Anyone who knows me can tell you I am a fan of quaint mysteries. That’s how I find myself in the world of ‘Mrs. Sindhu Investigates’. Welcome to Slough, a town in Berkshire, England. It’s like Delaware but with different accents. In Slough, we find Mrs. Sindhu (Meera Sydal), a mother, widower, and caterer working in Slough who through unintentional but mostly intentional circumstances lands herself smack in the middle of an unsettling number of murders in this usually reserved city. Her arrival, as you can guess, mostly frustrates the local constabulary. The constabulary is disarmed by her piercing intellect, wry wit, and natural talent for seeing scenes from all angles—as shown early in the series when she dissects a bride and groom’s body language and correctly surmises that their wedding, which she is catering, will not happen. The only person surprised by this revelation is the groom. I hope he can get his venue deposit back.
Watching this show I truly enjoyed the way Meer Sydal portrays Mrs. Sindhu. While immediate comparisons to Angela Lansbury’s Murder She Wrote could be made by the less enlightened, what this series brings to the table is a character that’s a sardonic punch to the face, closer to a Mrs. Marple of the 21st century. The show seamlessly incorporates Mrs. Sindhu’s South Asian culture into the storylines through traditions, food, and humor.
But for every mystery, there is a cavalcade of characters that for better or worse support our Mrs. Sindhu in these adventures. First, there is Tez (Gureet Singh), her wayward, absent-minded son with a strong heart but at times lacks the brains to match. Based on the number of times, Mrs. Sindhu has fired him from her staff tells you all you need to know. They share a rocky relationship thanks to their new paradigm surrounding the death of her husband, Tez’s father; her new lease on life thanks to…murder; and Tez’s lackluster interest in being a productive member of society beyond gaming and fantasy novels.
Next up is DCI Burton (Craig Parkinson), a once-promising investigator now in need of a karmic kick in the pants for a chance at redemption within the department. Sadly for him (but not for us the viewer) the road to his redemption goes through Mrs. Sindhu. Lastly, we have DS Mint (Naana Agyei-Ampadu), a quick-witted firebrand who rounds out this delightful cast of misfits. DS Mint, like all great detective sergeants, gives us insight into the character of Slough, yes, like Cleveland, Ohio, Slough has character and she defines a great deal in the world of Mrs SIndhu. While some might argue Slough—the rustic bowler hat of England—needs no definition, DS Mint adds a layer of world-building that ushers us along throughout the story—something this American truly appreciates.
Overall, this show was incredibly engaging. It blends Mrs. Sindhu’s culture into the narrative and the societal understanding of the world around her. Especially when Mrs. Sundhu uses the quote “You’ve never been brown in West London, have you?” to explain to DCI Burton the reason a suspect in the series, an Asian woman, does not trust the police when interactions between her community and the police are strained.
This level of quick-witted writing combined with the well-rounded chemistry amongst the cast makes Mrs. Sindhu Investigates a joyous show to watch. The show at times can be clunky in some portrayals, especially the early interactions between Mrs. Sindhu and DCI Burton, however, they find their footing quickly and leave us hoping the good Detective Chief Inspector comes to his senses and appreciates the magic of Mrs. Sindhu.
