Desi detective tales

If you are looking for a desi Sherlock Holmes, The Reluctant Detective is just the book for you. The book's protagonist is involved in various detective missions while juggling a hunt to dig out an ensemble to wear to a party, race against time to apply mess-free coats of colour coordinated nail polish and the struggle to earn the title of Buffet Queen.

Author Kiran Manral with her book u00a0The Reluctant Detective

The protagonist, Kanan Mehra, referred to as Kay, is a 30-something nosy housewife, who reluctantly turns into a detective only when two murders happen in her neighbourhood.u00a0Kiran Manral has her readers flipping through the pages of her debut novel with amusement and delight. Her metaphors are hilarious and the incidences are very relatable.

The Reluctant Detective, Kiran Manral, Westland, Rs 195. Available at leading bookstores.

"The book is 20% me and the remaining 80% is an amalgamation of everyone in general. Everyone wants to look good, everyone is curious, and everyone likes a piece of gossip," gushes Manral.u00a0The story starts by announcing the arrival of cops at Kay's apartment and then moves on to high-profile parties and kitty lunches before Kay finds herself involved in a double-murder case.