Book: Jacob Hill
Author: Ismita Tandon Dhankher
Pages: 259
How Long it Took Me to Read: 1 day
Plot Summary: An unloved woman is a soft target, anyone
can hit her, have her.
It’s just another evening at the Tiller’s Club.
Near the bar, Capt. Rana, the Young Officer undergoing
training at the War College stands among his course mates, consciously avoiding
his pregnant, Muslim wife, Heena. Rumour has it she had forced him to marry her
because of the baby.
Saryu, village belle turned modern babe, drink in hand,
chats up a YO. Her husband, Maj. Vikram Singh, shoots angry glances at her. She
isn’t bothered; the question is, who will she go home with tonight?
Pam and Gary, the flamboyant Sikh couple, chat merrily with
the senior officers, charming as ever. Who’d ever guess that they lead the
infamous Key Club, an underground swinger couples’ club.
And in one corner stands the Anglo-Indian wife of Maj.
George Chandy, Eva, who finds herself at the heart of a murder mystery when a
woman’s bleeding body is discovered at the old church under the black cross. The
murdered woman’s body is covered with cigarette burns. A six-year-old girl’s
wrist is similarly marked. Another little girl shows signs of severe abuse.
Jacob Hills: an army station that houses the War College where young officers receive training. A world of army officers and genteel conversation, of smart men and graceful women. Set in the 1980s – in an India that was at the cusp of tradition and Westernized modernity – this is the story of the ugliness that lies beneath the garb of Jacob Hills’s beauty and sophistication. An ugliness the Chandys find themselves confronted with. Will they uncover the truth behind the woman’s murder? Will their love survive Jacob Hills?
Characters: The book has many standout and interesting
characters, The Chandy’s are a young couple in love and in the thick of the
mystery. I liked Eva Chandy and her quiet resolve to get to the bottom of the
mess. Her husband was a heroic and nice man. I also like Major Rana and his
love story with Heena. The happy, swinging and fun-loving Gary and Pam made for
an interesting read too. Then there is the tortured, nameless for most part,
woman whose sad and broken voice we hear throughout the book. Every character
in this book is memorable and well-written.
What I Liked: I loved the setting of the book and its
premise. I find the lives of Army folk very interesting, they have their own
rules and culture and pretty much their own little lives. The world of an Army
cantonment is a great setting for a mystery novel. I also really liked the
writing and the pace of the novel. It switches perspectives every now and then
but it doesn’t get confusing or messy.
What I didn’t: Well, some of the mystery was a little
obvious to guess. But it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying the book.
General Thoughts: I bought this book last month when
Flipkart was having a massive sale on Mystery novels. I bought this book purely
based on the plot. Thankfully this book was not a disappointment. The plot,
pace and writing was great and this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I am
always slightly apprehensive trying a new author for the first time, but this
book was a great read by an author I had never even heard about before.
Will you like it? If you like a good murder mystery or are
curious about live on an Army cantonment or a glimpse into the life of Army men
and women, this is a book for you.
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments