Book Review : The Kitty Party Murder by Kiran Manral

Good day!
Latest book by Author Kiran Manral: The Kitty Party Murder has been gathering raving reviews. First book I have read written by Kiran Manral though I have shared spotlights of her books on this blog. I have met her a couple of times and love the witty banter she brings along. I am glad I read this book and already missing it. This book broke my not-able-to-read spell after months. Eager to read other books by Kiran now.

Warning: This is a long review. It will make you Buy a copy immediately. Here is my affiliate link to buy. Do leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads after you finish. Thank you ;)

Know more about the book at: Spotlight: The Kitty Party Murder by Kiran Manral

Story:

Kanan Mehra aka Kay is a pretty homemaker and mother to six year old Kabir and a brat as she loves to call him. She has a well-cushioned life of running the house with help of driver and maid, take care of the child and make use of her time. She has previously worked in the corporate world till the offspring came on this earth. Now her specialty is getting into other people's business which her husband detests.

She is roped in by her school classmate Runa who runs a detective agency to help her solve a case. Kay is to get pally with a Ladies Kitty Party group where one of the member recently committed suicide and the husband thinks its because of one the ladies from this group. Kay agrees to help with the intention of trying out the buffets at upscale restaurants when the Kitty parties happen each month. Food and Kay are like soulmates. 
At the same time, Kay's own building is witness to a suicide. As destiny would have it Kay has seen the victim few mins before the suicide. But something is amiss. There is another dead body found soon. 
Both mysteries are getting darker now.

Will Kay go beyond trying to hog on food & losing weight? Does she have the skills fit for a detective?
Does the Kay-Runa team unearth the motive among all the bling, glamorous, posh façade presented by these people?

Grab The Book & find out:

What I liked:

Really short Review: Superb. Intriguing. ROFL most times. Loads of real-woman observations & situations.  Really good language with a satirical tone. 

Now let me elaborate ;)

A hilarious book with a Woman protagonist. Kay or Kanan is a Homemaker and a mom of a six year old Tornado. She loves Sales, buffet lunches, her parlor appointments and treatments, shopping and hoarding stuff, maxing out her hubby's credit card limit etc. But her favorite is: being a good neighbor or as her husband would say- Poking her nose in other people's business. She can make people talk and give information away. She can scan any person and find out all the offensive things about him or her which basically include the brand of clothes or perfume they wear, if their pores are clogged, toe nails require a pedicure,... 

Kay, she makes for a good assistant to her Detective friend Runa. Runa is a specimen of woman totally opposite of Kay. Coincidentally both were classmates throughout school of which Kay has unpleasant memories involving Runa. Hence Runa can make Kay squirm with just a stare and make her do her doings just like schooldays. These two are a hilarious pair.

The book is about a Murder with lot of investigation and loose ends to tie up. It is an interesting plot with two different cases running parallelly. You feel you are part of the Kay-Runa team all the time and can see the puzzle pieces falling in place as the story unfolds. You cant keep the book down. After a long time, I was reading a book during meal times and post bed time.

What I liked the best, is the perfect window into a woman's mind. I loved how Kiran Manral has put in words the swirling of thoughts, ideas, self-doubt, questions, observations, .. in a woman's mind. Kay is the example of real-life moms who are SAHM with a lot of potential but cant find the correct outlet or use of their skills. There are lakhs of such Kay's around the world. I also liked how Kiran has portrayed Kay as a vain woman but also one who is an all rounder (apart from body shape) in all spheres concerning her as a mom, wife, DIL, daughter, employer, neighbor, kitty party member, ...

The mental banter in Kay's head is what I am missing the most after completing the book. How much do we women think !? I am surprised. This banter is ROFL. I stopped nodding my head, marking the pages, grinning & saying me too in most women or mother scenarios in the book. Kay is no fictional character. I am trying to guess who did Kiran, model Kay on.

Also I am Yo-yo ing between who can be cast as Kay if this book is turned into a movie. Vidya Balan or Kusha Kapila. What are your inputs? Please suggest.

The language is really good. My brain was abuzz with all the good English and words I got to read after ages. The plot is interesting. It felt a lil rushed with the Bali trip planning in the end. But I was happy, my calculations of both murders were correct. I also whopped when Kay didn't have to go the spouse-directed-profession way. Hi five and same pinch on all husband characteristics.  

I loved all the characters in the book including the maid Jamuna. Kiran has effortlessly woven them and their characteristics in the story. The husband is a Men are from Mars specimen. Aren't they all ? ;) But I still loved how this couple compliments each other and totally Real-life. Kay's friends Raji, neighbors, Mrs.Kapoor and her dog, Velvet Smocking Jacket(go read the book & hunt), the watchmen, kitty party group ladies... all are sketched perfectly in words. Each character and their traits highlighted effortlessly makes you wonder how Kiran created them.

What I wanted more:

This is the first book I have read from Kiran Manral though have featured her books on my blog & met her few times. Excited now to read her other books. Especially The Face at the Window which is staring at me since many months. 

Books by Kiran Manral featured on this blog:

Book Blitz: Karmic Kids by Kiran Manral 

Spotlight: Missing, Presumed Dead by Kiran Manral 

#TornadoGiveaway 3: Book 1: The Face At The Window by Kiran Manral 

Tornado Giveaway 2: Book No. 71: ALL ABOARD by Kiran Manral 
 
Do #GrabTheBook, read and leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Please. Thank you in advance.

Bye. Take care.