Book
Review
We live in a
world in which “fair is foul and foul is fair” much more than in Shakespeare’s
time. Good people often become victims
of foul systems or villainous individuals. What if some good people are also shrewd
enough to understand the hazards underlying the system and come forward to help
the good but helpless people?
This is an
interesting question raised by Madhav Mahidhar’s murder mystery, Blood in the Paradise – A tale of an
impossible murder. The book is a
straightforward murder mystery, a suspense thriller and a tremendously gripping
read. It is literally unputdownable
because the police questionings and the court trials are riveting.
Madhumitha who
has an unhappy married life as her husband Vikas Nandan became an alcoholic and
womaniser decides to end her life along with those of their little twin
daughters. She survives, however, and
the children have not been administered the poison yet. But the husband dies absorbing the same
poison which his wife had taken. It is
not a suicide. It is a murder. But who committed the murder? And how?
That’s the
story. There is an intelligent and
honest police officer DCP Vishwaroop.
There also is Anupriya Gautam who is a well-known feminist as well as
social worker with considerable influence in the society. She is a close friend of Madhumita and stands
by her friend throughout her ordeal with the police and the court.
Vishwaroop and
his team’s brains as well as sincere efforts cannot prove what they know to be
right: that Vikas was killed by means of a very cunningly crafted plan. They cannot get the necessary evidences. Moreover, Anupriya mobilises the public
against the police who detained Madhumita under custody for a long period in
spite of the fact that she needed medical attention after the suicide
attempt.
The novel has
all the ingredients required for a suspense thriller. In fact, it brings in additional spice in the
form of feminism and the influence of social movements and the media on legal
cases.
The story is
narrated elegantly and rivetingly. It’s
all dialogue mostly apart from Madhumita’s diary entries and a few narrative
passages. The dialogues grip us because
they are police questionings and court trials. However, the author could have
paid a little more attention to character development although we don’t expect
much of that in a suspense thriller.
Nevertheless, Vishwaroop and Anupriya offer much scope for that. Even the SI Mallika does. The author chose to stick to his murder
mystery with absolute loyalty. Only in
the final pages does he turn his attention to certain other details in order to
make the story convincing and also to throw a few intelligent questions to the
reader. The novel is highly subversive
since it raises the question: should the good and the innocent suffer for the
sake of justice which is often tilted in favour of the villain?
Those who love
murder mysteries narrated at a lightning speed will love this novel.
You can buy it
at here: Amazon.in
PS.
I won a review copy from The Tales Pensieve as part of Reviewers Programme. Register on #TTP for lots of #book fun and activities.
I won a review copy from The Tales Pensieve as part of Reviewers Programme. Register on #TTP for lots of #book fun and activities.
Wow !!!! will love to read it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. I will love to read it ASAP.
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