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Drop Dead Gorgeous
Twenty perfect contestants. One perfect murder.It's 1995. The finale of the national beauty contest, Miss Glamour Princess, hosted by the mega media conglomerate, Eye India, is only days away. In the running are twenty-one beautiful contestants, including India's sweetheart and reigning model, Akruti Rai.The final dress rehearsal ends on a nightmarish note as the sensuous and ambitious 'Lajjo' is murdered right on the ramp. Soon, Akruti and her fellow contestants become prime suspects in a case that gets increasingly macabre as bodies pile up - the gossipy, affable pageant hairdresser Doreen, the self-assured mean-girl Nuzhat ...Amidst massive public outcry and searing press coverage, Akruti is convinced by an enigmatic fellow contestant, Parvati Samant, to help her investigate the murders. But who, really, is Parvati? And can Akruti help unearth the sinister truth, clear her own name, and also keep an eye on the prize?
- GenresIndiaMystery Thriller
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2019
3 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Gauri Sinh
6 books3 followersGauri Sinh is the former Editor of Bombay Times, the lifestyle and entertainment supplement of The Times of India, and After Hrs, the lifestyle and entertainment supplement of DNA. She's the author of Dogsend: The Story of Simba (2010) and The Garud Prophecies Sitara's Story (2015).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 11, 2019
My views-
A mystery/thriller beautifully written capturing the beauty contest of '95. Amidst the chaos and rehearsals an aspiring model lajjo is murdered. The suspect is one of her rivals, Anukriti. Is she the murdered?
The plot rolls, and many more murders makes it difficult to find out who is the culprit. Anukriti teams up with Parvati to find out the killer and to win the competition.
The book resembled the movie Miss congeniality a lot. A bit cliched. The narration is good and fast paced but simple. The plot says a lot about friendship and rivalry at the same time.
The only thing i found wrong was that mystery plot have to be puzzle like, its a joy to find out about the cuplrit at the end, this book was too plane in that sense.
A mystery/thriller beautifully written capturing the beauty contest of '95. Amidst the chaos and rehearsals an aspiring model lajjo is murdered. The suspect is one of her rivals, Anukriti. Is she the murdered?
The plot rolls, and many more murders makes it difficult to find out who is the culprit. Anukriti teams up with Parvati to find out the killer and to win the competition.
The book resembled the movie Miss congeniality a lot. A bit cliched. The narration is good and fast paced but simple. The plot says a lot about friendship and rivalry at the same time.
The only thing i found wrong was that mystery plot have to be puzzle like, its a joy to find out about the cuplrit at the end, this book was too plane in that sense.
July 5, 2019
The book has captured the 90s pretty well and if you're into mystery, this could be a good read.
July 1, 2019
Drop Dead Gorgeous by Gauri Sinh is a mystery/thriller which beautifully captures the glamour world of the 90's.
It's 1995, the finale of nation's biggest beauty contest is just days away, in the running are 21 beautiful contestants.
And then, on the final dress rehearsal one of the top running contestants Lajjo is murdered right on the ramp.
One of those 21 contestants is Akruti Rai, India's reigning model, she was another top contender, who is now Prime suspects along with other contestants.
In order to clear her name, Akruti teams up with the enigmatic Parvati. The two girls team up to catch the murderer, but there are other murders which make it more difficult for them. In the meantime, the pageant goes on, and Akruti is determined to not only catch the killer but also the beauty crown.
.
.
The narrations are very gripping and the story is fast paced. At every point the reader tries to solve the mystery before the characters. I definitely loved the way it was written, but I felt the plot was more like a Bollywood movie, the characters development is good. But the story was very dramatic and spicy.
It's 1995, the finale of nation's biggest beauty contest is just days away, in the running are 21 beautiful contestants.
And then, on the final dress rehearsal one of the top running contestants Lajjo is murdered right on the ramp.
One of those 21 contestants is Akruti Rai, India's reigning model, she was another top contender, who is now Prime suspects along with other contestants.
In order to clear her name, Akruti teams up with the enigmatic Parvati. The two girls team up to catch the murderer, but there are other murders which make it more difficult for them. In the meantime, the pageant goes on, and Akruti is determined to not only catch the killer but also the beauty crown.
.
.
The narrations are very gripping and the story is fast paced. At every point the reader tries to solve the mystery before the characters. I definitely loved the way it was written, but I felt the plot was more like a Bollywood movie, the characters development is good. But the story was very dramatic and spicy.
April 30, 2019
During a beauty pageant in 1995, one of the top-running contestants, Lajjo, is murdered on stage and in front of a camera. Her rival and competitor Akruti catches her toppling body and in turn becomes the prime suspect for Lajjo's murder.
In a bid to clear her name and nab Lajjo's murderer, Akruti teams up with the enigmatic Parvati. The two girls team up to catch the murderer, but soon more people turn up dead, and Parvati and Akruti realise that they may be in grave danger. In the meantime, the pageant goes on, and Akruti is determined to not only catch the killer but also the beauty crown.
*
The story begins on an intriguing premise - a locked room mystery where the victim is stabbed on stage in front of dozens of contestants and one camera. But soon the pace dies down, and the story becomes a chore you took up and want to finish. You can spot the murderer before half the book is over. The biggest mystery was the motive...which when revealed turned out to be the flimsiest one I have ever read!
What I probably disliked the most in this book was how much the author seemed to mollycoddle the readers. Every time a character did something suspicious or a clue was unearthed, the author took great pains to ensure that the readers took note. It would be repeated multiple times by different characters, and even a neon sign around the entire paragraph would be more subtle than how it was written in the book! What I love about great mystery novels is how various small nuances from previous chapters come together to form a jigsaw in the conclusion. One example can be of a novel by Agatha Christie where a slight mention of a postcard on a table among a pile of other letters and post later turned out to be a crucial clue. The protagonists often know what it means but the readers have an 'eureka' moment later in the final chapters when all is revealed, and the mystery solved. The murderer in this book could be spotted from a mile away simply because it was made painfully obvious by the author in previous chapters. Not a bad book, but not a mystery novel I would recommend.
In a bid to clear her name and nab Lajjo's murderer, Akruti teams up with the enigmatic Parvati. The two girls team up to catch the murderer, but soon more people turn up dead, and Parvati and Akruti realise that they may be in grave danger. In the meantime, the pageant goes on, and Akruti is determined to not only catch the killer but also the beauty crown.
*
The story begins on an intriguing premise - a locked room mystery where the victim is stabbed on stage in front of dozens of contestants and one camera. But soon the pace dies down, and the story becomes a chore you took up and want to finish. You can spot the murderer before half the book is over. The biggest mystery was the motive...which when revealed turned out to be the flimsiest one I have ever read!
What I probably disliked the most in this book was how much the author seemed to mollycoddle the readers. Every time a character did something suspicious or a clue was unearthed, the author took great pains to ensure that the readers took note. It would be repeated multiple times by different characters, and even a neon sign around the entire paragraph would be more subtle than how it was written in the book! What I love about great mystery novels is how various small nuances from previous chapters come together to form a jigsaw in the conclusion. One example can be of a novel by Agatha Christie where a slight mention of a postcard on a table among a pile of other letters and post later turned out to be a crucial clue. The protagonists often know what it means but the readers have an 'eureka' moment later in the final chapters when all is revealed, and the mystery solved. The murderer in this book could be spotted from a mile away simply because it was made painfully obvious by the author in previous chapters. Not a bad book, but not a mystery novel I would recommend.
April 20, 2019
As much as I love thrillers along with Fiction, I no-doubt can say that I have enjoyed reading this book. However this story was a bit similar to the movie I have seen of Sandra Bullocks " Miss congeniality".
Drop, Dead, Gorgeous by Gauri Sinha is a mystery thriller published by Harper Collins India.
This thriller is about the mysterious murders that take place in 1995 during a beauty contest.
The book starts with the murder of one of the most amazing contestant Lajjo who is stabbed while rehearsals. During the Beauty pageant in 1995, there were two strong contenders Akruti and Lajjo of which Lajjo is murdered and Akruti is blamed for since she was her arch-rival. 4 days before the Finale the first murder takes place. On the day, Lajjo is murdered, Akruti finds herself helping Parvati in finding out who must have killed her. They jot down all the points and re-repeat the scene that happened during the murder. On the next day, during swimsuit round, the contestants are faced with another murder.
With the murders being taking place, the contestants are deemed to be suspects and the killer is one of them. But what if there wasn't one killer? What if there were more?
With three murders being taking place in the last four days before Finale, this book finally ends with Akruti living her dream.
The story shares with us as to how a beautiful friendship between two contestants help them in solving the mystery and find the killer even before the police themselves can. It's hauntingly beautiful and it will keep you at the pace.
On every instance, it will make you want to really connect the dots and find the killer before you even finish the book making yourself an investigator as you go through the book.
The only thing which I found a bit off back in this novel was that the story was stretched a bit in the middle as to recaping again and again the first murder. The rest, this story is truly mind blowing and if you are a fan of thriller's, this book is pretty much your cup of tea.
Drop, Dead, Gorgeous by Gauri Sinha is a mystery thriller published by Harper Collins India.
This thriller is about the mysterious murders that take place in 1995 during a beauty contest.
The book starts with the murder of one of the most amazing contestant Lajjo who is stabbed while rehearsals. During the Beauty pageant in 1995, there were two strong contenders Akruti and Lajjo of which Lajjo is murdered and Akruti is blamed for since she was her arch-rival. 4 days before the Finale the first murder takes place. On the day, Lajjo is murdered, Akruti finds herself helping Parvati in finding out who must have killed her. They jot down all the points and re-repeat the scene that happened during the murder. On the next day, during swimsuit round, the contestants are faced with another murder.
With the murders being taking place, the contestants are deemed to be suspects and the killer is one of them. But what if there wasn't one killer? What if there were more?
With three murders being taking place in the last four days before Finale, this book finally ends with Akruti living her dream.
The story shares with us as to how a beautiful friendship between two contestants help them in solving the mystery and find the killer even before the police themselves can. It's hauntingly beautiful and it will keep you at the pace.
On every instance, it will make you want to really connect the dots and find the killer before you even finish the book making yourself an investigator as you go through the book.
The only thing which I found a bit off back in this novel was that the story was stretched a bit in the middle as to recaping again and again the first murder. The rest, this story is truly mind blowing and if you are a fan of thriller's, this book is pretty much your cup of tea.
June 2, 2019
This book is super addictive! I was hooked from the first chapter. I think it was mainly because of the character and the plot. The plot was super exciting and gripping, the whole air of suspense created by the author was the most striking aspect of the murder. For a moment, you are made to believe that everyone is a possible murderer with a strong motive.
The book started off with a really good note. It had interesting character development and a plot development which was building up the suspense behind the murder even more! The slow build-up of the suspense was breath-taking. I was up all night to finish this book to know who was the murderer and why they killed Lajjo. At one point, I have to might that I tried to read the last few pages to see who the killer was (but obviously I did control myself!).
The writing of the author is good and a new reader will not find it difficult to get into the book and enjoy it!
I really liked the cool-headed character of Parvati and how the ending was unconventional. But, however, I felt that the revelation of the killer would have been more gripping. The motive of killing kind of felt loose for me and maybe, a really good motive could have given the story a new edge.
Would recommend this to you if you like the crime/thriller genre!
The book started off with a really good note. It had interesting character development and a plot development which was building up the suspense behind the murder even more! The slow build-up of the suspense was breath-taking. I was up all night to finish this book to know who was the murderer and why they killed Lajjo. At one point, I have to might that I tried to read the last few pages to see who the killer was (but obviously I did control myself!).
The writing of the author is good and a new reader will not find it difficult to get into the book and enjoy it!
I really liked the cool-headed character of Parvati and how the ending was unconventional. But, however, I felt that the revelation of the killer would have been more gripping. The motive of killing kind of felt loose for me and maybe, a really good motive could have given the story a new edge.
Would recommend this to you if you like the crime/thriller genre!
February 16, 2026
I did pick this up for the homoerotic friendship I could sense from the synopsis, no seriously look at all these quotes:
Also a character does end up threatening Parvati with harming Akruti so.
As for the mystery I found it to be a bit... bland? The build up is fine and the narration is easy to get through, but the characters could have done with a bit more fleshing out. I even forgot who's who when the murderer gets revealed.
But it was good to read about 90s India and I did enjoy it, despite the first person narration, so the 3 star rating. Will be picking up the next book.
(And because I am a hater at heart, why couldn't Parvati's nickname have been Paro?)
'Do you know what rule was being bent?' Parvati asked, her voice so silky I was mesmerized.
Her eyes searched the room, then rested on me. She came and stood behind me, whispering into my ear in a low tone.
'I[Akruti] could not forget you[Parvati]!'When asked about the qualities the pageant winner should possess.
'...Imagine my surprise and fear for your safety when you landed up!'
'Parvati...' I said, not being able to speak further, overcome at Parvati's quiet fortitude.
Also a character does end up threatening Parvati with harming Akruti so.
As for the mystery I found it to be a bit... bland? The build up is fine and the narration is easy to get through, but the characters could have done with a bit more fleshing out. I even forgot who's who when the murderer gets revealed.
But it was good to read about 90s India and I did enjoy it, despite the first person narration, so the 3 star rating. Will be picking up the next book.
(And because I am a hater at heart, why couldn't Parvati's nickname have been Paro?)
June 7, 2021
The story is captivating so the book reads pretty fast. I'd enjoy a bit more flavor of the location where it's based but other than that female characters were nicely portrayed. The story takes place during a beauty pageant but the author wastes no page for describing make-up, dresses or shallow conversations.
June 6, 2019
Gauri’s book is thrilling from the word Go! It’s a pace-y but an easy and quick read. The characters ring quite a bell to the famous models of the era gone by. Enjoyed playing the guessing game on this Who Dunnit and the result was unexpected!! Hope to see this book in movie form soon!!
November 21, 2019
The way you get hooked on to this story from the very first chapter is amazing. The setup of a beauty pageant is also interesting for a murder mystery tale. I'd recommend reading to all thriller lovers.
May 22, 2019
Murder in the glam world? Yes it does happen and in this fast paced read, we learn a lot about what happens behind the scenes in a beauty pageant.
July 27, 2021
Good story.
Good read for a change...
Good read for a change...
June 24, 2019
Drop Dead Gorgeous by Gauri Sinh is a murder mystery set in the 1990's era in the glamorous world of beauty pageants. A murder mystery is definitely my go-to-read and I always crave for a good spicy mystery time and again. And this mystery combined with the backdrop of this glam industry had me on my toes from the very start.
Lajjo, a front runner of a beauty pageant gets murdered on stage during the reherasal with only a few days in hand for the finale. Her lifeless body topples over Akruti, who is known to be her fierce rival and all suspicion is vested on her. As the police investigates, they are received by a dead-end and that is when Akruti decides to take matters into her own hands and starts a personal interrogation with her co-contestant Parvati. Dead bodies keep heaping up and it seems as if the murderer gets more blood thirsty with each murder.
The author has done justice to the premise of the book and I should say, I haven't read such a satisfying murder mystery by an Indian writer for quite a while now. The characters have their own charm and are not cliched in any way. Sinh drops various hints to who might be the killer and what might be the reason behind the homicides. It is up-to your detective genes whether you can successfully crack it or not. The bonding between Parvati and Akruti definitely stood out for me as the other brilliantly describes the camaraderie between these two rivals with enough emotions that make it seem real rather than making them over-friendly that would have made the story showy.
Absolutely recommended to lover of who-dunn-its and a spicy mystery.
Lajjo, a front runner of a beauty pageant gets murdered on stage during the reherasal with only a few days in hand for the finale. Her lifeless body topples over Akruti, who is known to be her fierce rival and all suspicion is vested on her. As the police investigates, they are received by a dead-end and that is when Akruti decides to take matters into her own hands and starts a personal interrogation with her co-contestant Parvati. Dead bodies keep heaping up and it seems as if the murderer gets more blood thirsty with each murder.
The author has done justice to the premise of the book and I should say, I haven't read such a satisfying murder mystery by an Indian writer for quite a while now. The characters have their own charm and are not cliched in any way. Sinh drops various hints to who might be the killer and what might be the reason behind the homicides. It is up-to your detective genes whether you can successfully crack it or not. The bonding between Parvati and Akruti definitely stood out for me as the other brilliantly describes the camaraderie between these two rivals with enough emotions that make it seem real rather than making them over-friendly that would have made the story showy.
Absolutely recommended to lover of who-dunn-its and a spicy mystery.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews