Books and ME.

My Experience with The Unquiet Dead

The beauty about reading a good book is it lasts on your mind forever. It gives you information about many things which you are not aware of. It also clears the darkness of ignorance and takes you towards the light of knowledge. They pump a new wave of energy into the minds when you are Enlighted with new things. Books are our best friend.

So, this week I would be writing about a book called 'The Unquiet Dead' written by Ausmat Zehanat Khan. She has been in the literature circuit for some time and her books have always woven history with present times with a backdrop of crime in a perfect way.

Ausmat Zehanat Khan has a PhD in international human rights law, and she specialises in the history of war crimes in the Balkans. This has helped her in writing a tale of Bosnia's tragic history and how it plays an important role in present times. This is her first book.

Esa Khattak a Canadian Muslim police officer is a welcome change in the world of detective stories. A man who has strong beliefs in his religion and has no place for persons who do any wrongful acts. A soft-spoken, gentle and an upright officer with a head to solve crimes of any extent. The author does not describe him as a fairy tale picture perfect detective who can do no wrong. He is just a human detective who can sometimes go wrong, but his ability to make things right and bring justice to all makes him one of the most lovable detectives of present times.

His partner, Rachel Getty, is nowhere like her boss. She is a sports enthusiast, a foodie who is always hungry and strong-headed. She is marred by her emotional past, which she is still searching for closure. That does never affect her work but strengthens her. She loves hockey and her love for the multicultural country and her love towards her job makes her a delightful character in the book. They both have their personal problems, but they never discuss it but they both understand each other. That makes this pair one of the unique detective pair in modern times.

There are so many detective novels, but what makes this book an interesting read? It is a beautiful way in which it connects a horrifying past of a country and people involved in it to some people in the present times. Through the story, Ausmat takes us to the history of one of the worst genocides on the European soil. The Srebrenica massacre is that black spot in the European history which can never be forgotten. The writer takes us through the horrors faced by the people in Srebrenica during that period and how some people escaped from the clutches of this horror.

The story takes a turn when Esa Khattak is asked to investigate the death of a person called Christopher Drayton. When the investigation, dark things come out as there is a dark past attached to this crime. Esa and Rachel get pulled inside the quicksand of this mystery as they investigate the death. The more they get into the case, the deeper they get into it.

The mystery in the story reveals like the layers of an onion. The author has left no discrepancies anywhere in the story where you can complain that the author has left some part unanswered. The story moves in two parts. One part covers the horrifying history involving some people during that time. The other part continues in the present time.

All the characters provide a sense of mystery. The characters confuse the investigation till the last when in the climax the investigation reveals the real story. The story deserved an ending which would justify the entire history. The writer won't fail you. The story slowly proceeds as the detectives unwrap various mysteries surrounding the death.

The author writes the description of the events in such a manner that it creates an image in front of you. The horrific description of the mass genocide would leave you sleepless for many nights because of the realistic way she has described it.

It was a chance encounter for me when I was suggested by my friend to read this book and when I started reading it; I knew it was worth the read. I loved the way the main characters, Esa and Rachel who are fighting their inner battles but when it comes to the professional level, they are at their best.

At 353 pages, 'The Unquiet Dead' is a saga spanning for many years. The beauty of the story is the way it weaves the reality into fiction and the outcome is a story which seems to happen in front of our eyes. The description of events, the development of characters and their past lives creates an unforgettable experience while reading it.

The writer has started a series of Khattak and Getty detective chronicles. Their introduction is a welcome change in the world of crime fiction stories. There are other books in this series. I would talk about it in the coming time. If you are a fan of crime stories or detective based stories, then you should try reading it.

Until I upload my experience with another book, till then take care, be safe and keep on reading. Cheers.