This was a buddy read with my friend Rekha, an intellectual and analytical blogger with her reviews. We decided we would read 10 chapters everyday and discuss it out. Do check out her views too as we read the book piecemeal.
The Analysis
First 10 chapters
The book started with a murder mystery, a whodunit as reminisced by Gayatri Bharadwaj a year later.
Both of us agreed that the starting was entertaining, but it was too descriptive (one sentence had 32 words) and it had a lot of hindi words. To navigate through this path, it took us time and patience to get to the juicy bits. (Oh bear in mind I do speak Hindi pretty well.)
Rekha felt it seemed like an afternoon soap, and I felt it was too formal a language. (My parents never spoke that way)
The next 14 chapters
The investigation proceeded well, getting the alibis sorted, talking to the various suspects by SP Vishwanath Sharma. There was a major twist at the end of this part.
Both of us enjoyed the investigative parts, but there was too much of unnecessary description marring the prose and some discrepancies which disrupted the story.
The last few chapters
The story came to an end with some twists which were entertaining. The story reached an unexpected expected end. You have to read the book to understand this!
Both of us agreed that that the investigative parts were interesting, and it kept the plot alive. The story though started slow, but we had to read it to the end to get to the killer. And that was the beauty of the prose and author Neena H Brar’s writing.
My verdict
A Bollywood potboiler of sorts of the 1970s. There are a lot of hindi words used. To me it felt like being transported to the theatres in 1974 (oh yes! I was alive then and the stories I can tell….)
Rekha’s verdict
Now you have to read that here
My detailed review would come later at the end of the blog tour as a very special person had some major inputs in it.
About the Author
Neena H. Brar lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, two children, a highly energetic German Shepherd, and a lifetime collection of her favorite books.
A hermit at heart, she’s a permissive mother, a reluctant housekeeper, a superb cook, and a hard-core reader.
Tied to Deceit is her debut novel.
Author Contact Details
Book blurb
On a drizzly August morning, the inhabitants of the hill town of Sanover, Himachal Pradesh, wake up to the shocking news of the murder of the exquisite, secretive, malicious, and thoroughly immoral Devika Singh.
As Superintendent of Police Vishwanath Sharma begins to sift through the hidden secrets of Devika Singh’s life, it becomes evident that everyone who knew her seems to have a clear-cut motive for killing her.
Faced with the investigation of a crime that appears to have as many suspects as there are motives, Vishwanath Sharma probes the sinister web spun around a tangle of lies and deception.
Book Links
Kobo
The blog tour can be followed here
34 Responses
I definitely agree with the over excess of description! It’s definitely a lot. And then for the tip on the reference at the back of the book! I would have gone through the whole thing wondering and then at the end though… Well, THAT would have been good to know! 😉
Ask me baby for any kind of translation hehehe😉😉😂😂
Well you do read different books. Get to work darlin. Consider this as part of languages course. I am all about helping you 😉😉😂😂
Ha ha!! Well, I’ve always wanted to learn new languages… Just don’t blame me when you get tired of my Instagram messages, as I write this review, asking… So, what was that again?? 😉😅
Anytime baby… I am always here or there 😘
I have been in book clubs in the past, but it never dawned on me that you could do a buddy read and review. I loved this format addition into the mix. 🙂
I have never been but I wanted to try buddy reading to see if I can. Let me know if you want to buddy read with me, ummm that is if you ever get time. You are multi talented my darling. A perfect superwoman. 😘😘♥️♥️
Can you check if my comment is lost in your spam folder?
I’m curious as to how each of you will rate the book.
Hehehe… Keep reading 😘💜♥️
Too many Hindi words is something I don’t appreciate much. But I guess if the story is better than I can ignore that part. Nice review! 🙂
Glossary is given at the end… But it becomes difficult to keep referring to it.
I too don’t read books with many hindi words in it. But it did remind me of olden times and triggers my memories of times when my parents were very young
Thank you so much
Loved this review style! Going now to check Rekha.
I should make you read some of the books I read
🤫🤫😂
Never seen two people giving to a book at a time, interesting idea
Hahaha ya something new I would say 😉
Interesting-sounding book. And the buddy-reviewing sounds like it was fun, too!
It was fun in a lot of ways. We both know hindi and I know most stuff from the 70s hence it was fun… I buddy read this book with another friend too. Review is on Saturday
Ohhh! Anticipating your detailed review!
Yp in another half hour
Ohhhh! You mean youre posting it today? Ahhh okay okay.
Yes… Last day of tour… Justine hence it would be the last stop
Oops. Sorry, wasn’t paying attention with the dates a bit lagged 😥.
Hahaha it is fine honey
this is when reading on a Kindle pays off as the translator is easy to use. Well done – I came of age in the 70s and remember it well, and not fondly 😉
Hahaha.. Some real meanings are lost in translation.
I am glad I buddy read this with mum. So it was good fun😀