What do you think?
Rate this book
The Tree Bears Witness
Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens.
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?
Set in a period that has been described as the golden age of the Mughals, the novel draws us into the royal court of Agra, abuzz with political intrigue, personal enmities and hidden rivalries, where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?
Set in a period that has been described as the golden age of the Mughals, the novel draws us into the royal court of Agra, abuzz with political intrigue, personal enmities and hidden rivalries, where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.
250 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2017
31 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Sharath Komarraju
134 books213 followersSharath Komarraju is an author of fiction and nonfiction based in Bangalore, India. Once a software engineer, now he writes for a living, and on lazy days he watches cricket and talks to his wife (often at the same time).
His most popular work to date is the Hastinapur series, in which he speaks into the silences of the Mahabharata story through the epic's many women characters.
His most popular work to date is the Hastinapur series, in which he speaks into the silences of the Mahabharata story through the epic's many women characters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 5, 2018
“Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure.”
----J.K. Rowling
Sharath Komarraju, an Indian author, has spun a riveting thriller set in one of the greatest Mughal Emperor Akbar's court in Agra in his new book, The Tree Bears Witness which is the second book in the series Birbal that revolves around Akbar's new Rajput queen's dear brother's highly suspicious death in the gardens of the court and to solve the mystery behind the death of a young and powerful Rajput prince, Akbar assigns his favorite and most intelligent courtier/minister, Birbal in order to give appropriate punishment to the culprit(s).
Synopsis:
Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens.
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?
Set in a period that has been described as the golden age of the Mughals, the novel draws us into the royal court of Agra, abuzz with political intrigue, personal enmities and hidden rivalries, where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.
Mughal King, Akbar, has just married and brought off his newly wedded wife and princess of Rajput empire to his palace in Agra, along side his in-laws, including the new queen's uncle, her cousin brothers and her own brother, Sujjamal. Sadly Sujjamal is found dead in a mysterious way in the gardens of the Mughal court. To save his name as well as his reputation, Akbar asks his most intelligent and trustworthy confidant-cum-adviser, Birbal. So within a span of just 2 days, the famous and the most wittiest of his era, Birbal, a.k.a, Mahesh Das needs to solve the mystery behind the death of the queen's brother. So can he save the Mughal name by bringing justice in a court filled with lying, two-faced and jealous kings, brothers, queens, palatial guards and courtiers?
This is a very simple story, not many layers, or nerve-wrecking unpredictable twists, but an easy plot which is, no doubt, tightly woven, but has lot of challenging narratives to keep the readers on their edges. This isn't the first time that I'm reading any book by this author, whose his previous mythological series kept me entertained, his tryst into the crime fiction world too kept me gripped pretty much the entire length of the novel. And not to mention, the author brought alive some of the infamous characters from the Mughal history alive vividly with bright hues of their unmatched personality.
The author's writing style is really good, articulate enough and laced with subtle edgy suspense to keep the readers hooked onto the story line. The narrative style of the author is quite lucid and flows freely through out the story line. The pacing is really fast, as the plot is packed heavily with complex drama related to the Rajput as well as Mughal throne, and the readers can easily contemplate with the emotions of the people living inside that Mughal court.
The back drop of the palatial and grand Mughal court is not at well well described. I wished there was some vividness in the descriptions about this court that plays a huge role in the story. The mystery has subtle hints of twists and turns but sadly those are highly foreseeable for any seasoned crime fiction reader, otherwise, there is lot of juicy and exciting drama and tension that will keep the readers turning the pages of this book.
The characters are well portrayed with realism and honesty in their demeanor, even though, the author has not are not delved deeper into their outer persona to make them look thoroughly real in the eyes of the readers. The main character, Birbal is depicted as a sharp man who is outspoken and never fears or shies away from speaking the truth to anyone, and this insight and intellect is bound to make the readers fall for this charming and calm man of highest level of intelligence.
In a nutshell, this is a captivating as well as engrossing crime fiction set in the Mughal era in the courts of a Mughal king.
Verdict: An intriguing Akbar and Birbal story!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Westland for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----J.K. Rowling
Sharath Komarraju, an Indian author, has spun a riveting thriller set in one of the greatest Mughal Emperor Akbar's court in Agra in his new book, The Tree Bears Witness which is the second book in the series Birbal that revolves around Akbar's new Rajput queen's dear brother's highly suspicious death in the gardens of the court and to solve the mystery behind the death of a young and powerful Rajput prince, Akbar assigns his favorite and most intelligent courtier/minister, Birbal in order to give appropriate punishment to the culprit(s).
Synopsis:
Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens.
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?
Set in a period that has been described as the golden age of the Mughals, the novel draws us into the royal court of Agra, abuzz with political intrigue, personal enmities and hidden rivalries, where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.
Mughal King, Akbar, has just married and brought off his newly wedded wife and princess of Rajput empire to his palace in Agra, along side his in-laws, including the new queen's uncle, her cousin brothers and her own brother, Sujjamal. Sadly Sujjamal is found dead in a mysterious way in the gardens of the Mughal court. To save his name as well as his reputation, Akbar asks his most intelligent and trustworthy confidant-cum-adviser, Birbal. So within a span of just 2 days, the famous and the most wittiest of his era, Birbal, a.k.a, Mahesh Das needs to solve the mystery behind the death of the queen's brother. So can he save the Mughal name by bringing justice in a court filled with lying, two-faced and jealous kings, brothers, queens, palatial guards and courtiers?
This is a very simple story, not many layers, or nerve-wrecking unpredictable twists, but an easy plot which is, no doubt, tightly woven, but has lot of challenging narratives to keep the readers on their edges. This isn't the first time that I'm reading any book by this author, whose his previous mythological series kept me entertained, his tryst into the crime fiction world too kept me gripped pretty much the entire length of the novel. And not to mention, the author brought alive some of the infamous characters from the Mughal history alive vividly with bright hues of their unmatched personality.
The author's writing style is really good, articulate enough and laced with subtle edgy suspense to keep the readers hooked onto the story line. The narrative style of the author is quite lucid and flows freely through out the story line. The pacing is really fast, as the plot is packed heavily with complex drama related to the Rajput as well as Mughal throne, and the readers can easily contemplate with the emotions of the people living inside that Mughal court.
The back drop of the palatial and grand Mughal court is not at well well described. I wished there was some vividness in the descriptions about this court that plays a huge role in the story. The mystery has subtle hints of twists and turns but sadly those are highly foreseeable for any seasoned crime fiction reader, otherwise, there is lot of juicy and exciting drama and tension that will keep the readers turning the pages of this book.
The characters are well portrayed with realism and honesty in their demeanor, even though, the author has not are not delved deeper into their outer persona to make them look thoroughly real in the eyes of the readers. The main character, Birbal is depicted as a sharp man who is outspoken and never fears or shies away from speaking the truth to anyone, and this insight and intellect is bound to make the readers fall for this charming and calm man of highest level of intelligence.
In a nutshell, this is a captivating as well as engrossing crime fiction set in the Mughal era in the courts of a Mughal king.
Verdict: An intriguing Akbar and Birbal story!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Westland for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
April 6, 2018
We have always grown up with Akbar and Birbal Stories. No Indians are Stranger to their Stories. Who wasn't bowled over by Birbal's Wit?
