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The Spy Who Lost Her Head
A hilarious read that capitalizes on the humorous potential of the Indian obsession with English
'I am Super Spy Gulabi. I am a belly from the village searching suitable man but finding only head. It is murder most fowl. But never fear, in the backside, I am ending with a blast.’
Gulabi from Gayab arrives in the city of dreams armed with fourteen suitcases but without her pet snake, ready to catch a husband before her lease runs out. A spunky young lass with an unusual grasp of English, she manages to capture the heart of everyone she meets. She does, however, have a way of ‘forking’ things up. She falls out of windows, attacks her landlord more than once and even sets the apartment on fire.
When, to her horror, she finds herself in possession of a man’s head, she does the only decent thing: she vows to find his killers. The trail leads us through danger and drunken poetry, big laughs and bigwigs. Now if only our brave belle can solve the dead-head riddle, without losing her own.
'I am Super Spy Gulabi. I am a belly from the village searching suitable man but finding only head. It is murder most fowl. But never fear, in the backside, I am ending with a blast.’
Gulabi from Gayab arrives in the city of dreams armed with fourteen suitcases but without her pet snake, ready to catch a husband before her lease runs out. A spunky young lass with an unusual grasp of English, she manages to capture the heart of everyone she meets. She does, however, have a way of ‘forking’ things up. She falls out of windows, attacks her landlord more than once and even sets the apartment on fire.
When, to her horror, she finds herself in possession of a man’s head, she does the only decent thing: she vows to find his killers. The trail leads us through danger and drunken poetry, big laughs and bigwigs. Now if only our brave belle can solve the dead-head riddle, without losing her own.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 9, 2013
Deer SS Gulabi aka Pink Rose,
Oh mai Gawd , you are so the funnee person. I yam falling off couches because of you.Laughing laughing only , not because of detectiving like you. Please the come back the soon for the nixt installation of your detectiving. I am the big fans of your brinjal fry also. Please the be giving my respects to the mummyji and louves for bemba. Oh , the Mr bemba very liking like Mr Darcy for girls. Please the be doing your more seduction on him soon. And please the bringing grass snake for next time.
Thanking you
Big fans and AC of yours
December 16, 2015
Gulabi, of the village of Gayab, is twenty two and a half years old and not at all eager to marry the assortment of potential bridegrooms paraded before her. So, with hard-won permission from her parents, she earns herself six months’ respite in which to find a man for herself—by coming to Mumbai, fourteen suitcases in tow. The big bad city, where Gulabi finds herself trying desperately to win over her Bemba (for those not in the know—like me—‘Engineer’+ ‘MBA’) landlord with brinjal fry. When the brinjal fry yields no returns, Gulabi (helped by her friend, the Bemba’s other tenant, Tanya) goes to a dodgy astrologer. A man who offloads on her various charms, from roses and candles to a parrot named Richandfamous, to some advice: buy a pumpkin and kiss it.
Sadly, Gulabi’s pumpkin gets accidentally switched in a busy marketplace, and what Gulabi brings back home, wrapped in a plastic bag, is not a pumpkin but a head. A human head, and one Gulabi has no clue about. But she’s a good girl, so she takes it upon herself to find out whose head this is, and to take revenge on behalf of the headless one.
Much of which, of course, sounds more macabre than anything else. But Jane De Suza’s Super Spy Gulabi, her butchering of the Queen’s English, her antics, her dress sense, her unwavering resolve to win her Bemba—are a laugh riot through and through. I didn’t find the ‘detective’ work in this book exceptional, but what makes it stand out is the humour, which is completely whacky and OTT. Sample this:
No, Miss Tanya cannot cook. She cannot stitch. She cannot knit. She cannot knead. I am sure she cannot pull milk from cow. But she can tell mans to go make babies by himself in seventeen different languages. She is teaching me.
No knowledge is wasted.
Just cut n’ pasted.
… or perhaps she was born as a set of triplets, the other two separated from her at birth and waiting in some hospital’s blood donation unit to re-unite with her.
Yes, funny. Gulabi’s English perhaps gets just too tedious at times, but the situations are hilarious, and de Suza’s writing is a hoot. Plus, I loved the fact that while this is total farce, Gulabi is still a heroine, not an utterly brainless buffoon: she’s sassy, sensitive, quick-witted, and she can hold her own against the villains or make a daring escape, even if she ends up on top of a secretary named Eeeks.
Do read. Not if you’re looking for the thriller of the year, but if you want a good laugh. This is it. I do hope de Suza carries this series forward—I want to see Gulabi go places. Even if all she’s doing is solving the case of the missing earthworms.
Sadly, Gulabi’s pumpkin gets accidentally switched in a busy marketplace, and what Gulabi brings back home, wrapped in a plastic bag, is not a pumpkin but a head. A human head, and one Gulabi has no clue about. But she’s a good girl, so she takes it upon herself to find out whose head this is, and to take revenge on behalf of the headless one.
Much of which, of course, sounds more macabre than anything else. But Jane De Suza’s Super Spy Gulabi, her butchering of the Queen’s English, her antics, her dress sense, her unwavering resolve to win her Bemba—are a laugh riot through and through. I didn’t find the ‘detective’ work in this book exceptional, but what makes it stand out is the humour, which is completely whacky and OTT. Sample this:
No, Miss Tanya cannot cook. She cannot stitch. She cannot knit. She cannot knead. I am sure she cannot pull milk from cow. But she can tell mans to go make babies by himself in seventeen different languages. She is teaching me.
No knowledge is wasted.
Just cut n’ pasted.
… or perhaps she was born as a set of triplets, the other two separated from her at birth and waiting in some hospital’s blood donation unit to re-unite with her.
Yes, funny. Gulabi’s English perhaps gets just too tedious at times, but the situations are hilarious, and de Suza’s writing is a hoot. Plus, I loved the fact that while this is total farce, Gulabi is still a heroine, not an utterly brainless buffoon: she’s sassy, sensitive, quick-witted, and she can hold her own against the villains or make a daring escape, even if she ends up on top of a secretary named Eeeks.
Do read. Not if you’re looking for the thriller of the year, but if you want a good laugh. This is it. I do hope de Suza carries this series forward—I want to see Gulabi go places. Even if all she’s doing is solving the case of the missing earthworms.
April 16, 2013
A completely rib tickling affair - I was found laughing my head off many a times while reading the book. Jane De Suza does a fabulous job in bringing Gulabi to life in the most comical and endearing way. Her Queen's English, mis-adventures with Bemba, hilarious interactions with Mummyji, the head which does not part her, her transformation into a spy - are superbly crafted. I think the unabashed and daring Pink Rose deserves many more spy outings and I will be waiting for her next adventures, may be with a pair of legs this time!
April 17, 2013
Gulabi is just so endearing!! And the whole Queen's English very addictive and fun. Read an entertaining and amusing thriller after a long time. Loved the style, the quirkiness and the twists - the last one was an unexpected one. It is a light read but a captivating mystery at the same time. Looking forward to more books by the author!
April 19, 2013
One person who I've fallen in love with recently is Gulabi! There's no way you can't fall in love with her Queen's English. I really like how Jane fuses comedy into this thriller. For someone who mostly reads the heavier stuff, this book is a welcome break. Kudos to the author for writing this and hope we get to read more from her soon.
December 22, 2022
Jane De Suza paints a vivid and lively picture, you can actually visualize the chaos in your mind's eye. A hilarious read!
July 6, 2021
Gulabi is the newest Mumbaikar, armed with several suitcases and unfortunately without her green snake. Hilarious and strong-willed, she's set out to find herself a husband before her father takes the reign of matchmaking with his hands. Everythings is going fine (a bit bumpy though) until she finds herself in possession of a real and live daedhead. Basically, I loved how she was brave enough to store the head within an ice cream container inside her fridge, which too was shared by her roommate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2018
Disappointed. I bought this book after following the author's fortnightly column in the Hindu. After reading this book I've realised that a humour column writer needn't necessarily be a good story teller. While the premise of the book is amusing, the book itself is not really engaging. The narrative is all over the place, story telling is poor, with the protagonist simply fumbling along the way, logic goes for a toss at several occasions!
December 18, 2017
what a hilarious book. the author has nailed the humor to perfection. literally takes you to a laughter riot. and do not mistake it as just a comical book. it has a plot line, drama, suspense, thrill... everything with a pinch of humor.
