Disha Bose’s debut novel is a delicious cross between Mean Girls and Desperate Housewives. Ciara is one of the most unlikeable characters I have ever encountered and it’s no surprise when she ends up murdered. The other characters were either unlikeable or such pushovers that I had a hard time rooting for any of them or caring about what happened to them. Their lack of respect for each other and their marriages was a turn off. While I liked the setting and the initial premise, the execution just didn’t work for me. Fans of May Cobb or Kristen Miller should give this one a try.

First, I love a good domestic thriller. This one, set in Ireland, does not disappoint. Secondly, with the exception of Mishti Guha, every single character is a terrible person. It's not a wonder one of them ends up getting murdered....
Ciara Dunphy is an Instagram-influencer who rules the roost of mammies in her small village. Mishti, in an arranged marriage with her husband, Parth, has moved from India and is happy to be taken under Ciara's wing. And Lauren Doyle is the outcast the tries to open Mishti's eyes to Ciara's faults. It's told from all 3 POVs of the women, and even sometimes their husbands/partners, over the course of a few months. Then Ciara is found murdered in her own home, and the house of cards she'd worked so hard to build comes crumbling down. Everyone seems to have something to gain from Ciara's death.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-arc.*

A debut for Disha Bose…and what a debut it is! Three different women,Ciara, Mishti, and Lauren, living their lives in three different ways. They each have their own personalities and at times I found myself feeling sorry for each one, the lives they lead or were chosen for them. The story is told from all three women’s point of view, but it is very easy to keep track. The book starts off with one of the women finding another of them dead. Who? Why? This grabbed me. Then the story went back in time let the reader in on all the “Dirty Laundry” in the neighborhood. Disha even starts the book off by having dirty laundry (clothes) laying around. Clever!

Disha Bose is now on my AUTHOR TO READ LIST.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for giving me this chance to read Dirty Laundry in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I found this book to be okay. It didn't really hold my attention. I would put it down and then have to remind myself to pick it back up. It was a little too slow to be a thriller and not enough drama for a domestic drama. It was an average read.



Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the digital arc.

Thank you to Random House, Disha Bose, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/dirty-laundry/

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.”

― G.K. Chesterton

Though described as a murder mystery, this is more of a domestic suspense as the actual murder occurs in the last chapter of the book though hinted at early on. It is really a delectable story about horrible women, who in turn are horrible to each other. Dirty Laundry is more character driven than plot driven. Bose addresses many relevant issues: social media concerns, infidelity, obsessions, parenting styles, and of course friendships (fake or otherwise). All things that are widely discussed in Mommy groups, which are huge in this era of parenting.

I should commend dirty Laundry for having the most unlikable characters I have ever read in a novel. Ciara thinks she is the perfect mother when in reality, it seems she doesn’t even like her children. On Instagram, she blogs about skin care, Mommy tips and how to keep your house perfectly clean. But she is a bitch, horrible to her children, her husband, and thinks nothing of going after her friend’s husbands without regret. She has a Mommy posse who follows her every move. The only one who challenges her is Lauren, her next-door neighbor, and the partner of Sean, whom Ciara is having an affair with. Lauren is living in her Grandmother’s house and stays at home with her three children. Because of her style of dress and how she parents her children, she is an outcast. Her partner Sean is undependable, unemployed and unfaithful. Mishti is the demure and shy wife of a therapist, an arranged marriage before she left Calcutta. Her husband treats her like a doormat and is also unfaithful. Mishti considers Ciara her closest friend, but Ciara considers her as someone she can boss around. Mishti has had a hard time adjusting to life in Ireland and is happy to have a friend. She may be from a different country, but she immediately recognizes that women in Ireland are the same as women in Calcutta and she knows she should align herself with Ciara if she wants to be accepted. One of these women will be murdered by the end of the book. But who? And who killed her?

Someone described this book as a soap opera and it is true, there is so much drama among these three women that the mystery of who is the murderer falls to the wayside, in lieu of how horrible these women are to each other, particularly Lauren and Ciara. Dirty Laundry is a very entertaining novel of domestic suspense, about three women, trying to hide their “dirty laundry”. I am surprised to learn that this is Disha Bose’s debut novel. I highly recommend reading for the delicious drama because it would be acceptable for anyone to murder these women. There are just so many possibilities that it is suspenseful to see who the murderer actually is.

Dirty Laundry” by Disha Bose

There are not many likeable characters in this novel but for some reason, I couldn’t put it down.
“Dirty Laundry” focuses on the lives of three families in a small village in Ireland. Ciara Dunphy seems to have the perfect life if you look at her Instagram account and following but there is something troubling about her. Mishti Guhu moved to Ireland from Calcutta after her arranged marriage. She feels alone in her marriage and country with only the support of her neighbor Ciara. Lauren Doyle has always been the outcast in her family and the small town. The mean girls laugh and scorn Lauren who is ready to fight back.

I gave this book 4 stars especially since it is a debut novel. I love how Bose describes all of the relationships in the beginning and then slowly we see the truth unravel. I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending but I’ll let you make your own opinion. Enjoy. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me a chance to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Unique story idea but it was sort of all over the place. I ended up DNFibg this one and won’t be giving a proper review yet

This was interesting. It started off very mean girls and it really didn't get much better. The characters were horrible to each other. They were a mess. But it did keep me intrigued. And I think a lot of people will enjoy it.

I grew up watching soap operas on TV. I remember when I was very young and my mom was in the kitchen cooking, I would tell her what was happening in her favorite soap, The Edge of Night. I’m definitely telling my age here, but that’s where I first caught a glimpse of what multiple storytellers had in mind for a great soap. I was in awe. Later, I would try my hand at writing a soap of which I did for four years. It helped me to character build, learn about plot and my all-time favorite, bringing the drama.

So when I began reading Dirty Laundry, I felt like I was home and in my element. Ahh, what a feeling! Ciara Dunphy was a beautiful and vivacious young mother and wife with a popular social media following. All the mothers within her circle hung on to her every word as if their lives depended upon it, and in some cases, that was very true.

Mishti Guha was very shy and not as outgoing as some of the other mothers in Ciara’s circle, but she needed her to help her because she didn’t have anyone else. Mishti, her husband Parth, a prominent and respected physician and their daughter, Maya, were new to Ireland, so being a part of Ciara’s world helped her navigate her own. It also was an added benefit that their daughters were the same age and could share playdates together.

Lauren Doyle was the outcast of the mother circle. She wasn’t liked by most of their community because she was branded as “weird” and couldn’t be trusted. Perhaps the mothers took issue with Lauren because she was a realist and spoke her mind whereas the other mothers refused to give Ciara their honest opinions on how they felt. Ciara was the puppet master of most, but she damn sure wasn’t controlling any strings when it came to Lauren and that posed a major issue for she and Ciara.

Ciara’s followers were in complete awe with how flawless her skin was and how well her body held up after having children. All the mothers were a little green-eyed and totally smitten at the same time. Ciara didn’t mind she had them right where she wanted them. But that was the persona she projected to social media, but the life she lived with her husband Gerry, couldn’t have been more opposite. And Lauren knew this.

Lauren wanted to be friends with Mishti, but Mishti didn’t seem to want much of a friendship with her. Lauren chocked it up to she was afraid to offend her bestie, Ciara, but Mishti may have had other reasons. As you begin to follow the three women’s lives, a bigger picture immerges, exposing the vulnerabilities and removing the masks that each of them so purposefully hid behind. Ciara’s circle begins to enclose itself around them so much so, when it’s all said and done, alliances and loyalties become shattered like a wannabe's hopeful dream of becoming a star.

I could not get enough of this story. Each of these women were written as strong characters and they individually did something to my spirit as I read. What Bose did exceptionally well was how she exposed the insecurities of these characters but gave them enough integrity that made them feel so real. The reader will want to invest all of their time to learning more about them and getting to know what makes them tick. Each of their husbands were so different yet they all had some things that were common. This is all I can tell you about this story without giving away spoilers.

Overall, this story is quite engaging, funny, serious and filled with loads upon loads of drama dirtier than your toughest load of laundry you may have.

The very first part of this book misled me into thinking this was going to be a truly memorable read. However, I tried so hard to get into this book, but 30% in and I still couldn’t remember half of the characters or plot. I had to give up.

I really wanted to like this as domestic/neighborhood thrillers are usually my jam. It just didn’t grip me - and every time I tried to read some more, I’d have to go back to re-read because it just wasn’t very interesting to me.

I will not review on Goodreads or Instagram since I didn’t finish it, but I will post/promote on Instagram on pub day.

A decent domestic thriller with some complicated relationships between neighbors and families, but ultimately, a fairly average explanation to a death in the same neighborhood. A bit of unexpected plotlines that felt gratuitous and not exceptionally necessary. I'd recommend if you like domestic thrillers, but perhaps not otherwise.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House- Balllantine Books for this advanced copy. Yes, if you liked Desperate Housewives you'll like this, a story about a bunch of very unlikeable characters that live in a small coastal town in Ireland yet you still tuned in every week to see what happens next. Most of the characters are despicable (aside from Mishti) and I found myself having a hard time getting invested in the story line as it seems it's been done before. I realized I was skimming through the pages in an effort to be done...sorry, this one was not for me.

Mean girls meets desperate housewives in this thriller. It truly did feel like a cast that came right out of mean girls after they grew up and had families. Now into this suburban climate, where you have the unlikeable PTO mom group. I think this book would make good for a weekend read.

Engaging and gossipy domestic drama centered in a small village. We get to know the neighbors and their secrets. But who killed the Queen Bee? With so many possibilities, you will race to the end to find out whodunnit!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

Thank you to Ballatine Books a division of Penguin Random House for an arc of Dirty Laundry. I was intrigued by the title very original. This book was a suspense book that kept me on the edge of my seat. One big thing that I did not like about the book was the over use of bad language. I have to deduct a star for this, this book did not have to have cuss words in it.

Dirty Laundry is a tangled web of manipulation, deceit, and secrets. It’s mean girls, deceiving spouses, and keeping up appearances.

The writing is very interesting. I enjoyed the glimpses into the past that showed us how everyone got to where they are today. There are vile, horrible characters you hate and those you want more for. I liked the twists and intrigue. Who is real? Who is fake? Who can you trust? And who did it?

"Dirty Laundry" by Disha Bose is a domestic thriller with a cast of completely unlikeable characters. Seriously, I would probably be tempted to kill Ciara myself if she were in a real person in my life. As much as I didn't care about Ciara's death, however, I was interested in finding out who did the neighborhood the favor of getting rid of her. All of the characters in the book were suspects at one point in the story and, though I found it a little abrupt, the ending came as a surprise to me. Overall, this book is an entertaining read, perfect for the beach or other situation where one wants to read for pure entertainment alone, and also doesn't want to have to think too much. I will definitely read further books by this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, to the author Disha Bose, and to the publisher Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dirty Laundry (ARC)
Author: Disha Bose
Source: NetGalley
Pub. Date: April 4, 2023

In Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose, we have a group of ladies led by Instagram Influencer Ciara, followed (literally) by her bestie from India, Mishti, and bringing up the rear, Ciara’s archenemy and the town’s unpopular girl, Lauren. All live in the countryside of Ireland, and they socialize with their children and other Moms in the village. It’s an unholy female trinity with rampant jealousy, husband stealing, bullying, false modesty, love, hate, envy, sex, gluttony, unhappy marriages, and emotional abuse. In other words, it’s a delicious story that leaves one of our ladies dead. I have to say that I was wrapped up in this story and found the dichotomy between love and hate vivid and sadistic. In a good way. This story gives mean girls a new description, and the men are all lowlifes. What a great read and an ending to die for. It is funny how people want control, and Lord knows; this novel was about control and power. It also reinforces that appearances can be deceiving, and don’t believe everything you see on Instagram. A debut novel by Ms. Bose, and I look forward to reading her next book. @netgalley @dishabose #multiculturalinterest, #womensfiction, #suspicion #mystery #thriller @randomhouse @ballantinecorp @dishabossy
🇮🇳
I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Random House Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub. Date: April 4, 2023.
🇮🇪

#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader

Dirty Laundry is a story of neighbors and “friends”.
Ciara is an internet influencer with thousands of followers that everyone looks to for advice on fashion, skin care, child raising and everything imaginable. She has an internet presence that is envied by all the other ladies. It’s a profile of perfection that she’s cultivated for herself. She is beautiful, wealthy, married to Gerry and has 2 perfect children. Mishti is from India is new to Ireland and to the neighborhood. She is in a loveless marriage that had been arranged by her traditional parents. Her husband Perth barely acknowledges her. She’s lonely and misses her family and her life in India. Her only joy in life is her young daughter, Maya. Lauren is shunned by Ciara and thus not accepted into the group of young mothers that are followers of Ciara. She is the owner of the home that she and her boyfriend Sean live in. Her boyfriend and father of her three children is an unemployed, unambiguous free spirit that does not accept any responsibility. The beginning of the book starts with the end of the story and the death of Ciara followed by the events that lead up to the death. The “Dirty Laundry” of all characters is revealed culminating in multiple suspects all with plausible motives.

This book was too good for words, its Desperate Housewives with a heavy does of Mean Girls, because one of the main characters is a HORRIBLE, and we have the topic of social media influencer and the need to always appear perfect to others even if your life is in shambles, we all know social media is a LIE, and this whole book illustrates that. Ciara is a huge mom influencer and everyone goes to her for advice on everything, but not all is what is seems when it comes to this woman, she is HORRIBLE, I said it in the beginning. Not only is there a ton of manipulation but also bullying against moms, it was a heavy book to read at times because some of the characters didn’t deserve it. Then we have the backstories between the two other characters Lauren and Mishti, and of course in true Murder/Mystery fashion we have secrets being revealed left and right, and a LOADS of dirty ass laundry between the characters and their families. When I say this book is worth the read? I mean it.