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Barcelona: Roca 2010; 281 p.; 23,5 cm
Description
A prominent Indian scientist dies in a fit of giggles when a Hindu goddess appears from a mist and plunges a sword into his chest. The main suspect is a powerful guru named Maharaj Swami, who seems to have done away with his most vocal critic. Vish Puri, India's Most Private Investigator, master of disguise and lover of all things fried and spicy, doesn't believe the murder is a supernatural occurrence, and proving who really killed Dr. Suresh Jha will require all the detective's earthly faculties. To get at the truth, he and his team of undercover operatives travel from the slum where India's hereditary magicians must be persuaded to reveal their secrets to the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member fordbarbara
Humorous look from the inside out = British author
LibraryThing member Schatje
In this second Vish Puri mystery, the detective assists a police inspector investigate the death of Dr. Jha, a scientist whose life mission was to debunk fraudulent gurus claiming to have magical powers. Dr. Jha was apparently killed by an apparition of the Hindu goddess Kali at a Laughing Club
The book is a good read; it describes both the beauty and the ugliness of India, and includes astute detective work and comical situations.
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meeting, but Puri suspects the mastermind is Maharaj Swami, a self-proclaimed holy man whom Dr. Jha had been working to expose as a con-man. Swami has friends in high places in government, so Puri's investigation encounters obstacles which require a great deal of ingenuity on the part of both Puri and his operatives to overcome. The book is a good read; it describes both the beauty and the ugliness of India, and includes astute detective work and comical situations.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: Ensconced on the backseat of his Ambassador with the windows rolled up and the air conditioning working full blast, Vish Puri kept a wary eye on the crack in the car's windscreen.
An eminent Indian scientist attends a morning class in a park and dies laughing when a Hindu goddess appears
Vish Puri, India's Most Private Investigator, believes there's nothing supernatural about Dr. Suresh Jha's murder, but proving it is going to take all the skills he and his team of undercover operatives possess as they try to persuade India's hereditary magicians to reveal their secrets.
I really enjoy this series for transporting me right into the streets of Delhi and into the culture of India. I normally don't care for very spicy food, but after following Vish Puri around on an investigation, I start looking up the addresses of local Indian restaurants.
I have to admit that I didn't care for this investigation as much as many others might, and my reason is purely subjective: I've never cared much for magic and magicians. I'm not sure why. However, this investigation did take Vish Puri into many different places, which allowed me to soak up more of the sights and the culture.
On the other hand, I was delighted with the sub-plot that had Vish Puri's wife and mother being robbed at one of their "kitty parties" and then turning sleuth to uncover the identity of the thief. Those two ladies' investigation was completed much too soon.
If you're an armchair traveler who likes humor, food, puzzles and being taken away to other countries, Tarquin Hall's Vish Puri series will suit you right down to your La-Z-Boy.
An eminent Indian scientist attends a morning class in a park and dies laughing when a Hindu goddess appears
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in a mist and thrusts a sword into his chest. Now the only person who's laughing is the prime suspect, Maharaj Swami, whose most vocal critic is dead.Vish Puri, India's Most Private Investigator, believes there's nothing supernatural about Dr. Suresh Jha's murder, but proving it is going to take all the skills he and his team of undercover operatives possess as they try to persuade India's hereditary magicians to reveal their secrets.
I really enjoy this series for transporting me right into the streets of Delhi and into the culture of India. I normally don't care for very spicy food, but after following Vish Puri around on an investigation, I start looking up the addresses of local Indian restaurants.
I have to admit that I didn't care for this investigation as much as many others might, and my reason is purely subjective: I've never cared much for magic and magicians. I'm not sure why. However, this investigation did take Vish Puri into many different places, which allowed me to soak up more of the sights and the culture.
On the other hand, I was delighted with the sub-plot that had Vish Puri's wife and mother being robbed at one of their "kitty parties" and then turning sleuth to uncover the identity of the thief. Those two ladies' investigation was completed much too soon.
If you're an armchair traveler who likes humor, food, puzzles and being taken away to other countries, Tarquin Hall's Vish Puri series will suit you right down to your La-Z-Boy.
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
Another excellent adventure with Vish Puri and his operatives as he puzzles out the mystery of the man who died laughing. As per the formula for the first book, Puri handles one or two other cases on the side and Mummmie gets her detective on (dragging her daughter-in-law along for the ride.) Lots
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of delicious details on food, culture and the society/culture of modern day India, along with some info on guru-debunking. The description of Arti's beauty parlor is priceless. My hope is that by the time I finish book 3, book 4 will have been written and published. These books just make me happy when I read them. Show Less
LibraryThing member janoorani24
I listened to the audio edition of the book and was impressed. The narrator, Sam Dastor, has a great accent, though it's sometimes hard to clearly hear some of the Indian names and words. The narrator is able to give the listener a feel for the author's subtle humor and ironic viewpoint. The book
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is set primarily in Delhi, India. The chief protagonist is Vish Puri, a not too humble and rotund owner of a detective agency. The main case involves the murder of a prominent guru de-bunker by what witnesses describe as the goddess Kali. There are a couple of side mysteries, and the one involving Vish's mother is an amusing distraction. Enjoyable mystery + great narrator = 4 stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member kinsey_m
Even better than the case of the missing servant! I love Tarquin Hall's mistery novels and I'm hoping for a new Vish Puri adventure soon.
Vish and his helpers are very well characterized as is the whole of India, and all of it is done with a great sense of homour and a good plot. Amidst all this,
In this particular adventure, the plot is really well crafted and the topic really original ( a murder commited by an Hindu good, whitnessed by many people, even recorded on videotape!)which allows Hall to explore the world of magicians and cults.
Really enjoyable.
Vish and his helpers are very well characterized as is the whole of India, and all of it is done with a great sense of homour and a good plot. Amidst all this,
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you can also find a portrait of the new emerging India, how the social differences are even molt visible now than before.In this particular adventure, the plot is really well crafted and the topic really original ( a murder commited by an Hindu good, whitnessed by many people, even recorded on videotape!)which allows Hall to explore the world of magicians and cults.
Really enjoyable.
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LibraryThing member LyzzyBee
(July, Bookcrossing, from Gill)
Second in the lovely Vish Puri series, and we have a mysterious case that seems to involve a professional sceptic and debunker of religious myth having an encounter with a figure from such myth. At the same time as Vish and his collection of assistants are busy on
Second in the lovely Vish Puri series, and we have a mysterious case that seems to involve a professional sceptic and debunker of religious myth having an encounter with a figure from such myth. At the same time as Vish and his collection of assistants are busy on
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this case, his mother draws his wife into investigating a kitty-party scandal, which sets up a nice counterpoint. I love the wealth of detail about contemporary Indian life and the multiple levels of society shown, from itinerant magicians to society darlings and trendy gurus – a great read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Condorena
Excellent complex convoluted mystery which baffles all but Vish Puri. This was fun and very entertaining to read. Other reviewers have given well done plot synopsis so that it is unnecessary to repeat that.
LibraryThing member Carolee888
The Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall is very difficult to rate. I really think it is a 3.5. This means there were parts of the book that I loved but other parts where I felt lost and wanted to skip ahead.
I loved the characters, Vishi Puri; the "Most Private Investigator" is my favorite
The Kitty parties that his wife went to shared but a small part of the kitty fund with the poor. People are enjoyed themselves with all their new found luxuries but didn’t care about the people living in hovels nearby.
It was interesting how that different characters got their nicknames, his driver was called HandBrake and the first client in the book was called "Coconut". The man's skin was not the same as his white man's outlook.
The mystery was a small part of this book. Sometimes I wondered when the story would get back to it. It was frustrating to read but every once in a while, the author threw some bit of fascinating information at you.
I would only recommend this book if you have a great deal of patience.
I received it as a win from First Reads but that in no way influences my thoughts in this review
I loved the characters, Vishi Puri; the "Most Private Investigator" is my favorite
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character. He is that author's window into Indian culture and behavior today. We learn about Indian customs, parties, the delicious food, the clothes, the heat of the country, the population density. The lack of concern by the new middle class for the poor was maddening.The Kitty parties that his wife went to shared but a small part of the kitty fund with the poor. People are enjoyed themselves with all their new found luxuries but didn’t care about the people living in hovels nearby.
It was interesting how that different characters got their nicknames, his driver was called HandBrake and the first client in the book was called "Coconut". The man's skin was not the same as his white man's outlook.
The mystery was a small part of this book. Sometimes I wondered when the story would get back to it. It was frustrating to read but every once in a while, the author threw some bit of fascinating information at you.
I would only recommend this book if you have a great deal of patience.
I received it as a win from First Reads but that in no way influences my thoughts in this review
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LibraryThing member seasidereader
A let down after the first in the series. Tedious unless you are enthralled by illusionists and guru-mystics.
LibraryThing member reader68
Early one morning in central Delhi, a group of professionals are attending their therapeutic Laughing Club session when an apparition of the goddess Kali appears and strikes one member dead. The battle between superstition and rationality in modern India. Excellent.
LibraryThing member simchaboston
Another fun installment in this series, though I would've preferred less exposition and more crime-solving (in particular, some biographical information for one of the supporting characters was introduced pretty clumsily and unnecessarily). Still worth the read for the entertaining atmosphere, the
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colorful characters, and all that food! Show Less
LibraryThing member FMRox
Vish Puri, Bombay private detective investigates the mystical murder of a national mystic debunker. At the same time, his wife and mother investigate a local robbery.
This is a delightful series. I enjoy the characters who are clever at times and yet sometimes what appears to be dim-witted. I really
This is a delightful series. I enjoy the characters who are clever at times and yet sometimes what appears to be dim-witted. I really
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enjoy a another culture and setting besides my own (the US) and the language barriers. Can't wait to read the third in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member nina.jon
Vish Puri – the Indian Poirot.
This is the first of the Vish Puri detective series I've read and I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was an Agatha Christie style whodunnit set in Delhi.
Nonbeliever, Suresh Jha, is murdered by a Hindu goddess, supposedly in revenge for his cynicism. Did Kali
The author, Tarquin Hall, is apparently married to a local girl and lives in Delhi and clearly drew on this in his writing. I found his semi-comedic description of an India where modernity constantly rubs up against the conviction of millions in the supernatural powers of Godmen and the gods, convincing and entertaining. The author managed to balance the various strands of the story well and brought them together at the end with a couple of nice twists.
Whether this story would have worked as credibly if set somewhere other than India, I don't know, but set where it is, it works very well.
Nina Jon is the author of the newly released Magpie Murders, a series of short murder mysteries with a Cluedo-esque element.
She is also the author of the Jane Hetherington's Adventures in Detection crime and mystery series, about private detective Jane Hetherington.
This is the first of the Vish Puri detective series I've read and I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was an Agatha Christie style whodunnit set in Delhi.
Nonbeliever, Suresh Jha, is murdered by a Hindu goddess, supposedly in revenge for his cynicism. Did Kali
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do it? This is the question that our detective sets out to discover, enjoying all sorts of mini adventures and plenty of good food along the way.The author, Tarquin Hall, is apparently married to a local girl and lives in Delhi and clearly drew on this in his writing. I found his semi-comedic description of an India where modernity constantly rubs up against the conviction of millions in the supernatural powers of Godmen and the gods, convincing and entertaining. The author managed to balance the various strands of the story well and brought them together at the end with a couple of nice twists.
Whether this story would have worked as credibly if set somewhere other than India, I don't know, but set where it is, it works very well.
