The Widows of Malabar Hill

By: Sujata Massey

Narrated by: Soneela Nankani

Introducing an extraordinary female lawyer-sleuth in a new historical series set in 1920s Bombay!

Bombay, 1921: Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family, has just joined her father's law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a law degree from Oxford, Perveen also has a tragic personal history that makes her especially devoted to championing and protecting women's legal rights.

Mistry Law has been appointed to execute the will of Mr. Omar Farid, a wealthy Muslim mill owner who has left three widows behind. But as Perveen is going through the paperwork, she notices something strange: all three of the wives have signed over their full inheritance to a charity. What will they live on if they forfeit what their husband left them? Perveen is suspicious, especially since one of the widows has signed her form with an X - meaning she probably couldn't even read the document. The Farid widows live in full purdah - in strict seclusion, never leaving the women's quarters or speaking to any men. Are they being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous guardian?

Perveen tries to investigate, and realizes her instincts about the will were correct when tensions escalate to murder. Now it is her responsibility to figure out what really happened on Malabar Hill, and to ensure that no innocent women or children are in further danger.

Inspired in part by a real woman who made history by becoming India's first female lawyer, The Widows of Malabar Hill is a richly wrought story of multicultural 1920s Bombay as well as the debut of a sharp and promising new sleuth, Perveen Mistry.

©2018 Sujata Massey (P)2018 Recorded Books

Engaging and clever

Well-written, the novel incorporates history and social issues with a complex plot. Though it can seem predictable it is a pleasure to listen to.

Narrator

The narrator said everything with the same intensity, volume, inflection. It didn’t matter whether she was describing the weather on a pleasant day, or the fact that someone had been murdered. It all had the same emotion. It was funny at first, but it became really annoying.

Great story, irritating narrator.

Story is very well written, and so informative about an intricately woven culture with its strength and limitations for women especially. Narrator was too juvenile and emotive for the strong female protagonist - detracted from the story

Enjoyed the Read

The Widows of Malabar hill was interesting and entertaining. It's not a deep piece of literature, but enjoyable none the less. The story takes place in India in the 1920's and the heroine is a Parsi (Zorastrian). The characters were likable, and I enjoyed learning a little about the Parsi people.I hope this book is becomes the first of a series.

Learned about another time!

Thought this was a good story and was glad to learn about another culture and time. So glad I wasn't a woman in India in the 1920's!

Captivating

Thoroughly enjoyable experience and with interesting characters from all walks of life. The mix of cultures was fascinating with the added complication of the English being in control at that time.

Summary

I really enjoyed this book. i loved the characters and the narrator was awesone.

Worthy of 6 stars.

I am looking forward to more adventures with Perveen Mistry. And more performances by Soneela Nankani.

A wonderful story

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the customs of India and the spunky main character in this novel.

Easy read and full of interesting insights!!

I love to learn about different cultures. The author succeeds at taking you across time and space to a very different world. The story of woman empowerment is still very relevant to our times. What Parveen Mistry stands up against are a elemental human right for girls and woman still needed in our times.