Author- Laxmi Natraj
Publishers- StoryMirror
Infotech Pvt Ltd (2017)
Pages- 249 pages
Genre-Crime, Thriller & Mystery
Blurb- The book
launched by the Honourable Education Minister Shri Vinod Tawde opens as a crime
thriller but finally, focus on the corruption and plagiarism involved in the
higher education field.
A newly married bride starting her life in a modern
neighborhood is witnessed with bruises and bleeding wounds by almost everyone,
leading to a conclusion that the bride is a victim of domestic violence. One
fine day the blood spills and visible sign of violence in the house, indicates
towards the possibility of a brutal attack or even a murder of the bride, as
both the bride and husband Professor are missing.
As the police investigate further and evidence piles up
against the professor, the accused is found finally, But he shocks the police
by saying that he was never ever married to any girl.
The story twists and turns with heated arguments of court
scenes where the defense and the prosecution collide head on to prove their
point. As the reader almost decides that the story has concluded, a blast from
the past of the Professor unfolds, revealing the darkest side of the Professor
and as the decaying skeletons tumble down from the closet. The reader enjoys a
roller-coaster ride of a series of facts too shocking, and spine-chilling, till
the last page of the novel. Read on!
Book Review- “A Bride, A Murder & A
Trail of Blood” is a commendable effort on part of the author. The book moves
at a fast pace and keeps the reader intrigued. It is a quintessential suspense
thriller with twists lurking around every corner. The climax leaves the reader
gasping for more. The language is simple and the narrative lucid. The
characters have been etched with great skill. But at times, the author tends to
go over the top while describing the background of a scene.
The book could also have benefitted from smart editing and
diligent proof reading. There are grammatical errors in a few places which sway the reader away from the events
unfolding in the story and dilute the impact.
The blurb of the book is not the smartest that I have come
across. It spills many beans and acts as a spoiler.
Verdict- A page-turner.
About the Author-Laxmi
Natraj is an educator with 35 years of teaching experience. She has authored a
series of Children's science fiction and adventure books. She has also written
two thriller adult fiction books and is working on her third. She also writes
short stories in Women's Era and Champak and Gokulam. Recently, she has also
taken up blogging and is active on social media.
