While the clock is ticking fast and the city is in a state of shock, how long will it take Rishi to trace a little girl? Will Rishi be able to give justice to a heartbroken Amol who has lost his married daughter under mysterious circumstances? Where and for what her whole family has vanished from their house one fine night while Radha was away? The truth can often be strange and shocking. Not everyone has the heart to handle it. A collection of short stories, The Good, the Bad and the Unknown takes the reader into the minds of criminals and police officers. Gripping and unputdownable in its storytelling, the collection depicts not only the seedy underbelly of our society but also tries to show what motives people around us and people like us have to take up a life of crime. All the characters in the stories-be it the grandmother who finds a dead body in her house or the farmer whose crops are burnt down or even a petty thief-have layers to their personalities, where truth and fiction can barely be discerned. Each story portrays various shades of human behaviour-guilt, rage, love, greed, vengeance and fear-and offers many versions of the truth; the protagonist(s) and even the readers have to rely on their wits to make sense of this twisted world around them. The Good, the Bad and the Unknown has a universal appeal to it as it reflects the unravelling of the deepest and darkest human emotions through the most unlikely of characters.
Short stories, where you can’t really get your teeth in the story, always feel a little ‘lesser’ to me than novels. Having said this, The Good, the Bad and the Unknown by Raj Tilak Roushan proved to be fun and light. The prefect thing when you want something easy and entertaining.
In this book, The Good, the Bad and the Unknown, author Raj Tilak Roushan puts together a collection of short stories featuring his engaging hero and a police officer Rishi. Here you will find tales of Rishi solving crimes of different degrees in different places.
The thing about any story in this collection is that the plot is the least of it. The twists and turns are there alright, and pretty satisfying too, but that’s not what keeps bringing me back to visit author Raj Tilak Roushan's world of crime. The big thing - the constant draw – is the descriptions of the people and of the place.
The characters are a broad mix, from the posh and pompous to the snarky and mean and then the downright nasty. It’s the dialogue that brings them alive: broad use of the vernacular, a dry humour never far from the lips and the effortless authenticity of the banter. It just feels right. And the place - the city itself – with its big old houses, long broad avenues but also dim unseen spaces and damp rotting rooms is a huge presence in these stories. The descriptions are bristling with detail and atmosphere. It’s to the dark underbelly of the city that author likes to take us, ever reminding us that behind the city’s bright façade there lurks something else, something ugly.
Each story in The Good, the Bad and the Unknown is just a small, non-significant mystery that Rishi has to solve, some of which could be featured as side-plots in a fully-formed novel. With these stories you gain an insight in to author Raj Tilak Roushan himself, the people he works with and against.
The 18 stories flew by far too fast. It would feel churlish to single out favourites, so I won’t try. The overall quality is very high. The mood of the pieces varies: some stories are light and wryly amusing, others dark and unnerving. Most are of typical short story length but there a few one longer tales here too. My feeling is that this collection is best read over an extended period, allowing space for the individual stories to breathe. I think there’s just too much density to the tales to allow constant immersion in this collection. And why spoil it, take your time and make it last.
Great crime fiction often should serve as an exploration of larger social problems. But that exploration should come naturally out of the events of the story, and the ramifications of those events should be left to the reader to reflect upon.
Police Officer Rishi's strength comes from his ordinariness. Many famous detectives have flaws or quirks, but very few are as believable and complex as Rishi. He doesn’t suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. He’s not a super genius. He’s just a man. In the midst of dealing with tracking down murderers and criminals, he also has to contend with the mundane problems of everyday life. And author Raj Tilak Roushan's straightforward prose doesn't try to impart any more drama to these events than they deserve. Their ability to draw us in is largely in their normalcy.
The 18 stories in the collection The Good, the Bad and the Unknown are set portraying Rishi at various stages from his earliest months as a police officer. From the very first story, Rishi will make the strong impression on readers' mind; in which Rishi independently and somewhat recklessly endeavours to find a missing family and subsequently solves a drug racket. It's intriguing to witness Rishi solving crime and bringing justice to the wrong doers.
The shorter form places more emphasis on the plot than on interminable social concerns – which are a key concern for several crime authors but which can get a bit tiresome when they overshadow the story. In this collection, each mystery is satisfactorily balanced by insights into Rishi's quirky personal life without getting bogged down. Each of the stories showcases an intriguing investigation – they’re worth reading.
The Good, the Bad and the Unknown by Raj Tilak Roushan contains 18 crime stories, which set the stage for Police Officer Rishi, which I've thoroughly enjoyed. The stories here, which follow Rishi from his career's early days, are eminently readable - I eagerly went from one to the next and finished the book quickly. Rishi is a fully realized character. Maybe that's because Author Raj Tilak is an IPS Officer himself. The icing on the cake here is detailed police procedurals which add an element of puzzle-solving.
There are many twists and turns in this collection; sometimes readers will be surprised by witnessing the turn story takes. And they provide an atmosphere of what it was like to be a crime solving police officer.
All the short stories in this collection are stand alone, but follow the life of Officer Rishi. The stories are interesting and keep the reader's attention. A relatively quick and easy read! If you are looking to get lost in the puzzled landscape with one crime after another, I highly recommend The Good, the Bad and the Unknown by Raj Tilak Roushan.
The Good, the Bad and the Unknown by Raj Tilak Roushan is a collection of 18 crime short stories. It begins with young Police Officer Rishi's first case and follows his career thereafter. The short stories all stand alone, but follow the life of Rishi. The stories are interesting and keep the reader's attention.
Although the stories are about crime solving, they are unmistakably Rishi's stories. He takes unnecessary personal risks. He knows he shouldn't, but he does it anyway. He's a very good at solving crime and he knows that too. Events in his job affect him emotionally. He has lapses in confidence.
Normally, I prefer novels to short stories almost without exception. In this case, I thought the stories were just fine. In a way reading the group of stories together, it seemed as if each was a chapter in Rishi's life. A relatively quick and easy read!
The Good, the Bad and the Unknown by Raj Tilak Roushan has 18 stories of varying lengths that capture different cases of Rishi's career starting with a missing family and drug cartel. The stories itself are engrossing and well written.
I liked the way the characters are portrayed. They are not perfect, in fact they are all flawed in their own way. Rishi's workaholic nature, inability to turn his mind off his case all come out during the book. I also appreciated the fact that the book made some cases move quickly while others were drawn out. There is no individual brilliance(like Poirot) or some systematic explanation of how the detective came to the solution (like Sherlock Holmes).
There was definitely some good detective work. But, there are things that happen because of one or the other character's intuition (I would imagine that experience gets you that) and there were cases where they were downright lucky. Raj Tilak Roushan does not downplay this and that is something I loved as well. Finally there are some nuggets of social commentary and personal observation in the book, that make this book even more compelling.
This book takes us through the experiences of an IPS officer who tries to bring in community centric approach to policing. The book beautifully highlights various facets of crimes as well as mindsets of criminals. It emphasises the change police officers can bring about at individual level if they are committed to their duties and responsibilities. The book has ample humor and emotions which keeps you on toes while reading the book.
This book is an important read for all those who want to have an overview of our policing system and it helps break many preconceived notions. Contrary to the perception of a common man that police officials are corrupt and lethargic the book highlights as to how police officials are always expected to go an extra mile while discharging their duties. From managing law and order to providing ' bandobast',they are expected to work as counsellors for complainants as well as criminals!!!! It also highlights the tremendous responsibility our young IPS officers have to transform this archaic colonial administrative system.
Finally the book raises many questions as well... Is our police force properly equipped especially interms of manpower and training to cater to these expectations ??? Are our laws being made in isolation without thinking about its proper implementation?? Is it so easy in our country for an individual to file false case against anybody and get away with it????What should be the role of police officials as they are responsible for the implementation of these laws???
“Lalit, what is that noise outside? What is it with that lady?” enquired Rishi, a supervisory official of the police station at Damiya. “Sahab, She is a mad woman. I can’t recall her name but she often comes to the police station,” replied Junior officer Lalit to the senior officer.
The quote is from one of the stories that depict the approach of a junior officer towards the victim having suspicious behaviour towards her husband and his friends.
Often people in Maharashtra villages say “Shahnyane Police Stationchi Payri Chadu Naye” (a matured person should not step in the police station). Identity ‘a mad woman’ used by Lalit shows his way to deal with the case of a woman probably diagnosed with mental illness. It has somehow become a culture to treat victims with humiliation in the police offices, especially at police stations. However, the book is an indication that officers like the author are rays of hope.
The “Good, the Bad and the Unknown: Deep, Dark and Captivating Crime Stories from India” (Bloomsbury) by Raj Tilak Roushan, a young IPS (Indian Police Service) officer, is a compilation of 18 inter-connected short stories published internationally in January 2020. The book vividly paints the nuances of police procedurals through a protagonist officer Rishi. On reading, you can make out that they are all real case studies wherein lies the strength of the author.
Insights It is an eclectic mix of crime stories that deal with women, child abuse, old age, youth, robbery, extramarital affairs, murder, issues in religious festivals, drug addiction, mental health etc. Each story is laced with some message, but always subtle and not loud. Primarily they retain the charm of story-telling.
‘Pumped’ paints a poignant and dreamy picture of the addiction trap that makes serial criminals out of young boys. Some excerpts are:
“I am not sure if I miss the people who were here the last time I came, whom I don’t see at this place anymore. But they are always in my head, jumping and shrieking, constantly recurring as a nightmare.”
“I vividly remember that day. We had gotten hooked forever. I was jumping from cloud to cloud, touching the rainbow and absorbing all the colours it had to offer.”
In ‘Missing’ a girl elopes with her boyfriend and gets married. However, the mother files a missing complaint, which is general practice in society in such cases. It portrays a carefully balanced interplay of human emotions, legal positions and social constructs. ‘The Unholy Affair’ brings out the complexity of extramarital affairs along with the nuances of the interrogation process.
Sensitivity ‘Oh God! Not again’ tests the acceptance, patience and sensitivity of the system on mental health issues. ‘The Child Who Grew Up Too Fast’ invites the attention towards juvenile care and protection which requires a compassionate approach to deliver justice. Nevertheless, it still remains a tough task to deal with these issues even for a sensitive and efficient officer. ‘The Lost Hour(s)’ might feel you lost. It makes you think of myriad possibilities on every page you flip through. The story lingers on in your mind long after you have finished it. It ends on an almost impossible to guess note.
Analysis and Discussion The interesting part of this book is that it takes you through nuances of cases, ups and downs of emotions and the sensitivity of the protagonist officer. The approach of Rishi to deal with the cases builds immense respect for police officers as socially committed individuals. Therefore, probably this book changes your perspective about police officers due to morality, empathy and sensitivity shown by the author who is a senior officer in police service.
However, on a critical note, the book skips mentioning rancid forms of corruption in the police. There are many examples in society that top officers keep away from everyday corruption since they are committed passionately to contribute to society but the dark fact of the public service system including the police is that corruption is there. Though it is not only prevalent in the police almost every public office. Unfortunately, police get highlighted since they are working at the cutting edge level to maintain law and order in favour of society. Out of 18 cases, you won’t find the cases of atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis, which is one of the dark realities of Indian caste society.
However, the book lays down the path of an officer who follows a ground approach to deliver justice. Readers are forced to think about how difficult the job of such police officers is. You get that haunting feel in ‘The Last Ganapati’ thus - “She stood up, folded her hands and spoke in a poignant voice before turning around to leave, still maintaining her composure, ‘Sahab, I have faith in you. A mother is begging you. Please help me.” “Don’t worry. I will take care of it,’ replied Rishi and then walked the women out of his chamber. He might have to come to terms with the fact that he was going to break these women’s hearts despite assuring them that he wouldn’t”.
Being an important pillar of the justice system, police functions with multiple responsibilities to ensure that justice is delivered. However, the book also brings to fore the prevalent scenarios of how the individuals feel when they claim to be victims but in reality, they are not. In such situations, police also find itself in a dilemma.
The language of the book is easy. However, it is unputdownable with powerful plots, embedded with suspense and thrill, and written in a style of conversation with free-flowing dialogues. As a reader, you feel as if you are present there, the stories taking place in front of your eyes. The book resonates with positive vibrations throughout. Give yourself enough time to think after each story. You will discover a lot.
The Good, the Bad and the Unknown: Deep, Dark and Captivating Crime Stories from India by Raj Tilak Roushan, New Delhi: Bloomsbury, 2020; ₹399.
When I bought this book, I had expected typical crime stories with an expert criminal and an extraordinary detective brilliantly and almost miraculously solving cases. What I found instead was an ordinary man called Rishi, with a somewhat troubled childhood, just trying to get through the day and do his job properly. Not that I don't like extraordinary genius detectives solving cases, it's just that with the abundance of them available in stories, Rishi was a pleasant surprise. The only extraordinary trait in him, besides his will to help every person he can, is his determination. No matter whether it takes him a day, a week, or months to solve a case, he doesn't give up.
The Good, the Bad and the Unknown by Raj Tilak Roushan is a collection of 18 short stories that follow Police Officer Rishi through his career. All the stories in this collection are standalone, although a couple of them refer to characters from previous stories directly or indirectly.
The stories were all intriguing and many of them were indeed thought-provoking, in that they captured an aspect of our society that we had either not known or not paid much attention to.
Another thing that makes this book stand apart is that it gives us a closer peek into the daily workings of the police department. It not only talks about the big crimes that require serious legal action or investigation but also highlights how people bring their daily, trivial matters to the police, hoping they'd act as a mediator and resolve the problems that they themselves couldn't.
The book helped portray the police as more humane, and more directly involved in people's day to day life, which sharply contrasts with the image people generally have of them being harsh, distant, uncaring, and only getting involved when there's a serious crime involved like theft, murder or kidnapping. I think it helps that the book is written by an IPS officer, a person who has seen and lived the life of a police officer and has a good understanding of what he is talking about.
Incredible read - The book has all the ingredients to make it to one of the best read in life !!! . Scripted so well , you feel as if you are part of the story . Well done Raj !!! Craving to have more from you !!!!
Beautifully written, interesting stores. A very good crime thriller book written in a simplified way for even someone who does not read or has concentration issues can read and comprehend.