I felt like this book was a bit different than the others, focusing more on Perveen's personal life and social issues than the rest of the series has so far. Perveen's standing in her career, as the only woman in a male dominated field where the law works against her, has been a constant battle throughout the series. While we get that here, there's also familial issues, largely surrounding her sister in law, a new mother with postpartum issues, and tensions with her father, who is also her business partner, but doesn't always treat her as such. The case this time is also more personal, focusing on a woman who was wrongfully accused of having an abortion, and how the law does not protect women in these cases. We also see Perveen in a new light as she tries to navigate all of these challenges. Perveen is a strong supporter of women's rights, but is also privileged to come from a well off family who supports her and is surrounding by similarly wealthy and like-minded friends. In her conversations with working class women Perveen comes off as patronizing and hypocritical, though her interactions with them improve over the course of the book. While it did feel like the author was trying to do too much at times, the plot really comes together and we get a satisfying ending that I really enjoyed.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
I have been reading Sujata Massey's new series with Perveen Mistry since the beginning.
I really like how the character is developing, and getting more confident with her life.
There's lots going on in this book - it gives a fascinating glimplse into post WW1 colonial India. It is really interesting how Perveen is a lawyer but not a lawyer; her relationship with her father is complicated because of it.
Some of the legal issues explored concerning poor women and legal rights were enlightening as well.
I'm also wondering where Perveen's relationship with her British boyfriend is going to go as well.
Solid book, well plotted, but would benefit from being read in sequence in the series.
Would appeal to readers of realistic historical puzzlers with female protagonists.

Perveen Mistry is back in another well-written, complicated mystery, one which shows culture bumping against social realities, especially those of women trapped by caste and living in poverty. I enjoyed trying to sort through a multitude of possible suspects for the crimes, but more I loved learning about the history and culture of India in 1922. Perveen navigates promoting the rights of women while loving her family and especially her father who is a bundle of contradictions, supporting her but still a product of his setting. She is also becoming aware of her own privilege and how much harder life is for lower caste people. Much has changed in a 100 years but in many parts of the world, much hasn't. Very occasionally I felt like the story became didactic, but the action never lagged. A must for fans of the series.