GRAY MOUNTAIN
John Grisham has written a new sort of novel, so don’t go in expecting his typical legal thriller. Gray Mountain deals with the injustices of the Appalachian coal mining industry.Samantha Kofer, a young lawyer who has lost her Wall Street job and income, is now plunged into an ungrateful and unforgiving small town. While it is not as engaging as his other works, it is nonetheless a moving book that tackles an important yet obscure issue.
Author: John Grisham; Publisher: Hodder: Rs. 399; Pages: 497
MORIARTY
Arthur Conan Doyle might be long gone, but Anthony Horowitz makes sure Sherlock Holmes isn’t dead...or is he? Bringing back Doyle’s universe in the second book of his Sherlock Holmes series, where we were left with the disappearance of Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes, the case is now being looked at by Jones and Chase, who are pretty fair replacements for Holmes himself. Taking some unexpected twists and turns, Horowitz writes a fantastic thriller with an ending so shocking and captivating, you’re bound to go back to the beginning for another read.
Author: Anthony Horowitz; Publisher: Orion Books; Rs. 599; Pages: 310
ITEM GIRL
Get thrust into the not so shiny proceedings behind the silver screen in Richa Lakhera’s new murder mystery about the devious and dangerous goings-on in media. Sunheri, the eponymous ‘Item Girl’, is accused of a seemingly obvious case of murder, but there’s more to the story and her twin sister Suhana is determined to uncover the rest. Through a skillfully plotted murder mystery, Lakhera manages to expose a murky reality that’ll change the way you feel about the world of cinema, while keeping you at the edge of your seat.
Author: Richa Lakhera; Publishers: RUPA; Rs. 195; Pages: 303
BECOMING A MOUNTAIN
The mountain is a symbol of strength, and after a traumatic incident in his life that almost left him and his wife for the dead, it is what Stephen Alter seeks out. He writes about his experiences in a deeply moving way. Aptly titled, this is not simply a travelogue of his treks to the scenic destinations of Bandarpunch, Nanda Devi and Mount Kailash. but also a personal journey of insight and overcoming of suffering in the way he knows best. The beautiful and intricate details of this mystical and spiritual realm will urge you to find your own mountain.
Author: Stephen Alter; Publishers: ALEPH; Rs. 495; Pages: 262
THE WAY THINGS WERE
What happened in the past, does not remain in the past – perhaps one of the most important ideas put forth in this book. Focusing mainly on the intensely critical periods of post independence India, Aatish Taseer weaves a story around one particular family - Toby, the estranged and faraway ruler of Kalasuryaketu, and Skanda, his son and student of Sanskrit, working on a project of translation. Toby’s death leads to a tumultuous journey for his son, an outsider to a culture he is plunged into. A story not only about family relationships, but also history and its relationship with the present and the coming together of two worlds.
Author: Aatish Taseer; Publishers: PICADOR INDIA; Rs. 699; Pages: 565
(Arrangement with THE MAN)