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Backlash
183 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 27, 2026
About the author
V.M. Devadas
15 books23 followersV.M. Devadas was born in 1981 in Wadakkancherry, Kerala. A prominent voice in contemporary Malayalam literature, he has authored five novels and seven short story collections in Malayalam, three of which have already been translated into English. His writing is characterized by a unique stylistic flair, and he often delves into the political and philosophical dimensions of modern life. Devadas's works are known for their unconventional themes, which focus on the hybrid politics of people in our society. He is constantly experimenting with the structure, theme and narration of his works, which has earned him many accolades. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Malayala Manorama Novel Carnival Award, Swami Vivekananda Yuva Prathibha Award, O.V. Vijayan Memorial Literary Award and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer Malayala Padana Kendram Award, among others. Currently he is living in Chennai and working as an IT professional.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 23, 2026
✍🏻 BOOK REVIEW ✍🏻
Backlash by Devadas V.M. is the kind of slow-burning crime thriller that gradually draws you in rather than relying on constant action or dramatic twists. What begins as a seemingly unusual disturbance soon develops into a much deeper and more unsettling story.
The novel follows Sreedharan Nair, a retired police officer who has settled into what he hopes will be a quiet life in a Kerala village. His peaceful routine is disrupted when someone repeatedly throws stones onto the roof of his house. At first, the incident seems strange and almost inexplicable, but it soon becomes clear that there may be a connection to the life he left behind.
What I found particularly compelling was Sreedharan’s confrontation with his own past. As memories of his years in the police force return, he is forced to think about the people who may have suffered because of his actions and the authority he once held.
The character is not portrayed as a flawless protagonist. His guilt, uncertainty, fear, and gradual realization of the consequences of his past make him feel remarkably human. This emotional dimension gives the mystery much more weight and makes the reader invested in his personal journey as well as the central suspense.
The Kerala village setting also works beautifully for the story. There is a quiet, almost unsettling atmosphere surrounding the narrative, and the suspense develops naturally rather than depending on one shocking revelation after another.
The novel also touches upon themes such as political violence, encounters, authority, social tensions, and the misuse of power, giving the story a depth that goes beyond a conventional crime mystery. These elements are woven into the narrative without overwhelming the reader.
For me, Backlash was more than a mystery surrounding a retired police officer. It became a thoughtful exploration of power, guilt, regret, and the unavoidable consequences of our choices.
If you enjoy crime fiction that takes its time, develops its characters, and leaves you thinking about the story even after you have finished reading, Backlash is definitely worth picking up.
A gripping and reflective read for lovers of slow-burn crime fiction.
Backlash by Devadas V.M. is the kind of slow-burning crime thriller that gradually draws you in rather than relying on constant action or dramatic twists. What begins as a seemingly unusual disturbance soon develops into a much deeper and more unsettling story.
The novel follows Sreedharan Nair, a retired police officer who has settled into what he hopes will be a quiet life in a Kerala village. His peaceful routine is disrupted when someone repeatedly throws stones onto the roof of his house. At first, the incident seems strange and almost inexplicable, but it soon becomes clear that there may be a connection to the life he left behind.
What I found particularly compelling was Sreedharan’s confrontation with his own past. As memories of his years in the police force return, he is forced to think about the people who may have suffered because of his actions and the authority he once held.
The character is not portrayed as a flawless protagonist. His guilt, uncertainty, fear, and gradual realization of the consequences of his past make him feel remarkably human. This emotional dimension gives the mystery much more weight and makes the reader invested in his personal journey as well as the central suspense.
The Kerala village setting also works beautifully for the story. There is a quiet, almost unsettling atmosphere surrounding the narrative, and the suspense develops naturally rather than depending on one shocking revelation after another.
The novel also touches upon themes such as political violence, encounters, authority, social tensions, and the misuse of power, giving the story a depth that goes beyond a conventional crime mystery. These elements are woven into the narrative without overwhelming the reader.
For me, Backlash was more than a mystery surrounding a retired police officer. It became a thoughtful exploration of power, guilt, regret, and the unavoidable consequences of our choices.
If you enjoy crime fiction that takes its time, develops its characters, and leaves you thinking about the story even after you have finished reading, Backlash is definitely worth picking up.
A gripping and reflective read for lovers of slow-burn crime fiction.
