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My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories
Twelve spine-chilling stories from a writer whose sleight of hand with black humour is hard to match. In A Brief Lesson in Trust, Geeti learns the hard way that the most reliable girl in school is not always what she seems; in St. George and the Dragon, Mr George, the archetypal government clerk finds a fiendishly clever way to outstmart his corrupt boss while The Howling Waves of Tranquebar takes us to this tiny Danish settlement of yore where an innocuous-looking beer mug still has strange powers of destruction. These and other stories in this collection entertain, amuse – but always end with a twist in the tale that leaves a few goosebumps.
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
143 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Madhulika Liddle
22 books547 followersMadhulika Liddle is best known for her books featuring the 17th century Mughal detective Muzaffar Jang, although she is also a prolific writer of short fiction, travel writing, and writing related to classic cinema.
The Muzaffar Jang Series: Madhulika’s best-known series of works are historical whodunnits featuring the 17th century Mughal detective, Muzaffar Jang. Till now, four books in the series have been published:
The Englishman’s Cameo (2009)
The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries (2011),
Engraved in Stone (2012), and
Crimson City (2015).
In October 2021, Madhulika Liddle published The Garden of Heaven, the first novel of a four-novel series called the Delhi Quartet. This is a series of historical novels that will span 800 years of Delhi's history. The Garden of Heaven was long-listed for the Book of the Year (Fiction) Award of the annual Tata Literature Live! literature festival.
In March 2023, Madhulika's The Pledge: Adventures to Sada was released. A fantasy adventure novel, this is the first part of a two-part series called The Mandala Purana, written in collaboration with film-maker Kannan Iyer.
Short stories: Madhulika has written a range of short stories in different genres, including black humour, humour, crime and detection, and social awareness. Several of these have won awards (including the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association’s (CBA) Short Story Competition, for A Morning Swim, in 2003) or have been selected for anthologies. Her story, Poppies in the Snow, was longlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize.
Short story collections:
My Lawfully Wedded Husband & Other Stories. Black humour shorts, all of which have a twist in the tale.
Woman to Woman: Stories. A collection of twelve women-centric stories.
Madhulika is also known for her travel writing, which has been published in Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller (India), Lounge (Mint), and other periodicals.
In addition, she is a cinema buff and blogs (mostly about classic cinema) at www.madhulikaliddle.com.
Awards and Recognition:
CBA Short Story Competition – Honourable Mention (2002) for Love and the Papaya Man
CBA Short Story Competition – Overall Winner (2003) for A Morning Swim
Winner of Oxfordbookstore e-Author version 4.0
Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize (2015) - Longlisted for Poppies in the Snow
Book of the Year Award, Tata Literature Live! (2023) - Longlisted for The Garden of Heaven
Starting 2022, Crimson City (Muzaffar Jang #4) is being taught as an elective to Delhi University students majoring in English
The Muzaffar Jang Series: Madhulika’s best-known series of works are historical whodunnits featuring the 17th century Mughal detective, Muzaffar Jang. Till now, four books in the series have been published:
The Englishman’s Cameo (2009)
The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries (2011),
Engraved in Stone (2012), and
Crimson City (2015).
In October 2021, Madhulika Liddle published The Garden of Heaven, the first novel of a four-novel series called the Delhi Quartet. This is a series of historical novels that will span 800 years of Delhi's history. The Garden of Heaven was long-listed for the Book of the Year (Fiction) Award of the annual Tata Literature Live! literature festival.
In March 2023, Madhulika's The Pledge: Adventures to Sada was released. A fantasy adventure novel, this is the first part of a two-part series called The Mandala Purana, written in collaboration with film-maker Kannan Iyer.
Short stories: Madhulika has written a range of short stories in different genres, including black humour, humour, crime and detection, and social awareness. Several of these have won awards (including the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association’s (CBA) Short Story Competition, for A Morning Swim, in 2003) or have been selected for anthologies. Her story, Poppies in the Snow, was longlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize.
Short story collections:
My Lawfully Wedded Husband & Other Stories. Black humour shorts, all of which have a twist in the tale.
Woman to Woman: Stories. A collection of twelve women-centric stories.
Madhulika is also known for her travel writing, which has been published in Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller (India), Lounge (Mint), and other periodicals.
In addition, she is a cinema buff and blogs (mostly about classic cinema) at www.madhulikaliddle.com.
Awards and Recognition:
CBA Short Story Competition – Honourable Mention (2002) for Love and the Papaya Man
CBA Short Story Competition – Overall Winner (2003) for A Morning Swim
Winner of Oxfordbookstore e-Author version 4.0
Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize (2015) - Longlisted for Poppies in the Snow
Book of the Year Award, Tata Literature Live! (2023) - Longlisted for The Garden of Heaven
Starting 2022, Crimson City (Muzaffar Jang #4) is being taught as an elective to Delhi University students majoring in English
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 2, 2013
I was helplessly spell-bound and I’m sure, like the author, ‘I loved it all. I love travelling, so I was happy just’ reading and ‘drinking it all in.’ The stories in the collection took me into little nooks and corners of strange minds and unknown perceptions and I loved going there. From the unlawfully wedded husband to the co-traveller who could hear the bucket clanking – right there in front of him where nobody was standing! From the discreet Mr George to Varun and Deeksha to Verma ji… all characters who enter stories carrying their own surprise gifts for the reader… and why just praise mere mortals, even the lowly phone with the ability to capture sound bytes enters with its own mind and plan, almost like the howling waves of Tranquebar do… and you, as a reader, like and wait for the next twist in the next story!
Yes, the twists are what dominate the stories of Madhulika Liddle… they’re just there as if they could not have gone elsewhere… they belong to the story. The story would somehow not remain the story it is unless you actually transport that twist and weave it in the story. And even as you, as a reader, go along with the characters on a drive from Pondicherry to Tranquebar in one of the stories, you know the twist will be sprung at you somewhere at some turn. And so you calmly read the delicious and effortless prose that she writes…
The drive from Pondicherry to Tranquesbar is three hours, and you see Tamil Nadu in all its many colours. There are crowded towns, all charmless and cluttered; there are major temples – Chidambaram, for instance, which Taatoo told me we must stop at on our way back – and there’s the countryside. Green-yellow paddy fields, fringed with serrated rows of toddy-palms, their fan-leaves sticking up like old toothbrushes into the deep blue skies. Little roadside ponds…
I preserve. I nurture. I elevate. Review of ‘My lawfully wedded husband’
No, I’m not here to tell you what the twists are or were, nor will analyse if the twists were correct nor get into the morality or immorality of them… I’m here to simply tell you that if ever your mind wishes to be excited and wants to move out to savour some wild moments like the lawfully wedded wife did, you’d agree with this:
My heart was pounding, but I was suddenly feeling deliciously wicked too. Adultery can give you an adrenalin rush.
‘Ah!’ you’ll say with a nod, ‘so I know where all the excitement and twists and the turns are emerging from.’ I will simply smile and tell you that each of the twelve stories in the collection follows a different path in your life and fill it with anticipation. The anticipation that will keep you on the edge of your chair until you reach the last sentence of the story!
Read the complete review here:
http://passey.info/2013/07/i-preserve...
Yes, the twists are what dominate the stories of Madhulika Liddle… they’re just there as if they could not have gone elsewhere… they belong to the story. The story would somehow not remain the story it is unless you actually transport that twist and weave it in the story. And even as you, as a reader, go along with the characters on a drive from Pondicherry to Tranquebar in one of the stories, you know the twist will be sprung at you somewhere at some turn. And so you calmly read the delicious and effortless prose that she writes…
The drive from Pondicherry to Tranquesbar is three hours, and you see Tamil Nadu in all its many colours. There are crowded towns, all charmless and cluttered; there are major temples – Chidambaram, for instance, which Taatoo told me we must stop at on our way back – and there’s the countryside. Green-yellow paddy fields, fringed with serrated rows of toddy-palms, their fan-leaves sticking up like old toothbrushes into the deep blue skies. Little roadside ponds…
I preserve. I nurture. I elevate. Review of ‘My lawfully wedded husband’
No, I’m not here to tell you what the twists are or were, nor will analyse if the twists were correct nor get into the morality or immorality of them… I’m here to simply tell you that if ever your mind wishes to be excited and wants to move out to savour some wild moments like the lawfully wedded wife did, you’d agree with this:
My heart was pounding, but I was suddenly feeling deliciously wicked too. Adultery can give you an adrenalin rush.
‘Ah!’ you’ll say with a nod, ‘so I know where all the excitement and twists and the turns are emerging from.’ I will simply smile and tell you that each of the twelve stories in the collection follows a different path in your life and fill it with anticipation. The anticipation that will keep you on the edge of your chair until you reach the last sentence of the story!
Read the complete review here:
http://passey.info/2013/07/i-preserve...
August 26, 2022
Late at night reading the stories from Madhulika Liddle’s My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories, I knew why I waited so long before reading the book. The devious machinations the characters devise to get their sanity back is the stuff nightmares are made of. The twist in the tale endings leave you feeling bleak and second guess everything in life. I read this fine collection of short stories at the wrong time when I was wallowing in negativity. The hangover of hopelessness, thinking of duplicitous people and the likelihood of being taken for a ride being were swimming in my head.
The writing is contemporary and you coast along easily, taken in by the current. The twists are delivered in the last line sometimes. Some stories are deliciously macabre and reminded me of Roald Dahl’s The Landlady which had us flabbergasted in school. Reading these stories made me feel like the writer really enjoyed writing it. The writing is effortless and the dialogue is crackling (you can almost hear it). It was a compulsive read for me but the stories will remain with me for a long time to come.
Go slow, unlike me, else it will hit you like a ton of bricks, and you will be left with a feeling of disquiet. You never wolf down the food when you are eating a banquet, do you? You take it nice and easy, with plenty of pauses in between.
The writing is contemporary and you coast along easily, taken in by the current. The twists are delivered in the last line sometimes. Some stories are deliciously macabre and reminded me of Roald Dahl’s The Landlady which had us flabbergasted in school. Reading these stories made me feel like the writer really enjoyed writing it. The writing is effortless and the dialogue is crackling (you can almost hear it). It was a compulsive read for me but the stories will remain with me for a long time to come.
Go slow, unlike me, else it will hit you like a ton of bricks, and you will be left with a feeling of disquiet. You never wolf down the food when you are eating a banquet, do you? You take it nice and easy, with plenty of pauses in between.
December 15, 2013
Finished this lovely collection of black tales in two days by reading the stories back to back, and I cannot understand why more people aren't writing stories like this. I liked best the one about the passenger on the train who didn't like alarm clocks. SO clever, and so funny! I was completely convinced by the "cover story". Also loved several of the others, including the one about the girl who confesses to killing various people and the one about the girl whose old schoolmate gets in touch with her for help. These were exceptionally clever and memorable stories, and many of the others in the collection were highly enjoyable as well.. More please!
August 8, 2019
A very entertaining & quirky collection of 12 short stories filled with twists and dark humor.
1. "Sum Total": A young woman, raised to be good & proper, finds a manner in which to deal with the people she is annoyed by.
2. "A Tale of a Summer Vacation": A young girl visiting her grandmother is witness to a love quadrangle.... Two sisters, one unhappily quiet the other gregarious silently love the man who loves another with consequences and a twist.
3. "A Brief Lesson in Trust": Do not ask the person you snubbed years ago in school, to help you out of a tight situation.
4. "Feet of Clay": Beware of the bakery man, he may not be as sweet as you believe.
5. "My Lawfully Wedded Husband": Her husband is boring, she begins an affair w/ a much younger electrician. Her husband fixes her toaster for her.....
6. "Number 63": An older neighbor's nephew & wife move in. #61 hears struggles & shouting. The neighbors move just before the police arrive.
7. "On the Night Train": A stranger on the night train tells a ghostly tale of death on the train.
8. "Hourie": The Madame escapes a fire w/ a special box, which she gives to Hourie for safe keeping... A man sweet talks & wheedles his way into Hourie's confidence..... The Madame has the last laugh.
9. "Silent Fear": A young woman working late is frightened to death by the tale of "The Office Ghost".. and then the "Ghost" leave s a message for the tale teller.
10. "St. George and the Dragon": A honest & much beleaguered office assistant working for a corrupt & philandering boss has his day.
11. "The Crusader": A loud young couple & man on a cell phone attend the movie "The Crusader", disturbing all others around them. In the lobby both the couple & cell-phone man each receive an "prize" envelope from the Crusader.
12. "The Howling Waves of Tranquebar": Two friends go off to visit Tranquebar, along for the ride is a visiting young German man. While one goes off to work, the other goes w/ the young German to the Castle museum, who regales with a story of murder & curses.....
1. "Sum Total": A young woman, raised to be good & proper, finds a manner in which to deal with the people she is annoyed by.
2. "A Tale of a Summer Vacation": A young girl visiting her grandmother is witness to a love quadrangle.... Two sisters, one unhappily quiet the other gregarious silently love the man who loves another with consequences and a twist.
3. "A Brief Lesson in Trust": Do not ask the person you snubbed years ago in school, to help you out of a tight situation.
4. "Feet of Clay": Beware of the bakery man, he may not be as sweet as you believe.
5. "My Lawfully Wedded Husband": Her husband is boring, she begins an affair w/ a much younger electrician. Her husband fixes her toaster for her.....
6. "Number 63": An older neighbor's nephew & wife move in. #61 hears struggles & shouting. The neighbors move just before the police arrive.
7. "On the Night Train": A stranger on the night train tells a ghostly tale of death on the train.
8. "Hourie": The Madame escapes a fire w/ a special box, which she gives to Hourie for safe keeping... A man sweet talks & wheedles his way into Hourie's confidence..... The Madame has the last laugh.
9. "Silent Fear": A young woman working late is frightened to death by the tale of "The Office Ghost".. and then the "Ghost" leave s a message for the tale teller.
10. "St. George and the Dragon": A honest & much beleaguered office assistant working for a corrupt & philandering boss has his day.
11. "The Crusader": A loud young couple & man on a cell phone attend the movie "The Crusader", disturbing all others around them. In the lobby both the couple & cell-phone man each receive an "prize" envelope from the Crusader.
12. "The Howling Waves of Tranquebar": Two friends go off to visit Tranquebar, along for the ride is a visiting young German man. While one goes off to work, the other goes w/ the young German to the Castle museum, who regales with a story of murder & curses.....
December 18, 2024
https://thebookstoryblog.wordpress.co...
I’m trying to meet my 2024 reading target with quickies but I felt that counting individual short stories as part of my target was cheating, so I decided that anthologies are the best way to go.
This book has been in my library for a while so I picked it up. The blurb said ‘spine chilling’ but sorry, the only chill I felt on my spine was the December wind that hit me through the open window while I was reading it. But anyway. Misleading blurb apart, the collection was both hits and misses, entertaining and mildly amusing.
I like my short stories short and crisp, so I found most of the stories long and rambling with a lot of fluff that did nothing. The twists sometimes tried too hard and didn’t hit they way they were intended. I remember someone telling me the same thing when they read some of my stories. You don’t have to try to be O’Henry all the time.
I read The Silent Fear first because it was an award-winning story and the shortest one, but I don’t know. I didn’t get it. Maybe I should read it again.
The cover story, My Lawfully Wedded Husband was good. Predictable, but well-written. Can’t say the same about the first story though (which I read last, it is a thing I do in anthologies. I think authors put in what they think are the best two as the first and last stories). It would have worked so well as a much shorter flash fiction piece. A Tale of a Summer Vacation was comfortably predictable and could have remained so instead of that contrived end. Spoiler: I don’t know what flower allergy causes permanent disfigurement, and a shopkeeper remembering someone’s handwriting and that is the punchline? Nopes.
The Crusader was so annoying. Too much blah and loopholes. Like why would someone who had been so excited about winning a prize forget about it the moment they left the theatre. It was an envelope ffs, not a big parcel they couldn’t open. Hourie was good, very vividly written but I was expecting the Madam’s husband’s bones or something in the sandook. So anticlimactic. St. George and the Dragon, I don’t know, it was ok but not great. On the Night Train was amusing, it worked for me.
The Howling Waves of Tranquebar was the best of the lot. I loved the twist and the whole setup. But I skimmed through the place’s descriptions and history but only because it was not new to me. I’ve stayed in the same hotel and eaten the same pakoras. And visited the same fort. But Friedrich’s story was so well narrated that it made me go back and check my Tranquebar albums to see if the beer mug really existed in the museum.
The book did what it had to do for me, and got me closer to my 2024 target. This collection was probably a filler in between the author’s more popular historical crime novels. Those seem more promising. So I’m not forming any opinions based on this lazy read right now and I am going to try those novels next.
I’m trying to meet my 2024 reading target with quickies but I felt that counting individual short stories as part of my target was cheating, so I decided that anthologies are the best way to go.
This book has been in my library for a while so I picked it up. The blurb said ‘spine chilling’ but sorry, the only chill I felt on my spine was the December wind that hit me through the open window while I was reading it. But anyway. Misleading blurb apart, the collection was both hits and misses, entertaining and mildly amusing.
I like my short stories short and crisp, so I found most of the stories long and rambling with a lot of fluff that did nothing. The twists sometimes tried too hard and didn’t hit they way they were intended. I remember someone telling me the same thing when they read some of my stories. You don’t have to try to be O’Henry all the time.
I read The Silent Fear first because it was an award-winning story and the shortest one, but I don’t know. I didn’t get it. Maybe I should read it again.
The cover story, My Lawfully Wedded Husband was good. Predictable, but well-written. Can’t say the same about the first story though (which I read last, it is a thing I do in anthologies. I think authors put in what they think are the best two as the first and last stories). It would have worked so well as a much shorter flash fiction piece. A Tale of a Summer Vacation was comfortably predictable and could have remained so instead of that contrived end. Spoiler: I don’t know what flower allergy causes permanent disfigurement, and a shopkeeper remembering someone’s handwriting and that is the punchline? Nopes.
The Crusader was so annoying. Too much blah and loopholes. Like why would someone who had been so excited about winning a prize forget about it the moment they left the theatre. It was an envelope ffs, not a big parcel they couldn’t open. Hourie was good, very vividly written but I was expecting the Madam’s husband’s bones or something in the sandook. So anticlimactic. St. George and the Dragon, I don’t know, it was ok but not great. On the Night Train was amusing, it worked for me.
The Howling Waves of Tranquebar was the best of the lot. I loved the twist and the whole setup. But I skimmed through the place’s descriptions and history but only because it was not new to me. I’ve stayed in the same hotel and eaten the same pakoras. And visited the same fort. But Friedrich’s story was so well narrated that it made me go back and check my Tranquebar albums to see if the beer mug really existed in the museum.
The book did what it had to do for me, and got me closer to my 2024 target. This collection was probably a filler in between the author’s more popular historical crime novels. Those seem more promising. So I’m not forming any opinions based on this lazy read right now and I am going to try those novels next.
June 14, 2024
I came across this book in a blog post by Ritu Bindra (Boho Bibliophile) on short story anthologies. Truthfully, I have not read any book by Madhulika before this, but after this book, I think I need to rectify this mistake. This collection of thirteen short stories covers a range of emotions. It starts with "Sum Total", a story that can be used as a masterclass for teaching the concept of an unreliable narrator, and ends with a bang with the pathos of "One Night's Work". Each story hits differently, but it is the gentle humour which stands out in the stories. My favourite of the lot is "The Howling Waves Of Tranquebar" and "A New Home For Bhainsa".
"A New Home For Bhainsa" is an excellent satire that entertains and depicts the true reality of India.
My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories by Madhulika Liddle is a wonderful collection of short stories to keep you entertained when you don't have the bandwidth to read a full-length novel. I would also recommend this book to new writers to understand the craft of storytelling.
March 22, 2023
My Lawfully Wedded Husband And Other Stories by Madhulika Liddle is a really cool collection of 12 intriguing, dark and twisted tales. The writing is, of course, neat and crisp; writing style so engaging that grips you right from the beginning. Madhulika Ji builds the intrigue and an aura of mystery so skillfully that you want to know more.
My favourite stories are (most of them are favourites, actually): the title story ―My Lawfully Wedded Husband, Number 63, On the Night Train, Silent Fear, The Crusader and the last story, The Howling Waves of Tranquebar (love the setting, atmosphere and its description).
Overall an intriguing and engrossing read. I have bought Woman to Woman by the same author, and I am looking forward to reading it.
My favourite stories are (most of them are favourites, actually): the title story ―My Lawfully Wedded Husband, Number 63, On the Night Train, Silent Fear, The Crusader and the last story, The Howling Waves of Tranquebar (love the setting, atmosphere and its description).
Overall an intriguing and engrossing read. I have bought Woman to Woman by the same author, and I am looking forward to reading it.
October 6, 2016
Having read the Muzaffar Jang mysteries earlier, including a set of short stories set in Mughal India, I eagerly awaited Madhulika Liddle's latest offering. Her writing style is easy and relaxed, and even her historical mysteries reveal a strong vein of humour. While she self-describes herself as a short-story writer, her grasp of plot and eye for detail and her thorough research into the period she is writing about, has made her novels about a (very likeable) historical detective a welcome addition to the Indian crime fiction genre.
So, when My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories came out, and I saw that it was classified as Crime Fiction, I expected the stories fit the genre. Not so, and not as much. Some stories in the collection do deal with crime, but most do not. Here, I must also add that it would be rather difficult to slot Liddle's work into any one particular genre. What do all her stories share? A very vivid characterisation, a reasonably strong plot, a strong hold over her language, a piquant, often dark, sense of humour that persists in popping up in the oddest of places, and the proverbial twist. All this, and more, is evident in the dozen short stories, whose disparate plots veer from straightforward crime to psychological mind games, from sheer wickedness to impish mischief, from horror to the pretend supernatural.
From the collection, my personal favourites are:
Houri - From its setting (a brothel) to its protagonist (a whore named 'Helen'), to the thing that everyone wants to get their hands on (a sinduk), the story moved in unexpected ways. It is a clever sleight of hand, and the characters come alive (including the lifeless sinduk).
My Lawfully Wedded Husband - where the worm turns after all and Liddle cleverly denies the worm a voice, setting the whole story on its head.
In 'On a Night Train', she slowly builds up the tension, until the anticlimax makes you let out your breath in a whoosh. It is wickedly humorous and is a
masterpiece in ingenuity; of course, it is only funny when you are not at the receiving end.
'A Tale of a Summer Vacation' is seriously chilling. I could wish that the explanation for the deux ex machina wasn't provided, but having said that, the explanation came right at the end, and when it does not really take away from the enjoyment of the story itself.
'St. George and the Dragon' made me laugh out loud. had me grinning from the beginning, and occasionally laughing out loud. Once again a story of a worm turning over a new leaf, this worm turns, and how! While it is reiterates the 'downtrodden employee revolting against an evil boss' trope, Liddle scores in the way she etches the characterisations. I loved the sardonic humour, the devious machinations, the very true-to-life background...
'Silent Fear' was a revelation, the ending surprising, even for me, even when I was primed to expect the twist.
As for the others:
'A Brief Lesson in Trust' had me going 'Huh, what?' at the beginning. The reading calls for a slight suspension of disbelief of its essential plot point. Once you accept that, it all seems natural. Perhaps I have been reading too many mystery stories... I saw the ending come a mile away; but it is a testimony to the author's skill that that didn't take away the enjoyment of reading a well-crafted piece of writing.
'Sum Total' is a good attempt at a psychological thriller. A young woman, pushed to the end of her tether, goes on a killing spree. And one after another, each of her adversaries meet a seemingly natural death. Or so she confesses. Is she a murderess, or isn't she? Or...?
'Feet of Clay' looks at people and events from a child's point of view. It is an interesting view because, as one finds out at the end of the story, the child's sense of loss is not about what one would expect. Liddle weaves a masterful tale about a crime that is usually swept under society's carpet; it is interesting because the focus is not on the crime at all, but on the perpetrator, and not in the manner that one would think, either. This was one twist that I certainly did not expect.
'The Howling Waves of Tranquebar' takes us to a Danish settlement on coastal Tamil Nadu. The objet d'horreur here is an innocuous beer mug that has to be restored to its original owner, or else... The story meanders through the scenic route between Pondicherry and Tranquebar, and the atmosphere is deftly built up using dialogue and descriptive passages.
'No.63', to me, was one of the weaker stories, and that is only because, in this collection, the story seemed repetitive, and the twist, when it came, wasn't quite as unpredictable as you would wish.
I have mixed feelings about 'The Crusader'. I loved the premise. I'm sure many of us have wished we could do what the crusader does in the story - and worse. And again, there's nothing wrong with the writing, which is as crisp and delightful, the dialogues are very natural, and Liddle does do a good job of making you believe that it could happen, so... I just remember finishing the story and thinking, 'No, that was just a bit over the top.' But I'm sure it resonates with a lot of fellow sufferers.
Madhulika Liddle's characters are ordinary people, her settings are natural, and her grasp over the very difficult task of writing everyday dialogues is effortless. My Lawfully Wedded Husband and other stories is the perfect read for a rainy day, with a hot cup of tea and a plate of samosas on hand.
So, when My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories came out, and I saw that it was classified as Crime Fiction, I expected the stories fit the genre. Not so, and not as much. Some stories in the collection do deal with crime, but most do not. Here, I must also add that it would be rather difficult to slot Liddle's work into any one particular genre. What do all her stories share? A very vivid characterisation, a reasonably strong plot, a strong hold over her language, a piquant, often dark, sense of humour that persists in popping up in the oddest of places, and the proverbial twist. All this, and more, is evident in the dozen short stories, whose disparate plots veer from straightforward crime to psychological mind games, from sheer wickedness to impish mischief, from horror to the pretend supernatural.
From the collection, my personal favourites are:
Houri - From its setting (a brothel) to its protagonist (a whore named 'Helen'), to the thing that everyone wants to get their hands on (a sinduk), the story moved in unexpected ways. It is a clever sleight of hand, and the characters come alive (including the lifeless sinduk).
My Lawfully Wedded Husband - where the worm turns after all and Liddle cleverly denies the worm a voice, setting the whole story on its head.
In 'On a Night Train', she slowly builds up the tension, until the anticlimax makes you let out your breath in a whoosh. It is wickedly humorous and is a
masterpiece in ingenuity; of course, it is only funny when you are not at the receiving end.
'A Tale of a Summer Vacation' is seriously chilling. I could wish that the explanation for the deux ex machina wasn't provided, but having said that, the explanation came right at the end, and when it does not really take away from the enjoyment of the story itself.
'St. George and the Dragon' made me laugh out loud. had me grinning from the beginning, and occasionally laughing out loud. Once again a story of a worm turning over a new leaf, this worm turns, and how! While it is reiterates the 'downtrodden employee revolting against an evil boss' trope, Liddle scores in the way she etches the characterisations. I loved the sardonic humour, the devious machinations, the very true-to-life background...
'Silent Fear' was a revelation, the ending surprising, even for me, even when I was primed to expect the twist.
As for the others:
'A Brief Lesson in Trust' had me going 'Huh, what?' at the beginning. The reading calls for a slight suspension of disbelief of its essential plot point. Once you accept that, it all seems natural. Perhaps I have been reading too many mystery stories... I saw the ending come a mile away; but it is a testimony to the author's skill that that didn't take away the enjoyment of reading a well-crafted piece of writing.
'Sum Total' is a good attempt at a psychological thriller. A young woman, pushed to the end of her tether, goes on a killing spree. And one after another, each of her adversaries meet a seemingly natural death. Or so she confesses. Is she a murderess, or isn't she? Or...?
'Feet of Clay' looks at people and events from a child's point of view. It is an interesting view because, as one finds out at the end of the story, the child's sense of loss is not about what one would expect. Liddle weaves a masterful tale about a crime that is usually swept under society's carpet; it is interesting because the focus is not on the crime at all, but on the perpetrator, and not in the manner that one would think, either. This was one twist that I certainly did not expect.
