By Madhulika Liddle. #3 in The Muzaffar Jung Series.
Two years after the Taj Mahal is finally built, many secrets shroud its walls…
Engraved in Stone by Madhulika Liddle
In Agra to escort home the beautiful Shireen, Muzaffar Jang – maverick nobleman and ace detective – reluctantly finds himself at the centre of yet another murder investigation when Mumtaz Hassan, a prominent trader, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. The Diwan-i-kul, Mir Jumla, on his way to invade Bijapur, hands the task of finding the killer to Muzaffar. With almost no evidence to work with except an ambiguous scrawl on a scrap of paper found clutched in the dead man’s fist, Muzaffar knows he must find the killer before the Diwan-i-kul returns if he wants to save himself an invitation to a beheading.As he begins to uncover the dross beneath the golden opulence of the dead man and his murkily amorous past, Muzaffar chances upon another mystery: a long forgotten tale of a woman who vanished inexplicably one evening.
Muzaffar Jang once again pits his wits against an array of potential suspects – even as he loses his heart…
For the newcomers, a short explanation of the spotlight feature: It is basically the place where we analyze the first impression of a book. Whenever we buy a book, the most important things are, the way it looks- whether it is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes or not, the blurb, and the title. This is kind of like a review of the first impression of a book.
Engraved In Stone is an amazing title, something that sort of sets the tone for the book, and lets you know that this is a suspenseful tale. It also has a somewhat old world charm, which signifies the era it is set in. It is not too long, and yet it seems relevant. Perfect ride.
The blurb is very well written, but the story is a little confusing. However, it is hard to summarize complex plots. It gives away the right amount of information to make the reader curious. I want to see how this apparent murder mystery is related to the Taj Mahal, or its construction, apart from the premises.
Speaking of which, the setting of the story is a very interesting point. I am intrigued by the fact that the author chose to set her story in that era, and that too with original characters, as opposed to Kings and Queens and legendary figures. Of course, this provides her with a lot of liberty, but I’m sure it would be tough to set your characters in times such long ago.
I am also looking forward to the descriptions in the book. You see, if this book is going to be set in Agra, right about the time of the Taj’s completion, it is bound to explore the architectural aspects of that era- or if not that, at least admire the beauty of the many sights of the city of Agra. Agra when the Taj had been newly built and Agra now, are obviously way different from each other, so I want to see how the author manages to capture the true essence of the city. In fact, I’m basically just curious about how important a role the city plays, how the backdrop helps with the story.
The cover of the book is perhaps the only part of it that I found a little lacking, and to be honest, disappointing- especially when compared with the so well written blurb. This cover, in my opinion, is a little childish and perhaps does not give a correct idea of the story, which is supposedly mysterious and intriguing. I think the author could have gotten it right, had she not overdone it a little.
That said, the cover is not so bad that it can completely overshadow the blurb and the title. The video trailer of the book is also just great, and I’m really curious as well as eager to try this author.
I think this book is something I probably would pick up in the bookstore.
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