Skip to main content

Book Review: Penumbra by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay.




Book: Penumbra

Author: Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

Pages: 282

Read On: Kindle

How Long it Took Me To Read: 1 day...I breezed through this book.

Plot Summary: In the middle of one of the worst storms to hit the city, a mysterious letter arrives for Prakash Ray, an out-of-luck journalist, inviting him to a quaint, suburban bungalow, to celebrate the 60th birthday of an uncle he has never heard of . . . As Prakash reaches the venue, he is introduced to a motley group of people, all gathered there for the old man's big day: his son, his reticent brother, a dignified middle-aged lady who once owned the bungalow, a listless lawyer who manages his legal affairs, a mild-mannered young man who works as his secretary, his beautiful, young biographer, and his mysterious friend, who has never lost a game of chess to him. As the storm lashes on through the night, one of the people in the bungalow is murdered! In a game of cat and mouse that follows, Prakash soon finds out that under the surface of apparent warmth and friendliness, nothing is as it seems and that the bungalow holds one shocking secret after another! In a bid to save his own life, Prakash hunts for the truth, which lies in a mysterious penumbra of shadows and lights, covered in a sheath of deceit and guile, only to realize that the worst is yet to come! 

General Thoughts: Another book I read via my Kindle Unlimited subscription and one I read in one sitting. I just couldn't put this book down.

Things I Liked: 

1.  I really loved the writing and the story telling style of the writer. There was something very comforting about the way in which this story unfolded.

2. This book reminded me of the classic Feluda stories. No, I am not saying this book or the writing is at par with the excellence of the great Satyajit Ray. But this book and this story in particular had very strong Feluda vibes. A house in the middle of nowhere. An unknown long lost relative. Murder. Mayhem. And an intelligent man solving the mystery. I loved being reminded of the stories of Ray and I immediately connected with this book. I was hooked from the very beginning. All of the Feluda vibes made me very happy.

3. The setting of this book was fantastic. A secluded house in the middle of nowhere. A rainy winter's night. A perfect setting for a murder mystery. Also the essence of a Calcutta winter were captured very aptly.

4. There are quite a few characters in this book and the author does a commendable job of making each of the characters stand out and give each of them a decent backstory.

5. The murders themselves are pretty fantastic.

6. Prakash Ray- our main lead, so to speak was a little lost and a little alone and a great blank canvas to see this world through.

7. Almost all the characters at some point or another seem like the possible culprit and it made guessing so much fun.

8. The resolution of the crime was pretty great. I don't want to spoil anything but it was very satisfying and very plausible.

Rating: 5/5

I really enjoyed this book and made my sister read it the very next day and she loved it too and read it in one day! I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for a quick and immersive thriller.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Magic of the Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy.

Book: The Magic of the Lost Temple Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 163 Read On: Paperback How Long it took Me To Read: 1 day Plot Summary:   City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents' village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends. Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable. General Thoughts: Ah! A happy little Children's Book! I wanted it the minute I spotted it in the bookshop. And I started reading it pretty much immediately. :)  I read it after reading a beyond dull and boring and soulless book. This book just cured my bookish blues. I l

Book Review: The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond.

Some snippets of the stunning art inside the book!  Book: The Room on the Roof Author: Ruskin Bond Illustrator: Ahlawat Gunjan Pages: 171 Read On: Hardback How Long It Took Me To Read: 3 days or so. Plot Summary:   Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, is orphaned and has to live with his English guardian in the claustrophobic European part in Dehra Dun. Unhappy with the strict ways of his guardian, Rusty runs away from home to live with his Indian friends. Plunging for the first time into the dream-bright world of the bazaar, Hindu festivals and other aspects of Indian life, Rusty is enchanted … and is lost forever to the prim proprieties of the European community.  General Thoughts: This book is super special. Not only this 60th anniversary edition an absolute beauty. This is also a signed copy I picked up from Mussoorie when I was in Landour earlier in the year. This is perhaps one of Ruskin Bond's most well kn

Review: Grandma's Bag of Stories by Sudha Murthy.

Book: Grandma's Bag of Stories Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 176 Read On: Paperback How Long It Took Me Read: 2 hours Plot Summary:   When Grandma opens her bag of stories, everyone gathers Around. Who can resist a good story, especially when it’s being told by Grandma? From her bag emerges tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and gods. Here comes the bear who ate some really bad dessert and got very angry; a lazy man who would not put out a fire till it reached his beard; a princess who got turned into an onion; a queen who discovered silk, and many more weird and wonderful people and animals. Grandma tells the stories over long summer days and nights, as seven children enjoy life in her little town. The stories entertain, educate and provide hours of enjoyment to them. So come, why don’t you too join in the fun? General Thoughts: I've read quite a few Sudha Murthy books this year and really enjoyed them. I find them soothing, simple a