Book Review: An Invitation to Die: A Colonel Acharya Mystery

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Thriller

Publisher: Harper Black

Total Pages: 288

Author: Tanushree Podder

About the Author:

TANUSHREE PODDER was born in New Delhi, India.

Eight years in the corporate sector after her MBA, Tanushree decided to follow the call of her heart and quit everything to take up writing. She calls it her oxygen.

An author of nineteen books, with two more on the editing table, the lady has her hands full. ‘I am a nomad at heart and love nothing more than travelling and writing,’ is how she describes her interests.

A self-confessed word-a-holic and a traveller, Tanushree is sure to be packing her bags and boots to zip around the world when not brandishing her pen. With two successful novels, a dozen best-selling nonfiction titles and few hundred travel tales under her belt, she is all set to launch into yet another voyage with words. A bundle of optimism with wandering feet and a kaleidoscope of dreams, she loves nothing better than flirting with clauses and phrases.

Boots Belts Berets, On the Double, Nurjahan’s Daughter, Escape from Harem, Solo in Singapore and A Closetful of Skeletons are some of the books written by Tanushree.

After leading a nomadic life for several decades, she has finally grown roots at Pune.

Book Cover:

The cover of An Invitation to Die has a night or a grey background, with snow clad mountains, a white Van and a Man with umbrella and spectacles looking or observing about the Van.

The cover in a snapshot tell us that the story is based in mountain village, and revolves around a white Van.

And as the title suggests, the man with umbrella is Colonel Acharya.

Blurb:

It begins with a simple mystery – elderly widow Violet William’s van goes missing after her granddaughter Pia forgets to lock the door when using it to cater for a wedding reception. But this is Ramsar, and soon, a simple case turns sinister when ASP Timothy Thapa finally finds the missing van, and promptly discovers a dead body inside it. Enter Colonel Acharya, Ramsar’s resident amateur sleuth, with his merry band of bridge-playing Watsons. As the detective begins his investigation, he finds that things are not what they seem, and with few clues, several suspects, and no leads to go on, Colonel Acharya might be facing his most challenging case yet.

Didn’t you find this plot interesting?

My Take:

I am going back to read Tanushree’s earlier novels involving Colonel Acharya. I loved his way of getting straight to the point.

His style reminded me Agatha christie’s hercules poirot.

What worked for me?

I liked the way Tanushree brought Ramsar alive in front of my eyes. I was able to see everything right from the sloppy roads to the houses and their fencing.

Most of the characters got space for themselves.

The language is easy, and it’s a quick yet interesting read.

What could have been better?

The mystery could have been better, all the clues we directly hinting towards the criminal. For someone who is more into thrillers the guess was very easy. But its easier said that done, only the author knows how much brain storming and effort has gone in creating so many twists and maintaining secretes of the story.

Rating: 4/5

Amazon link to buy An Invitation To Die is HERE!!

Thanks to #bookchatter bookreview program by The blogchatter, for bringing this book my way.

If you like reading fiction, you can try reading When strangers meet, here is the review.