The Cover:
As one can make out, the front cover is a spectrum of colours ranging from yellow to different shades of red. The metal of the knife with just a sliver of its handle is visible. On the knife is some blood smeared, and it joins the blood-red hue in the spectrum that flows and stops to form the title. Much thought and effort has been put into designing the cover. This gives the reader an impression that he/she is in for a murder mystery. Meticulous work by Abir Kr Sanyal.
The Blurb:
Who Killed Tollywood heart-throb Hiya Sen?
Within days of her fairy-tale wedding with Manav Chauhan, Hiya Sen, the reigning queen of Tollywood, is brutally raped and murdered. As ACP Agni Mitra investigates into the high-profile murder, he meets Manav's ex-fiance; her father, who was eyeing business through alliance; an alcoholic male model, and a former Tollywood diva. When two more connected murders make headlines, it's time for Agni to find answers to perplexing questions and unveil shocking truths.
The Colours of Passion breezes through Kolkata's glamorous world of industrialists, movie stars, models and fashion designers, laced with drug addiction and illicit liaisons, with a heart-wrenching tragedy at its core.
The blurb is all the more inviting and is written over the backdrop depicting a cosmopolitan city. Also, the colour red is dominant, which shows that this isn't the usual kind of story, plus after having read the blurb, curiosity piques to uncover the truth in this murder-mystery novel.
My Take:
The difference between a writer and a storyteller is as thin as a line on a graph. Yet, some fantastic stories are born when it's told right on that line. The author has managed to tell a story on that line throughout the course in such gripping manner with short - to the point chapters. The storyteller starts his story by narrating a gruesome rape scene. The hard-hitting words make a deep impact on the reader. In subsequent chapters, the ACP along with the help of an inspector try to unearth the reason and find the prime suspect. The chapters are crisp, short and to the point. The author hasn't wasted much words to drag the story. Like a good filmmaker, the author knows when to cut the scene.
In addition to that, the editor has done a fine job in tightening the chapters. Slowly, chapter after chapter, this whodunit murder-mystery takes shape and towards the end, although kind of predictable, the author has managed to convey a very important message to the society. The power that the epilogue exudes will stand in the memory of the reader even long after the book is read.
Verdict: Masterful storytelling. Impactful. This book must be read by every Indian to become more open-minded.
Book Sniffers Rating:
Book Details:
Title: The Colours of Passion: Unravelling Dark Secrets behind the Limelight
Author: Sourabh Mukherjee
Genre: Crime/Thriller/Mystery
Type: Paperback
Publisher: Readomania
Language: English
Pages: 237
Year of Publication: 2017
Price: 250 INR
Buy Paperback: Amazon
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