THE ZAMINDAR'S GHOST BY KHAYAAL PATEL

-

BOOK NAME:  THE ZAMINDAR'S GHOST

AUTHOR NAME: KHAYAAL PATEL

GENRE: MURDER MYSTERY

PUBLISHER: HARPERCOLLINS INDIA

BOOK BUY LINK : https://www.amazon.in/Zamindars-Ghost-Khayaal-Patel/dp/9356993025




BOOK COVER IMAGE:





BOOK REVIEW:

It's the year 1933, and the sleepy town of Ooty is beaming with tea estates, beautiful landscapes and haunted bungalows. The late Zamindar's son, Arjun Rana, who was presumed dead, returns mysteriously after six years of his disappearance. None other than his only surviving family member, his wife, Archana Rana, awaits his return in his haunted manor. Arjun also reunites with his childhood friend, Ishita and his teacher, Sharvani Mehra.


After Arjun's return, Ooty turns dull and disastrous with a series of murders that don't seem to have any motive. Some suspect the revolutionaries' spy, and some suspect it to be the dead Zamindar, Digvijay Rana's ghost avenging his untimely death. But who is it that really wants them all dead? Who could be courageous enough to plot a series of murders without any trace of evidence? If it was not the ghost, then who else? If it was someone else, then how did everyone see the late Zamindar's spirit with their own eyes?


This cozy murder mystery set in pre-independent India is a perfect monsoon read. The characters were well-developed and explained, and the plot was crisp. The writing was very eloquent and funny that I finished the book in just a day. The supernatural element added a bit of mystery and suspense to the story, which would have otherwise become predictable. The police procedural that follows makes it gripping towards the end. Though the main subjects of this book were Digvijay and Arjun Rana, the women characters, Sharvani and Ishita, outplayed the rest and were very well written. 


The book was delightful by all means to me, but I won't say I was surprised or shocked by the reveal at the end. By this time, I knew that I needed to expect a twist at the end of a murder mystery novel, and despite the twist being reasonable and fitting well, it was not all so twisty. Still, I would very much recommend this if you want to read a lighthearted cozy mystery



MY REVIEW: 4/5

This is a part of  Blogchatter’s Book Review Program

I am participating in Blogchatter's #TBRchallenge


#penbooksandscalpel


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa...
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them....
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had ...
Read more