Creative writing has been an intrinsic part of author Mohan Menon’s life. Summer holidays during childhood meant writing stories, only for them to remain incomplete and consigned to the bottom drawer of a desk somewhere. After spending several rich years in advertising, Mohan wielded the pen in 2019 and published his first book, ‘Nail in the Pillow’, which he calls a “book of ‘dark’ stories”. Now comes his second book, ‘The Ninja Never Knocks’ (`399, Adisakrit), through which the writer enters the world of crime and detectives.
His protagonist Vikram ‘Bando’ Banerji is a charmer, an author, and an amateur sleuth who has a strong nose for crime. A ‘ninja’ is out on the loose, and along with Sabina, he tries to nab him.
Unraveling the ideas
The book that began to take shape during the pandemic found its way to the shelves just now. Reason: “My new book was written in fits and starts. I had my share of agony and frustration when I accidentally erased a few chapters,” he shares.
While his first book was far from being a detective story, Mohan, a fan of detective fiction who grew up on Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie, like many, dove headfirst into this genre when publishers suggested that he write a novel. “My leaning towards writing a mystery novel should be no mystery. I must confess that I enjoyed writing this book and creating this hydra-headed plot,” he says.
The story, like many Indian detective novels and series, is set in Calcutta. But this was not a deterrent for Mohan. Having grown up in Mumbai and now living in Chennai for several years, Mohan decided not to set the story in either places. “I have often visited Calcutta and have warmed up to it. In my mind, it was perfect,” he says.
Set in a non-linear format, the story also rewinds back to a British-ruled India, tying to the present where Bando’s friend Victoria is in search of a treasure. Mohan attributes this style of writing to his idiosyncrasy. “When I am following a train of thought, I am loath to strangle it at birth, however illogical it may appear. The way I saw it, detectives, like lawyers, can take on more than one client. In the story, Victoria, who needed the detective’s help, had been put on the back burner. She was not seen as a top priority. Piqued at the situation, she decides to conduct her own investigation until Bando can devote time to her. While there is a historical backstory, the two tracks eventually converge,” he shares.
The book also makes the readers detectives, as Mohan tells us that he has peppered hints at certain places for us to find the killer. Besides, the year of the happenings is also not specified. Yet, there are clues that suggest the time period. “I deliberately kept the period fluid. I had seen it happen in the 90s. I found that mentioning exact dates and years to be constricting. Also, the plot was in no way limited by the calendar,” he adds.
This is also reflective of the way Mohan approaches the plot. He believes he belongs to the category of writers who build the story as they go along. When there is an epiphany, he writes. Or as he puts it, “When the planets are in the right confluence; When the grey cells sing in harmony? One has to shepherd ideas that can go the long mile. If I do find an idea that survives all the brickbats I throw at it, then I’ll hop on board.”
Now, the detective bug appears to have bitten him deep. Other genres seem tepid and tame in comparison, he says. So chances are bright that his next book will also be a whodunit.
But will it be a sequel? “I have two lead characters in the book, Bando and Sabina, who keep squabbling all the time. If I can get them to arrive at a temporary truce, readers could expect a sequel,” he teases.