A Pre-Med(itated) Murder by Niru Mohandas is such a fun, twisty read! It’s a mix of mystery and medical drama, which really makes it stand out. The plot is fast-paced and full of surprises, and I definitely didn’t see some of the twists coming. The main character, a med student caught up in a murder investigation, is super relatable and brings something fresh to the thriller scene. I really liked how the medical world was woven into the story—it added a cool, unique touch. I love that the author is actually a doctor! The pacing is mostly great, though there were a few slower parts in the middle that kind of slowed things down. But overall, the mystery kept me hooked, and the ending was super satisfying. If you love medical thrillers with a bit of suspense, this one’s definitely worth checking out! 4 stars.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I’m not sure if she’s new or just new to me—but either way, I’m glad I discovered her work!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. While the pacing started off a bit slow, I quickly realized it was because the details were essential—and that’s exactly what I love about mysteries! I found myself analyzing every clue, trying to piece things together right alongside the lead character. That’s the beauty of this genre—it lets me live out my inner detective!

I especially loved the quirky, well-developed characters, which added an extra layer of charm to the story. And the big reveal? Let’s just say I had my suspicions, but the twist still caught me off guard in the best way. That’s what I live for—either proving myself right or being delightfully surprised!

I truly hope this author continues with this series because I’ll definitely be coming back for more. Looking forward to seeing what’s next!

If you want a cozy, mystery murder, this is for you! If you love learning about your characters and following them through their journey, this is perfect. The whole time reading this I kept thinking, this is it this is the murder....nope! The murder was so unexpected. Once you get to the murder it moves so fast! This was so entertaining and fun to read. It took me a while due to a book slump. But once I got to the mystery murder I was all in. I love all the characters, even the ones you're supposed to hate.

This was a good thriller but the writing needed a lot more work. Several unrealistic scenarios threw me off a bit too
Loved the concept though
3 stars

I got an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

The Pre-Med(itated) Murder was an interesting read for me in terms of learning more about medical world. The main character, Neena Sundar, starts her practice as a third-year medical student at a hospital in the 90s. As she’s trying to find her spot in the social groups forming during their studies, some suspicious things start happening, which ultimately result in the group of third-year students discovering a pre-meditated murder during their shift.

Things l liked about this book:
- the murder itself was interesting, and while I did guess who committed the crime, I didn’t guess the motive
- While the writing style took me some time to get used to, it was actually pretty good. I’m under the impression that the author got more confident in her writing towards the end of the book.
- The plot got engaging after the murder (see a but more on that in the dislikes section, though)

What I didn’t like (SPOILERS BELOW):
- I think setting the scene and getting to know the characters shouldn’t have taken so long. While the clues are spread throughout the book, I had to browse other reviews to find out when the murder will happen because I was running out of patience. Spoiler: at 59% (!)
- The detective was kind of in the book but did almost nothing. Even after the murder was solved, there was no mention of him.
- The crime solving scene was intense in a good way, but had some very unrealistic events in it which generally didn’t make sense to me.
- somehow at the end of the book, the technician (Mr Robinson) got a Southern accent? I didn’t notice it before then, possibly because he didn’t get to say as many sentences.

Generally I like detective novels and this one was an ok read. My rating is 3.5 stars mainly because of how long it took to get to the actual murder plus some extraordinary events at the end of the book. I look forward to more adventures of Neena Sundar, she has at least 4 more years of studying and internships to do if I’m counting correctly :)

The title, cover, and description made this an instant "Want to Read" for me. 'A Pre-Med(itated) Murder' is more than a murder mystery, it is an entertaining '90s-era story about a 24-year-old Indian American medical student in New Jersey. There is ample setting and main-character development as Neena navigates the surgical rotation and the unique people around her. This background helps fuel the suspenseful mystery later in the story. For those who want to jump right into a whodunit, I might recommend a different book. However, the descriptions Niru Mohandas painted heightened my enjoyment of all aspects of the story!

I recommend this to anyone looking for a fresh take on a cozy mystery! I'll gladly read the next installment in the Neena Sundar Cozy Mystery Series!

Special thanks to Amplify Publishing Group and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A quick and easy read that I fell into really quickly, I loved the characters, I loved the setting, although some parts were unbelievable it didn't stop me from enjoying the read

This book is a really cute, cozy murder mystery. It's lighthearted, with just enough action to keep me engaged the entire way through. At its heart, this book is about friendship and community. I think fans of Grey's Anatomy and Jane the Virgin will really enjoy this book.

3/5 stars: This is the first entry in Mohandas's Ally McKinley Mystery series which is a BIPOC Historical Cozy Mystery set in 1992 New Jersey and features a third-year medical student on her surgical rotation who finds herself turning sleuth after several of her colleagues suffer dangerous "accidents" and then they stumble over a murdered woman's body. She and her friends will have work fast to unmask the killer stalking the hospital halls before they can strike again. With plenty of twists and turns, Mohandas has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Mohandas's writing and character work are well done; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Neena's a great character and I love getting to know her and her friends and colleagues at Littlefield Community Hospital. With tact and sensitivity, Mohandas tackles some sensitive issues; so take care and check the CWs. I'm no doctor but it's more than obvious Mohandas is and knows her chops. For fans of medical dramas and those who remember Diagnosis Murder. Overall, a nice start to a new series!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Amplify Publishing Group | Subplot in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinions.

Before I start, let me just say I'm so pissed. How is this a mystery novel when the suspense material kicked in at chapter 15? No reliable narrator, too many characters to keep up with, monotonous writing, and unnecessary chatter.

I loved the premise and the whole hospital setting for a mystery, but this book did not live up to its synopsis and cover for me. This book could have been an instant DNF for me, but I decided to finish it through, and oh my goodness, the ending is even worse than I imagined.

Thank you once again for the e-ARC.

- ARC REVIEW -

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free eBook in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this as I love all things medical drama on TV, but it really didn’t do it for me.

For what is advertised as a ‘murder mystery’, the murder didn’t happen until 60% of the way through, and my god was it a slow 60%. This book had so much potential, but the slow pace had me disengaged for so long that I struggled to pick it up and read it.

I felt that I owed it to the author not to DNF, as this is a debut novel and I’m sure others would love it, but personally it wasn’t for me.

The entire mystery aspect of the book felt unclear and very rushed. Even when it was being concluded, it still felt quite confusing.

Over half the book was spent ‘world building’ and ‘character building’ when more detail could have been put into the whole premise of the book which was a murder mystery.

This book was a little hard for me to get into, but I enjoyed it over all. Love the setting and overall plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Dr. Mohandas takes their time setting the scene for this novel. I enjoyed the attention to detail and getting the reader entrenched in the daily life of Neena. For me the only downfall to this was the amount of time it took for the book to take off. At 60% I was plugging along and then became unable to put the book down. All of the carrots of information (well a large majority of) came into play and it made sense for the pace at the beginning of the book. I appreciate the time and attention to detail Dr. Mohandas took to take me on this journey. Thank you for your work

Honestly, attempting to write up a review for this book is difficult because I wanted to support Niru Mohandas' launch. Unfortunately, this book did not meet my expectations for a murder mystery. Most notably, the murder took place 60% into the book, which is ludicrously late. You may be wondering: what occurred during the entire first portion of the book then? Well, it was just a very boring process of following the main character, who was not that compelling. Furthermore, if I know who the murderer is from chapter 1, then you have not created that unique/interesting of a plotline. Once again, I feel guilty for writing this review as I myself am pre-med. But the book just needs several edits before I can call it a favorite.

I wasn’t feeling it! It has a good vibe and a good story but I couldn’t get in touch with the characters!

Will give it another shot in the foreseeable future! Maybe it was me that I didn’t enjoy it!

Thank you to the author and net galley for this arc!

This was just not my favorite read. It felt awkward at times and just not the right pacing.
It was cringey and awkward. I don't know how else to discuss this read. I'd reconsider and rework.

This was a great read. Very enjoyable and entertaining. I love the medical aspect of it. Mysteries are my favorite. I loved that the story is set in the 90's. Neena just beginning her residency program when a dead body is found in the hallway at the hospital. Neena decides to investigate the crime to help solve the murder. I loved her and her friends navigating through their medical program and trying to get to the bottom of case.

3.5 stars

The plot of the book is slower and only the mystery starts happening around the 60% mark. The writing of the book is rather simple and I did enjoy the diversity of characters in the book. The slight mixture of Indian culture is rather nice as well in the book in terms of the amount of food they have mentioned in this book.

I would say this is more of a cozier mystery vibe, i hoped that the mystery was more prominent but instead it only started at the later half of the book.

It's a good book for a debut author if you want a more slower pace of book and a more fun vibe rather than books like Freida McFadden

As someone who LOVES watching medical drama shows (Grey's Anatomy, HOUSE, ER, etc) I am always fascinated by the medical field and LOVE a good mystery, especially a cozy murder mystery. Unfortunately, this book doesn't even get to the murder until about the 60% mark, which is WAY too late in the book. After the murder, it seemed like everything was rushed, as if the author realized they only had so many pages left and had a lot of story they wanted to continue telling, maybe setting us up for a series.

I felt like even though the first 59% of the book was building up to the murder, it didn't really help me get to know the characters well, and maybe that was because there were too many characters.

Thank you, NetGalley and Amplify Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this cozy medical murder mystery! It’s unique in that I’ve never seen medicine put together with detectives in quite the same way before. It was a very fun enjoyable read, I liked the writing style of the author and the characters were well developed. My 4 star rating instead of 5 star is that I felt that it was a little obvious who the killer was. However, the clues and following the trail was enjoyable the whole way through! I would look forward to reading more books from Niru Mohandas. I have a background in occupational therapy and so I enjoyed the medical lingo, but still it’s not overdone for those who have never been introduced before.

Overall.. Very fun and enjoyable cozy mystery with a unique story telling!