'The Howling Waves of Tranquebar' takes us to a Danish settlement on coastal Tamil Nadu. The objet d'horreur here is an innocuous beer mug that has to be restored to its original owner, or else... The story meanders through the scenic route between Pondicherry and Tranquebar, and the atmosphere is deftly built up using dialogue and descriptive passages.
'No.63', to me, was one of the weaker stories, and that is only because, in this collection, the story seemed repetitive, and the twist, when it came, wasn't quite as unpredictable as you would wish.
I have mixed feelings about 'The Crusader'. I loved the premise. I'm sure many of us have wished we could do what the crusader does in the story - and worse. And again, there's nothing wrong with the writing, which is as crisp and delightful, the dialogues are very natural, and Liddle does do a good job of making you believe that it could happen, so... I just remember finishing the story and thinking, 'No, that was just a bit over the top.' But I'm sure it resonates with a lot of fellow sufferers.
Madhulika Liddle's characters are ordinary people, her settings are natural, and her grasp over the very difficult task of writing everyday dialogues is effortless. My Lawfully Wedded Husband and other stories is the perfect read for a rainy day, with a hot cup of tea and a plate of samosas on hand.
September 4, 2019
After reading Woman-to-woman, my expectations were high and may be that led to greater disappointment. The stories were not bad. But that’s just it. The stories were neither great nor terrible, most characters unremarkable and the narrative and plot both tepid and bland. There wasn’t as much mystery, suspense or horror as the book claimed either. Then again, I have a soft spot for short stories and I liked adding this to my collection.
May 17, 2023
Deliciously twisted stories you cannot get enough of. Enjoyed reading the book. Detailed review to come.
March 3, 2013
Snapshot: It’s a collection of short stories, about realistic characters, written in a simple but an artful manner of revealing the “unusual” or the “suspense” component slowly yet surely, and in a manner that makes you read nonstop right from first to the last page.
The Stories and Critics Perspective:
There are total twelve short stories. Each in a very different set up from another. The first story “Sum Total” is about a young girl who has successfully eliminated people she is not fond of by murdering them. I specifically loved the way it ended. The second story “A Tale of Summer Vacation” is about the story of two sisters. It is described as a series of observations made by the girl narrating the story, who has just gained wisdom to decipher people from their little actions; about these sisters that spin into a beautiful plot. The third story “A Brief Lesson is trust” is a smart story and as reflected by the title, compels the reader to ponder “Whom and (importantly) how much can one trust?” While the fourth story “Feet of Clay” is a very innocent narrative of a child about her childhood love which seems predictable in the beginning but leaves you spellbound at the last line.
The main story that is also the title of the book, attractive enough to make you want to read it appears strategically at the middle of the book and is predictable. I am sure the book gets this title not because it’s the best story as is the case with most short story collections but because it’s catchy. “Number 63” a story of suspicious neighbors where the author tries the same old school mystery trick, however it is a fun ride. “On the Night Train” again a trick but better than the last one.
While the best stories are towards the end. The "Silent fear" is short and smart. "St. George and the Dragon" and "The Crusader" well written but predictable". However, the best of all in my opinion are "The Howling Waves of Tranquebar" and Hourie which are unsual stories with each plot making the book unputdownabble and the end is amazing, unthinkable! Also Tranquebar is described beautifully and mysteriously and this story makes me want to visit it sometime soon.
The Review:
Positive: Most characters are real life, simple and not extraordinary or imaginary. However the beauty is how imaginatively the author has carved out their stories and presents it in an interesting way so as to let the reader keep guessing what happens till end. Language is good, writing crisp and some stories are really gripping.
Negatives: Some stories are certainly predictible.
The Verdict!!! A crisp, topsy turvy, light read. Highly recommended for short story lovers. 3.5 stars out of 5.
For detailed review check: http://thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com/
March 17, 2013
I love short stories. Flip over 5-10-20 pages and the story is done. It usually deals with one aspect of the life of its protagonists, so the reader does not have to remember a lot. On the other hand, just as you have gotten into a story and the character, it is done with. It is difficult sometime to turn to another story immediately, as you are still 'into' the first one. Hence, I find it difficult to get through books of short stories at a stretch. They usually lie on my 'unread' pile on the bookshelf, to be picked up when the fancy takes me.
My Lawfully Wedded Husband is a collection of 12 stories. They are mostly funny/scary/dark and sometimes, all three combined.
1. Sum Total - A young woman goes on a killing spree when she finds herself pushed to the limits by people around her.
2. A Tale of a Summer Vacation - A young girl happens to be visiting her grandmother in Goa when an incident takes place with a neighbor. There are some secrets that only time can unlock.
3. A Brief Lesson in Trust - Two childhood friends find themselves face to face again after many years. Surely an old friend can be trusted to help you out when you are in a bad spot.
4. Feet of Clay - There are many people who seem harmless, but are not.
5. My Lawfully Wedded Husband - Boring people can be safe to be with, some times. Maybe it is not a good idea to be scornful about people who are staid on the outside.
6. Number 63 - Sometimes it helps to be a nosey neighbor.
7. On the Night Train - There is a nice tip in here that can help you get a good night's sleep on a train.
8. Hourie - A grim look at the happenings inside a whorehouse.
9. Silent Fear - A scary office tale.
10. St. George and the Dragon - This is what happens in a government office when a frustrated PA decides to act against his boss.
11. The Crusader - How many times have we gone to see a movie and felt unhappy about people who don't allow us to watch it peacefully.
12. The Howling Waves of Tranquebar - Even a tiny place like Tranquebar can have an exotic story behind it.
Madhulika's prose is elegant and simple. The stories often have a twist in the end, some skilful and some predictable. In case of St. George and the Dragon, I liked the story a lot. It was a very genuine portrait of a government office. But I felt the end was a bit too drastic. Silent Fear was a bit unsubstantial. Apart from these little things, all the stories are immensely likeable.
The last one in the collection, The Howling Waves of Tranquebar is exceptional. It is going to rank among the best short stories I have ever read.
My Lawfully Wedded Husband is a collection of 12 stories. They are mostly funny/scary/dark and sometimes, all three combined.
1. Sum Total - A young woman goes on a killing spree when she finds herself pushed to the limits by people around her.
2. A Tale of a Summer Vacation - A young girl happens to be visiting her grandmother in Goa when an incident takes place with a neighbor. There are some secrets that only time can unlock.
3. A Brief Lesson in Trust - Two childhood friends find themselves face to face again after many years. Surely an old friend can be trusted to help you out when you are in a bad spot.
4. Feet of Clay - There are many people who seem harmless, but are not.
5. My Lawfully Wedded Husband - Boring people can be safe to be with, some times. Maybe it is not a good idea to be scornful about people who are staid on the outside.
6. Number 63 - Sometimes it helps to be a nosey neighbor.
7. On the Night Train - There is a nice tip in here that can help you get a good night's sleep on a train.
8. Hourie - A grim look at the happenings inside a whorehouse.
9. Silent Fear - A scary office tale.
10. St. George and the Dragon - This is what happens in a government office when a frustrated PA decides to act against his boss.
11. The Crusader - How many times have we gone to see a movie and felt unhappy about people who don't allow us to watch it peacefully.
12. The Howling Waves of Tranquebar - Even a tiny place like Tranquebar can have an exotic story behind it.
Madhulika's prose is elegant and simple. The stories often have a twist in the end, some skilful and some predictable. In case of St. George and the Dragon, I liked the story a lot. It was a very genuine portrait of a government office. But I felt the end was a bit too drastic. Silent Fear was a bit unsubstantial. Apart from these little things, all the stories are immensely likeable.
The last one in the collection, The Howling Waves of Tranquebar is exceptional. It is going to rank among the best short stories I have ever read.
June 27, 2013
The book falls under Crime fiction category and contains a total of 12 stories. The endings are unimaginable, keeping the reader engrossed in the story thinking what will happen next. The book displays a graph of some very interesting to not so interesting stories. While some of the stories are extremely gripping, I felt some others a little boring.
A few stories that impressed me are as follows :
“Sum Total” which is a story of a young girl called Veera and her life revolving around her mother and her office and the 3 murders that happen eventually.
“A tale of summer vacation” is based in Goa and has many characters. When the main girl goes to spend her holidays with her grandma, she makes friends with 18 yr old Ruby and her sister Rose. Ruby works at her grandma’s place and Rose works for Prof Gomes. When Melissa comes to the village, Prof Gomes falls in love with her and then follows an accident of Melissa. Was it really an accident or who is responsible for it all questions remain unanswered till the end.
“A brief lesson in trust” is a story about two girls Geeti and Madhu. Geeti has killed a person who had been blackmailing her and now she seeks help from Madhu to get rid of the body. Does Madhu help her? Can Madhu trust Geeti or vice versa? All to be read and not told.
My lawfully wedded husband, Number 63, On the night train, Silent fear and The crusader also make an interesting read while Feet of clay, Hourie, St George and the dragon and The howling waves of Tranquebar are not quite up to the mark I felt.
Overall, the book is good. With an attractive cover and print to match, it makes a good read when you want to read some light reading.
Would like to read reviews from others too as these are my personal views and the stories that I found not up to the mark may be liked by someone else. So anyone, if you come across the book, do share your opinion.
A few stories that impressed me are as follows :
“Sum Total” which is a story of a young girl called Veera and her life revolving around her mother and her office and the 3 murders that happen eventually.
“A tale of summer vacation” is based in Goa and has many characters. When the main girl goes to spend her holidays with her grandma, she makes friends with 18 yr old Ruby and her sister Rose. Ruby works at her grandma’s place and Rose works for Prof Gomes. When Melissa comes to the village, Prof Gomes falls in love with her and then follows an accident of Melissa. Was it really an accident or who is responsible for it all questions remain unanswered till the end.
“A brief lesson in trust” is a story about two girls Geeti and Madhu. Geeti has killed a person who had been blackmailing her and now she seeks help from Madhu to get rid of the body. Does Madhu help her? Can Madhu trust Geeti or vice versa? All to be read and not told.
My lawfully wedded husband, Number 63, On the night train, Silent fear and The crusader also make an interesting read while Feet of clay, Hourie, St George and the dragon and The howling waves of Tranquebar are not quite up to the mark I felt.
Overall, the book is good. With an attractive cover and print to match, it makes a good read when you want to read some light reading.
Would like to read reviews from others too as these are my personal views and the stories that I found not up to the mark may be liked by someone else. So anyone, if you come across the book, do share your opinion.
March 2, 2013
I must first begin with disclaimers. I was very intrigued when I picked up Madhulika Liddle’s first book ‘The Englishman’s Cameo’ – the author bio said she was an instructional designer. Well, so am I and in India I find a little known profession. And then I recalled, my friend had mentioned of her works reviewed by Liddle. Madhulika Liddle used to work for same organisation as me, though I have never met her or spoken to her. I have read her first two books, part of Muzaffar Jang series, a mystery set during Shah Jehan’s era. I was very impressed not just with story, but the research put in reflects in the chosen words and creating imagery in the story– the dresses, the utensils, customs, hierarchy, professions and so on. It was delight.
When I saw the cover this short story collection on Facebook, I loved the cover and wanted to possess the book. So, I am glad, I got this opportunity thanks to Blogadda.
Liddle’s this book is in different than her Muzaffar Jang series. It is book of collection of 12 short stories set in different parts of India – Delhi, Bombay, Moradabad, Goa, Tranquebar and so on.
Every short story writer has a style.
Complete review at: http://alchemistpoonam.wordpress.com/...
When I saw the cover this short story collection on Facebook, I loved the cover and wanted to possess the book. So, I am glad, I got this opportunity thanks to Blogadda.
Liddle’s this book is in different than her Muzaffar Jang series. It is book of collection of 12 short stories set in different parts of India – Delhi, Bombay, Moradabad, Goa, Tranquebar and so on.
Every short story writer has a style.
Complete review at: http://alchemistpoonam.wordpress.com/...
June 19, 2013
I love short stories. And I love the ones which leave an impact, more. Madhulika Liddle's My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories, was one book which I loved more. Twelve stories,twelve flavours - but all garnished with some amount of dark humour.
Liddle's characters are bold, colourful and stands out among the crowd. Be it the office ghost in Silent Fear, the inquisitive and concerned young couple neighbours to Number 63, the artfully crafty government clerk Mr.George in St.George and the Dragon or Helen the prostitute in Hourie, all these characters have been carefully painted and detailed to perfection. The imagery created in each of the narratives is so vivid, that you feel it rolling in front of your eyes.
Few of the stories are slightly predictable and amateurish, but they get overpowered by the stronger and cleverer ones, which are more in number.
All in all, this book is a page-turner and a perfect example of how simple words can be used to weave magic.
This collection of tales from Liddle, would definitely grab a handsome 3.5/5 from me!
Liddle's characters are bold, colourful and stands out among the crowd. Be it the office ghost in Silent Fear, the inquisitive and concerned young couple neighbours to Number 63, the artfully crafty government clerk Mr.George in St.George and the Dragon or Helen the prostitute in Hourie, all these characters have been carefully painted and detailed to perfection. The imagery created in each of the narratives is so vivid, that you feel it rolling in front of your eyes.
Few of the stories are slightly predictable and amateurish, but they get overpowered by the stronger and cleverer ones, which are more in number.
All in all, this book is a page-turner and a perfect example of how simple words can be used to weave magic.
This collection of tales from Liddle, would definitely grab a handsome 3.5/5 from me!
February 25, 2015
A collection of stories with a dark twist in the end. In order for such stories to succeed, it is essential that: 1) Reader does not realize the plot as it is being setup. In some of the stories in the collection, a single stray sentence gives the whole thing away. 2) The actions of the characters look reasonable in the hindsight. One of the stories that is otherwise nicely setup failed this test.
The overall feeling I got from the book is that the book is overwritten. It is probably a result of trying to achieve point 1 above but it doesn't work. The details, the tangents, rather than setting the mood, often felt unnecessary (barring one story where it worked nicely!). I felt that some of the stories would actually work better if they were edited to down to half the size.
If you were making a movie with one of these stories, the level of detail would perhaps be right. But for reading, more needs to be left to imagination.
The overall feeling I got from the book is that the book is overwritten. It is probably a result of trying to achieve point 1 above but it doesn't work. The details, the tangents, rather than setting the mood, often felt unnecessary (barring one story where it worked nicely!). I felt that some of the stories would actually work better if they were edited to down to half the size.
If you were making a movie with one of these stories, the level of detail would perhaps be right. But for reading, more needs to be left to imagination.
February 10, 2016
Madhulika Liddle has always impressed me with her genre in historical fiction and I loved reading " The Englishman's Cameo" and few others of Muzaffar Jung's detective stories , This particular book is a set of short stories , most of them infact all of them built on dark humour and sense of mystery to them . I really enjoyed all the stories in this book and would love to read more such stories from Liddle .
May 14, 2016
A nice bunch of short stories. Some of them very good and some slightly meh. The howling waves of Tranquebar was good. The crusader was best loved by me. I have wished to do the same a few times. The twists at the end of the most tales were pretty good. She has a lovely flowing style of writing and the stories are easy reads.
Recommended read for when you are short on time and a nice short story is what you would love.
Recommended read for when you are short on time and a nice short story is what you would love.
April 19, 2013
Twelve spine-chilling stories. Not really. Some stories were really interesting. My favorite was Sum total (first story) I blame my expectations for others were not really up to mark. I expected something more out of this. I've started finding these kind of stories predictable. Must avoid reading short stories for sometime. Overall a good read if you haven't read short stories for long.
January 26, 2013
A hit and miss mostly. I bought this because the blurbs sounded good(interesting even) but the stories are, for the lack of a better term, mostly lackluster. (Still have her next Mujjafar Jung book to read so not really giving up on the author though)
June 8, 2013
I don't know after how long I read a book of short stories. Probably in school. Don't even remeber the name of the book if I had read also.
I liked few stories in the book.
Overall not that great. Maybe I expected a little more.
I liked few stories in the book.
Overall not that great. Maybe I expected a little more.
September 19, 2015
Except for two or three stories out of the lot, the rest were quite nice! A very light read, mind you, and definitely not as good as Ruskin Bond's collection of creepy tales, or even Jessica Faleiro's Afterlife book...
March 5, 2013
I have reviewed the book here: http://manasa-t.blogspot.in/2013/03/m...
March 20, 2013
Spine chilling? Hardly. Appreciable? To an extent. Two stories fare much better than the rest. Interesting and quick, however. I'll proceed to read her novels prior to this.
March 10, 2014
The author excels in writing dark humor short stories with a twist in the tale. Loved this
August 29, 2016
not all the stories are spine chilling but some of them are definitely. good for one time reading
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