For those People who don't know, Akbar was the Emperor of the Mughal Empire in India and Birbal, his loyal advisor in the Court.I knew I had to read this book when I saw it up for Review,
A month has passed since the royal wedding of Akbar to Hira Kunwari when a murder strikes them. Hira Kunwari's brother is found dead in the Palace Gardens. No one sees anything except the Mango trees which bears the witness of his death. The guards who were guarding the Palace comes rushing on hearing a faint yelp sees Prince Sujjamal lying dead on the Ground. There are no signs of disturbances on the Flower beds in the Palace Garden. Was it Akbar who ordered the killings or the trio which came from Amer (Modern Day Jaipur).It's Birbal whom Akbar trusts to win back Hira Kunwari's trust who thinks that Akbar had a part in killing her brother. There were so many new names whom I thought were fictional were actually based on real characters who existed in the Mughal Era. I got an insight of what happened in the Mughal era and the tensions which arose due to the fact that Akbar, a Muslim marrying Hira Kunwari, a Hindu. Overall, a good mystery set in the Mughal Era.
For those People who don't know, Akbar was the Emperor of the Mughal Empire in India and Birbal, his loyal advisor in the Court.I knew I had to read this book when I saw it up for Review,
A month has passed since the royal wedding of Akbar to Hira Kunwari when a murder strikes them. Hira Kunwari's brother is found dead in the Palace Gardens. No one sees anything except the Mango trees which bears the witness of his death. The guards who were guarding the Palace comes rushing on hearing a faint yelp sees Prince Sujjamal lying dead on the Ground. There are no signs of disturbances on the Flower beds in the Palace Garden. Was it Akbar who ordered the killings or the trio which came from Amer (Modern Day Jaipur).It's Birbal whom Akbar trusts to win back Hira Kunwari's trust who thinks that Akbar had a part in killing her brother. There were so many new names whom I thought were fictional were actually based on real characters who existed in the Mughal Era. I got an insight of what happened in the Mughal era and the tensions which arose due to the fact that Akbar, a Muslim marrying Hira Kunwari, a Hindu. Overall, a good mystery set in the Mughal Era.
February 3, 2018
What happens when you receive a review copy from one of your favorite authors after almost 2 years? First, you laugh in a very weird manner (which makes people in the elevator stare at you like you are some retard) and then you simply cannot wait to get back home and read it! That's exactly what happened with me couple of weeks back when I received a copy of The Tree Bears Witness by Sharath Komarraju and I was simply elated!
The last book that I read of this brilliant author was the Hastinapur series. And this time, he has written a book about one of my favorite characters from childhood, Mahesh Das aka Birbal, the smart and cunning courtier of Mughal King Akbar.
It's been only a month since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Princess Jodha. While the city celebrates, the court is surprised and bewildered at an accident that nobody understands. The new Queen's brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens. The natural doubt of the court and people is pointing towards Emperor Akbar and Sujjamal's own kin and murderers.
With the honor and reputation of the fragile relationship of Rajputs and Mughals at stake, Akbar calls for his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder of Sujjamal takes place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards as eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could've happened. Was it a suicide? Was it Akbar who ordered Sujjamal's killing? Or was it the Rajput clan, who always felt that Sujjamal is an impending threat to the Rajput empire?
The Trees Bears Witness can be very easily titled as "The best from my bookshelf". I as a reader love to read stories that challenge my preconceived notions and also manage to recreate the magic. This book recreated the magic of my favorite childhood character, Birbal. The story of The Tree Bears Witness will keep you hooked till the end. And plus, my guess was wrong that who the culprit is hence making this book even more awesome for me.
The only complaint I had with this book was the pace of the story, it was a bit slow for me. But apart from that, everything else was perfect 👌🏻
The cocktail of unique characters, especially some of them who kept on ringing a bell in my ear that yes, he's the killer made The Tree Bears Witness a profound read for me. The language is easy to read and understand and length of the book is apt. The Tree Bears Witness is a like a complete entertaining book with everything right.
Make sure you don’t miss out in this one ❤️
The last book that I read of this brilliant author was the Hastinapur series. And this time, he has written a book about one of my favorite characters from childhood, Mahesh Das aka Birbal, the smart and cunning courtier of Mughal King Akbar.
It's been only a month since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Princess Jodha. While the city celebrates, the court is surprised and bewildered at an accident that nobody understands. The new Queen's brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens. The natural doubt of the court and people is pointing towards Emperor Akbar and Sujjamal's own kin and murderers.
With the honor and reputation of the fragile relationship of Rajputs and Mughals at stake, Akbar calls for his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder of Sujjamal takes place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards as eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could've happened. Was it a suicide? Was it Akbar who ordered Sujjamal's killing? Or was it the Rajput clan, who always felt that Sujjamal is an impending threat to the Rajput empire?
The Trees Bears Witness can be very easily titled as "The best from my bookshelf". I as a reader love to read stories that challenge my preconceived notions and also manage to recreate the magic. This book recreated the magic of my favorite childhood character, Birbal. The story of The Tree Bears Witness will keep you hooked till the end. And plus, my guess was wrong that who the culprit is hence making this book even more awesome for me.
The only complaint I had with this book was the pace of the story, it was a bit slow for me. But apart from that, everything else was perfect 👌🏻
The cocktail of unique characters, especially some of them who kept on ringing a bell in my ear that yes, he's the killer made The Tree Bears Witness a profound read for me. The language is easy to read and understand and length of the book is apt. The Tree Bears Witness is a like a complete entertaining book with everything right.
Make sure you don’t miss out in this one ❤️
February 6, 2018
Disclaimer: A Huge Thanks to Westland Books & Amazon Publishing for providing me with a review copy. My thought, opinions and feelings expressed in this review are, however are my own!
Akbar and Birbal were the amazing duo of my childhood; in fact for Indian children, they were the Sherlock – Watson duo of Indian children!
And the author, Sharath Komarraju does a brilliant job of recreating these favorite characters from my childhood.
This is the second book in the Birbal Mystery; but even if you are a newbie to these characters like me, you still wouldn’t feel lost. It can be read as completely standalone.,/b>
The Trees Bear Witness is a short and simple read; yet it was a scintillating read!
“The person who is the most suspected (of a crime) is often the criminal.”
Birbal is re – imagined EXACTLY as I remembered; sassy, intelligent and a little bit arrogant when it comes to peasants or even lesser intellectuals like your or me :P
Akbar is another character who was perfectly re – imagined by the author; majestic, politically inclined and more silent than Birbal yet the connection between Akbar and Birbal is palpable and a friendship that is strong and resilient.
The plot, though, is where it gets a wee bit predictable; while it was pleasurable to work with Birbal solving a case that starts off mystical, trying to provide sense of thrill for the reader – but it does become a predictable; even if I enjoyed the journey of reaching the conclusion with an old friend of mine.
The writing of the author is simple yet effective for a reader like me; it had me engrossed for the time I spent within the pages of this book.
If you were an early starter like me, then you would have loved Akbar and Birbal like I did, then you will love reading this Birbal Mystery as well!
For more reviews visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)
Do come join us at For The Fictional Worlds Facebook Page
January 22, 2018
A wonderful read
Sharath has a way in his telling of a story. When I read his first book in the series Birbal mystery namely "Crows of Agra", I was impressed and I had a thought that he will produce a sequel to it. Well, he did. It's not exactly a sequel but it is. It follows the famous courtier Birbal's life after he solved the murder in the first book. The way he has changed, his looks, his dressing sense and people now refer to him as Raja Birbal. And he has a task on his hand again as there is another murder in the palace and that of Sujamal, the Rajput king.
Sharath's imagination, his story telling will force you to think of each suspect in the case as the real one. The conversation he makes Birbal have with all the royals of the palace is quite interesting.
If you haven't used your mind in a long time, you should definitely read it.
Waiting for the next in this series Sharath.
Sharath has a way in his telling of a story. When I read his first book in the series Birbal mystery namely "Crows of Agra", I was impressed and I had a thought that he will produce a sequel to it. Well, he did. It's not exactly a sequel but it is. It follows the famous courtier Birbal's life after he solved the murder in the first book. The way he has changed, his looks, his dressing sense and people now refer to him as Raja Birbal. And he has a task on his hand again as there is another murder in the palace and that of Sujamal, the Rajput king.
