Evidence: A Short Story

by Tarquin Hall

Justice is blind. In India, it can also be stretched without limit. But could it possibly have a heart? Tarquin Hall asks the question in his very first short story, written exclusively for BQ.

NB Vish Puri does not appear in this story.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories

18 pages, ebook

First published March 1, 2012

About the author

Tarquin Hall is a British author and journalist who has lived and worked throughout South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. He is the author of The Case of the Missing Servant, dozens of articles, and three works of non-fiction, including the highly acclaimed Salaam Brick Lane, an account of a year spent above a Bangladeshi sweat shop in London’s notorious East End. He is married to Indian-born journalist, Anu Anand. They have a young son and divide their time between London and Delhi.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

At just seven pages in its PDF format, this short story proves an easy and satisfying read; however, those expecting Vish Puri will be disappointed, as he appears nowhere in it. Instead, the short story makes a point about the vagaries of the Indian justice system.

Available in the PDF format at Sacred Cows.

[Jawahar Surti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those familiar with the Indian justice system will find nothing new BUT I liked the style in which it is written. Even though it's a short story, it maintains your interest and grips you till you have finished reading it.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evidence is a short story by British author, Tarquin Hall, who is the author of the Vish Puri series, but it does not feature his portly, persistent, Punjabi PI. Instead, there’s an ageing, retired TV cameraman who is dreading an appearance in court where he will need to produce a Betamax camera, secretly borrowed two decades earlier then stolen. Even in short form, Hall deftly illustrates the peculiarities of the Indian legal system.

[Kathy Chung · Rating 3 out of 5]

fast and interesting reads.