Harini NagendraReseñas

I don’t think I’ll continue with this series.

This is a cozy mystery set in 1920s India. The author is a Professor of Sustainability who lives in Bangalore.

A young bride, Kaveri, has moved to Bangalore to be with her new husband Ramu. Kaveri is smart and forward-thinking and loves solving calculus equations. Ramu is a doctor at the local hospital. She is afraid Ramu will be firm and traditional in his views but finds him kind and progressive. Ramu introduces her to the English hospital director Dr Charles Roberts, and his wife Daphne. While having dinner at the Century Club they discover a man has been murdered, Ponnuswamy the local pimp.

Kaveri becomes obsessed with helping Deputy Inspector Ismail solve the crime.

This was an enjoyable read which provided some background to the area, including recipes at the end. I struggled somewhat with the number of characters and their names, probably due to listening to the audiobook version. It would have been easier to keep track on a different format. I don’t really like murders when the motivation is blamed on mental health, as it seems a little cliche and perpetuates a misconception.
I would also have liked to see more development of their relationship as it was brand new but didn’t feature greatly. There were also a few inconsistencies such as speaking about her love of complex calculus when she is solving a simple arithmetic problem, and they both seem very modern for the era. Nevertheless these small things aside, Kaveri was a likeable character and I would happily read another of her adventures.

Easy read, lovely description of the 1920s Bangalore and its intricate social hierarchies wrapped up in a gripping mystery. Totally recommend this for a leisurely read.

Sporadically engaging and readable, the story provides a picturesque insight of 1920's India and the colourful life of well-to-do citizens. While it is pleasant to read about Kaveri, the main protagonist, the flawed plotting and unrealistic portrayal of the life and times detracted from a solid narrative. The novel is not plotted sufficiently well, being contradictory or begging belief too many times.

It was enjoyable from a cozy mystery perspective, a bit of political/cultural tension. But overall the sleuthing/mystery part was a bit dull. The main character spoke to suspects and they just spilled their secrets. She moved easily from clue to clue, and the police inspector started sharing evidence with her.

Harini Nagendra writes an interesting mystery, except for all the Indian phrases, food, and customs. Her book spends too much time in India for someone with limited Indian terms. Yes, she does provide a dictionary, but flipping back and forth ruins the flow of the story. In this 1920’s India, a losing battle with drug smuggling such a cocaine dominates the crime. A religious leader runs a house for downtrodden women, but all these women do is sleep and eat, while he collects multitudes of money and jewelry from rich Indian women. Why is the plight of these poor, defenseless women not studied? The main character, Kaveri Murthy, has too much freedom for this time period. An undercurrent of Indian unrest with British control festers, as well as woman suffrage. Many interesting issues, but hidden in the quest to showcase Indian cuisine.

This charming mystery, set in 1920s Bangalore, India, is full of surprises. Kaveri is a young bride who barely knows her husband, Ramu, a handsome doctor. They’re attending a party at the Century Club when a murder takes place, and Kaveri’s curiosity draws her into sleuthing. Unlike so many traditional husbands who want to hold their wives back, Ramu is proud of Kaveri’s cleverness (though he’s also concerned for her safety). Another surprise is the police officer on the case, who admires Kaveri’s skill rather than being alarmed or defensive. The author weaves aspects of Indian culture into the story and even shares some of the main character’s recipes at the end of the book. I enjoyed Kaveri’s caper and hope to read many more!

Interesting setting gets two stars, but couldn't finish -- characters too unreal.

This is the first of Nagendra's historical mystery series set in Bangalore 1921 when India was still under British rule and protest is beginning to appear. It’s a cosy mystery with the added attraction of the portrayal of life and customs in India during the Raj. It requires a suspension of disbelief at times while Kaveri, the appealing young wife of Ramu, a doctor, takes on the role of private detective. Ramu was married for 40 years and was a widower until his marriage to his delightful new wife which partially explains the indulgence he shows to her. If you like Alexander McCall Smith, you will probably enjoy this.

