A Dire Isle

November 8, 2021
Raman’s enjoyable sequel to 2020’s A Will to Killtakes private investigator Harith Athreya to an archaeological dig on the banks of the River Betwa in Bundelkhand, India, at the behest of investors in the excavation concerned about financial irregularities. The site is run by the overbearing and unpopular Mrs. Markaan, who has a reputation for taking credit for work done by junior archaeologists on her team. Legend has it that a couple, forbidden to marry because one was Hindu and the other Muslim, escaped to a nearby island with a giant mastiff dog and have haunted it ever since. When Mrs. Markaan turns up dead on the island, Athreya must determine whether the death is related to the troubles with the dig’s finances, or if the island’s myths have become real. Raman does a good job weaving in the mystery with a possibility of the supernatural, all while juggling a large cast of characters. A multilayered reveal in the final pages proves satisfying as well. Armchair travelers and fans of traditional mysteries should take note. Agent: Priya Doraswamy, Lotus Lane Literary.

November 1, 2021
Raman continues to channel Agatha Christie in book two of his India-based Harith Athreya series (after A Will to Kill, 2020), which validates Hercule Poirot's rule: "The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances." The islet of Naaz Tapu is haunted, or so they say. While investigating an entirely different matter, Athreya is drawn into the murder of an archaeological team member, and then a second killing follows. Both victims were excavating on the banks of a river nearby. Found battered and mauled, the victims appear to have fallen under an ancient curse, but the detective believes there is a twenty-first-century explanation. Suspects abound, and some of them are not whom they seem to be. The reader will need to concentrate to keep all the possible killers straight. They range from the charming teenager Moupriya to "MM," the ""khanoos"" (grouchy old person), who is running the show. For fans of Golden Age mysteries, as well as those who love the venerated Inspector Ghote series by H. R. F. Keating.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.