Customer Reviews

The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator (Vish Puri Mysteries)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tarquin Hall's new "cozy", is a great read for those interested in India, its people, and its customs. "Died Laughing" is Hall's second mystery, and again features Vish Puri, a 50-something detective in Delhi who bills himself as India's "Most Private Investigator". He's often called on by public officials to look into crimes, as well as investigating for private clients. Puri also has a large family; wife, children, mother, and siblings as well as a large cast of "operatives", who often figure into Puri's cases. In both books, so far, Puri's mother, "Mummy" and his wife, "Rumpi" team up to solve a more home-grown crime among their friends. Vish, who wishes his wife and mother would just stop trying to do what he does, thankfully never learns about their crime-busting.

"Died Laughing" is a somewhat complicated story that involves magic, murder, and fake Swamis. Operatives "Face Cream", "Handbrake", and "Tubelight" join Vish as he follows it all to a curious end.

Hall writes in detail about Indian society. Reading his books is almost a learning experience. His plots are almost incidental to character development. I'm looking forward to number three in his Vish Puri series.

I loved this book, the second in the Vish Puri series by Tarquin Hall, as much as Hall's first book in the series, "The Case of the Missing Servant". Both mysteries are set in India and the sights, sounds, and smells of India are immediate on every page. Vish Puri, nicknamed "Chubby" by his wife, loves to eat, and so lots of great Indian food is described as Vish falls often off the diet wagon. Vish Puri is a smart, funny and lovable character whose Indian/English dialog is spot on. The book includes a glossary of Indian words that I've enjoyed reading to expand my Indian vocabulary, but one can skip the glossary and just get the general meaning of the words from contextual cues. If you've enjoyed the "Ladies Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith and the "Marriage Bureau for Rich People" series by Farahad Zama, you'll love Tarquin Hall's delightful Vish Puri books.

It is infernally hot and humid in New Delhi--44 degrees Celsius. Most Private Investigator Vish Puri hates heat and humidity; he prefers to remain in an air conditioned room or car whenever possible. Work, however, forces him to endure the sweltering weather in Tarquin Hall's "The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing." The author places us in the chaotic streets of New Delhi, in which "everywhere commerce flourished." "Dilli wallahs," as inhabitants of New Delhi are known, "went about their lives, seemingly resigned to the capital's harsh and, for most, worsening conditions."

Although he hates the comparison, many regard Puri as the Sherlock Holmes of India. It is the rare miscreant who can outsmart Puri, a shrewd and imaginative man who is as resourceful as he is tenacious. Vish Puri is ably assisted by his team of undercover operatives, without whom he would not be able to conduct surveillance, do background checks, or carry on other covert operations. In the course of this novel, Vish will tackle cases ranging from extortion to a bizarre murder. In addition, his mother, Mummy-ji, and wife, Rumpi, get in the act, undertaking some amateur sleuthing of their own.

Some critics have compared Tarquin Hall to Alexander McCall Smith, who created "The Number One Ladies Detective Agency." There are parallels between the two series, such as their whimsical humor, offbeat criminals, emphasis on the oddities of human nature, and exploration of the social and cultural mores of the countries where they are set. However, Hall is not as impressive as Alexander McCall Smith, whose light touch, engaging and concise writing style, and careful delineation of character make the Precious Ramotswe mysteries so consistently excellent. The characters in "The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing" are not as memorable. They include Dr. Suresh Jha, a retired mathematician, known as the "Guru Buster," because of his determination to unmask spiritual con men; Jha's arch enemy, Maharaj Swami, "revered as a living saint by more than thirty million followers," who presides over the Abode of Eternal Love; Professor Pandey, leader of the Rajpath Laughing Club; and Inspector Jagat Prakash Singh of the Delhi police, who routinely turns to his good friend, Puri, to help him solve particularly sophisticated crimes. When a prominent individual appears to have been struck down by the writhing and hideous goddess Kali, Singh calls on Puri for advice. Did a miracle actually occur or has the public been duped by a clever charlatan?

