KOCHI: Of late, a number Malayalam crime thriller novels have lined up the shelves of bookstores. And many of them have caught the attention of bibliophiles proving Kerala’s fondness for thrillers. The latest addition to the list is ‘Poetry Killer’ by Sreeparvathy, a novel published by DC Books under the serial killer genre which was released last week to rave reviews.The novel deals with a series of five killings that take place in Kochi city. The strangest part is that all killings are related to poetry and the killer leaves a portion of verses from a English poetry at the crime scene. “It is a police procedural. The verses are a clue to the killing that’s going to happen next. I was always interested in writing a thriller which has poetry as backdrop. ‘Poetry Killer’ is a result of that,” says Sreeparvathy.
The protagonist of the novel is Derik John, who is Kochi City Police chief. According to the author, Derik is not a superhero police officer which we usually sees in movies. “He’s not someone who can crack a case based on his intuitions or assumptions. Most movies portray a ‘superhero’ image of police officers and majority of audience believes that police officers are the same in real life as well. Derik is a normal policeman who struggles to solve his cases and is a flawed person. He goes through a lot of tensions and frustrations,” adds Sreeparvathy.
She started writing the novel soon after the declaration of lockdown. Surprisingly, she completed the novel in seven days. “The thread of novel was in my mind for a long time. Though the novel was completed in seven days, I took around four months to edit it. I believe editing is the most crucial part of a novel.” Sreeparvathy is elated with the response she has been getting for her latest book. “A writer is delighted when his or her book succeeds in entertaining the reader. A reader who gave a low rating for my previous book ‘Mystic Mountain’ has given four-stars for this one. However, many readers are yet to get their hands on a copy due to logistic issues owing to the pandemic.”
With the entry of new writers in Malayalam, the genre of thriller novels, which was once considered quotidian has been gaining popularity. “Many popular publication houses are coming out with crime thrillers now. Books of many debut writers are going to be released soon. With the entry of new writers, new styles and fresh plots are being introduced, that’s a great development. However, we have to accept the reality that the trend may change anytime.”
As a writer, Sreeparvathy prefers to write thrillers. “Perfection is a must while writing a thriller. I do a lot of research and I think my brain works the best while authoring crime fiction. People are also interested in reading about new investigation methods and technologies in solving crimes.”
The trailer of her novel was released by DC Books. Writer G R Indugopan penned the introduction. “I think releasing trailer for novels is an innovative concept. Just like the movies, a trailer gives a glimpse of the story and characters to the readers. It helps in building curiosity.” Sreeparvathy is currently exploring three story threads for her next book. “I’m still quite excited with the respose ‘Poetry Killer’ is getting. I will start working on one of the threads soon,” says the young author.