The Stranger by Harlan Coben

"The Stranger" by Harlan Coben. This book is published by Orion in Mar 2015 and has 400 pages.

A stranger meets Adam, a lawyer, & tells him that his wife of more than 15 years faked a pregnancy and then a miscarriage two years ago. Adam's world turns upside down. The Stranger meets Haidi and tells her that her college going daughter works as a call girl. A stranger tells a father that his sportsman soon is on drugs. Two murders take place.

Who is The Stranger? Is he telling the truth? Why is he doing it? What are his intentions? Are they good? Is there more than meets the eyes.

It's the story of major upheavals in the lives of people when the stranger reveals the secret of their loved ones. Harlan has delivered a good story. Business in secrets is an interesting concept. He has paired it with vigilante aspect and added murder, embezzlement, fraud, prostitution & blackmail to spice it up.

It's not a story with uniform pace but it has enough in it to bind the reader to the book. The reason for murders seems a bit weak and author has also tried to justify murderers actions, but other than that it is a readable book .

What happens to Chris & Kimberly is left for the readers to guess. The book becomes very violent towards the end with five more murders. The book cover is boring.

Good book. Recommend reading.

Rangandhala (रंगांधळा) by Ratnakar Matkari (रत्नाकर मतकरी)

"Rangandhala (रंगांधळा)" a Marathi (मराठी) book by Ratnakar Matkari (रत्नाकर मतकरी). This book is published by  Mehta Publishing House in 2012 (first edition 1977) and has 196 pages. I read the book through Grantha Tumchya Dari (ग्रंथ तुमच्या दारी) scheme of Kusumagraj Pratishthan (कुसुमाग्रज प्रतिष्ठान). This book is a collection of 15 mystery and enigmatic stories.

'Rangandhala (रंगांधळा)' is a story of a painter assumed and taken over by colors (रंग) and his muse. 'Waras (वारस)' is the story of a villa (वाडा) that shows a ghost only to it's inheritor. In 'Pulawarcha Manus (पुलावरचा माणुस)' a man sees another man on the bridge of his ancestral home. Who is he? In 'Baki rahilela kalokh (बाकी राहिलेला काळोख)' a man has a strange repetitive dream of cheating on his wife. His wife has a similar dream. Then there is a murder. Who's it? 'Chikhal (चिखल)' is the story of Ketki who fares to love a servant. She is convinced that her father has killed him and dumped in the marshland (चिखल). Has he? 'Hatmoje (हातमोजे)' is the story of gloves purported to belong to a killer. They want blood and make a murderer out of the wearer. 'Head-study (हेड-स्टडी)' is the story of an artist who specializes in making head statues and his friends psychiatrist. Both do head study.
'Ti don mule (ती दोन मुलं)' is a story of two cute, poor and dirty kids who land in the house of an agent who sells children for being? Or did they?

In 'Talyakathchi hirwal (तळ्याकाठची हिरवळ)' a middle aged, well to do, man starts an affair with a girl half his age and meets her on the lawn at the lake. Who's she? 'Zumbar (झुंबर)' is the story of hate remaining years after the death of a couple. 'Mhatarichi tarun mulgi (म्हातारीची तरूण मुलगी)' is the story of three Casanova friends and a Jakhin (जाखीण). In 'Interview (इंटरव्ह्यू)' Jagannath goes for an interview. But the condition of contract is very tough. 'Washikaran (वशीकरण)' is the story of a verbally challenged girl and what she does to get a young man fall in love with her.
In 'Jalmate (जळमटं)' we meet two old ghosts, their urge to love a child and their feelings.
'Tada geleli kach (तडा गेलेली काच)' shows us the world of a physically fit young man and his not so fit mind.

Ratnakar Matkari is known for his excellent enigmatic stories. He is one of the pioneers of such stories in Marathi literature.

The presence of unknown & the inexplicable has always fascinated human mind. These stories provide a glimpse into this unknown world. These stories are not gross, gory or vulgar, they are classy. They have a literary value.

Almost all the stories are good, however Waras, Mhatarichi tarun mulgi, Washikaran & Jalmate were especially good. A number of stories either have an undercurrent, intention or overt sex in them. A number of stories have ghosts (भुतं, पिशाच्च, जाखीण) or such creatures in them. Some stories also have mental illness. Almost all the stories use the shock technique and unexpected endings. As the book progresses, you start expecting the unexpected.

This book is a masterpiece of the genre. A must read if you are not against the genre.

The Striker by Clive Cussler

"The Striker" by Clive Cussler with Justin Scott. This book is published by Penguin in 2014 and has 384 pages. This is a Isaac Bell mystery, but it's a prequel. This is Isaac Bell's first individual case in year 1902.

There is an accident of a train carrying coal out of the mine. Isaac Bell, disguised as a miner, tries to unsuccessfully stop it. Someone has sabotaged the train. Someone tries to incite a mob to kill Isaac and others. Someone is trying to pitch the miners against mine owners. It's not just the saboteur at work, it's a provocateur.

Can Isaac Bell crack his first independent case? Can he convince his boss Joseph Van Dorn that there is a provocateur?

Isaac Bell mysteries are period mysteries. They revolve around locomotives (rail and road). Coal and mining are essential ingredients in this book. Creating trouble between miners and owners, letting coal production come to stand still and buying mines cheap is an elaborate plot. However this plot had similarities with plot of his previous book 'The wrecker'.

The provocateur has the advantage of knowing the Van Dorns and monitoring their movements but Isaac Bell is disadvantaged as he does not know the identity and motivation of the provocateur (Well! That's why the game's on, isn't it?).

It's a classic case of a protégé gone bad, in this case it's the first protégé of Joseph Van Dorn. As you may have guessed he is pursued by latest protégé, Isaac Bell.

As usual Cussler has created atmosphere of  old time very convincingly and easily. Readers are transported in 1902 (a different world all together) and feel at home. There is also a time leap of 10 years in epilogue.

Narration is fast, dynamic and exciting. There is a right mix of action and emotion. The story has deception, sabotage, romance, chases, fights and detective work. In short all ingredients that make the book enjoyable are present.

Read it, it's different.

And death came calling by Mukul Deva

"And death came calling" by Mukul Deva. This book is published by HarperCollins publishers in 2014 and has 299 pages.

Ajit and Ashwin co-own a firm that provides solutions for smart homes. Ajit witnesses death of one of their clients through one of the camera installed to watch the main frame in this clients office. Ashwin notices that this client was transacting with his swiss bank account and steals his money. He wants to do it again. And again.

Can he do it? Can he keep it from Ajit? Who is the beautiful nurse Shilpa? Can he find another victim? How does the death come calling?

The story is tech intensive with cameras, sensors, bypasses, controls and software used liberally. It revolves around obsession of the rich for smart home where you can control the locks, lighting, temperature, fire suppression system, safes and security devices remotely.

Narration is decent. Story is mostly narrated by Ashwin in first person. Pace of the story is not uniform. Too many factors and players have induced a few lose ends like what happens to Shilpa? Why does the police wait till all damage is done? What is the angle of Dr. Batra? Etc.

Although the story is plausible it lacks the finess and finishing that are hallmarks of Mukul Deva. Readers do not sit on the edge of the chair. Suspense is not tantalizing.

The death indeed comes calling with almost everyone dying. Although the book is not bad, it's not in the league of other Mukul Deva books.

Read if you have time.

Amrita by Usha Rajgopalan

"Amrita" by Usha Rajgopalan. This book is published by Rupa & Co. in 2004 and has 333 pages.

Gauri visits Raghu, who is her biological father (but he does not know it). Raghu's daughter, Amrita (a mentally retarded girl), has died on the day of her younger sister Maya's marriage. Gauri talks to Raghu's wife, Raghu and Maya.

What does she talk with them? Do they open up to her? Does she tell Raghu that he is her father? How was Amrita? How did Amrita die?

It's a story that is told through the memory of three main characters. It's the story of Amrita, the mentally retarded.

The story is slow. Narration is semi interesting. Just about manages to keep you interested. Though you feel it could have been better.

The mystery of Amrita's death is what keeps you reading. It's revealed at the very end. However it was possible to guess how it happened. I would have preferred if the book was a bit shorter. The book did not stand up to my expectations after reading the synopsis on the back cover.

Give it a miss.

Sakshidar (साक्षीदार) by Madhav Pitke (माधव पिटके)

"Sakshidar (साक्षीदार)", a Marathi book, by Madhav Pitke (माधव पिटके). This book is published by Utkarsha Prakashan (उत्कर्ष प्रकाशन) in 2012 and has 116 pages.

This is a collection of five short stories. They are titled 'Mobadla (मोबदला)', 'Sadsadvivekbuddhi (सद्सद् विवेकबुद्धी)', 'Sanman (सन्मान)', 'Lakudfodyachi goshta (लाकुडफोड्याची गोष्ट)', 'Sakshidar (साक्षीदार)'

The stories put forth the plight of freedom fighters (स्वातंत्र्य सैनिक) who fought for the independence of India but we're largely overlooked by the government and public. The central theme of the book is communicated in the introduction thereby reviewers like me do not have to try to find a central theme.

There is a common trait in these freedom fighters. Each of them had thrown himself in freedom struggle, they had ignored there families for that, they are idealistic (ध्येयवादी), they refused pension from government for being a freedom fighter, they refused to enter politics after independence, as a result they are in a bad financial shape, wife died due to some malady and lack of good medication, their children could not obtain good education due to lack of funds and keep blaming them for thinking about country before family.

It is evident from the writing that the writer is a novice. There are a number of repetitions like unveiling ceremony of a statue or monument, name of protagonist freedom fighter etc. This was avoidable. Writing style is very simple and uncomplicated (बाळबोध). Even school children should be able to understand it. It's a small book printed in large font, so easy to read for elderly people as well.

It's a book on a different topic. Read it for a change.

Dead in Mumbai minute by Madhumita Bhattacharyya

"Dead in Mumbai minute" by Madhumita Bhattacharyya. This book is published by Pan Macmillan India in 2014 and has 320 pages.

This is second book of Reema Ray mystery series (but first one I read). Reema has accepted Shyek Gupta's job offer and joined Titanium securities in Mumbai. A murder takes place on a private island owned by Bollywood queen Kimaaya Kapoor. Shayek entrusts the investigation to Reema.

Can Reema crack the case? Who is the murderer? Is there another murder? Is there more than what meets the eyes?

It's a murder mystery with lady detective as protagonist. I expected it to contain analytics, emotions, brilliance and courage in equal parts. This story falls short on above and the real detective work.

Everyone has his own favorite activity that stimulates ones thinking and analysis. Reema finds this stimulus in cooking. The electrifying chemistry between her and her boss Shayak is shown very well. mysterious, aloof and reclusive character of Shayek is also interesting.

It is evident that these murders are not the real game but just the surface of a bigger plot. However Madhumita has chosen to only scratch the surface in this book and leave the real plot for next one. That's disappointing.

Author has spent a lot of page space narrating the settling of Reema in Mumbai after relocating from Kolkata. It wasn't really necessary. The narration lacks focus. It appears that the entire book is a preamble for the next one.

Give it a miss.