Sharath's imagination, his story telling will force you to think of each suspect in the case as the real one. The conversation he makes Birbal have with all the royals of the palace is quite interesting.
If you haven't used your mind in a long time, you should definitely read it.
Waiting for the next in this series Sharath.
March 9, 2018
We have all grown up reading Birbal stories. The brilliance of the minister has always astonished me. I used to wonder if these indeed are stories of the past or mere fictional crafts. While I got hold of the tree bears the witness I was initially apprehensive as to which category the book would come into. I even expected it to be a children's book.
Whether inspired from the earlier stories or a new creation from the author, I was pretty impressed with the work. To recreate an era which we have only read about is not an easy job. It doesn't give the liberty of imaginations while writing a mythological fiction as well.
The plot begins when Akbar marries Rajput princess Hira Kuwari and while the bride's family lives in Akbar's palace, Hira's cousin is murdered in the orchard of Akbar in front of two palace guards but there is no murderer. Right in front of the guards, Sujammal, whom the queen considered her own brother falls down dead with a knife sticking out of his chest. No murderer, no evidence, it is as if Sujammal killed himself or someone has shot a knife from a crossbow. Sujammal had numerous enemies one among whom is Hira's father himself. Nevertheless the arrow of suspicion is pointed towards Akbar. Hence he summons Birbal his trusted courtier to do an investigation on the murder so that he can prove his innocence in front of his new wife.
The title tree bears the witness reminds us of the Birbal story wherein the mango tree is called in as a witness. While we were of the impression that it is something that happened during the reign of Akbar, the discussion wherein the story if cited, suggests that it happened before the Mughal era. Well, now only the history bears the witness.
The twists and truns in the plot is pulled off naturally and with conviction. There is not a single instance where the readers might feel that ' it was not necessary'. Nonetheless, it could not be counted among an impeccable cliffhanger. For a regular reader of thrillers, the pattern of the story would be familiar. This is the best book to gift to someone who has started the reading habit so that they would have a base to start off. Lack of character craft is the major drawback of the book. Though Akbar and Birbal are known to everyone, others like Mansingh, Sujammal,etc could have been introduced in a better light.
Overall the book is a thriller that would be perfect to start with and a perfect one for the Birbal story lovers.
Whether inspired from the earlier stories or a new creation from the author, I was pretty impressed with the work. To recreate an era which we have only read about is not an easy job. It doesn't give the liberty of imaginations while writing a mythological fiction as well.
The plot begins when Akbar marries Rajput princess Hira Kuwari and while the bride's family lives in Akbar's palace, Hira's cousin is murdered in the orchard of Akbar in front of two palace guards but there is no murderer. Right in front of the guards, Sujammal, whom the queen considered her own brother falls down dead with a knife sticking out of his chest. No murderer, no evidence, it is as if Sujammal killed himself or someone has shot a knife from a crossbow. Sujammal had numerous enemies one among whom is Hira's father himself. Nevertheless the arrow of suspicion is pointed towards Akbar. Hence he summons Birbal his trusted courtier to do an investigation on the murder so that he can prove his innocence in front of his new wife.
The title tree bears the witness reminds us of the Birbal story wherein the mango tree is called in as a witness. While we were of the impression that it is something that happened during the reign of Akbar, the discussion wherein the story if cited, suggests that it happened before the Mughal era. Well, now only the history bears the witness.
The twists and truns in the plot is pulled off naturally and with conviction. There is not a single instance where the readers might feel that ' it was not necessary'. Nonetheless, it could not be counted among an impeccable cliffhanger. For a regular reader of thrillers, the pattern of the story would be familiar. This is the best book to gift to someone who has started the reading habit so that they would have a base to start off. Lack of character craft is the major drawback of the book. Though Akbar and Birbal are known to everyone, others like Mansingh, Sujammal,etc could have been introduced in a better light.
Overall the book is a thriller that would be perfect to start with and a perfect one for the Birbal story lovers.
May 31, 2020
‘In this problem, the biggest hurdle was teasing out how rather than the who. Once I found the answer to the former, the answer to the latter — as I expected it would — stood in front of me bare naked.’
It's been one year since the event of the last book. Akbar had now married to a Rajput princess, Hira Kunwari of Amber as the first stepping stone to solidify the Rajput-Mughal alliance to expand his empire, but the mysterious murder of the queen's brother Sujjamal jeopardize his plans.
No matter how hated Sujjamal had been in life, in death he deserved to be respected. Mourned. He was, after all, a royal prince, the true heir to the throne of Amer. Who knew what demons had lurked in his living mind? Perhaps a story could be told yet of the deception Raja Bharmal had carried out against him, in which Sujjamal would be the kind, loving brother that Hira Kunwari believed him to be.
The murder has taken place in the palace garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses see no one committing the heinous crime. So was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles, and cousin, who are guilty? Only the mango trees standing in the garden could tell that.
‘It is just a series of improbable events. In medicine, we have a saying. A rare disease is just rare. Three rare diseases afflicting the same man is impossible. Here you’re asking us to believe that a person climbed a bare wall that is twenty feet high, and from there, with nothing to support him, shot a knife at a moving target some forty feet away from him, and he did this with a crossbow. And he not only hit the mark but also hit him with enough accuracy to kill him.’
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks Mahesh Das, now commonly known as Raja Birbal --his most trusted courtier -- to solve the mystery. But the question is how will Birbal find the murderer if he doesn't know how the murder has been committed?
Review:
🔪The title is apt to the story and the cover is beautiful, but a cover with trees could have been more suitable. I liked the map of the imperial garden given inside the book for a better understanding of the setting.
🔪The book is set in the Mughal era of Agra, in which the author had beautifully crafted a murder mystery around the historical event of Sujjamal's death in his own words and give his own version of the story.
🔪The author's writing is charming, expressive, and to-the-point. The pacing of the plot is tight and the dialogues were intriguing. I must say he had improved a lot over the years.
🔪All the characters are immaculately crafted. Birbal is depicted as sharp and witty, his intellect will glued you to the book. Azgher, one of the witnessing guards is equally clever - a perfect counterpart of Birbal. Gulbadan Begu felt like a sidekick assistant to Birbal.
🔪The author had yet again successfully created a gripping murder mystery laced with subtle edgy suspense to keep the readers hooked till the end. This time both the identity and the method of the murder are totally unique and unexpected.
🔪The climax is surprising and unforeseen. More than who committed the murder how it was committed will completely blow your mind. The only thing I didn't like is that the motive is not clarified properly.
Overall The Tree Bears Witness was an interesting read for me. If you like suspense thriller & murder mysteries then this book is a perfect read for you. I highly recommend it.
My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's been one year since the event of the last book. Akbar had now married to a Rajput princess, Hira Kunwari of Amber as the first stepping stone to solidify the Rajput-Mughal alliance to expand his empire, but the mysterious murder of the queen's brother Sujjamal jeopardize his plans.
No matter how hated Sujjamal had been in life, in death he deserved to be respected. Mourned. He was, after all, a royal prince, the true heir to the throne of Amer. Who knew what demons had lurked in his living mind? Perhaps a story could be told yet of the deception Raja Bharmal had carried out against him, in which Sujjamal would be the kind, loving brother that Hira Kunwari believed him to be.
The murder has taken place in the palace garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses see no one committing the heinous crime. So was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles, and cousin, who are guilty? Only the mango trees standing in the garden could tell that.
‘It is just a series of improbable events. In medicine, we have a saying. A rare disease is just rare. Three rare diseases afflicting the same man is impossible. Here you’re asking us to believe that a person climbed a bare wall that is twenty feet high, and from there, with nothing to support him, shot a knife at a moving target some forty feet away from him, and he did this with a crossbow. And he not only hit the mark but also hit him with enough accuracy to kill him.’
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks Mahesh Das, now commonly known as Raja Birbal --his most trusted courtier -- to solve the mystery. But the question is how will Birbal find the murderer if he doesn't know how the murder has been committed?
Review:
🔪The title is apt to the story and the cover is beautiful, but a cover with trees could have been more suitable. I liked the map of the imperial garden given inside the book for a better understanding of the setting.
🔪The book is set in the Mughal era of Agra, in which the author had beautifully crafted a murder mystery around the historical event of Sujjamal's death in his own words and give his own version of the story.
🔪The author's writing is charming, expressive, and to-the-point. The pacing of the plot is tight and the dialogues were intriguing. I must say he had improved a lot over the years.
🔪All the characters are immaculately crafted. Birbal is depicted as sharp and witty, his intellect will glued you to the book. Azgher, one of the witnessing guards is equally clever - a perfect counterpart of Birbal. Gulbadan Begu felt like a sidekick assistant to Birbal.
🔪The author had yet again successfully created a gripping murder mystery laced with subtle edgy suspense to keep the readers hooked till the end. This time both the identity and the method of the murder are totally unique and unexpected.
🔪The climax is surprising and unforeseen. More than who committed the murder how it was committed will completely blow your mind. The only thing I didn't like is that the motive is not clarified properly.
Overall The Tree Bears Witness was an interesting read for me. If you like suspense thriller & murder mysteries then this book is a perfect read for you. I highly recommend it.
My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 16, 2018
Title: Tree Bears Witness
Author: Sharath Komarraju
Publisher: Westland Ltd
Published on: 17th November 2017
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 250
ISBN: 9386850443
BLURB
Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens.
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?
Set in a period that has been described as the golden age of the Mughals, the novel draws us into the royal court of Agra, abuzz with political intrigue, personal enmities and hidden rivalries, where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of the book Tree Bears Witness is very simple having an image of a back profile of a man going somewhere. The cover page is very simple in very subtle colours and is very apt with the story.
REVIEW
Tree Bears Witness - A Birbal Mystery is a very engaging book. It is a Birbal Mystery revolving around the Emperor Akbar and his wife's brother Sujjamal who was killed or he committed suicide. It was a great mystery which Birbal had to solve. Birbal who is one of the navratna of Emperor Akbar was given the task to solve this murder mystery which has so many Suspects and Birbal who is known as one of the most intelligent man solves this mystery.
The plot is simple, it is not having many twists but is very intriguing. It is tight and concrete. The characterization is very well developed and portrayed. The character of Birbal is very well portrayed and shown as one of the most intelligent man who never shies and always concerned to find the truth. The story is not so pacy, it moves at its own pace and can be easily finished in one sitting. The events are very well described. Each chapter has its own new revelations. There are various emotions shown which are penned beautifully and are marvelously laced that bind the story. The writing style of the author is simple and is flowing and there are few twists and turns which are really nicely penned down. The novel is set in the Mughal period and can be easily visualized. A very interesting and a full of suspense story.
Overall, an intriguing and a page turner book. I loved the book. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read a light suspense story.
* I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange of a review.
Check out the review on my blog https://taanyaahuja.blogspot.in/
Author: Sharath Komarraju
Publisher: Westland Ltd
Published on: 17th November 2017
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 250
ISBN: 9386850443
BLURB
Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens.
With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?
Set in a period that has been described as the golden age of the Mughals, the novel draws us into the royal court of Agra, abuzz with political intrigue, personal enmities and hidden rivalries, where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of the book Tree Bears Witness is very simple having an image of a back profile of a man going somewhere. The cover page is very simple in very subtle colours and is very apt with the story.
REVIEW
Tree Bears Witness - A Birbal Mystery is a very engaging book. It is a Birbal Mystery revolving around the Emperor Akbar and his wife's brother Sujjamal who was killed or he committed suicide. It was a great mystery which Birbal had to solve. Birbal who is one of the navratna of Emperor Akbar was given the task to solve this murder mystery which has so many Suspects and Birbal who is known as one of the most intelligent man solves this mystery.
The plot is simple, it is not having many twists but is very intriguing. It is tight and concrete. The characterization is very well developed and portrayed. The character of Birbal is very well portrayed and shown as one of the most intelligent man who never shies and always concerned to find the truth. The story is not so pacy, it moves at its own pace and can be easily finished in one sitting. The events are very well described. Each chapter has its own new revelations. There are various emotions shown which are penned beautifully and are marvelously laced that bind the story. The writing style of the author is simple and is flowing and there are few twists and turns which are really nicely penned down. The novel is set in the Mughal period and can be easily visualized. A very interesting and a full of suspense story.
Overall, an intriguing and a page turner book. I loved the book. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read a light suspense story.
* I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange of a review.
Check out the review on my blog https://taanyaahuja.blogspot.in/
May 27, 2018
Oh boy oh boy, what a wonderful suspense crime historical thriller. Once a while you come across authors, who are not as famous as they should be, writing some wonderful stories that's engaging and interesting.
The Tree.. is one such book. It brings back Birbal story written in eloquent manner that begs the author to write more.
The first 40% of the book is a gem. The build up, the characterization, voice of characters, historical setting are all top notch. There are few classic Birbal comments that reminded me of Amar Chitra Katha story line, that was a fan favourite during my childhood.
All the characters had their own voice, which is a rarity in Indian writing. In simple two sentence, the author gave us a glimpse of the character of the physician examining the corpse. The statement ‘one thing he did tell me was that either the knife or the head wound killed him.’ tells us that the physician is an expert and understands what he is doing.
What 4 stars then? Well, the only reason being the story dragged a little at around 60-70% of the book. I felt there was little need of conversations that didn't really add value to the story line. Could it have been avoided? If not, then what could have been added there, I wonder.
The climax was also good. It's not easy to pick out who committed the murder. There are multiple suspects and each had good reason to have committed the murder. That makes the story intriguing.
Overall, a very good read. Pick it up and enjoy the roller coaster ride.
The Tree.. is one such book. It brings back Birbal story written in eloquent manner that begs the author to write more.
The first 40% of the book is a gem. The build up, the characterization, voice of characters, historical setting are all top notch. There are few classic Birbal comments that reminded me of Amar Chitra Katha story line, that was a fan favourite during my childhood.
All the characters had their own voice, which is a rarity in Indian writing. In simple two sentence, the author gave us a glimpse of the character of the physician examining the corpse. The statement ‘one thing he did tell me was that either the knife or the head wound killed him.’ tells us that the physician is an expert and understands what he is doing.
What 4 stars then? Well, the only reason being the story dragged a little at around 60-70% of the book. I felt there was little need of conversations that didn't really add value to the story line. Could it have been avoided? If not, then what could have been added there, I wonder.
The climax was also good. It's not easy to pick out who committed the murder. There are multiple suspects and each had good reason to have committed the murder. That makes the story intriguing.
Overall, a very good read. Pick it up and enjoy the roller coaster ride.
April 28, 2022
I would like to rate the book as 3.5. It is quite well written and the plot is very good. The ambience of Akbar's court is very cool. I enjoyed the book like a ripe mango :). The great thing is that it is even better than the first one.
March 26, 2020
3.5 stars
January 13, 2018
Being an author, well-known for his refreshingly innovative ideas in fiction writing, Sharath Komarraju has made a successful attempt in this sequel by blindfolding the readers and letting them into an orchard to find and untie the knots of some invisible threads, tied around the trees that bear witness. Throughout the novel, the readers are let to have their own theories built, like castles in the air, and by the time the foundations are laid, the mystery is revealed in an unpredictable way. However, the only thing, commonly carried forward from "Crows of Agra" is to keep the man sharp of mind, closer, and giving him a weapon to wield for us in battle. And the same is brought out well. Overall, the sequel is a brilliant page-turner.
