Vigil Aunties-Richa S. Mukherjee

Book: Vigil Aunties
Author: Richa S. Mukherjee
Publisher: Black Ink

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if you find out your parent was a part of a secret society and could be responsible for a missing person?

Secrets, saris, humour and drama! This is one vigil you don’t want to miss. Sixteen-year-old Philadelphia aka Philly Waghmare’s carefully curated life revolves around the SAT. The most exciting thing that happens in the crumbling old society she calls home is the weekly meet-up between her mother, Varsha, and her motley group of society aunties. Nothing really changes here—except one day when everything does! A shocking incident leads Philly to trail Tarun Adhikari, the hotshot father of her best friend, Naina. During this quest, her world turns turtle as she not only discovers that her sweet, sanskari mother is the head of a secret society of women, but that this group might be responsible for the disappearance of a rogue named Ratan Tamancha, whom the police is looking for. A game of cats, mice and wits commences as Bharatendu Bandopadhyay, a most unusual investigator, shows up asking questions. Is this secret society of harmless aunties responsible for taking a life? Will Philly be able to prevent her mother from going to jail? Will this be the end of the road for the vigil-aunties?

Richa’s books always have a freshness in them that compel you to turn the pages and Vigil Aunties is no different. The story is told in a linear narrative that explores the lives of the people living in an age-old society. The storytelling is extremely engaging and the manner in which the author approaches topics such as ageism, social lens of single people living in apartments etc., keeps you looking for more as you move forward in the story. What I loved about the book primarily was the plot that keeps you guessing whether it is a crime thriller or a family drama or something in between, and with each chapter you try and figure out what is going to happen. Another signature in Richa’s writing is the not-so-subtle humour that made me fall of the sofa atleast twice while reading the book. One aspect that Richa captures prominently in the book are the family dynamics that we have seen in our families as well and that plays a crucial role in the narrative. She has also painted the society as an extended family, which again was an interesting take, specially when we are moving towards isolations in our living units. The writing in the book is excellent and the language is easy to understand (apart from a few places for which the search engine had to be called in). The story flows smoothly and keeps you turning the pages as you are hungry to know what is happening in this seemingly-sleepy society. Richa also sheds light on child abuse, though subtly, and I was pleasantly surprised at her incorporating the same seamlessly in the plot.

The investigation part of the book was a journey in itself, and I think I might have found my favourite couple in Bharat-Tiwari with their quirky discussions. The way Richa has written that part was quite fun to read and the desi-touch in the investigation was cherry atop the cake. I wish I could write more about it without spoilers, but I can’t, so I won’t.

The climax of the book deserves its own space in this review. With everything that had happened, I had anticipated an ending that made logical sense, but then I forgot I was reading a RSM and when the reveal happens, you are astounded with what is revealed. The ending of the book is something that I didn’t imagine, and this has raised the bar for quite a lot of books now!

Coming to the soul of the book-its characters. With names like Philadelphia Waghmare, Laddoo, Lassi, Tun Tun the Cement Mixer and of course, Bharatendu Bandopadhyay, the characters of the book have been crafted with surgical precision. I specially loved the way Varsha’s character had been penned, with the laddoo-making parent on one end of the spectrum and a vigilante on the other. Her ability to think on her feet, especially after the incident with Ratan Tamancha was quite well written. Another character I loved was that of Bharatendu and his love for all things food. When an investigative officer starts cooking turai in the middle of a discussion, you can’t do much but laugh till your stomach starts hurting. The other members of the secret society had been also given due attention and their individuality and unique characteristics stand out, even when they are a part of a group.

Phew! Long review, right? But one aspect of the book that equally deserves mentioning is the manner in which dialogues have been written. There are specific moments in the book that just cannot be defined in any manner. If you can repurpose “strike when the iron is hot” to “strike when the laddoos are hot”, then everything in the book is fair game, I would say.

If you like reading a book that makes you feel good from the inside and want to enjoy the entire experience, do pick up Vigil Aunties. The aunties peeped in and took away 2 binoculars and 1 cement mixer (5 stars) from me.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!