A review by jmatkinson1
Mrs Sidhu's 'Dead and Scone' by Suk Pannu

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Mrs Sidhu is an excellent caterer who has a sixth sense for crime.  the bane of the local police, she is also suffering from a lack of clientele after she 'spoiled' a local society wedding to apprehend a thief.  Then she is offered a job at a swish retreat for the 'burned out' executive and her sister-in-law, Daljeet the Dalek, comes to stay.  Now Mrs Sidhu finds herself investigating a series of gruesome murders that may or may not be linked to a cult and realising that she really misses her husband.
I hadn't listened to the original Radio 4 series but the premise and the writer appealed so I decided to read this book in advance of the TV series.  I'm glad I did as I genuinely found the book funny and cleverly done.  Pannu was a writer on 'Goodness, Gracious Me', a comedy series that tapped into that uniquely British Asian sense of humour and this is in the same vein.  Imagine the setting of Miss Marple and with an Indian Auntie doling out samosas rather than cups of tea and you get the idea.  It's quirky and really rather wonderful!