Nagendra is an academic specializing in ecology so this is a complete change of direction for her. Although the plot and writing style could use some help, it was mildly entertaining. A glossary and some of Kaveri's favourite recipes follow.½

This is the second in the series but works fine as a stand-alone. Nineteen-year-old Kaveri Murthy is a newly married woman who lives with her doctor husband and widowed mother-in-law in 1920s Bangalore. She has solved one mystery (in book #1 “The Bangalore Detective Club”) and thrives on the pursuit of truth and justice. She loves mathematics, drives a car, and while she loves her supportive husband, she enjoys her independence.

She has developed a reputation in the area as a lady detective and has formed the Bangalore Detective Club made up of her friends, neighbors, and street urchins. This novel begins when Kaveri is asked to investigate a workplace embezzlement. This quickly leads to a request to solve the murder of a wealthy manufacturer, which has occurred during the blood moon eclipse. The more clues Kaveri uncovers, the more she puts herself in danger.

In addition to the mystery, the novel focuses on abuse and women’s rights, Indian culture including caste, food, clothing, and growing anti-British sentiment.

One extra benefit is that before the novel begins, the author directs the reader to “Kaveri’s Dictionary” at the back of the book. Many of the Indian words used in the novel are explained and a pronunciation guide is included. It also explains a bit about the geography and history behind the book. And even more enjoyable, you can find several Indian recipes that are mentioned in the story. This would be especially fun for a book club.

While I found this readable, it seemed to be written for a younger audience. The writing style was simplistic and unsophisticated, and Kaveri appeared naïve and immature, which I found irritating. The dialogue was often stilted and some of the clues were too easily solved. I figured out whodunit way before Kaveri did, so I didn’t think the mystery was clever or creative. The writing style seemed more like a Young Adult, even though many YA books are not necessarily this uncomplicated. For these reasons I am rating it 3 stars.

Murder Under A Red Moon is the second Bangalore Detective Mystery. The first book, The Bangalore Detectives Club, was published last year and I loved it. As you would expect, the stories take place in Bangalore, India during the 1920s. Kaveri Murthy is our main character and she is the amateur sleuth of the series. While she has a group of women who help her with investigations, Kaveri is the star. Her group includes a street urchin, a nosy neighbor, an ex-prostitute and a policeman's wife. In this installment of the series she is a fairly new bride with a domineering mother-in-law. After a murder occurs during the blood moon eclipse, Kaveri agrees to investigate. Against a backdrop of rising anti-British sentiment and a charismatic swami's influence, Kaveri's hometown of Bangalore is becoming more and more a dangerous place to live. Kaveri continues to investigate anyway, wearing her usual sari and driving her 1920s Ford.

I loved that Kaveri always wore a sari. Even when it restricted her legs as she maneuvered through fields and muddy paths Kaveri always wore a beautiful sari. The Hindu faith tradition is a huge part of the story. Most of the characters are practicing Hindus whose insights into the why and how of the murder are influenced by their faith. As for Kaveri and her husband Ramu, a doctor, they are atheists. Food is another big part of the story. The author writes meals into her story which were both captivating to me and giving me angina at the same time from imagining the spiciness of these foods which I myself have eaten in the past. The investigation of the murder had twists and turns that I did not expect and I was surprised by the ending. The identity of the killer was not a surprise but why the killer felt the need to kill was a surprise.

Murder Under a Red Moon was a satisfying read. I highly recommend this historical mystery series to all mystery fans and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Delightful cozy mystery set in 1920s Bangalore India where Kaveri and her husband and women friends investigate and solve the death of an industrialist. I loved the fact that after the story proper, recipes for Indian foods mentioned in the text were given. I'm intrigued, so I may try the very easiest ones.

Kaveri Murthy is the young wife of Dr. Ramu Murthy, in 1921 India. Legally, they've been married for three years, but Ramu and his father don't believe in child marriage, and Kaveri's own father (though not her mother) supported her wish to finish her education at the elite secondary school she was attending. Now she is in Bangalore, living with her husband, and learning the art of being a wife. Cleaning is necessary but annoying, and cooking is a challenging skill to master.

She's still secretly studying math, but she leaps at the chance to go to the Century Club to swim with some of the other women she's met. It's her first exposure to the idea of a swimsuit, rather than just tying up her sari to be practical for swimming. The next evening, attending a dinner at the Century Club with her husband for the first time, she gets caught up in the investigation of a murder.

This is a cozy mystery, with warmth and humor, and with Kaveri and Ramu getting to know each other, learning each other's personalities, interests, and views on issues that affect them both. Kaveri is by nature a confident young woman, yet has been taught by her mother that straying from the strictest of traditional rules that govern married women will anger her husband, with possible terrible consequences. Thus, she's hiding the fact that she's still studying math, among other things.

The murder victim at the Century Club is a man with a very unsavory reputation, and the prime suspect is the Murthys' milkman, Manju, who was working the dinner for extra money that night. The fact that he flees and goes into hiding doesn't make him look less guilty, of course. Next morning, Manju's younger brother, Vanu, shows up to deliver their milk, and Kaveri begins to learn some disturbing things about Manju, including his abuse of his wife, Muniamma, Vanu, and others. Yet there's still nothing that makes Manju a likely suspect--except that he ran, and he's an easy target to prosecute. Since his conviction for murder would be a disaster for the already-struggling family, Kaveri yields to Vanu's plea that she help Manju, by trying to find the real killer.

Along the way she meets the Police Inspector Ismail, the gardener at the Century Club, and and a beautiful and kind prostitute. She gets better acquainted with the wives of her husband's colleagues at the hospital, and her elderly, well-born neighbor, Uma Aunty, whose father and husband would not allow her to even learn to read. Uma Aunty is pleased to trade cooking lessons for Kaveri for reading lessons for herself--and despite her initial hesitations, is soon drawn in to helping in the investigation, too.

Along with the investigation, we see the relationship between Kaveri and Ramu grow, including a lovely first visit to the library, where Ramu gets a family card so that Kaveri can read more books than the ones she brought with her.

This is a sweet and fun mystery, which nevertheless touches upon India's caste issues, the growing political conflict between Britian's colonial government over India, and the efforts of women to gain more freedom and independence. On these issues, Ramu can't always say publicly what he thinks, because as a doctor at the hospital, he's a government employee. As he and Kavari get to know each other better, though, they can both be more free in what they say to each other.

It's a lovely, engaging story, a pleasure to listen to.

I bought this audiobook.

Murder Under a Red Moon is Harini Nagendra's second novel featuring amateur detective Kavery Murthy. Like the first novel in this series, The Bangalore Detectives Club, Murder Under a Red Moon is set in Bangalore in the 1920s. India is still under British rule, but the independence movement is growing. Tensions between new and traditional cultural practices are unsettling daily life, particularly for women.

Kavery Murthy is a young bride with more than the usual amount of education—a fact that pleases her husband, but worries her mother-in-law. Having successfully solved a major case recently, Kavery has set up her own amateur detective agency. For the most part, the cases she solves are simple ones. Kavery's mother-in-law is dubious (to say the least) about this new undertaking, so Kavery is surprised when it's her mother-in-law introducing her to a family in need of an investigator. Initially, she's asked to explore a possible case of embezzlement, but the case quickly becomes a murder investigation.

The social context for these books is interesting. In a culture where caste and religion create significant divisions among people, Kavery is exceptionally open-minded. She runs literacy classes for a variety of women in her own home. She's become fast friends with a Muslim policeman (Kavery is Hindu). She's also coming to know street children and one in particular is taking on a role equivalent to that of one of Holmes' "Baker Street Irregulars." I don't know whether 1920s India included many women with Kavery's attitudes, but this plot element works well to give readers access to many segments of the Bangalore population.

This series remains true to its "cozy" origins, but the solution to this mystery is more complex than in the previous volume and the relationships among characters are developing richly.

If you're new to this series, you may want to begin with The Bangalore Detective's Club because it provides useful context for readers, but you won't be at all confused if you start with Murder Under a Blood Red Moon. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.