August 25, 2026
This book shook me in a way I wasn't expecting. It legit gave me chills. I picked up Backlash by Devadas V.M. because that cover, a headless policeman in a blood-stained khaki uniform sitting alone in an interrogation room, just stopped me cold, but what’s inside is even more haunting than the cover.✨
The story is set in kerela, the protagonist -Shreedharan Nair is a retired Kerala police officer whom people used to call Kaalan, which means the God of Death, because he was that ruthless. After leaving the job, he just wants a quiet life in a small village but something strange happens and then the stones start.🤯
Every night, stones clatter against his roof resulting in broken tiles & falling into his bedroom. The strangest part was that No one was around. It started driving him insane. At first I thought it was going to be a ghost story, but it’s not, it’s worse, it’s guilt coming home.😣
The author makes you live inside this old man’s mind as he is forced to go back and make a list of everyone he ever brutalized, framed, turned into a scapegoat, everyone he nailed to the post during his career. And his career runs through some of the darkest chapters of our country, the Emergency, the rise of religious fanaticism, fake encounters, mob violence. For him at the time it was just duty, it was power, but now in retirement, without the uniform to protect him, all those faces are returning.✨
It’s only 200 pages but it sits heavy on your chest long after you finish because it’s not a fast thriller, it’s a slow-burn psychological nightmare about what happens when power retires and only a man and his conscience are left in the room.✨
It made me ask myself, can a man ever really escape the backlash of his own actions? If you like dark, atmospheric stories, you need to read this one.👍🏻
The story is set in kerela, the protagonist -Shreedharan Nair is a retired Kerala police officer whom people used to call Kaalan, which means the God of Death, because he was that ruthless. After leaving the job, he just wants a quiet life in a small village but something strange happens and then the stones start.🤯
Every night, stones clatter against his roof resulting in broken tiles & falling into his bedroom. The strangest part was that No one was around. It started driving him insane. At first I thought it was going to be a ghost story, but it’s not, it’s worse, it’s guilt coming home.😣
The author makes you live inside this old man’s mind as he is forced to go back and make a list of everyone he ever brutalized, framed, turned into a scapegoat, everyone he nailed to the post during his career. And his career runs through some of the darkest chapters of our country, the Emergency, the rise of religious fanaticism, fake encounters, mob violence. For him at the time it was just duty, it was power, but now in retirement, without the uniform to protect him, all those faces are returning.✨
It’s only 200 pages but it sits heavy on your chest long after you finish because it’s not a fast thriller, it’s a slow-burn psychological nightmare about what happens when power retires and only a man and his conscience are left in the room.✨
It made me ask myself, can a man ever really escape the backlash of his own actions? If you like dark, atmospheric stories, you need to read this one.👍🏻
August 8, 2026
Some stories don't rely on constant action to leave an impact they quietly pull you into their world until there's no turning back. Backlash, originally written in Malayalam and now available in English translation, promises exactly that. Set in the quiet landscape of Kerala, the novel transforms an ordinary mystery into a haunting reflection on guilt, memory, and the weight of a life lived in power.
At the heart of the story is a retired police officer forced to confront the echoes of his own past. As fear begins to replace the peace he had hoped to find, the novel explores uncomfortable questions about justice, accountability, and whether the past ever truly stays behind us. The slow-burning suspense seems to build not only through mystery but through the emotional burden of choices that refuse to be forgotten.
What makes Backlash stand out is how it weaves personal history with some of India's most turbulent moments, creating a story that feels both intimate and deeply political. The English translation brings Devadas V.M.'s powerful storytelling to a wider audience, offering readers a gritty, thought-provoking novel that appears to be as much about the human conscience as it is about solving a mystery. It sounds like the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page.
At the heart of the story is a retired police officer forced to confront the echoes of his own past. As fear begins to replace the peace he had hoped to find, the novel explores uncomfortable questions about justice, accountability, and whether the past ever truly stays behind us. The slow-burning suspense seems to build not only through mystery but through the emotional burden of choices that refuse to be forgotten.
What makes Backlash stand out is how it weaves personal history with some of India's most turbulent moments, creating a story that feels both intimate and deeply political. The English translation brings Devadas V.M.'s powerful storytelling to a wider audience, offering readers a gritty, thought-provoking novel that appears to be as much about the human conscience as it is about solving a mystery. It sounds like the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page.
August 14, 2026
What happens in the past does not, actually stay in the past.
A crime thriller with political violence, fake encounters and a mystery that keeps you hooked till the end.
What looked like a simple case of someone throwing stones at a retired police officer’s house turned out to be much more darker and mysterious than we could think of.
I really liked how Shreedharan Nair’s past slowly catched up with him. He wasn’t shown as a flawless cop or someone we’re simply supposed to root for. Instead, the book showed us the people he hurt, the choices he made and the consequences that followed him into his retirement.
I was always on the edge while reading the book, because the way story unfolded was amazing. Also the Kerala setting added to that atmosphere beautifully.
