Books and ME.

My Experience with Death under the Deodars

A thriller mystery is always a pleasure to read even though when encountered is never such a pleasure. There have been many books in this category. Everyone tries to spin their own way of mystery. Some come out with a mesmerising product while some get lost because of confusion. There is always a thin line between creating a masterpiece and spoiling a well-built plot.

Last weekend I came across a book which remained hidden in my shelf for a very long time. I caught hold of it while cleaning the shelf. At that moment, I started reading it. So, this week I would write about my experience of reading 'Death under the deodars' written by the famed writer Mr Ruskin Bond.

The name itself is enough to instil enthusiasm within you to pick up the book and read it. We all must have come across his stories at some point in time. I have been a big fan of his writing and I do always search for his works to read. This book for me was no different. Let me be honest with you, I finished the book in a single day.

'Death under the deodars' is a collection of eight short stories set in the beautiful hill station of Mussoorie. The stories have the perfect blend of mystery, a bit of crime and the beauty of describing the story in a way that you could not unravel the mystery till the end. The central character Miss Ripley-Bean is a single lady in her seventies who is a permanent resident at Hotel Royal. She is not a detective, but she has been a witness to too many tales which had happened in the hills. She has spent her entire life in this place and has known many people in her entire life. So, in this book Mr Bond takes her as a central character who describes strange stories to her group which has people Mr Lobo, the hotel pianist, Nandu, the hotel owner and Mr Bond himself. The ending of each story reveals some suspense in which you would have least expected it.

To be honest, in this book I won't be able to choose my personal favourite as every story is my favourite. I would talk about all the stories in brief. I would leave it to you to read and enjoy those stories just like I did. The experience of enjoying this book is far beyond describing in some words.

The book starts with 'Death under the deodars.' A murder during an event in the hotel Royal and Miss Ripley-Bean is an eyewitness to it. But there is a twist to it. This story is an excellent start and lays the path for what is coming.

'Born Evil', is another story narrated by Miss Ripley-Bean. Are there people who are born evil or they become evil after they are born due to their surroundings? This is the theme of the story where the character of Alexander likes fire and has been a part of many mishaps. The story has a precarious end to it with a 'never thought of' ending.

'Strychnine in the Cognac' takes place in hotel Royal. The story involves the famous film star Dilip Roy and his wife Rosie Roy, an actress. A story told to Miss Ripley-Bean as how revenge takes its shape. She is the ear-witness to the crime.

'Crime of Passion' is a tragic story of love, crime and passion. The story takes place when Miss Ripley-Bean was in her thirties and was staying with her aunt. The story revolves around a father and his help who is an adolescent boy. The story takes a nasty turn when a series of news spread across the town and the father leaves the place and goes to another place to stay. It had a sad ending to the story, but the last paragraph had the perfect ending to it.

'Arsenic in the Post' is a tale of lovers whose relationship was dipped in the poison of death. A strange case of double murder in Agra, but no one suspected it until there is a clue to it. The police investigate it and they reveal the entire mystery, bringing justice to the persons involved.

'The Black Dog' is a story where Mr Bond experiences something unnatural but it always looked natural. When he gets to know in the end that something dangerous was coming over him and at exactly during that time, that unnatural or natural experience saved him from that disaster. Not every black thing is an omen.

'Three in a bed' sounds more like an erotica story but it is a story of a dead body and three friends. A naked body was found in the bed box in one room in hotel Royal by a honeymoon couple. The body leads to a series of the hunt, but nothing comes out. But the culprit is suitably punished as someone has said, 'You cannot lie to everyone.'

'The Daryaganj Strangler' is a tale of a serial killer. This is also a story of a writer who is frustrated that no publisher is willing to publish his work. A strange event occurs where many publishers are shifting from Daryaganj to Gurgaon. The writer is in Mussoorie and staying at Hotel Royal. Miss Ripley-Bean reads his manuscripts. Even though she does not like the manuscript, she praises it to encourage the writer. A murder takes place in Mussoorie and the strange case of Daryaganj Strangler takes a new turn.

While I was sharing this experience, I wanted to write many more things about the book, but I controlled myself and I would like you to read this book and enjoy the experience. This book is no Dan Brown, or John Grisham style thriller. These stories are simple but enthralling. Ruskin Bond knows how to bind a reader together.

At 190 pages, this book is a page-turner. They would pull you towards it to read another story when you are done with one story. It is so exciting that you would always be excited to guess what would be Miss Ripley-Bean's next adventure. This book is a different take on mystery series. If you are looking for less complicated yet thrilling stories, I think you should read this book.

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