Member Reviews

Ciara, Mishti, and Lauren are friends living near each other in Ireland. They come from very different backgrounds but are connected by their children and physical proximity of their homes. Ciara appears to have the perfect life but when she is found dead, each of the women’s secrets begin to unravel. This book was just not for me. I couldn’t get behind the characters or their stories. I found it “meh” and as such cannot recommend it. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

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I liked this but found it sad. Thanks for the advance copy! It was an interesting plot, but I found it hard to read.

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This debut shows the promise of good things to come as the writer matures. The book is let down by the plot which was just about ok. The character development left a bit to be desired. This one is for hardcore fans of domestic thrillers.

The title is perfect for the story though!

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First I want to applaud this author on her debut novel. It was a terrific read. So if you read thee blurb of this book you know who is found dead. Then the book goes back approximately a month in time and the three women involved are Ciara, Mishti and Lauren. You read about their back stories and what is presently going on in there lives. I have read some other reviews and I have to agree the most likable woman was Mishti. Ciara was truly a wrench even though her background growing up does not warrant anyone in adulthood to behave the way she did but this is life. It was more of a domestic mystery but I found myself reading it in one day. It truly kept me engrossed. This book truly goes with the old adage that nobody knows what truly is going on in someone’s else’s house. The book really wraps up everyone’s story. I would definitely recommend this book if you like this genre. I will be on the lookout for more of this author’s books.

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With unlikable characters and a complex plot that drifted from one POV to another, this book was hard to read but also intriguing because of the premise of housewives who are jealous enough to kill one of their own. The characters were well developed but not at all relatable to me. Ciara was too perfect and Lauren and Mishti were too needy, almost like groupies who wanted their own group. When Ciara is killed, all bets are off as to who her killer could be because the plot gets more intricate with possible suspects and motives. Like i said, intriguing in a kind of way that made me curious to find out what was going to happen. The story itself meandered around a bit when I just wanted it to move on, so I would say that the pace is moderate to slow. A decent read but not one that I can highly recommend as it did not hold my interest as much as demand that I know whodunit.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

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I could not put this book down !!!
#dirtylaundry is such a perfect title as you get to know the dirt on everyone & I meannn who doesn't enjoy a tad bit of drama every now & then .. especially when it's not you .
I loved how the book started when everything goes down & then goes backwards in time so we can see why & how everything happens & gets to that point .
Also I love it takes place in Ireland 🖤

Thank you @Netgalley for the early copy of #dirtylaundry

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A domestic suspense set around not very likeable characters... that's the best way for me to summarize this book. It was an interesting tell to the story, starting from the end and making your way to the beginning. This book had many plot twists that had depth - sometimes hard to categorize this. Not everything is what they seem.

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Dirty Laundry is a story of a diverse, and sometimes strange, group of neighborhood friends. Although the term friends might by misapplied in some cases.

Ciara is the person that everyone looks up to. She has an internet presence that is envied by the other ladies. She has it all…money, looks and a perfect family. At least that is the image she has created for herself online. Her home life is far from perfect.

Mishti is from Calcutta, India. Her marriage was arranged by her parents. Her husband treats her like a servant. She is not happy living in Ireland so far from her home and her family. Her whole life is centered around her daughter, Maya.

Lauren is the outsider in the group. Her husband is unemployed and uncaring as far as Lauren and the children are concerned. He is a free spirit and does his own thing, disregarding his wife’s feelings and practically ignoring his children. The other ladies in the neighborhood shun her. She is part of the group, yet she is an outsider.

The story got off to a slow start with a lot of background information on the characters and their situations, but, once I got into it, it held my attention until the end.

I am impressed with Ms. Bose’s debut novel and am looking forward to her future books.

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Two possibilities: either I've read too many of the "everything looks perfect but all these families are messed up" mom circle books or the story in this really does fall flat. The trick with these books is to make at least one of the characters likable and while the murdered woman, Ciara, is definitely intended to be unlikable, the only MC I liked was Mishti.
The frustrating thing is that the writing is quite good, it's just that the uneven pacing and the time spent with annoying people made for a book that was easy to put down. I really enjoyed the first couple of chapters, but soon I felt like I was reading a version of Big Little Lies that didn't come off as well.
I will absolutely try this author again, though. I think there's a lot of promise here and perhaps if I'd been in a different reading mood I would have enjoyed Dirty Laundry a lot.

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In a small town, there’s little chance to escape each other’s lives, so Ciara, Mishti, and Lauren’s lives all cris-cross constantly whether they like it or not.

Ciara has grown an internet following as an influencer, and tries to keep Mishti close under her wing. Lauren has never really gotten along well with the women in the town, and her neighbor Ciara is no exception.

Their lives are full of different types of deceit, but will it ruin them or will they persevere?

Thank you to @netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley #netgallyreviewer #netgalleyreader #netgalleyarc #fiction #booklover #bookreviews #whatimreading #whatiread #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookgram #bookstagrammer #instabooks #bookreviewer

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This was a case of this book isn’t for me. I should have known that this was going to be soapy but I didn’t pay attention.

This was filled with awful characters and that’s okay but at least give me one good character among the bad. The kids were even awful. It was full of middle school behaviors amping adults😒.

The one thing it had going for it was the writing. It was good even though it was much too long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for the honest review. Better luck next time. 2.5⭐️

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Dirty Laundry is a debut mystery thriller from Disha Bose. I love checking out new and new to me authors to find those hidden gems.

With the synopsis, I was definitely interested in what this domestic suspense was going to bring. What I got were a bunch of unlikable characters that really had no respect for one another or their marriages. I have a love/hate relationship with unlikable characters. Sometimes they can really pull me in and make the story and other times they leave me feeling meh. Unfortunately, this book was the latter for me. Luckily, this story read quickly so I still kept chugging along, even though the characters weren't for me.

With a story that gives you the outcome early on and then you go back in time and work your way up to the present, we got to see how everything fell into place for Ciara. She was the woman that apparently had it all, but she was probably the character I despised the most.

The story itself was ok, it was just the characters and their execution that left me unsatisfied and skimming rather than being fully immersed.

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Dirty Laundry centers around Ciara, Mishima and Lauren, three women, living with their husbands and children In a small Irish village. One would think the peace and tranquility of such a setting would be a lovely place to raise children and enjoy neighbors. Not here. Dirty Laundry is a domestic thrill ride and a great page turner. It is a deep dive into the private lives of the women, their secrets, decrits, lies and their dirty laundry. Disha Bose has a unique writing style, easily engaging the reader in a story filled with mostly unlikable and unsavory characters. I found the plot and characters totally enjoyable, and authentic. The dynamics of troubled marriages, and broken friendships are beautifully explored. Her writing is unique. I am now following the author and will happily dive into her next book. Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I am very appreciative.

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If this is a debut I CANNOT wait to see more of what Bose has in store for us.

This was really good, juicy, dont believe what you see on the internet type of stuff.

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This was such an amazing debut novel! Thrillers are my go-to genre and this one was not lacking in any of the traditional domestic thriller elements and also giving readers so much more. In a way, could be considered a "literary thriller" with strong character development (love them or hate them), suspense, and commentary. Twisty and a page turner, while also diving into deeper topics of class and race. I would highly recommend this novel, it has something for everyone!

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Sadly, this missed the mark for me. The characters were a bit flat, and the pace was too slow. The pace eventually picked up near the end, but it was too late in the story to make a difference. There was no thriller element, and the writing style felt clunky. I did enjoy the setting, but it wasn't enough to make up for the other shortcomings.

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Great page turner - that is told from different points of view. The book begins in the present time and then goes back in time to explain what leads up to the murder.

Looking forward to what Bose comes up with next.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-ARC of Dirty Laundry.

I requested this book for review based on the description. It was very slow for me. Probably because there was nothing good to say about the characters. They were mean women with very little if anything to like about them. Three Moms in a small Irish village. One ends up murdered. Read it out yourself

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Dirty Laundry
Disha Bose
April 4, 2023

We are in Cork City, Ireland, a small village where the three friends live with their families. Ciara the protagonist,has lived here most of her life, met Gerry early on and married him. He runs a bookstore for the family. Ciara does not work, she cares for the house and the children. Bella the clever four year old challenges her parents whenever possible while Finn resides on his mother’s hip as she accomplishes her chores. She has found a profitable way to assist in the family income. She has become an Instagram video blogger. Her followers are a constant encouragement for her programs. Aside from giving advice she is flooded with products to try. Gerry really has no idea about her daily blogs. He thinks she orders the assortment of goods that arrive at the house.
The plot gives the story of the three women’s lives. Each has given up employment to be the primary caretaker of children. Every story is different and their friendships are a challenge.
Dirty Laundry by Dish Bose will be published by Ballantine of Penguin Random House LLC on April 4, 2023. I was able to read and review Bose's latest novel via NetGalley. An excellent journey for women to dig into. Those of us who have children (or have raised them) can thoroughly relate to their plight. It is a delightful but complicated tale certain to be appreciated.

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I'm not really sure how to categorize this novel. I thought it was a thriller, but it definitely wasn't - It's more of a "slice of life" commercial fiction novel about three women living in the same small town dealing with their own issues. The characters were mostly unlikeable, but the author skillfully made you care about them or at least want to follow their journeys and know their fates anyway! It deftly portrayed how important communication is and how easy it is to misinterpret someone's motives and make judgements that have irrevocable consequences. It would have been nice to see at least one redeeming male character.

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