One irksome aspect of this talky narrative is the author's use of Hindi phrases throughout the book, forcing the reader to turn to the glossary in the back. It would have been simpler to insert the definitions either in the text or at the bottom of the page in footnotes. In addition, as the narrative progresses, the plot becomes increasingly complicated, the dialogue long-winded, and the humor more forced. Nor is it helpful that Hall recounts, in great detail, every single food consumed by Puri and his acquaintances. By the time the numerous threads of the mystery are unraveled, some readers may be struggling to stay awake.

And, our Most Private Investigator is still in his unique form (and size). Day-to-day life in India is still astoundingly different from that in America.

This is a murder mystery, so we have at least one body; at least one murderer; at least half-a-dozen suspects; and a variety of interesting people and places. Most of all, though, we have Puri and his cast of helpers in the search for the solution.

As in The Case of the Missing Servant, we also have Puri's multi-generational family members involved in their own investigation.

Hall's writing is so smooth that you never notice it. Not once does it get in the way of the story being told. That alone is worth five stars. The humor, red herrings and setting are great, too. But, as with his first Puri book, it's the characters that makes this so much fun.

The eleven page glossary was a very good addition. The book is quite readable by Westerners; but those unfamiliar with India might want to do a bit of study before jumping in. A reference search for India society will generate an amazing amount of useful information.

Lovers of classic mysteries, especially those by British authors, will feel right at home with the Puri books. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Aloha! Back comes Vish Puri with a new case - 'The Man who Died Laughing.' I did like the earlier book by Hall wherein he had introduced Vish Puri as the Most Private Investigator.

Vish likes to be addresses as Vish rather than his full name Vishwas because Vish sounds as 'wish'. His catch line is 'Confidentiality is our watchword.' Vish Puri has different kinds of cases to resolve - be it related to matrimonial alliances, background checks, frauds, murders, and so on.

'The Case of the Man Who Dies Laughing' is a case waiting to be resolved in Delhi, India. It's about the murder of Dr. Suresh Jha. One morning, as Dr. Jha was part of the 'laughter club' and part of the laughter exercise, he is suddenly killed. In the middle of everyone. And to everyone who witnessed the murder, it was a shocking surprise to find none other than the Hindu Goddess Kali appearing from nowhere to kill Dr. Jha. After the murder, Goddess Kali disappears into thin air! How is that possible at all? Goddess Kali appearing & killing a human - how??

Dr. Jha is a rationalist who brings the tricks of many fraud mystics out in open, therefore making many enemies. Not only are the fraud mystics have become his enemies, but also some staunch Hindu political parties. The main suspect is the self-proclained Godman who had challenged Dr. Jha once. Has this Godman stooped so low to start murdering people?

This case brings out the age old fight between superstition & rationality. There is difference between 'belief' and 'superstition'. Unfortunately, at times many people fail to differentiate between belief & superstition and that is when the problem begins.

What I liked about the book? I liked how this case was solved in simple English, and there was a flow maintained between each sentence, paragraph, and chapter. Knowing the Hindi language made it easier to understand many words; the glossary of Hindi terms at the end of the book was a boon for non-Hindi speakers.

I'm waiting for more Vish Puri mysteries to be out soon.

My rating would be 4.5/5.

The case of the man who died laughing, the second book in what I hope is a long series is even better than the first. Although some consider Vish Puri the Sherlock Holmes of India, he is actually more the Hercule Poirot of India. With his sandown cap, moustache, and big belly, he has a striking resemblence to Peter Ustinov's Poirot in Death on the Nile and Appointment with Death.

The second book finds the strange appearance of Kali, a laughing club, an Indian holy man who may or may not be all that holy, and of course some strange goings-on at Rumpi and Mummy-ji's kitty party. Considering the setting, languages, and all other aspects foreign to an American reader, the book flows well. As for some reviewers complaining about the constant discussion of food, I personally found those extra little tidbits as something that made me feel more "there" than I would have otherwise.

I feel this book is even better than the Case of the Missing Servant, the first book in the series. At it's current price ($13.20), it's a steal. Go to any bookstore and you'll pay nearly double. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up. It's definately a good read for any fans of mysteries or of learning of foreign places.

The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing is the second installment in Tarquin Hall's Vish Puri series. I really liked The Case of the Missing Servant, and I had high hopes for this book. I am happy to report that Hall did not disappoint.

I won't bore you with a plot summary that the product page does so adequately already. I'll try to answer the question most on your mind, "Will I like this book?" I am interested in India after also having read Sea of Poppies (not a mystery) by Amitav Gosh. I think that Hall does a good job at giving readers a peak at the modern Indian culture. You will find instances where the older and younger generations clash over matters of respect and formalism that Puri's generation expects while the youth (especially the affluent) tend to rebel against it. Puri (with a physique that calls to mind Alfred Hitchcock) has an appetite that requires regular attention. Hall uses this to introduce readers to many of the foods of India, and the handy reference at the end of the book explains what many of them are. Hall also sprinkles in bits of Hindi and other Indian languages, but the guide at the end is there when context leaves you wondering. The cultural issues and food also give Hall a vehicle for a moderate amount of humor. The often quirky dialog does as well.

However none of this matters if the Hall failed to tell a good story. The narrative is well paced which is key. He strikes the balance between revealing enough without giving away too much. His characters (many holdovers from The Case of the Missing Servant) are also good. Chief among these is Puri, but I also enjoy some of the more minor characters such as his Mummy-ji. She and Puri's wife Rumpi are involved in an interesting secondary plot related to their secret "kitty parties". Mummy-ji is quite the sleuth herself. Tubelight and Facecream also make strong showings again along with Flush and Handbrake. Finally, I thought that Hall did a good job resolving the plot in a plausible manner.

In short you should give this a try if you like Indian culture, witty dialog, and a good mystery. It is not necessary to have read The Case of the Missing Servant first, but I highly recommend it as well as The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing.

Overall: A

At last a literate mystery with a comedic under tone, great page popping characters qnd the taste, feel, and smell of modern day India. A unique traveloque not to be missed.

Vish Puri and his team of detectives are at it again. This time the supernatural has intervened or so it seems. It appears that the Goddess Kali is angry with rationalist Dr. Jha and has decided to kill him in public in front of many witnesses. But Vish Puri comes up with many other explanations of what could have possibly happened. In the meantime, someone robbed a kitty party that Rumpi and Mummy have attended, so they set off on their own investigation to get the kitty money back.

This book is amusing, funny and very mysterious. It is a great second book in the series and I smiled or laughed most of the way through it. Puri continues to unravel the many knots until he has reviled the truth behind the sighting of Kali and the death of Dr. Jha. It makes for a really great read.

I loved the first book in this series and immediately upon finishing it bought the second book. I love the detective (Vish Puri) and his mother especially. He reminds me of Hercule Poirot while Mummy and Vish Puri's operatives remind me of Mrs. Jeffries and her household.

The book is very funny and the mystery is well done. The side stories round out the book and introduce you to additional characters and settings and give the author an opportunity to expound on Indian progress and conditions. They also add a lot of opportunities for humor.

To address the issues with dialect and vocabulary I think it's vital to read through the glossary before you begin reading the actual book. You don't need to memorize it but it helps to have seen the words and phrases up front so that when you read them in the story normal contextualization will kick in... otherwise you'll spend a lot of time flipping back and forth and you'll get frustrated.

As someone who works with a number of Indians the sentence structure was an "aha!" moment, and perhaps worked better for the prior exposure.

The setting is extremely realistic, insofar as I can tell from second hand stories, and you really do feel as though you can see the characters in the settings and watch the story unfold.

Great book, great series. I am really looking forward to the next book!