I really enjoy Harini Nagendra's Bangalore Detectives Club mysteries, but I have to admit that my greatest enjoyment lies in immersing myself in the books' setting. A Nest of Vipers is no exception.

Did I like trying to figure out what was going on amidst all the magicians, snake charmers, sleight-of-hand, and rope tricks? Yes, I certainly did. I also like the fact that, rather than trying to change his wife and her predilection for crime-solving, her husband, Dr. Ramu Murthy, plays a much larger role in this book. He's not only trying to keep her safe, but he also helps solve the mystery.

Kaveri is a wonderful character. She's a wealthy woman who does not see social status. She has friends from all walks of life and will help anyone-- especially downtrodden women from low castes. She is pursuing a degree in mathematics as well as teaching women to read and, with the help of her mother-in-law, running her household. And speaking of her mother-in-law, I am so glad that she has transformed from the stereotypical hateful witch to a staunch ally for Kaveri.

As I said earlier, I love immersing myself in Nagendra's setting. A Nest of Vipers brought home to me how volatile 1920s India was. Gandhi's writings were not allowed in libraries. Being in the independence movement was incredibly dangerous because there were so many spies on both sides. People could never be sure of whom they could trust.

When you combine such an incredibly rich, layered setting with a mystery filled with twists and turns and such sympathetic characters, you have a winning series. After reading A Nest of Vipers, I can't wait to see what the next book will bring. If you like historical mysteries, I highly recommend Harini Nagendra. Start at the beginning with The Bangalore Detectives Club. Oh! A word of warning: the food is mouth-wateringly good. You might not want to read these books while you're hungry! ( )

I thought that the pace was incredibly slow. The Prince of Wales did not enter the plot until two thirds of the way into the story. Death threats against him are supposed to be what the story is about, per the publisher. Several murders did occur throughout the story though. Kaveri relied on social functions that she went to with her husband in order to meet people and ask questions for her investigation. While I am sure this was realistic for the era, it didn't make for an exciting read. The setting was prominent to the telling of the story. The reader learns alot about gender roles, Hindu rituals and the foods of India. It was fun to get reacquainted with the characters but, for me, it was a very slow read. ( )