May 2, 2019
Funny and clever. But the writing is not my piece of cake.
May 8, 2020
Super funny!
September 21, 2013
'It is not your wrong - you are not having children with me so I am seeing other man to find outlet and he is saying to kiss your pumpkin'
If you are wondering what kind of English that is. Well, it is Queen's English. This is how SS Gulabi, the pink rose, speaks all through the novel, 'The Spy who lost her head', written by Jane De Suza.
Gulabi comes to Mumbai in search of her Bemba (BE + MBA graduate). Her father who has many cows and sheep in the village gives her six months time to find her own Bemba. After six months Gulabi will be offered to the groom of her father's choice along with cows and sheep. Gulabi lands in Mumbai with her seven suitcases in hot pursuit of her Bemba. As a lucky co-incident her landlord happens to be her Bemba but he does not reciprocate the same feelings for Gulabi. Unfortunately Gulabi also gets tangled in a mess in which she finds herself with the head of a man she does not know. She transforms from mere Gulabi to the spy SS Gulabi and investigates the case of the missing head. She happens to lose her much endeared head, a couple of times, hence the name the spy who lost her head. The rest of the novel is about how Gulabi tries to convince the landlord Bemba to marry her and how she cracks the case of the head.
The plot is simple, but the character of Gulabi is hilarious. Her Queen’s English, her village attitude and dressing, her pious/religious opinions, her love for Bemba and her interactions with disinterested Bemba made me roll with laughter. I was reading the book in train and I laughed so hard that my husband said, ‘Can you read it some other time. Everybody is looking’. Well, I couldn’t do that. I would recommend this book for light reading and to lift your spirits up. The book only costs Rs. 137, I would have spent even more for this book. It is worth reading.
http://soumyagudiyella.blogspot.in/20...
If you are wondering what kind of English that is. Well, it is Queen's English. This is how SS Gulabi, the pink rose, speaks all through the novel, 'The Spy who lost her head', written by Jane De Suza.
Gulabi comes to Mumbai in search of her Bemba (BE + MBA graduate). Her father who has many cows and sheep in the village gives her six months time to find her own Bemba. After six months Gulabi will be offered to the groom of her father's choice along with cows and sheep. Gulabi lands in Mumbai with her seven suitcases in hot pursuit of her Bemba. As a lucky co-incident her landlord happens to be her Bemba but he does not reciprocate the same feelings for Gulabi. Unfortunately Gulabi also gets tangled in a mess in which she finds herself with the head of a man she does not know. She transforms from mere Gulabi to the spy SS Gulabi and investigates the case of the missing head. She happens to lose her much endeared head, a couple of times, hence the name the spy who lost her head. The rest of the novel is about how Gulabi tries to convince the landlord Bemba to marry her and how she cracks the case of the head.
The plot is simple, but the character of Gulabi is hilarious. Her Queen’s English, her village attitude and dressing, her pious/religious opinions, her love for Bemba and her interactions with disinterested Bemba made me roll with laughter. I was reading the book in train and I laughed so hard that my husband said, ‘Can you read it some other time. Everybody is looking’. Well, I couldn’t do that. I would recommend this book for light reading and to lift your spirits up. The book only costs Rs. 137, I would have spent even more for this book. It is worth reading.
http://soumyagudiyella.blogspot.in/20...
November 21, 2023
Loved this book. It's a cocktail of suspense, romance and comedy. The story is full of energy, twists and turns. The end is unexpected and the character Gulabi is so well created. I wish there are new parts to this character soon. The first few pages might even confuse the reader especially bcz of the way it is written.. The English is from the characters pov so don't get baffled or bored..keep reading to reach to the funniest and craziest moments of Gulabi and her friends.
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July 1, 2013good
February 8, 2014
Interesting quick read.
January 14, 2015
Jane De Suza's The Spy Who Lost Her Head is funny, intriguing, and largely believable. An enjoyable read.
July 8, 2013
Witty, Situational Humor and Absolutely head-less with that queens english.
August 27, 2013
Hilarious and fresh. I would give it 3.5.
January 5, 2015
Hilarious, fast paced!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews