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SHADOWS LIE
"One stormy night in 1958, two deaths rock Edward’s ancestral island home. His wife, Isabella dies of poisoning; and in the backyard, a young man is hung naked from a tamarind tree. On the same night, a local communist party worker, who was planning to elope with his lover, goes missing.
Edward’s noble catholic family no longer seems to be what they appeared to be. Every member in the household holds a grudge or a secret.
- Susanna would do anything to marry the man she loved.
- Ely, the young maid abused by her master is yet to forgive him.
- Ursula has a secret that comes back to haunt her after years of silence.
- The beautiful Bhadra, rumoured to be ageless, lives in a shadowless world of sorcery - across the river in a forbidden estate, hidden beyond a scared serpent grove.
Crime Inspector Madhav reaches the island to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the communist party worker, but finds himself quickly sucked into the intrigue of the land. Madhav comes across a pair of strange cards with seemingly meaningless words that lay trampled below the tamarind tree, where the lifeless naked body of the young man dangled some nights ago.
But can Madhav unravel the mystery, as each elusive shadow that flickers around him lies?"
Edward’s noble catholic family no longer seems to be what they appeared to be. Every member in the household holds a grudge or a secret.
- Susanna would do anything to marry the man she loved.
- Ely, the young maid abused by her master is yet to forgive him.
- Ursula has a secret that comes back to haunt her after years of silence.
- The beautiful Bhadra, rumoured to be ageless, lives in a shadowless world of sorcery - across the river in a forbidden estate, hidden beyond a scared serpent grove.
Crime Inspector Madhav reaches the island to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the communist party worker, but finds himself quickly sucked into the intrigue of the land. Madhav comes across a pair of strange cards with seemingly meaningless words that lay trampled below the tamarind tree, where the lifeless naked body of the young man dangled some nights ago.
But can Madhav unravel the mystery, as each elusive shadow that flickers around him lies?"
274 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 15, 2019
Few lines of Prologue and you already want to know why Isabella got poisoned milk. Who gave it to her ?
Prologue is beautifully made, to keep reader at the edge for the story that is to be unraveled in these remaining 270 pages.
I can't write story without giving away *spoilers*
The story revolves around (mostly) in Kollam, within people living in Plackal Bungalow. 3 Murders, conspiracies and Politics of Indo-Norwegian project, Extramarital Love, Lust that can have ill effect, a place called Nambiar Illam considered as bad omen and a Mystery to solve by Crime Inspector Madhav.
There are some 'lust' depicting scenes (which I personally don't like reading), but author has made sure the scenes is just a paragraph long and it surely has a big effect on some or other characters from the novel.
ONLY thing that didn't worked out with me in starting was, TO MANY NAMES to remember :-/ and used a pencil to ark them & their relation with each other. But asap I got to second chapter I knew who was who.
Full review at https://smileaturself.wordpress.com/2...
Prologue is beautifully made, to keep reader at the edge for the story that is to be unraveled in these remaining 270 pages.
I can't write story without giving away *spoilers*
The story revolves around (mostly) in Kollam, within people living in Plackal Bungalow. 3 Murders, conspiracies and Politics of Indo-Norwegian project, Extramarital Love, Lust that can have ill effect, a place called Nambiar Illam considered as bad omen and a Mystery to solve by Crime Inspector Madhav.
There are some 'lust' depicting scenes (which I personally don't like reading), but author has made sure the scenes is just a paragraph long and it surely has a big effect on some or other characters from the novel.
ONLY thing that didn't worked out with me in starting was, TO MANY NAMES to remember :-/ and used a pencil to ark them & their relation with each other. But asap I got to second chapter I knew who was who.
Full review at https://smileaturself.wordpress.com/2...
January 20, 2018
I was in love with the book almost till the last chapter, but the climax let me down. It didn't do justice to the build up at all!
But what a lovely plot. It has everything - there are secrets, there are murders, there's passion, there's politics, there's young love, there's mystery! And all in good proportion. The book is gripping till the end. The Indo-Norwegian project forms a perfect backdrop for all that is going on.
I really wish the end was better though.
Still, recommended one time read.
But what a lovely plot. It has everything - there are secrets, there are murders, there's passion, there's politics, there's young love, there's mystery! And all in good proportion. The book is gripping till the end. The Indo-Norwegian project forms a perfect backdrop for all that is going on.
I really wish the end was better though.
Still, recommended one time read.
January 21, 2021
The story narration is exceptional, it flips between present and past pretty easily without causing much confusion. However i am not really convinced by the execution of the killings. I feel a few questions are unanswered after such a marvelous reading experience.
May 31, 2018
5/5 Review coming soon
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews