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Book Review
Reviewed: 21 March 2026

The Masala Chai Mystery Club

by: MJ Soni

a mystery

  • Rating: full starfull starfull starstar outlinestar outline (3.0/5)

What to do when you know someone was murdered and no one believes you...

That's what drove Neeti and her friends to form The Masala Chai Mystery Club when their Homeowner's Association President is found dead. I was attracted to this story because of the diversity of the characters. I also liked that it was a group sleuthing, each with their own speciality, reminiscent of The Thursday Murder. That being said, I have not yet connected with them.  

Widowed and retired, Neeti is not sure who she is anymore and where she fits in. Niece Myra is the same, but on the other end, just starting out and not sure who she is. Sweet Ved is sometimes caught in the middle. 

At times, I felt there was too much going on. I got a little lost at one point, but luckily in the next few pages, I got back on track. I absolutely loved the description of Neeti's sarees. They sounded absolutely gorgeous. 

With all the references to Agatha Christie's The Dumb Witness, I need to read it next. The book club had been discussing the book. If you love The Bard and someone who always has the right quote, then you adore Lawrence: Neeti's friend, neighbor, ex-prosecutor, Peggy's husband, and Parkinson's Disease fighter. 

I was very glad that more information about Neeti and Rohit's past was given. I would have loved to know more about Rohit in his early years. Throughout, we were reminded how complex people are, not all good, not all bad. 

Though I struggled at times to keep up and continue, I am glad I completed this book. I didn't see a designation that this was book 1 of a series but it definitely reads like one. I want more.

Thank you, #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks, for the opportunity for the early read.

Happy Reading!

Release Date: 21-July-2026
Cozy Mystery, NetGalley, Mystery, Female-Led, Multicultural

Plot Summary

Suspects abound when a much-despised neighbor is killed, perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building and Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club.

Retired librarian Neeti Shah was hoping for a restful life with her chai-loving friends, but when the body of a neighbor, a childhood friend of Neeti's, turns up dead and the killer’s MO is similar to that of Neeti's most recent book club read, things start to get out of control.  

When Neeti hears a commotion at a neighbor’s house, she finds Rohit’s body sprawled across the bottom of the staircase with Agatha Christie’s The Dumb Witness nearby. Blackmailing his neighbors, threatening them with lawsuits, and calling them by nasty nicknames were only some of the hateful things that made him so disliked. But were they angry enough to kill?

Neeti is indebted to her old friend, and she's determined to find his killer. But she can't do it alone, so she enlists her mystery-loving friends, the Masala Chai Mystery Club, to get to the bottom of the murder. 

But Neeti and her club members need to be careful. As more bodies turn up and more suspects start to appear, they’ll need to find the killer before they end up in hot water!