It's amazing how much atmosphere author Harini Nagendra can add to her charming Bangalore Detectives Club mysteries with the occasional description of sari fabric, adding some flowers, and a mouth-watering meal or two. After being captivated by The Bangalore Detectives Club last year, I was happy to see no evidence of a sophomore slump in Murder Under a Red Moon.

Along with Hindu customs and religious practices, Nagendra's characters show us life in a country with burgeoning resistance to British colonial rule and a growing women's rights movement. Kaveri's Dictionary and Kaveri's Adventures in the Kitchen at the back of the book are icing on the cake. The author effortlessly pulled me into this young woman's time and place, and I loved it.

Kaveri Murthy and her husband, Ramu, a doctor, are progressive thinkers, and it's a pleasure to be in their company even though it's merely as fly-on-the-wall status. They look for ways to help others. Kaveri's "detectives club" comprises women from all walks of life, from nosy neighbors whom she's teaching to read and write to a policeman's wife and an ex-prostitute. She's even wound up with a couple of street urchins who insist on helping her. And it's no wonder because, although Kaveri does love a good mystery to solve, she's even more determined to help those around her. When she sees someone in need, she immediately wants to help (and not in just a short-term way).

Kaveri's mother-in-law, Bhargavi, was a caricature in the first book in this series, but she's not in Murder Under a Red Moon. Nagendra fleshes her out and makes her three-dimensional. The author can also write a scene that makes the hair stand on the back of my neck. (I don't think I'll be sleuthing during a red moon eclipse any time soon.) If I have any quibble at all with Kaveri's second investigation, it's that the whodunit part was much too easy to deduce, but guess what? I don't care. It gave me more time to don a fresh sari and jump into Kaveri's Ford with her to gather clues... and hope that there would be some tasty rewards when we arrived back home. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series!

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher)½

Kaveri and Ramu are engaging characters. But not sure Kaveri would be so lucky to be supported in her studies and sleuthing by so many sympathetic characters. The timeline is a mess.
Muniamma was pregnant but also had an infant? They left the infant when they took Muniamma to the hospital?

Imagine India in the 1920’s when England still retains control over the Indian population. Gandhi speaks to the Indian people for passive resistance to the British. Rumblings of unrest sweep throughout India as the Indians attempt self-government . Enter Kaveri, a newly married and college educated woman. Kaveri secretly studies for a mathematics exam in her spare time and attempts to learn cooking. This does not keep Kaveri busy so she jumps into a murder investigation. Ramu, a young and successful doctor, aides his wife Kaveri in discovering clues to the murder of a wealthy pimp. The story presents the structure of Indian life and the many taboos within the society especially between the Indian and the British. The freedom of Kaveri does not ring true to the limits of that time. Also, I usually do not spot the killer until the ending chapters of the novel. I discovered the killer as soon as that character was presented. No red herrings jumped into the tale. A nice story, but not as intense as many mystery novels.

On the night of an important party, a murder happens on the grounds of the Century Club. While Kaveri has resigned herself to being a traditional wife, she cannot help using her analytical skills to help those within her circle. Luckily, the local detective and her husband appreciate her mind and passion, though both sometimes worry for her safety.

While creating a lovely cozy mystery story, Nagendra also explores colonialism, caste systems, and other social constructs. A good start to what promises to be a fun series.

This was a 3.5-star lightweight, India-based historical mystery for when you want an easy read without thinking too much. In 1921 India, where the British are still ruling, the atmosphere is rife with sexism and classism. Kaveri is an amateur sleuth in a sari as well as being a newlywed with a penchant for mathematics. Her husband, Ramu, is a young doctor who shares her modern perspective of women deserving independence and equality. When they attend a dinner party where someone is murdered and a woman is arrested whom Kaveri believes is innocent, she becomes determined to save her and find the real murderer.

The title is misleading as “The Bangalore Detectives Club” is only mentioned in the prologue, not in the novel. The prologue was totally unnecessary as the book concludes without referring again to the person featured in the prologue or anything about the Club. Logically, it would have provided closure to wrap up the story by returning to the prologue’s topics (perhaps with an epilogue?). I thought whoever was advising the author dropped the ball by not reminding her to mention the second case hinted at in the prologue.

Regardless of this complaint, the mystery was entertaining, with adventurous Kaveri continuing to investigate despite the danger and the advice to be cautious from her husband. I would have appreciated a few twists and surprises in the plot, though there were some false suspects to keep me awake while reading. Throughout the novel the author emphasizes the limitations women faced during that time, and states in the Acknowledgements: “This book is a tribute to all the remarkable women who lived in previous times, on whom Kaveri, Mala and Uma aunty are modelled. Defying societal restrictions to forge their own path, they blazed the way for generations to follow.”

I read this because I like the books written by Sujata Massey and Nev March featuring Indian women sleuths. This novel isn’t as good as those, but I’m hoping her second effort will be better. Two good things – included at the end was a dictionary with pronunciations and meanings of the Indian words used, and recipes for all the food mentioned in the novel.

Even though I deduced the killer's identity early on, I found The Bangalore Detectives Club to be a thoroughly delightful read, and Soneela Nankani's narration was perfect. (Just enough of an accent for the pronunciation of names and to bring a true feeling of India to the story without causing any auditory confusion.)

Kaveri and her husband Ramu represent the burgeoning new India of the 1920s when Gandhi's fight for independence is taking root and British colonialism is waning. As Kaveri investigates the murder of the man in the century Club garden, she's taken to one section of Bangalore after another and meets with people from all walks of life. Although her husband Ramu isn't old-fashioned in the way he treats her, Kaveri still manages to get to a neighborhood or two that makes him worry for her safety. These travels of hers not only further the investigation, but they allow readers to experience Indian culture which is something I always appreciate.

One instance of Indian culture in 1921 made me smile. If a person wanted milk delivered, the cow came to their house to be milked. Nothing like being able to get it straight from the source, eh? Harini Nagendra does an excellent job of showing readers both the old and the new. Ooma Aunty, an older woman who is Kaveri's neighbor, has lived all her life under the restrictions of the old ways, but she's willing (and wants) to learn the new. On the other hand, Kaveri's mother-in-law sounds like the stereotypical evil dragon woman who finds fault even while she's sleeping. Fortunately for me, the woman was out of town caring for a sick relative, and I didn't have to put up with her. I do have to admit that I'm not looking forward to meeting her. I wonder if Nagendra can give her an endless supply of out-of-town sick relatives to nurse?

The comparisons to Alexander McCall Smith are good ones. There's an authenticity and a joyfulness to this book that make it a delight to read, especially in audiobook format, and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing Kaveri and Ramu again.½

A delightful first in a series. The amateur detective, Kaveri, is a young women in a new arranged, yet loving, marriage. Her husband Rama and the neighbor Uma help her solve a murder. She helps the policeman Ismail who likes her and is happy for her help. I will read the next in the series. Can’t wait for it.

Kaveri is a very engaging character. She loves math so solving problems/mysteries suits her. All the characters represent different aspects of life in India in the transitional time of the 1920s. It is a fun read with lots of description which brings Bangalore to life as well as the beautiful saris worn by Kaveri.½

The Bangalore Detective's Club is the sort of reliable historical (and international) mystery novel appreciated by readers looking for entertainment that isn't entirely frivolous. Set in early 20th Century India under British rule and a time of tensions between traditional and new outlooks, the novel features a female "detective," recently married Kaveri who is more educated than most women of her time, who loves math and longs for freedoms that many in her world would like to deny her. She is, however, lucky in her husband, Ramu, a doctor who makes a genuine effort to allow her to chart her own direction in life. The mystery itself occupies a territorysomewhere between gripping and predictable: it doesn't offer a lot of surprises, but it also isn't painfully predictable.

If you appreciate historical and/or international cozy mysteries, you'll want to check out this title. I plan to keep looking for new volumes—this book suggests that future volumes will become increasingly engaging with an increasingly well developed cast of characters.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via EdelweissPlus; the opinions are my own.