Simply lies by David Baldacci

 "Simply lies" by David Baldacci - Thriller with a difference !

This book is published by Macmillan in 2023 and has 432 pages.

Mickey Gibson, an ex cop, is now working for a company called Private Eye, mainly sleuthing online. After her divorce, she has to look after her two kids (Darby, Tommy) and work from home. One day she gets a phone call from a new lady from her office asking her to visit a property. Here, she finds a dead body of Daniel Pottinger. It turns out that the lady, who called, didn't work for her company and doesn't exist. Then starts a series of phone calls with a mysterious lady, Clarice.

Why does Clarice get Mickey involved in this? Who is Pottinger? Who killed him? Who is Clarice? What is her motive?

Clarice is a con artist and a proficient blackmailer. She is manipulative, beautiful and adept at disguise. She can weave a web of lies like no other. She is also meticulous and insecure. Mickey is sharp, relentless, patient and doesn't give up. She gets involved in the mess of Clarice against good advise of her ex-cop Dad. She has to wade through the lies to get to the bottom of the mystery. The only way to ensure the security of her family is to solve this mystery.

It's an elaborate plot with several characters and their back stories. Author uses the disguises and technology to execute the jobs effectively. The story doesn't let you get bored. Something keeps happening. Although it appears to be a run of the mill thriller, it's a thriller with a difference. There is no espionage or government agency that protagonists work for or against. There is little action. Both protagonists are females.

Character of Clarice undergoes a transformation midway into the story. This transformation appears a little abrupt. Author should have created background to ease her into the transformation. There is a death at the end and that too appears unnecessary because although brief, the dead character had a lot of potential. 

Book ends with a definite hint of a sequel. Will it come? Let's wait and watch.

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? As explained above. 

What did I like? Character of Clarice, before transformation.

Recommend reading. 

I wish I could tell her by Ajay K. Pandey

 "I wish I could tell her by Ajay K. Pandey - Black is not ugly!

This book is published by Shrishti publishers and distributors in 2022 and has 208 pages.

Vasu and Radhika are best friends from their childhood. Radhika is fair, Vasu is dark. Vasu loves Radhika, but Radhika considers him to be her best friend.

Can Vasu express his love to Radhika? Can Radhika see him as her life partner? What role will Kavya, Vasu's elder sister, play? How hurtful will it be? Will there be happy ending?

Radhika is fair, beautiful, likable, compassionate. She has never discriminated towards Vasu, has always stood by his side, never demanded anything of him and has always sought him to support her. Vasu is dark, average looking, not dashing, not outspoken but has a golden heart. He can't accumulate courage to express his love and has inferiority complex due to his dark complexion. Kavya is Vasu's elder sister and his guide in his one sided love story. She too is dark and is rejected by several boys when searching a groom for her. She understands Vasu's pain and tries to help him to the best of her ability. Sanju is Radhika's friend from college. He is tall, fair, handsome and likable.

Well, it's a love story, although one sided. There are a lot of emotions. So, it goes through emotional rollercoaster. But the author has steered away from melodrama. That makes it realistic and relatable. The author also makes an appearance in the book as a character and portrays himself as a humble author. It's not a large book, so the reader remains interested.

This book addresses a very important social issue. Darkness! In India darkness is equated to ugliness and fairness to beauty. I know several dark persons who are beautiful but don't get their due because of their color. This also instills inferiority complex in dark persons. Credit to author for taking up the subject.

My favorite sentence from this book:

"Patience is not the ability to wait. It’s how you behave while you wait."

Why did I read this book? Hadn't read a love story for a while.

What did I like? Flow.

What I didn't like? Umm..... 

Recommend reading.

Murder under a red moon by Harini Nagendra

 "Murder under a red moon by Harini Nagendra - 1920s whodunit !

This book is published by Constable in 2023 and has 304 pages. 

It’s 1920. Kaveri Murthy, 19, is married to Ramu, a doctor. She lives with her husband and mother-in-law, Bhargavi in Bangalore. Kaveri is also first female Detective of India and 2nd Indian woman to get driving license in Bangalore. There is a murder and murderer tries to implicate Kaveri in it. Anandi is beaten badly by her husband. A train has derailed. Scourge of Drugs has made an entry into Bangalore.

Who is murdered? Why? Why try to implicate Kaveri?  Whodunit?

Kaveri is 19 years old and intelligent. She is determined and impressionable at the same time. She has solved one major murder and several small crimes.  She has her fan following and friend circle. Her relationship with her mother-in-law is not ideal, but not hostile either. She has full support of her husband in her endeavors. Bhargavi is apprehensive of her daughter-in-law doing man's work. However she is also secretly proud of her work as detective. Shanti Sharma is Bhargavi's beautiful cousin. She married Mr. Sharma 2 years ago. Mr. Sharma is an industrialist and has daughter Chitra of Kaveri's age. She is engaged to Kumar, an employee of Mr. Sharma. Shanti, Chitra and Bhargavi are devotees of Swami Vaninanda. 

On the night of Lunar eclipse, night of the blood moon, a murder happens. Kaveri's locket with magnifying glass, a present from her husband, is found at the murder scene. Thankfully, vigilant inspector, who Kaveri has collaborated with previously, sees through the ploy. Now it becomes personal for Kaveri. She has to reach to the bottom of this conspiracy.

Although the story happens in 1920, the set up is much more modern. In those days nobody ventured out after 9pm, let alone women. There are several things that do not match with the time period like hugging your wife in the open, being friends with reformed prostitute, women going out with another man at night etc. A little more research of the times would have been useful.

Since the story is set in 1920s, its pace is slow. However, readers remain interested. Author has done poor job of concealing the identity of the perpetrator. As soon as the character is introduced, you know this is the villain. So the excitement of revelation is lost.

Why did I read this book? Curiosity about female detective in 1920s.

What did I like? Freedom that Kaveri gets.

What I didn't like? Poorly concealed identity of perpetrator.

Recommend reading.