Magician-turned-sleuth Tempest Raj is our new favorite cozy mystery heroine

Gigi Pandian's "Under Lock and Skeleton Key" first came to our attention when it was hailed as one of the most anticipated mystery novels of 2022.

A co-founder of the group Crime Writers of Color, the mixed-race, Indian American Pandian has made a name for herself for her settings and character building and Bookpage noted that her most recent book "flawlessly balances magic, misdirection and murder." It also -- much to our excitement -- explores the legacies of colonialism and mixed identity in an approachable and fresh way. 

Main character Tempest Raj may just be 26, but she is already a legend in the world of magic. Not only does she come from a long line of notorious magicians, her skill and unique storytelling has also made her standout. But while Tempest has always worked at her craft, she also knows that the magic and gossip worlds have always followed her career closely because of an alleged curse on her family -- and indeed many of her relatives have died either performing tricks or under mysterious circumstances. The people Tempest has lost include her own mother, who disappeared without a trace several years earlier and is widely believed to have died by suicide. 

Despite the cloud of grief that always seems close to Tempest, she still isn't prepared when an accident on stage nearly derails her own career. But instead of believing the curse is at work, Tempest is convinced her body double Cassidy was deliberately trying to sabotage her career.

When Cassidy's body then turns up in a hidden staircase in Tempest's home town (in a set of stairs Tempest's own father constructed!) Tempest immediately becomes the most obvious suspect. As she tries to get to the bottom of what happened she also wonders what it would mean to reclaim her fame and talent once again.

We excitedly received two copies of Under Lock and Skeleton Key from Minotaur Books. Readers can purchase their own copies at our Bookshop storefront here. 

Lakshmi: This had everything I wanted out of a cozy mystery.

• Spunky heroine who is often misunderstood.

• Unusual talents are painstakingly detailed

• The main character has a huge, interfering family

• Bonus: There’s a whole section of recipes in the back!

What more does one need? Also, did you notice that Tempest looks like you?

Asha: Ha, I didn't.

Lakshmi: She's tall, fair and has black hair and is curvy. She’s you. Hahaha.

Asha: I am not tall!

Lakshmi: You have the air of a tall person. Anyway, what did you think of the book?

Asha: I loved it.

Lakshmi: ME TOO.

Asha:  My favorite part might be that her parents (well, now it’s just her dad since her mother’s disappearance) own a company that designs and creates hidden rooms! That is the DREAM.

Lakshmi: I really did like how unconventional everyone's jobs are.

Asha: I also liked all the descriptions of Tempest's house. I had fun imagining what it would be like to live there.

Lakshmi: Oh, and she's from the Bay Area. More evidence she is you. Were the parents also magicians at some point or did that skip a generation?

Asha: Her mother was also a magician, until she stopped doing magic

Lakshmi: I also just really liked the grandparents.

Lakshmi: Her grandfather first immigrated to Scotland as a young man, where he met her grandmother, and so all of the recipes they make throughout the book are these unique fusion Indian-Scottish dishes, and Gigi Pandian shares four recipes in the back of the book, which is fun.

Asha: I forgot that there were recipes in the back! I want to try them now.

Lakshmi: Oh and her family is from Tamil Nadu, so... Tempest really is you. 

Asha: Hilarious.

Lakshmi: But what did you think of the identity parts of the book? Gigi Pandian is also a mixed race Indian American.

Asha: I liked the way she wove it in. Some books we've read have hit us over the head with mixed identity in a "tragic mulatto trope" sort of way, but it seemed very natural in this book.

Lakshmi: For sure

Asha: Tempest is struggling with her place in the world in general after the accident, and it makes sense that identity is just part of the conversation.

Lakshmi: Tes for sure. I also liked how she constantly paid tribute to other mystery writers. We get references to Ellery Queen…Agatha Christie…A lot of other famous masters of the genre.

Asha: I loved that Encyclopedia Brown was name dropped!

Lakshmi: First edition Nancy Drews have a cameo too! It really is a cool mini history of the genre but it comes off in a very natural way because Tempest and her best friend are such mystery fan girls.

Asha: Ok maybe she is me

Lakshmi: I'm telling you...

The mystery is really tightly constructed but I also liked Tempest as a character. As you just mentioned, the accident has completely derailed her. She had her own show in Vegas before and the accident essentially led her to pack up her things and go home. I also liked the way this book discussed nepotism. 

Asha: Same. 

Lakshmi: Tempest knows she has advantages given her family history and their notoriety. But she handles that as well as possible, I thought. And also she gets the weirdnesses of friendships in your 20s just right. When you are outgrowing some people

or are confused by other people who have disappeared, etc

Asha: Or are trying to reconnect after many years and hurt feelings in this case. The transition from teenage friendship to adult friendship isn't always easy.

Lakshmi: There's also the fact that Tempest thinks someone literally tried to destroy her career... and then that person ends up murdered. Talk about a competitive industry! Hahaha

The discussions about craft were also interesting. Tempest has a will they/won't they situation with another Indian American magician, Sanjay Rai, and Sanjay is known for incorporating Indian folklore and history into his shows. Whereas Tempest is stuck in a creative rut because she realizes that everything she creates is a metaphor for her mother's disappearance/presumed death.

Asha: I feel like I learned so much about magic from this book.

Lakshmi: Yes, I had never thought about the levels to all of this before.

Asha: Obviously it makes sense that a magic show has to have a narrative arc, but it's not something I thought.

Lakshmi: I want to go to Vegas and see a ton of magic shows now. (Not now though-- not without a mask mandate) But yes it was such an interesting glimpse into working performers in Vegas.

Asha: I don't know that i've ever seen a full magic show actually, but yeah, now I want to see some!

Lakshmi: I think I have, but as a young teen, so quite some time ago. I also felt like you could tell that Gigi Pandian has read classic mysteries over and over. There are just the right amount of red herrings and twists and turns.

Asha: Yes! And the red herrings are all totally plausible.

Lakshmi: Plus the details of the story of the curse, and the histories of the various family members as the family goes from Tamil Nadu to Scotland to California. It's all really vivid.

Asha: Who doesn't love a good family curse told well.

Lakshmi: The Scotland family stories and the Indian family stories are both so good.

And Tempest's grandmother (who is Scottish) can seem like a stereotypical super stern Presbyterian, which she totally is but of course it's more nuanced than that... given the curse and all and the things she's witnessed.

Asha: I really liked Tempest's grandparents in general. They just seemed so interesting. (I liked her dad too). I'd read a book just about them. Her grandfather is like my dad: he's taken up cooking in his retirement!

Lakshmi: Yes, for sure. Plus, the good news is that this book is the beginning of a series!

which means we'll see more of all of these characters. Hopefully we'll get more UK-Indian fusion recipes too!

We should wrap up soon. Do you have a final thought?

Asha: I want to live in that house! Or I want Tempest's dad to build me a hidden rooms.

Lakshmi: Yes, and the fact that you have to pull out the copy of Invisible Man to open the secret door was such a nice touch.

Asha: I did love that detail.