A crime thriller with political violence, fake encounters and a mystery that keeps you hooked till the end.
What looked like a simple case of someone throwing stones at a retired police officer’s house turned out to be much more darker and mysterious than we could think of.
I really liked how Shreedharan Nair’s past slowly catched up with him. He wasn’t shown as a flawless cop or someone we’re simply supposed to root for. Instead, the book showed us the people he hurt, the choices he made and the consequences that followed him into his retirement.
I was always on the edge while reading the book, because the way story unfolded was amazing. Also the Kerala setting added to that atmosphere beautifully.
August 7, 2026
A slow-burning psychological thriller infused with messages about society, Backlash is intense. In rural Kerala, retired police officer Shreedharan Nair is having a laid back life until stone pelting wakes him up from his slumber. The story reveals the dark side of his life and how he copes with it. What start out as a mystery, gradually unfolds into a gripping study of guilt and justice and issues of memory and impact of power. The atmosphere of the novel impressed me a lot. Instead of keeping you glued to the screen or shocking you, Devadas V.M. Through silent tension, unsolved questions and the weight of the protagonist, suspense is built. As the story unfolds, readers are drawn deeper and deeper to Shreedharan’s broken past, earning all the revelations.
The place is another star feature. The representation of Kerala is quite believable, making it very effective in the narrative. The combination of fairy tales, political conflict, and psychological conflict creates a story that is at once intimate and epic. The book makes you think about who is to blame for violence, and whether anyone is really able to get away. Shreedharan, a flawed yet interesting protagonist, embarks on a quest for truth that becomes as much an internal journey as a search for investigative proof. The conclusion provides much food for thought, remaining in mind long after one finishes reading. All in all, Backlash is more than a crime thriller. This is a layered and intelligent novel that explores human nature and fear, as well as the hidden costs of exerting power, all while providing an engaging mystery. People who like thrillers with a decent eerie atmosphere and psychological depth, one with remnant social issues will find this a decent read.
The place is another star feature. The representation of Kerala is quite believable, making it very effective in the narrative. The combination of fairy tales, political conflict, and psychological conflict creates a story that is at once intimate and epic. The book makes you think about who is to blame for violence, and whether anyone is really able to get away. Shreedharan, a flawed yet interesting protagonist, embarks on a quest for truth that becomes as much an internal journey as a search for investigative proof. The conclusion provides much food for thought, remaining in mind long after one finishes reading. All in all, Backlash is more than a crime thriller. This is a layered and intelligent novel that explores human nature and fear, as well as the hidden costs of exerting power, all while providing an engaging mystery. People who like thrillers with a decent eerie atmosphere and psychological depth, one with remnant social issues will find this a decent read.
August 10, 2026
As someone who enjoys slow-burn crime novels, Backlash was a surprisingly powerful read. The story follows retired police officer Shreedharan Nair, who hopes to spend his old age peacefully in a small Kerala village. When stones begin hitting his roof night after night, that peace disappears. What begins as a strange incident slowly turns into a frightening journey into his own past.
I found the most interesting part to be Nair’s attempt to remember the people he once hurt during his police career. The book does not present him as a perfect hero. Instead, it shows his fear, guilt, and growing realization that power can leave deep scars on others. That made the story feel very real and emotionally heavy.
The Kerala village setting adds a haunting atmosphere, and the suspense builds steadily rather than through sudden twists. The references to political violence, fake encounters, and social tensions give the novel extra depth without making it difficult to read.
For me, Backlash was not just a mystery; it was a thoughtful and gripping story about power, regret, and the consequences of our actions. I genuinely enjoyed it and would recommend it to readers who like meaningful crime fiction.
I found the most interesting part to be Nair’s attempt to remember the people he once hurt during his police career. The book does not present him as a perfect hero. Instead, it shows his fear, guilt, and growing realization that power can leave deep scars on others. That made the story feel very real and emotionally heavy.
The Kerala village setting adds a haunting atmosphere, and the suspense builds steadily rather than through sudden twists. The references to political violence, fake encounters, and social tensions give the novel extra depth without making it difficult to read.
For me, Backlash was not just a mystery; it was a thoughtful and gripping story about power, regret, and the consequences of our actions. I genuinely enjoyed it and would recommend it to readers who like meaningful crime fiction.
August 8, 2026
It is a fast paced thriller that hooks you from page one. With sharp prose and intense suspense, it builds psychological mind games as the mystery unravels. The open ended ending leaves you delightfully hanging on the edge of your seat with endless theories.
October 1, 2026
Feels more like vignettes than a fully realised thriller.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews