Mostly Murders

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Neeti stood back and looked around at her neighbors, realizing that she just might be looking at a murderer.

Forced into early retirement from her job as a librarian, Neeti Shah is wondering what to do with her life, when one of her neighbours, Rohit Solanki, is found dead in his home with a copy of Agatha Christie’s Dumb Witness nearby.

Rohit terrorised the HOA and his neighbours, and there are plenty of people who are happy to see him gone, and happy to believe that his death was an accident caused by his dog Yolo. But Neeti disagrees, and before long she and her friends and family are all involved in investigating Rothi’s death. But amateur murder investigations are dangerous, and Neeti and Rothi have a past no one else in Neeti’s circle knows about.

The Masala Chai Mystery Club is a cozy mystery with a lot of heart, copious amounts of masala chai and delicious foods, and a riot of a group of family and neighbours with Neeti as the focal point of a small community with Indian, African and American representation.

Unlike some cozy mysteries, this novel incorporates serious themes like racism, Parkinson’s, soul-searching and loss, while still staying in the realm of cozies. The mood in the book is sometimes sober but never dark or depressing, as the serious themes are balanced with fun, silly and cozy moments and never allowed to take up too much space in the narrative.

If you like cozy mysteries filled with references to literature and libraries, mouthwatering foods and drinks, found family and a diverse group of sleuths, you might want to check this one out. If you love chai, dogs, Indian food, and cozy mysteries with serious notes, you definitely need to add this one to your list.

The expected publication date for The Masala Chai Mystery Club is July 21st, 2026.

Cozy mystery