCall Smith and Cotterill: a non-native writing about a culture, albeit one he seems to know, respect, and understand well -- but as an outsider myself, I am not the best judge of the accuracy of the portrait or of Sam Dastor's narration -- both of which I enjoyed.

Mummy G. and Chubby ride again.

What did you love best about The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken?

Mummy G. is my favorite. She was right there helping Vish Puri, no matter how many times he tells her, "investigating is not for Mummies..."

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Not really. I love the series for the reoccurring characters, not the cases.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Mummie reveals she knows why the murder was committed.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I got a little teary-eyed at the above scene. And I laughed at Chubby's attempts to follow a diet, with Rumpy after him.

Any additional comments?

I eagerly await Vish Puri, India's Most Confidential Private Investigator's next adventure. "Confidentiality is our watchword!"

India's Most Private Detective!

This was a really fun listen and I recommend it! The story was engaging and immersing with lots of humor but none of the silliness that sometimes plague the more light-hearted detective series. Vish Puri, India's most private detective, was portrayed as quite competent and I look forward to listening to his other adventures of crime solving in India. This book was a quick, fun, informative and easy listen.

The narration was excellent and it was easy to distinguish between the numerous colorful characters.

Fun with History and Politics.

I enjoyed this one even more than the first two. The primary story covered two countries and two generations. Mommy G played an important role. And the story made great points about British colonialism and Indian-Pakistan relations without being preachy. Great fun!

Some serious elements with the humor

As always, there are many laugh-out-loud moments in this mystery, but there is also a story from the terrible time of the Indian/Pakistani partition that casts its shadow into the present. Sam Dastor's narration is what really makes this series come alive for me.