The Masala Murder was Bollywoodian in its mood, story and progress. It launched the detecting career of pretty and well-rounded Reema Ray, beleaguered with a calling that does not bring her enough of an income, a mother who keeps nagging her to lose weight and a dishy stalker who prefers to stay mysteriously in the shadows. And it ended on a ‘get set for part 2’ note, with Reema being offered a job at Titanium, the security agency owned and run by the sexy Shayak Gupta — yes that same dishy stalker — which means that she will need to move to Mumbai. The offer comes with a very nice apartment, a happy paycheck and a huge learning experience. Reema takes it on with one condition: There will be no personal connect between her and the big boss. Which is unfortunate, because the two of them certainly are connected, especially after a steamy kiss that ends the tale.
And so here we are with part 2: Dead In A Mumbai Minute . The story is racy and the writing very readable but this time the reader is left with questions. The detection part was fine, the dead-people bit was good, but the lead characters refused to come to life. That said, there were indeed some recognisable folk populating the murder mystery.
Of course, Reema and Shayak are in the lead, even though she dominates and he vanishes conveniently for long periods. There is also Kimaaya Kapoor, the film star, who could be anyone — or someone specific, for fans of the tabloids — from Bollywood. There are the hangers-on, from the former secretary-manager Ashutosh Dhingre (who is the first victim), to Afreen who has a secret life that is revealed soon after her body is found. There is the party animal Pratap Puri and his wife Poonam who share a contentious relationship, disturbing enough for him to want her investigated for an extra-marital affair. And looming over all this is the bond between Shayak and Kimaaya, who were once married before she made it big in films. That chapter is kept quiet by everyone who knows…and then it hits the headlines, diverting attention from the murders and the escalating body count.
But why is only Reema concerned at the personal connection that could lead to a conflict of interest in the solving the case? Why is Shayak so leery of sharing information and leading the way to a solution? Reema makes a rare foray into the kitchen, but it seems like an afterthought, a feeling of ‘Oh yes, food and cooking is a bon mot in the life of Reema Ray, detective’.
Hopefully the next one in the series will have the zing of the first, the careful plot-planning of the second and a renewed energy from a writer who can do it all right!
Dead in a Mumbai Minute; Madhumita Bhattacharya, Pan Books, Rs.299.