Nina Jon is the author of the newly released Magpie Murders, a series of short murder mysteries with a Cluedo-esque element.
She is also the author of the Jane Hetherington's Adventures in Detection crime and mystery series, about private detective Jane Hetherington.
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LibraryThing member Bookish59
Engaging, witty and fun but awfully contrived.
LibraryThing member jetangen4571
India, mystery, murder investigation, great fun
Intriguing and fun novel in which a man makes his living solving crimes for the police while remaining a private investigator in India. The murder appears to be committed by a Hindu god and witnessed by many, but Vish Puri stubbornly researches
Sam Dastor helps the whole thing along with his interpretation of an Indian speaking ESL.
Intriguing and fun novel in which a man makes his living solving crimes for the police while remaining a private investigator in India. The murder appears to be committed by a Hindu god and witnessed by many, but Vish Puri stubbornly researches
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everyone until he and his colleagues find the truth. The characters are fascinating, the plot is ingenious, and the situational and verbal humor is nonstop. Enjoy! Sam Dastor helps the whole thing along with his interpretation of an Indian speaking ESL.
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LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
Vish Puri is India's most Private Investigator. Confidentiality is his watchword. His bread and butter cases mostly consist of background and character checks for betrothed couples. In a culture where prearranged marriages are the norm it is critical for parents to know they have chosen wisely for
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their offspring. Other cases involve revealing hoaxes or frauds, but every once in awhile a case with more significance comes along. Such is the case of the man who died laughing. A prominent scientist while in a laughing class was seemingly murdered by the Hindu goddess Kali. She appeared to be floating above the crowd brandishing a huge sword. Many thought it was a supernatural occurrence because Kali was devoid of strings or wires. She really seemed to be hovering above the crowd. Lucky for India that Puri retained a kernel of skepticism. Along with his trusty team, Facecream, tubelight and Flush, Puri is on the case. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nadishka
Maybe it is because I am Sri Lanka, and I can see a lot of parallels between the two countries and find hidden humour - I really liked the book.
The style of writing was also fast-paced and easy to get through, which was helpful. Reminds me of an Indian Poirot...
The style of writing was also fast-paced and easy to get through, which was helpful. Reminds me of an Indian Poirot...
LibraryThing member tshrope
This is the second book in Tarquin Hall’s Vish Puri series, and I am happy to say that I liked this one better than the first. The mystery in this second book was a little more complex and interesting than in his first. It also took you behind the scenes of a so-called guru and exposed some of
Vish Puri and all of his Associates from the Most Private Detectives are back, and we even get a little more background on a couple of them, Tubelight and Facecream, making them more complex characters. And of course Mummy-ji and Rumpi are back on a side case of their own, the case of the Kitty party robbery.
This is a fun, light-hearted mystery that gives the readers an insider’s look at modern day Delhi, with all of its sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. It also gives readers an idea of Indian from politics, to the new Indian middle-class, to the unbearable traffic.
I have listened to both of these books on audio, and highly recommend them on audio. The reader, Sam Dastor is wonderful and adds much to the story. He does the Indian accents perfect and I never have to wonder about the pronunciation of Indian words or names.
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the tricks he used to fool his ardent followers.Vish Puri and all of his Associates from the Most Private Detectives are back, and we even get a little more background on a couple of them, Tubelight and Facecream, making them more complex characters. And of course Mummy-ji and Rumpi are back on a side case of their own, the case of the Kitty party robbery.
This is a fun, light-hearted mystery that gives the readers an insider’s look at modern day Delhi, with all of its sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. It also gives readers an idea of Indian from politics, to the new Indian middle-class, to the unbearable traffic.
I have listened to both of these books on audio, and highly recommend them on audio. The reader, Sam Dastor is wonderful and adds much to the story. He does the Indian accents perfect and I never have to wonder about the pronunciation of Indian words or names.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-06-15
Physical description
281 p.; 23 cm
ISBN
8499181783 / 9788499181783