Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged

About Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged

Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged is a light, clever mystery novel by Bulbul Sharma, set in a retirement home in Goa. If you enjoy a cosy whodunnit with unlikely detectives, the happy home for the aged of the title is exactly where you want to spend a few evenings. Please message us on WhatsApp at 9906523492 for details of the copy in stock, including the publisher and number of pages.

The book takes a peaceful, sun-soaked corner of Goa and drops a crime into the middle of it, then lets a group of elderly residents take charge of the investigation.

What Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged is about

• A body is discovered in the garden of the Happy Home for the Aged, which upsets the calm of the residents.
• The residents are bewildered at first, then decide to work together to find out what happened.
• Each of them brings a different skill or habit of mind to the investigation.
• Goa, with its quiet, idyllic feel, is the setting for the whole story.
• As the clues come together, the residents slowly step out of the separate, isolated lives they had been living.

The charm of the book is in the contrast. A murder is a dark event, but the story is told with humour and affection for its older characters, who are not treated as fragile or forgotten. They argue, tease each other and surprise themselves. The mystery is the frame, and the real pleasure is watching a group of people discover that they still have a lot to offer. There is a death at the centre of the plot, but the tone stays gentle rather than graphic.

About the author, Bulbul Sharma

Bulbul Sharma is a painter and writer based in New Delhi, born there in 1952. Her books include My Sainted Aunts, The Perfect Woman, Banana-Flower Dreams, The Book of Devi and Eating Women Telling Tales, which looks at the part food plays in women’s lives. She has also written for children, including a children’s Ramayana and a book on Indian birds. Her background as a painter often shows in the way she notices colour, food, place and small human details.

Why Murder at the Happy Home for the Aged is worth reading

Plenty of crime novels race from shock to shock. This one takes its time and lets character do the work. Readers who like Agatha Christie style puzzles, small communities and sharp-eyed older protagonists will feel at home here. It is also refreshing to read an Indian mystery in which retirement is not the end of the story. The Happy Home for the Aged becomes a place where friendships form, grudges soften and curiosity wins. It is an easy, enjoyable read for a weekend, a train journey or a rainy day.

Who should read this book

• Fans of cosy mysteries and classic whodunnits.
• Readers who like gentle humour alongside a puzzle.
• Anyone who enjoys stories set in Goa.
• Adult children who would like to give their parents or grandparents a fun read.
• Readers who enjoy ensemble casts more than lone detectives.

How to get the most from this book

Do not rush it. Try to guess who is responsible as you go, and keep track of small details about each resident, because the story gives each one a role. It also works well as a shared read, since older relatives often enjoy the characters’ observations and can compare theories with you. If you enjoy it, Bulbul Sharma’s other novels and story collections are a natural next step.

Frequently asked questions

Is this book violent?
A murder drives the plot, but the tone is light and the story is more about the investigators than about gore.

Where is the story set?
In a home for the elderly in Goa.

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