We definitely got a treat in October when Sujata Massey joined us on Zoom to talk about the award-winning mystery that marked the beginning of a new series for her, The Widows of Malabar. Set in 1920s India it features Perveen Mistry, Bombay's only female lawyer.

We all enjoyed learning more about how the series came about, and learning more about the vibrant, colorful history of India at this time. India has yet to become a Soverign Democratic Republic. (That happens on January 26, 1950.) We could all relate to wanting to write about characters near one’s own age, particularly for its issues and perspective. Sujata spoke about the research she had done to immerse herself into the historical period. Everything that occurs in the book is based on historical facts. We appreciated that there were English characters that helped provide multiple points of view – and some commonalities like the fact that both Indian and English women were facing similar cultural barriers.

Members were also taken with the book’s exploration of wedding customs – and the wonderful food made us salivate! All were pleased to hear that we have the second book in the series, The Satapur Moonstone and that the third, The Bombay Prince will be out in 2021.

Everyone was also interested in following up on both the series and the food!  Sujata’s website offers some great information on her events, giveaways, news – and recipes! You can also sign up for the Sujata Massey newsletter.

Our thanks to Sujata for an intriguing mystery and a wonderful trip through time and cultures.