Series: The Hachette Book of
Indian Detective Fiction
Publication Date: 20th June
2025
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.in/Hachette-Book-Indian-Detective-Fiction/dp/935731332X
Genre: Mystery Short Story
Anthology, Multi-Author
3.53 Stars
One Liner: Pretty decent
The second volume of the
Indian Detective Fiction has seventeen stories (some are translated works) with
diverse themes, timelines, and topics. It begins with the editor’s note, which
details that this volume focuses on police procedurals and historical mysteries.
Then, the editor goes on to explain the concepts of both genres by providing
brief insights into the stories from the collection.
The independence era,
colonial, and post-colonial rule seem to be recurring themes.
As always, I review each story
in brief as and when I finish reading it and compile it into a review (like
this).
Detective
Kanaicharan and the Missing Ship by Rajarshi Das Bhowmik, Arunava Sinha
(Translator) – 3.5 Stars
Not a proper police procedural
as such, but it has a police detective solving a cold case from the time of
British rule. It’s an interesting mystery and will be more entertaining if you
know Indian history.
Kama by Vikram
Chandra – 2 Stars
This is a bigger story and a
part of the author’s Love and Longing in Bombay collection. Apparently, the MC
from here (Sartaj) played a prominent role in Sacred Games. As a mystery (since
that is the book’s theme), the story is pretty weak with ambiguous implications
and some not-so-subtle hate for a certain group. The story would have worked
better in the original collection (based on the title). The extended open-door
sex scenes add nothing to the mystery element here. (And before some
overenthusiastic readers call me a prude, I regularly read 4+ spice and have no
issues with it as long as it aligns with the plot.)
A Darkling Plain
by Giti Chandra – 4 Stars
This is a short and crisp
story with a dark enough twist to be a mystery. Though it emphasizes the caste
stereotypes, the execution is tight and noteworthy. Despite having two first-person
POVs in a short piece, the voices are distinguishable, and the narrative is
taut.
All That Glitters
by Swati Kaushal – 4 Stars
I think this police procedural
was written for the screen. It has OTT drama and dialogues worthy of a Hindi
show. However, the scenes are super easy to visualize from start to finish. The
story is entertaining and fast-paced. Technically, it has to be 3.5 stars, but
I love the ending, so 4 it is!
The Woman with the
Snake Tattoo by Ajay Chowdhury – 4 Stars
Another compact police
procedural about murder and theft in a jewelry store (the previous story also
deals with a jewelry store). I like that this balances the personal and
professional life of the MC very well. The characters are rather pleasing,
unlike the ‘disillusioned toxic cop’ drama most authors seem to prefer. For
that alone, this gets a higher rating.
When Goyenda Met
Daroga by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Debaditya Mukhopadhyay (Translator) – 3.5
Stars
This is a lighthearted drama
with no real mystery. I think it’s from a detective series. While it works as a
standalone and has some cheeky humor, don’t expect anything more. It’s just a
little fun read.
To Be Continued by
Vish Dhamija – 4 Stars
How did the policeman die? Set
in Nainital, the case has to be solved by a newly minted woman CID officer
named Rita. While the case as such is not too complex, the narration (feels
like a blend of news report and omnipresent), though it is in the limited third
person, somehow works for the plot.
Sound Motive by
Salil Desai – 4 Stars
A rather dramatic story with
an OTT character, and luckily, there's an almost efficient police officer in
charge of the case. It’s a short one but well-written. The gruesome murder may
seem odd in the setting, but it fits. Whoever gave the title has the same
talent as I do when it comes to naming stories (IYKYK).
The Devil of Delhi
by Mahendra Jakhar – 4 Stars
This is a slightly darker
story with an efficient and determined Phoolan in the lead role. I liked her
immediately, so I enjoyed the story more. Based on the title, you can guess
that it shows the dark side of the city. Don’t worry. It only touches the
surface, which is enough for this plot.
Bravo! What a
Theft by Sharatchandra Sarkar, Shampa Roy (Translator) – 3.5 Stars
This is historical fiction
divided into parts narrated by two men. Almost gives Holmes and Watson vibes,
but the characters are entirely different. Given the original written date,
some of the content feels outdated. But the plotline is timeless.
Ghosts of Partition
by Vaseem Khan – 3.5 Stars
I’ve read another short story
featuring the same FMC in another anthology. Comparatively, I liked that one
better. The title is a spoiler here. There isn’t much of a plot or a mystery.
It’s a shorter story, too.
Arsenic and the
Shepherd by Nev March – 4 Stars
Another historical police
procedural, but set during the British Raj. It’s a simple case… until it is
not. I like how it ends. The concluding sentence hits the bullseye. 4 stars
just for that.
Sudden Appearances
by Anuradha Kumar – 3.5 Stars
A historical mystery about a
ghost that wants her story to be written. It has Rudyard Kipling as one of the
main side characters. It’s of moderate length and takes some time to set the
stage for the mystery. A bit of humor, too. We’ve dealt with the plot before,
but the story has an appeal.
A Convenient
Corpse by Madhulika Liddle – 4 Stars
Set in historical Delhi, I
think during the British rule, where the Islamic rulers also had power. I like
the sleuth in this one. The plot has been done and dusted a few times. The
setting and the characters make it interesting.
The Diva’s Last
Bow by Arjun Raj Gaind – 3 Stars
Not a bad story! It is
well-written. Just that the plot has been reused many times, and I could sniff
it the moment the death occurred. The title is suggestive too (who knew so many
authors are like me, lol). Oh, this is historical detective fiction.
Murder in the
Monsoons by Shashi Warrier – 4 Stars
This is another historical
story set a year before Independence. However, the mystery is focused on a
family in a little village in Tamil Nadu. It’s a cold case, too. What stands
out here is not the event but the reactions to it and how things changed
afterward. Something that will leave you thinking for a while.
A Scandal in
Punjab by Avtar Singh – 1.5 Stars
Sadly, this is the weakest
story in the collection. It felt more like an extract than a proper story. Even
the mystery was very lukewarm and uninteresting. Was it included because it was
set during the Partition/ Independence era? I zoned out so many times when
reading it and had to spend 30 minutes on a handful of pages.
The last story is followed by
author bios, where you can find a few titles they’d written and look them up to
add more books to your TBR.
To summarize, The Hachette Book of Indian Detective Fiction Vol 2 is an
enjoyable collection of detective mysteries primarily from the historical
fiction and police procedural subgenres. As with most anthologies, it has some
great and not-so-great stories. What you like depends on your preferences.
My thanks to Blogchatter and
Hachette India for a copy of the book. This review is voluntary and contains my
honest opinions.
