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Sunday, July 16, 2023

Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Murder Under a Red Moon, by Harini Nagendra {ends 7/23}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Bhargavi had called to say she would be spending the night at Shanthi’s home. Alone together at home for the first time in a long while, Kaveri and Ramu decided to push aside all thoughts of the case for a while over dinner. They lingered over a simple meal of lemon saaru with rice, accompanied by spiced fried potatoes, followed by bowls of vermicelli payasa, as they spoke of everything other than the murder.

Ramu traced the dark shadows under Kaveri’s eye with a gentle finger. ‘You have stepped too close to the case, Kaveri. Set the murder aside for a couple of days. Take a break. You will think better for it.’ He placed a kiss on her forehead. ‘You  look tired, I will clean the dishes.’ Ramu pressed Kaveri back on the chair.

Kaveri continues her non-traditional detective work as she finds herself looking at another case that turns into a murder.

Official synopsis:
When new bride Kaveri Murthy reluctantly agrees to investigate a minor crime to please her domineering mother-in-law—during the blood moon eclipse, no less—she doesn't expect, once again, to stumble upon a murder.

With anti-British sentiment on the rise, a charismatic religious leader growing in influence, and the fight for women's suffrage gaining steam, Bangalore is turning out to be a far more dangerous and treacherous place than Kaveri ever imagined—and everyone's motives are suspect.

Together with the Bangalore Detectives Club—a mixed bag of street urchins, nosy neighbours, an ex-prostitute, and a policeman's wife— Kaveri once again sleuths in her sari and hunts for clues in her beloved 1920s Ford.

But when her life is suddenly put in danger, Kaveri realizes that she might be getting uncomfortably close to the truth. So she must now draw on her wits and find the killer . . . before they find her.

This second book in the Bangalore Detectives Club Mystery series is just as fun as the first! Kaveri is a newlywed in 1920s Bangalore, but her marriage and hobbies are definitely not traditional. Her husband, Ramu, is already supporting her in furthering her education, but he also respects that she’s pretty smart already. After solving a murder in the first book, her popularity among her new neighbors has grown, and they seek out her help in solving crimes.

What starts out as looking over the books of a distant relative’s company suddenly escalates when she and a local policeman walk into the scene of a fresh murder. Ramu loves seeing his wife do what she loves, but he has more than his share of worry over her adventures. He sees plenty of tragedy working at the hospital and doesn’t want it threatening his home life.

As Kaveri investigates more crimes, her compassion has her meeting more people without her privilege in life. Frequently to her mother-in-law’s chagrin, she makes them friends and invites them all to their home. This book sees both Kaveri and her mother-in-law, Bhargavi, trying to get along and appreciate each other more. It made both characters even more likable. This book, like the first, was 4 out of 5 stars. Reading about their life and untangling their mysteries in 1920s Bangalore is always enjoyable.

{click here to purchase on Amazon}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mother to two school-aged children, two young cats, and occasionally a few fish. She shares a little of it all, as well as other books she reads on her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Murder Under a Red Moon!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Sunday, July 23rd, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified the next day via email, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Murder Under a Red Moon, by Harini Nagendra

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