An Invitation to Die-Tanushree Podder

Book: An Invitation to Die
Author: Tanushree Podder
Publisher: HarperCollins India

Do Murder Mysteries intrigue you?

An Invitation to Die by Tanushree Podder is based in the quaint hill town of Ramsar, where it begins with a simple mystery of Violet William’s van going missing after her granddaughter Pia forgets to lock it when she used it to cater to a party. Things take a turn when ASP Timothy Thapa finds the missing van, albeit with a dead body inside it. Here enters Colonel Acharya, Ramsar’s very own sleuth, with his merry band of bridge-playing Watsons. As the investigation progresses, secrets tumble out of the closet, and it dawns on the people that things are not always what they seem. The question is, will the killer be identified, or this murder will remain a mystery?

I love a well-cooked murder mystery and this story ticks off all the boxes for me. The storyline is well-plotted, and the execution is excellent, specially keeping the identity of perpetrator a secret. The storytelling is engaging and the buildup while introducing the plot is just right. The descriptions are vivid, and it engages the mind to create a visual imagery as things unfold, keeping the reader hooked. The one aspect that stood out for me in the story was how the blame was squarely placed on a person, but the sleuthing continues to reach a conclusion. Tanushree gives all suspects a believable motive of the crime, and for a moment, I was drawn into a world very similar to Baker Street and imagining Colonel Acharya as Holmes. The climax is well-executed and the way it closes this murder mystery yet keeps the door ajar for further stories is well-appreciated. I would love to read more of the adventures of Colonel Acharya for he promises to be a detective who can develop a cult following.

Another interesting part of the story are its characters, specially with a motley of interesting residents of Ramsar. The characters are well-sketched and are a critical part of the storytelling. Starting from Pia, her character is sketched in a manner that introduces her sufficiently to be a crucial part in the further adventures of Colonel Acharya. Her café is a wonderful part of the story that becomes a part of the story in an integral manner. Another character I liked was that of ASP Thapa and how he juggles between respecting orders and respecting the duty to dispense justice. His interactions with the DGP and with the Colonel are enlightening as well as entertaining.

Overall, this is a murder mystery I would recommend to you if you are a Christie or a Doyle fan for the sheer brilliance in storytelling and a crafty murder mystery. The book scores a 4.91/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India here.