After his debut novel, Murder in Amaravati, Sharath Komarraju strikes the right chord with yet another captivating murder mystery - Banquet on the dead. An IT specialist by profession, Komarraju comes out exceptionally well with his knack of story-telling. His grasp on narrative techniques and the way he builds a thick smokescreen of suspense and holds the readers’ attention till the closing stages, gives an impression of a seasoned writer.
The story revolves around the mysterious death of Kauveramma, an affluent octogenarian, who heads a large family. Her body is found in a well and her death seems to be an open-and-shut- case of suicide in the beginning, but certain things just don’t fit in. For example, the old lady was terrified by water and paradoxically no water was found in her lungs. The old lady’s grandson, Dr Koteshwar Rao, grows suspicious about it. At his behest, the surreptitiousness is exposed by a police inspector and his detective friend; it turns out to be a cold-blooded murder.
The pace of the story is slow but gripping. The two people who investigate the case, Inspector Valmiki Nagarajan and detective Hamid Pasha, are an unusual, impossible and an unconventional team of investigators. Nagarajan had always given Pasha a run for his life throughout his career, but that was 15 years ago. Pasha is now a reformed person.
Both have their own ways to look at clues and testimonies. Pasha keeps tab on the minutest details, which seems worthless to the inspector, who goes his own way exploring the secrets. But ultimately it is Pasha’s miniscule and insignificant observation that solves the riddle.
Komarraju constructs such a maze amidst the plot that the investigators are entangled in the web of distractions. Hopeful of finding something substantial, they are found shooting arrows in the dark. The family of the deceased adds to the already mystified mystery. The old lady’s sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, grand children and their wives, and servants, every character has its own secrets to hide and accusations to make. Every member of the family seems to be a suspect, has every motive to kill the old lady and has something to gain from her death.
The conclusion is exhilarating and startling. The way in which the secret behind the conspiracy is unfolded, definitely draws awe. Komarraju scores full marks on this as he never gives away, even a tinge, to the reader to make any guesses about the conspirators.
Sharath’s ability to build upon characters is noteworthy; his protagonist in the story, detective Hamid Pasha, stands out with exceptional flair. He is a reformed criminal, who is a connoisseur of all the nuances of the world of felony. Flirtatious at heart and a gentleman by thought. He can decipher any riddle just by throwing a few questions.
The remarkable part of the story is the degree of anxiety it carries all along. Though the slow pace and drawn out conversations seem tiresome, the gradual turn of events holds the reader all along.
The presence of too many characters in the story is perplexing but it is also the strength of the story. The novel, beyond doubt, stands the test of being a murder mystery and is certainly a good read.