March 5, 2018
Actual Rating: 3.5
Being a keen enthusiast of the Mughal era this book interested me from the first time I heard about it. It is a whole new level to the Akbar Birbal stories that I've read and heard in my childhood. Sharath Komarraju weaves a skillful tale of mystery with a simple yet well structured writing style. Despite the easy writing the book keeps you hooked with its mysterious plot. Usually with any murder mystery the reader tends to try and guess the killer but in the case of this book the author manages you to mislead yourselves with a well written narrative and manages you to keep guessing till the last page. Sarath Komarraju's version of Birbal also reminded me of 'Hercule Poirot' at times due to their similar quirks. This was definitely a different experience for me as a mystery read lover as the book weaves history into the story.
The thing I disliked about this book though were the editorial mistakes in it when it came to describing the Rajput relations. For instance, the author at first describes Bhagwant Das(Queen's brother) as Sujjamal's uncle when in reality he was Sujjamal's cousin. In another instance he describes Bhagwant Das as the Queen's(Hira Kunwari) uncle when in fact he was her brother. While I understand that this is fiction what irked me the most was the author mentioning the correct relations in a few occasions and wrongly in others. I would have ignored the errors if they hadn't occurred more than once. This was the only part that hindered my reading experience. This editing mistake might have also been due to the fact that this was an ARC that I read and not a finished copy. It would have been a 4 star read if not for this.
While this is the second book in the Birbal series by the author and I haven't read the first one that didn't have any major effect on my reading experience. This book can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone without having to read the others in the series.
I would recommend this book to all the crime fiction enthusiasts looking for a light and quick read.
*Disclaimer: I was sent an ARC by Westland Publishers/Amazon Publishing for review, but all opinions stated are honest and unbiased.
Being a keen enthusiast of the Mughal era this book interested me from the first time I heard about it. It is a whole new level to the Akbar Birbal stories that I've read and heard in my childhood. Sharath Komarraju weaves a skillful tale of mystery with a simple yet well structured writing style. Despite the easy writing the book keeps you hooked with its mysterious plot. Usually with any murder mystery the reader tends to try and guess the killer but in the case of this book the author manages you to mislead yourselves with a well written narrative and manages you to keep guessing till the last page. Sarath Komarraju's version of Birbal also reminded me of 'Hercule Poirot' at times due to their similar quirks. This was definitely a different experience for me as a mystery read lover as the book weaves history into the story.
The thing I disliked about this book though were the editorial mistakes in it when it came to describing the Rajput relations. For instance, the author at first describes Bhagwant Das(Queen's brother) as Sujjamal's uncle when in reality he was Sujjamal's cousin. In another instance he describes Bhagwant Das as the Queen's(Hira Kunwari) uncle when in fact he was her brother. While I understand that this is fiction what irked me the most was the author mentioning the correct relations in a few occasions and wrongly in others. I would have ignored the errors if they hadn't occurred more than once. This was the only part that hindered my reading experience. This editing mistake might have also been due to the fact that this was an ARC that I read and not a finished copy. It would have been a 4 star read if not for this.
While this is the second book in the Birbal series by the author and I haven't read the first one that didn't have any major effect on my reading experience. This book can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone without having to read the others in the series.
I would recommend this book to all the crime fiction enthusiasts looking for a light and quick read.
*Disclaimer: I was sent an ARC by Westland Publishers/Amazon Publishing for review, but all opinions stated are honest and unbiased.
September 26, 2018
[ Detailed book review is available at: https://thinkerviews.com/books/englis... ]
I bought "The Tree Bears Witness" - A Birbal Mystery - a while ago from Amazon India, during a promotion; but got a chance to read it recently. It is comparatively a long book (usually, Birbal stories are smaller) where Sharath Komarraju (the author) tried exploring a murder mystery.
The Plot:
Emperor Akbar recently got married to Hira Kunwari. Most of the royal marriages are more of a political treaty and a promissory note amongst kingdoms. Eventually, the marriages may turn into the real bond of love between the husband and the wife, and it may happen that the things fall apart.
Hira Kunwari's relatives are also at the Palace of Akbar.
While two guards were doing their duties inside the palace, near a garden, they were approached by an influential figure, whom they let go inside. Actually, one of the guards don't know the person, but the other one identified him as Sujjamal. Being a relative to queen Hira Kunwari, Sujjamal is definitely an influential person and a guest who must be honored.
There happened something wrong when both the guards were in the conversation. Suddenly they hear (from the far) that Sujjamal's cry and eventually seen him getting stabbed also! Yes, Sujjamal is stabbed to death, but they couldn't see who did it!!! They ran towards Sujjamal and one of them has fainted midway! Sujjamal was taken to Hakim's place, but, he was declared dead.
The situation became very tricky in terms of political circumstances. If Hira Kunwari's relative doubt/believe that Sujjamal was assassinated by the emperor or his confidante, the political balance and relations between the Rajputs and the Mughals will be facing a storm.
The mystery needs to be solved at the earliest, and there is only one person the emperor could trust in such troublesome moments. That is Mahesh Das, aka Birbal.
How Birbal tries finding the clue in order to solve the mystery, is the rest of the book.
Views and Reviews:
The book is a good mystery which at places you may find stretched but never get bored of.
The mystery involves a large number of characters but the main on which you should keep a watch includes Akbar, Birbal, Azgher Abbasi, Rashid, Man Singh, Bhagwant Das, Sujjamal, Gulbadan Begum, Mirza Hakim, Nazneen, Raja Bharmal, Hira Kunwari to name a few. If you mix up them while reading with each other, probably you will not enjoy it properly. It is tough to write a mystery where a number of characters are involved and especially linked with each other. The author did a good job here.
Here are some of the character-defining lines from the book:
A man who is impossible to bribe, Mahesh Das, is a man that can be scared.
-----
Rajput women do not abandon their husbands no matter how grave the grievance.
The book has its own dose of Sarcasm:
Some dead people make the most charming companions. Way better than the living.
And here is an advise a lot of men need to remember:
A woman’s heart ought to be won over with patience, not snatched by force.
. The way the author weaved the components together is something worth going for. Also, the author is good at explaining scenes. Overall, I’ve enjoyed reading it.
Summary:
Overall a nice murder mystery which makes the reader nostalgic at times, a little long though.
Rating:
Around 7.5 stars out of 10.
I bought "The Tree Bears Witness" - A Birbal Mystery - a while ago from Amazon India, during a promotion; but got a chance to read it recently. It is comparatively a long book (usually, Birbal stories are smaller) where Sharath Komarraju (the author) tried exploring a murder mystery.
The Plot:
Emperor Akbar recently got married to Hira Kunwari. Most of the royal marriages are more of a political treaty and a promissory note amongst kingdoms. Eventually, the marriages may turn into the real bond of love between the husband and the wife, and it may happen that the things fall apart.
Hira Kunwari's relatives are also at the Palace of Akbar.
While two guards were doing their duties inside the palace, near a garden, they were approached by an influential figure, whom they let go inside. Actually, one of the guards don't know the person, but the other one identified him as Sujjamal. Being a relative to queen Hira Kunwari, Sujjamal is definitely an influential person and a guest who must be honored.
There happened something wrong when both the guards were in the conversation. Suddenly they hear (from the far) that Sujjamal's cry and eventually seen him getting stabbed also! Yes, Sujjamal is stabbed to death, but they couldn't see who did it!!! They ran towards Sujjamal and one of them has fainted midway! Sujjamal was taken to Hakim's place, but, he was declared dead.
The situation became very tricky in terms of political circumstances. If Hira Kunwari's relative doubt/believe that Sujjamal was assassinated by the emperor or his confidante, the political balance and relations between the Rajputs and the Mughals will be facing a storm.
The mystery needs to be solved at the earliest, and there is only one person the emperor could trust in such troublesome moments. That is Mahesh Das, aka Birbal.
How Birbal tries finding the clue in order to solve the mystery, is the rest of the book.
Views and Reviews:
The book is a good mystery which at places you may find stretched but never get bored of.
The mystery involves a large number of characters but the main on which you should keep a watch includes Akbar, Birbal, Azgher Abbasi, Rashid, Man Singh, Bhagwant Das, Sujjamal, Gulbadan Begum, Mirza Hakim, Nazneen, Raja Bharmal, Hira Kunwari to name a few. If you mix up them while reading with each other, probably you will not enjoy it properly. It is tough to write a mystery where a number of characters are involved and especially linked with each other. The author did a good job here.
Here are some of the character-defining lines from the book:
A man who is impossible to bribe, Mahesh Das, is a man that can be scared.
-----
Rajput women do not abandon their husbands no matter how grave the grievance.
The book has its own dose of Sarcasm:
Some dead people make the most charming companions. Way better than the living.
And here is an advise a lot of men need to remember:
A woman’s heart ought to be won over with patience, not snatched by force.
. The way the author weaved the components together is something worth going for. Also, the author is good at explaining scenes. Overall, I’ve enjoyed reading it.
Summary:
Overall a nice murder mystery which makes the reader nostalgic at times, a little long though.
Rating:
Around 7.5 stars out of 10.
November 28, 2017
I have read a lot of stories about Birbal mostly through Amar Chitra Katha comics. They were a few page affairs that mostly ended as quick as they begin. Probably the first time that i was with Birbal for a lot more than 100+ pages. It felt good for sometime at-least.
The moment i saw Birbal, mystery, author from Bangalore and a thick book i just picked it up. Definitely not disappointed. As usual i won't write about what the story is about... what would be the point? Plus i am not writing a review of this book and more of how much i enjoyed reading the book.
Interesting trivia about Birbal:
His original name was Mahesh Das from UP
He was one of the first convert to Din-i Ilahi a new religion founded by Akbar
He was killed in Pakistan in an ambush by Afghani tribesmen
To put things in perspective about the amount of work needed to put this in place
A. There are around 10 words per line
B. 20 lines per page on an average
C. 250 pages for the whole book
D. say 20 mins per page (i tried and it took longer and much horrible to read)
The whole effort would have needed 80+ hrs ( I am not even including the prep & research needed to put in 80 hr of work) This demands respect and i completely respect the author. To write a book with 50000 words for 250 pages that we are able to enjoy and finish.
Now that i have set some context, the synopsis of the book is as follows "Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens. With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?"
If that sounds interesting then pick it up. As simple as that.
Why did i find the book interesting
The flow of the book is smooth as a single malt on the rocks
The historic references and characters are done up without too much of natak.
An Indian author (i am a sucker for awesome books by Indian authors) hey why can't there be a write in India when there can be a make in India?
What could have been better
The book could have had more pages, it got over real quick
The book could have used Birbal more. i know i am being vague, but this is what i felt
Overall: A good read
The moment i saw Birbal, mystery, author from Bangalore and a thick book i just picked it up. Definitely not disappointed. As usual i won't write about what the story is about... what would be the point? Plus i am not writing a review of this book and more of how much i enjoyed reading the book.
Interesting trivia about Birbal:
His original name was Mahesh Das from UP
He was one of the first convert to Din-i Ilahi a new religion founded by Akbar
He was killed in Pakistan in an ambush by Afghani tribesmen
To put things in perspective about the amount of work needed to put this in place
A. There are around 10 words per line
B. 20 lines per page on an average
C. 250 pages for the whole book
D. say 20 mins per page (i tried and it took longer and much horrible to read)
The whole effort would have needed 80+ hrs ( I am not even including the prep & research needed to put in 80 hr of work) This demands respect and i completely respect the author. To write a book with 50000 words for 250 pages that we are able to enjoy and finish.
Now that i have set some context, the synopsis of the book is as follows "Barely a month has passed since the royal wedding of Emperor Akbar to the legendary Jodha, when the new queen’s brother, Sujjamal, is found murdered in the palace gardens. With his honour and reputation at stake, Akbar asks his trusted advisor Birbal to solve the mystery. The murder has taken place in a garden, at a spot between two mango trees, and the two guards who are eyewitnesses have conflicting versions of what could have happened. Was it suicide? Was it Akbar himself who ordered the killing or was it the Rajputs who accompanied Sujjamal, his uncles and cousin, who are guilty?"
If that sounds interesting then pick it up. As simple as that.
Why did i find the book interesting
The flow of the book is smooth as a single malt on the rocks
The historic references and characters are done up without too much of natak.
An Indian author (i am a sucker for awesome books by Indian authors) hey why can't there be a write in India when there can be a make in India?
What could have been better
The book could have had more pages, it got over real quick
The book could have used Birbal more. i know i am being vague, but this is what i felt
Overall: A good read
December 25, 2017
Wise is the one who doesn’t get influenced by anything…even by the truth
Tree Bears Witness (TBW), the name says it all. This Birbal mystery by Sharath Komarraju is an engaging suspense book. The building of the plot in interesting it keeps; as a reader you are compelled to get your grey cells to work.
Usually while reading a suspense book, we tend to get involved, we tend to get into this invisible race, to solve the mystery before we reach the conclusion. When you are unable to do that, accurately, you know that you have invested your time in a good book. The surprise element!!
TBW is a murder mystery and Birbal has been given the task find the murderer, who could be anyone from the top nobels in the court. And not to forget in two days. There are multiple suspects and everyone’s motives are equally convincing; how does Birbal lays his hands on the collars of real murderer is something to read about. Birbal also has to protect the innocent and that makes his investigation intense and honest.
The characterization is crystal clear, you can image the characters in your head. The tone of the story is not very aggressive, the pace throughout remains stable. Inspite of that, TBW is a page turner.
We all have an established image of Birbal – perhaps the most intelligent man. The author has depicted a young Birbal and his confusions, very aptly, and that’s what I really liked about the book. Yes, even Birbal can make errors in judgement, he is a human after all. This book is like the journey of Birbal in the making of the wise self he was.
Developing a mystery of this caliber is good, unveiling the mystery by getting into Birbal’s mind is equally commendable; that’s a big point scored Mr. Komarraju.
My takeaway: I am gonna read more of Komarraju’s books :P. It’s a simple complicated mystery folks …no takeaways here :D
My rating: 4 out of 5
I received a review copy of the book from Westland in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Tree Bears Witness (TBW), the name says it all. This Birbal mystery by Sharath Komarraju is an engaging suspense book. The building of the plot in interesting it keeps; as a reader you are compelled to get your grey cells to work.
Usually while reading a suspense book, we tend to get involved, we tend to get into this invisible race, to solve the mystery before we reach the conclusion. When you are unable to do that, accurately, you know that you have invested your time in a good book. The surprise element!!
TBW is a murder mystery and Birbal has been given the task find the murderer, who could be anyone from the top nobels in the court. And not to forget in two days. There are multiple suspects and everyone’s motives are equally convincing; how does Birbal lays his hands on the collars of real murderer is something to read about. Birbal also has to protect the innocent and that makes his investigation intense and honest.
The characterization is crystal clear, you can image the characters in your head. The tone of the story is not very aggressive, the pace throughout remains stable. Inspite of that, TBW is a page turner.
We all have an established image of Birbal – perhaps the most intelligent man. The author has depicted a young Birbal and his confusions, very aptly, and that’s what I really liked about the book. Yes, even Birbal can make errors in judgement, he is a human after all. This book is like the journey of Birbal in the making of the wise self he was.
Developing a mystery of this caliber is good, unveiling the mystery by getting into Birbal’s mind is equally commendable; that’s a big point scored Mr. Komarraju.
My takeaway: I am gonna read more of Komarraju’s books :P. It’s a simple complicated mystery folks …no takeaways here :D
My rating: 4 out of 5
I received a review copy of the book from Westland in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
December 4, 2017
"The Tree Bears Witness" is the second installment of A Birbal Mystery. After getting a place in the royal court and becoming a confidant of the Emperor, Birbal gets a chance to use his wits to solve another mystery again.
A few days passed since the marriage of Akbar with the Rajput princess Jodha and tragedy strikes in the form of the death of prince Sujjamal in the palace gardens. It is openly known that where Jodha loves her brother deeply, Akbar finds Sujjamal to be a traitor. When the death of Sujjamal indirectly points to him, Akbar gets worried about his growing distance with Jodha and the unrest within the Rajput community. He summons Birbal and asks him to solve the mystery within two days.
According to the two guards who were patrolling the garden; during the late night, the young prince walked into the garden and roamed around the fountain which was located between two mango trees as though he was waiting for someone. After a couple minutes the guards hear a yell and by the time they could reach the prince he was dead with a knife plunged into his heart behind one of the mango trees. Both the guards have two different opinions of what might have happened but it was clear that there was no murderer lurking around.
Birbal sharpens his wits and vows to find out the truth when one of the two guards; the old and loyal Azgher was arrested for the death of the prince to subdued the uproar. As the investigation progresses he finds confusing clues and many suspects with motives. His trust becomes shaken when he discovers the innocent guard turns out to be the one who tampered evidence. With the time running and motives multiplying Birbal realizes the only witness to the murder is the tree.
An interesting mystery which can be accompanied on a lazy afternoon.
A few days passed since the marriage of Akbar with the Rajput princess Jodha and tragedy strikes in the form of the death of prince Sujjamal in the palace gardens. It is openly known that where Jodha loves her brother deeply, Akbar finds Sujjamal to be a traitor. When the death of Sujjamal indirectly points to him, Akbar gets worried about his growing distance with Jodha and the unrest within the Rajput community. He summons Birbal and asks him to solve the mystery within two days.
According to the two guards who were patrolling the garden; during the late night, the young prince walked into the garden and roamed around the fountain which was located between two mango trees as though he was waiting for someone. After a couple minutes the guards hear a yell and by the time they could reach the prince he was dead with a knife plunged into his heart behind one of the mango trees. Both the guards have two different opinions of what might have happened but it was clear that there was no murderer lurking around.
Birbal sharpens his wits and vows to find out the truth when one of the two guards; the old and loyal Azgher was arrested for the death of the prince to subdued the uproar. As the investigation progresses he finds confusing clues and many suspects with motives. His trust becomes shaken when he discovers the innocent guard turns out to be the one who tampered evidence. With the time running and motives multiplying Birbal realizes the only witness to the murder is the tree.
An interesting mystery which can be accompanied on a lazy afternoon.
December 30, 2017
I am privileged that I was amongst few readers receiving review copies from Westland Publication. Write Club Bangalore should be thanked for this, as one fine day my mailbox featured a mail from Sharath (the author). How cool! Yes, super cool receiving mail from the author just before the release of the book. Everyone isn’t a history buff or a history fan. We believed what the books taught us certifying it as boring. We believed what the television series telecasted approving it as fact. We believed what directors projected on the big screen certifying it as controversial. Well, I remember Sujjamal, as Sonu Sood from the movie Jodha Akbar 😛
This novel takes you back to the royal gardens featuring the mysterious death of Sujjamal. Every chapter describes that horrific night distinctly. Of course, we know what happened, relating to the movie we saw and the stories we heard. But, the author has described the tales of Akbar-Birbal amidst the murder mystery. Every character has been well-defined in the plot, ranging from the royal gardens to the royal guards. At some point of time, you would start feeling bad for the older royal guard as every interrogation challenge his memory. The fact that the novel featured was it is essential to be dressed royally, even at the time of emergency.
‘Why do you smile in that fashion, Birbal? Does it amuse you that the king of the land must also care about how he looks?’
With Birbal by the side, no mystery can be left unsolved and no one could be punished for the act. The novel would keep the readers guessing about the murdered till the end. This novel was one of my first historical event read of the year.
‘He who thinks knows much knows nothing’
I would like to thank Sharath for trusting me with the book and Westland Books for providing the review copy of the novel.
This novel takes you back to the royal gardens featuring the mysterious death of Sujjamal. Every chapter describes that horrific night distinctly. Of course, we know what happened, relating to the movie we saw and the stories we heard. But, the author has described the tales of Akbar-Birbal amidst the murder mystery. Every character has been well-defined in the plot, ranging from the royal gardens to the royal guards. At some point of time, you would start feeling bad for the older royal guard as every interrogation challenge his memory. The fact that the novel featured was it is essential to be dressed royally, even at the time of emergency.
‘Why do you smile in that fashion, Birbal? Does it amuse you that the king of the land must also care about how he looks?’
With Birbal by the side, no mystery can be left unsolved and no one could be punished for the act. The novel would keep the readers guessing about the murdered till the end. This novel was one of my first historical event read of the year.
‘He who thinks knows much knows nothing’
I would like to thank Sharath for trusting me with the book and Westland Books for providing the review copy of the novel.
April 26, 2018
Set in the Mughal Age, this novel is an episode where King Akbar’s new wife’s brother Sujjamal is murdered in the Mughal Gardens itself. The murder is a mystery since it has only two witnesses in the form of the guards who again have conflicting views about the murder. King Akbar then entrusts this job to find out who the murderer is and how the murder was done to his loyal courtier Birbal.
The whole story revolves around this mystery and how does Birbal go about solving the murder and nail the killer.
The story is fast paced, with easy vocabulary making the reading a breeze. Every chapter ends with an interesting tale and you will tend to move over to the next chapter immediately to see what evolves next.
The story doesn’t deviate from the main plot, it is focussed and the author seems to have a clear picture of his story, does not make it confusing at all. The writing of the author is commendable since one can actually visualise himself in the Mughal Darbar during their conference in the end when the murderer is about to be revealed.
The characters, the plot, the phrases all twine up really well to make it a good story to read. There is mystery, suspense, action, politics, though it could have done a bit to include some romance and humour to the story to make it more entertaining, but then it’s the authors style to keep the reader hooked up to the main plot and not deviate from the subject.
All in all, a good easy book to read, a book which won’t require the use of a dictionary, a book which even an amateur reader would love to get indulged in. The end is difficult to predict, the suspense gets revealed only in the very end.
The book I would surely recommend to all readers, it does make a light, entertaining read and will make your brain think about quite a few times.
The whole story revolves around this mystery and how does Birbal go about solving the murder and nail the killer.
The story is fast paced, with easy vocabulary making the reading a breeze. Every chapter ends with an interesting tale and you will tend to move over to the next chapter immediately to see what evolves next.
The story doesn’t deviate from the main plot, it is focussed and the author seems to have a clear picture of his story, does not make it confusing at all. The writing of the author is commendable since one can actually visualise himself in the Mughal Darbar during their conference in the end when the murderer is about to be revealed.
The characters, the plot, the phrases all twine up really well to make it a good story to read. There is mystery, suspense, action, politics, though it could have done a bit to include some romance and humour to the story to make it more entertaining, but then it’s the authors style to keep the reader hooked up to the main plot and not deviate from the subject.
All in all, a good easy book to read, a book which won’t require the use of a dictionary, a book which even an amateur reader would love to get indulged in. The end is difficult to predict, the suspense gets revealed only in the very end.
The book I would surely recommend to all readers, it does make a light, entertaining read and will make your brain think about quite a few times.
May 14, 2018
Akbar-Birbal have been interesting characters for kids over the years for folklore stories. In this book, the writer takes the same characters and weaves a suspense story around them. The writing is simple and easy flowing, with the book being a quick read. There are clues left along the narrative and if the reader is an avid suspense genre lover, then the climax can be easily guessed. The writer provides only the right amount of description of the times of the Moghuls and doesn’t go overboard. The book also gives good insights into how crimes were investigated in past years. It is also interesting how the tree finally provides the much needed clue when all other witnesses seem to cause confusion. There are some loose ends which fail to make sense but if they can be ignored, the book makes for a good one time read.
Full review here:
https://medium.com/@kiranmayi.g/book-...
Full review here:
https://medium.com/@kiranmayi.g/book-...
January 22, 2018
Rating- 4.5/5
The story is set during the golden era of Mughal dynasty under the leadership of Emperor Akbar. Few weeks after Akbar got married to Rajput princess Hira Kunwari to form an alliance between the Rajputs & Mughals, the newlywed queen’s brother, Sujjamal is found dead at the palace gardens under mysterious circumstances. With the alliance in danger & the reputation of Mughal dynasty under radar, Akbar seeks help from his favorite courtier Mahesh Das AKA Raja Birbal. As he investigates he finds out that the body was found between 2 mango trees & the 2 guards who witnessed the act had no idea whatsoever how & who could’ve done the deed as they didn’t saw anyone else near Sujjamal.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
The story is set during the golden era of Mughal dynasty under the leadership of Emperor Akbar. Few weeks after Akbar got married to Rajput princess Hira Kunwari to form an alliance between the Rajputs & Mughals, the newlywed queen’s brother, Sujjamal is found dead at the palace gardens under mysterious circumstances. With the alliance in danger & the reputation of Mughal dynasty under radar, Akbar seeks help from his favorite courtier Mahesh Das AKA Raja Birbal. As he investigates he finds out that the body was found between 2 mango trees & the 2 guards who witnessed the act had no idea whatsoever how & who could’ve done the deed as they didn’t saw anyone else near Sujjamal.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
April 13, 2018
I received a free review copy of this book, alongwith a letter from the Marketing department of Westland Publications Pvt. Ltd. mentioning to share the feedback. Though I was a bit late to finish reading the book, but sharing feedback is almost an obligation to me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. What seemed like an impossible murder mystery in the beginning, came to a logical conclusion at the end. Set in the Mughal era, the famous courtier of Emperor Akbar, Birbal, fitted the missing pieces of the puzzle with sheer intellect. I am a huge admirer of Komarraju's writing and this book has only served to kindle that admiration further. Komarraju's writing style is lucid as usual. This novel has proved that he can be the Agatha Christie of India.
November 29, 2017
#review copy
There are two things I appreciate the most in a story book.. They are its plot and its use of language. Sharath Komarraju usually scores well on both points. The present book is very well-knit. No wastage of time. No extra information to unnecessarily baffle the reader. The language borders on the elegance of classics. The plot is neat, intriguing and it is definitely a page-turner.
BUT, I found the solution predictable. Moreover, the motive of the culprit is not made clear at all. The readers can only keep guessing, which is a weak point for the mystery genre.
Overall, a good, entertaining ,brief ,refreshing read. But not as good as Murder in Amravati.
There are two things I appreciate the most in a story book.. They are its plot and its use of language. Sharath Komarraju usually scores well on both points. The present book is very well-knit. No wastage of time. No extra information to unnecessarily baffle the reader. The language borders on the elegance of classics. The plot is neat, intriguing and it is definitely a page-turner.
BUT, I found the solution predictable. Moreover, the motive of the culprit is not made clear at all. The readers can only keep guessing, which is a weak point for the mystery genre.
Overall, a good, entertaining ,brief ,refreshing read. But not as good as Murder in Amravati.
December 24, 2017
Sharath Komarraju's book Tree Bears Witness was released last month and I just copy last evening. Liked it so much, I finished it in a single sitting. So what's the book all about?
Emperor Akbar has just married the Rajput princess Hira Kunwari and one of the wedding guests ends up dead. The man, Sujjamal is also the princess's favorite brother but disliked by most of the party. That he is found dead in mysterious circumstances in his own palace could have serious implications on the political and personal life of the King.
Read the complete review on my blog
Emperor Akbar has just married the Rajput princess Hira Kunwari and one of the wedding guests ends up dead. The man, Sujjamal is also the princess's favorite brother but disliked by most of the party. That he is found dead in mysterious circumstances in his own palace could have serious implications on the political and personal life of the King.
Read the complete review on my blog
December 3, 2017
If there can be so many tales written by others about Sherlock Holmes, why do we not have more tales about Birbal, Tenali Raman and so on? Sharath Komarraju's 'The Tree Bears Witness' fills this need and is a great read, and reminded me of Agatha Christie. The language is good and tempo is well-maintained, though I felt the crucial clue could have been revealed later in the plot.
With suspense, wit, history, and well-written characters, it is a great read that reveals Sharath Komarraju’s growing talent. Now can we hope for more Birbal stories, possibly with some witticisms this time?
With suspense, wit, history, and well-written characters, it is a great read that reveals Sharath Komarraju’s growing talent. Now can we hope for more Birbal stories, possibly with some witticisms this time?
July 6, 2018
The book is in the lines of Madhulika Liddle's Muzaffar Jung series with Birbal playing the central character of a detective. While the plot in the book is adequately complex and the narration is fast paced, there could have been more attention to detail. For instance, the city and its surroundings could have been a bit more elaborately described. Since the investigation is mostly in the palace or with royals, the book does not provide a glimpse of the life outside.
Overall, the book is a good read and recommended for people who like reading about the Mughal era.
Overall, the book is a good read and recommended for people who like reading about the Mughal era.
December 5, 2017
Very well written mystery fiction set in the time of Akbar, suitable for all ages. The books takes you to the days of Akbar the Great and gives you a vivid picture of the Emperor's palace and the lives of people living in it, some of them really interesting. It also portrays, very convincingly, the relationship between Akbar and Birbal. However, these are, but bonuses. The plot itself is a very clever one. You would have to be cleverer than Birbal to guess whodunnit. Very enjoyable reading.
December 17, 2017
The book has an interesting plot where things are coupled tightly. The death of the queen's brother triggers a set of fascinating events governed by the deep rooted relationships and principles of the royals.
The best part being it seemed like an Indian version of Agatha Christie's "Hercule Poirot" wherein our favourite childhood hero Birbal takes the charge.
A wonderful plot, accompanied by the right set of words provides a really good experience.
The best part being it seemed like an Indian version of Agatha Christie's "Hercule Poirot" wherein our favourite childhood hero Birbal takes the charge.
A wonderful plot, accompanied by the right set of words provides a really good experience.
November 15, 2020
No doubt a good book
I've read this with a lot of skepticism after coming across many positive reviews. While some parts of the tale are predictable, the order in which events take place is interesting. I especially love Gulbadan's character and the relationship between Akbar and Birbal (unlike how it is projected in several short stories). Happy for an emerging Indian author with a lot of promise.
I've read this with a lot of skepticism after coming across many positive reviews. While some parts of the tale are predictable, the order in which events take place is interesting. I especially love Gulbadan's character and the relationship between Akbar and Birbal (unlike how it is projected in several short stories). Happy for an emerging Indian author with a lot of promise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews