KOCHI: With three novels to his credit, Lajo Jose is easily one of the most sought-after thriller authors in Kerala. Nine months after his last book, Lajo’s fourth book ‘Rest In Peace’, was released last week and is getting rave reviews from readers. Lajo, has penned this book along the lines of ‘cozy mysteries’ subgenre.“Cozy mysteries deal with crimes that happen in a closed space—like a building or a small community,” says Lajo. The story begins with Jessie, one of the main characters, going through a rough patch with her husband. Soon she gets a package from a retirement home where her father lived. It contains the story of a murder that happened there. Her father, Fredrick Devassy, tried to find the culprit, but the unfinished story leaves Jessie puzzled.
According to Lajo, the genre was once very popular and doesn’t feature intense violence. He started writing the book in April 2019 and finished by February 2020. “My earlier novels ‘Hydrangea’ and ‘Ruthinte Lokam’ had dark shades. It took around 11 months for me to come out of the hangover caused by Hydrangea. Writing such intense thrillers can push the author into depression. Cozies give a thrilling yet comfortable experience for the readers and the writer,” he said.
Around 2,500 copies have been already sold and a majority of first edition books were sold as pre-order. Mathrubhumi books has published the thriller. Though many used the lockdown period for creative activities, Lajo says that he didn’t think of writing a new novel during the period. “People were getting infected with the virus and the livelihood of many were affected. I was really disturbed. I’ve some story threads in mind. Maybe this is the first time I am taking so long to start a novel,” he said.