Sophie Hannah
The Mystery of Three Quarters | HarperCollins
A new book by a great crime writer's clone rarely works. There have been many failed attempts to resurrect Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. Here, Sophie Hannah gets the setting and humour of a Poirot mystery pat, even if the crime itself is a bit far-fetched. But the book is a treat for Agatha Christie fans to curl up with on a rainy, misty weekend.
T.D. Ramakrishnan
Sugandhi Alias Andal Devanayaki | HarperCollins
Legend universalises history in this award-winning novel translated from Malayalam. Supposedly in Sri Lanka to make a film about events involving the LTTE, Peter Jeevanandam has another motive: to find his lost love, Sugandhi. Treasonous plots in the here and now are interwoven with the tale of a woman who lived a thousand years ago as the story progresses.
Ram Sivasankaran
The Peshwa: War of the Deceivers | Westland
Get over the Marvel-inspired cover—this isn’t a tale of bodice-ripping derring-do, but a serious attempt at a historical novel. The setting is early 18th century India—a time of political uncertainty. Peshwa Bajirao Bhat fights the Nizam on one frontier and the post-Aurangzeb Mughals on the other. A tale of thrilling intrigue and grandeur, it’s beautifully illustrated too.
