Dirty Laundry
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Disha Bose
GR: 3.32

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Ciara Murphy has it all—a loving husband, well-behaved children, and a beautiful home. Her circle of friends in their small Irish village go to her for tips about mothering, style, and influencer success—a picture-perfect life is easy money on Instagram. But behind the filters, reality is less polished.

Enter Mishti Gupta: Ciara’s best friend. Ciara welcomed Mishti into her inner circle for being... unlike the other mothers in the group. But, discontent in a marriage arranged for her through her parents back in Calcutta, Mishti now raises her young daughter in a country that is too cold, among the children of her new friends who look nothing like her. She just wants what Ciara has—the ease with which she moves through the world—and in that sense, Mishti might be exactly like the other mothers.

And there’s earth mother Lauren Doyle, born, bred, and the butt of jokes in their village. With her disheveled partner and children who run naked in the yard, they’re mostly a happy lot, though unsurprisingly ostracized for being the singular dysfunction in Ciara’s immaculate world. When Lauren finds an unlikely ally in Mishti, she decides that her days of ridicule are over.

Then Ciara is found murdered in her own pristine 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, so if they don’t want the blame, it may be the perfect time to air their enemies’ dirty laundry.

My Thoughts: For a debut novel, I enjoyed it. However, I wish it had something more. Three couples. Three very different lives. One of the marriages (Mishti & Parth) being an arranged marriage, but not in the typical sense. One outcast, Laura. One “in and hip” person, Ciara. In this interesting premise, you get see what goes on in the marriage and what appears to go on to others. One person ends up dead but we do not find out who/how/why until the last part of the book. I kept guessing, it was really a classic anyone could have done it type scenario. Mishti is the one I favored the most, she would do anything for her daughter. The others tend to have more dirty laundry than most.

The story is narrated by the three women, Ciara, Laura, and Mishti. This is labeled a thriller, and is suspenseful, but I think this is more neighborhood/family drama than a typical thriller. This was entertaining and the ending suited the storyline perfectly, I just wanted a little more. However, a good debut novel and I cannot wait to see what else Bose comes up with.

If you like Lapena’s Not a Happy Family, you will love this. I would recommend this book, the audiobook may be easier to follow.

This story turned out very different than I expected it. I did like the multiple perspectives from the 3 women. However, I still found that their personalities were extreme variations of their archetypes. This opinion doesn't carry much weight, considering that the United States system of care for mothers and children under 5 is very different that European systems. Overall the book was good and I can't wait read another book from this author!!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book 4 stars. With a slow start it was hanging on to a 3 but the second half of the book picked up speed and held my attention.
More suburbian drama as seems to be the trend lately in suspense/mystery/thriller books. This one I would say was more of a contemporary drama about several friends/families intertwined in surprising ways. One of the MC's is a social media influencer and we get to see the behind the scenes and truth of her life, until she is murdered! A bit of a who done it with the Liane Moriarty style of book writing. I was drawn in slowly to this story as the secrets started unraveling.
Recommended for those patient mystery readers.

Thank you to the publishers at Ballantine - Random House for an opportunity to read “Dirty Laundry” by Disha Bose.

“Dirty Laundry” is a domestic drama turned murder mystery when Ciara Dunphy, the queen bee of the local mommy group in a small Irish village, turns up dead in her own home.

Bose’s lush writing on the interior lives of each character is the book’s greatest strength. Ironically, we spend so much time in the events that led up to Ciara’s death that I almost forgot that this was even a murder mystery. On the other hand, I didn’t mind! I was so invested in each of the characters - particularly Lauren and Mishti - that the murder mystery often felt secondary. What it did do is set up some false expectations for me on the pacing and tone of the book, despite it being a really excellent character study and a critique of society’s impossible expectations on women (especially mothers).

I’m looking forward to reading more of Disha Boss’s work, especially once it’s marketed to the right audience.

Ciara, Mishti, and Lauren are residents of a quaint Irish village, each with their own distinct backgrounds. Ciara appears to have a flawless life and family, while Mishti and Parth embody the quintessential immigrant success story. On the other hand, Lauren is deemed an outcast, considered "weird" due to her supposedly dysfunctional family. However, when Ciara is discovered murdered in her pristine home, the blame falls on no one.

Mishti and Ciara share a fragile friendship, strained by the presence of Lauren. Meanwhile, Lauren and Ciara's relationship began on shaky grounds. Their interactions resembled fierce battles between pit bulls, making for a captivating read. "Dirty Laundry" fearlessly delves into the expectations surrounding motherhood and being a wife, addressing moments of "better parenting" while exploring the depths of despair caused by lack of time and self-care.

As a mother and wife, I found many of the struggles in this book highly relatable, causing me to nod in agreement. The bitterness, jealousy, animosity, and helplessness were palpable, yet balanced by humorous and unbelievable moments. This novel sheds light on the longing for personal needs, privacy, and emotional appreciation. The most intriguing aspect is delving into the characters' backstories. Despite initially judging Lauren, I couldn't help but feel empathy for her as her past was unveiled.

Additionally, this book offers astute observations on marriage, encompassing themes of love and deceit. Bose provides a close examination of arranged marriages and how they can deteriorate over time. Furthermore, the exploration of Indian family and culture, along with a glimpse into the mind of a social media influencer, adds unique layers to the story. While "Dirty Laundry" leans heavily on literary elements, the mystery surrounding the murder serves as a backdrop. The only drawback I found was that the ending felt rushed, and I would have welcomed an additional 50+ pages.

"Dirty Laundry" is a domestic drama depicting imperfect lives that readers will thoroughly enjoy when seeking a dose of pettiness. Overall, I had a satisfying and entertaining reading experience, and I eagerly anticipate Bose's future works. A solid debut novel! Thank you Netgalley for my eARC of this thriller.

First of all, I love this cover!

This is a story of a group of friends and murder. There is a lot of drama and a lot of gossip. As the story unfolds and the murderer is revealed, so is everyone's dirty little secrets.

Overall, the characters were pretty unlikeable. It took a while for the story to get going. It finally picked up in the last half, but overall, it wasn't an enjoyable experience.

This was good, but not what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a murder mystery - it's not. It's really more of a look into the intertwining lives of three women living in a small village. These three each present one face outwardly to the public, but are living very different lives behind their closed doors. I like the way the narrative alternates between the three women to paint the picture of their lives now and tell the story of how each one got to this point in time.

Interesting and well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Difficult to follow at times and a little slow. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 ⭐️ This one was addicting and fast. I definitely could have read it in one sitting had I been focused on one book at a time. I wanted more from it and was disappointed when I finished but any book that has social media influencers, I already know I will not be keeping it on my shelves. Still a binge worthy read though!

Everyone Has Dirty Laundry!
🧺🧺🧺.5
Ciara’s murder is revealed at the beginning of this domestic thriller set in a small Irish village and the remainder of the book is spent sifting through the many possible suspects. And there are plenty!

Three women living nearby entertain us in this deliciously wicked debut. We follow their current capers while getting glimpses into the past that shaped them.

Ciara has married a wealthy businessman she takes for granted. She earns money as an influencer and her followers see her picture-perfect life in her posts. Her IG husband adores her and her IG children are well-behaved. She’s great at spending her husband’s money while her income supports a secret life.

Mishti left her home in India to live with a controlling, emotionless husband she barely knows in Ireland. Her true love in India begged her to elope with him but she couldn’t disgrace her parents so she let them send her away to live in a loveless, arranged marriage instead. Ciara searched her out for friendship and is her only friend.

Lauren was raised in this community but has always been an outcast. She left for a while but returned for financial reasons. When her grandmother died, she left her the house. She lives there with her children and partner, Sean. They are forced to live in the unwelcoming hometown that Lauren despises because Sean is an aging womanizer that can’t keep a steady job.

These three women are nothing alike. Ciara loves to be the center of attention and in control. She’s used to getting her way and married a wealthy man that she could control.
Mishti is easygoing and likable. She has no control over her life since she married and moved to Ireland. Her husband is a bully and controls everything.
Lauren is very headstrong, like Ciara, but with very rough edges and no money. Their first meeting was a disaster and they’ve never gotten past it. It seems like Ciara is the one that stoked the fire of their feud. I don’t think Lauren cared enough about it until Ciara kept taking jabs at her.

Reader reviews are very mixed on this one and I understand why. Most of the story was entertaining. Lots of drama. Very unlikeable characters making bad choices. Suspenseful as we wait to see who gets their Karma and who killed Ciara. Then the ending came and I was disappointed. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by some great reads lately. I appreciate the great writing and all the hard work the author put into the book, but I was waiting for a big twisty ending that didn’t come.

Sincere thanks to Ballantine Books for providing this gifted ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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Three very different women and their families live in a small Irish village. Ciara is an influencer, very self-assured and a bully. Mishti, her friend, is from India and had an arranged marriage before moving to Ireland. She misses her family. Lauren grew up in the village, always feeling like an outsider, and things have never changed. All three women and their spouses have complicated relationships that only becomes murkier and more confusing as time goes on.

Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose is a book about the mercurial friendships that revolve around these women. All of them are grappling with personal issues and relationship problems. The story moves between the three women, which can get a bit confusing if you’re not paying attention. It’s an interesting combination of ambition, loneliness, dissatisfaction, and betrayal.

However, I didn’t find any of the characters sympathetic. Not a single one. Several are complete narcissists, while the rest are simply and totally unappealing. I realized I didn’t care what happened to any of them. The twists and unexpected turn of events often felt random and didn’t add to the story. Feet? Really? And, the writing style is somewhat scattered. I tried to enjoy Dirty Laundry but it just wasn’t meant to be. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

Dirty Laundry is a book told in flashback, which is one of my favorite ways of storytelling. Lauren finds Ciara dead in her own home. What happened? Who did it? Read to find out. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was just not for me. I picked it up several times and just couldn't get into it. I had to DNF. Doesn't mean it's a bad book it just wasn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me this opportunity. Publication date was April 4, 2023.

Dirty Laundry is a suspenseful tale of neighbors in Ireland. It follows the 3 women and how they are intertwined along with their husbands or partners. This really wasn't a book for me. It moved too slow and the characters seemed to act like the mean girls in junior high school. Wasn't very realistic of grown women.

This is the story of three women's lives and how their lives intersect through choices they have made and circumstances they find themselves in. This was another one of those thrillers that starts out great, then gets very slow in the middle and in the end you are flipping the pages to find out what happened. Although I did enjoy this book, the slowness of the middle took away some of my enjoyment. When I read a thriller, I want it to be fairly fast paced to keep me engaged and wanting to pick it up.

“Dirty Laundry” ~ Disha Bose
Small town, murder and affairs.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

#julesbookshelf #bookstagram #netgalley #arc #dirtylaundry

twisty thriller that was unexpected in its turn

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the review copy.

I thought I would like this more than I did. It started off good for me but at some point all the family drama became too much. I ended up getting bored of the characters, story, and pretty much everything else.

Really enjoyed this one. It was definitely a page-turner and I really loved all of the characters. They were interesting. I love that it was set in Ireland as it is my country!

This was quite the tale! I enjoyed the sarcasm and wit involved and really had fun with those characters! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher!