Desi detective tales with a twist—Liddle’s sandook of criminals is a delight for both history buffs and mystery lovers

MADHULIKA LIDDLE’S second book, The Eighth Guest and Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries, is once again based around the Dilli Durbars of the 17th century, at a time when the Mughal Empire had shifted base from Agra to Delhi under Emperor Shahjahan. The main protagonist of the book is “consulting detective” Muzaffar Jang, a young amir, first introduced in Liddle’s The Englishman’s Cameo. In the first book, Liddle did what few Indian authors had done before—placed a detective novel in a historical era. Like with the first, Liddle’s second offering also gives the readers a vivid insight into the heydays of Shahjahanabad, taking them through bustling bazaars, royal havelis, elephant stables and sarais outside the walled city. Unlike the first book—a murder mystery with several intertwining sub-plots—the second book is a series of independent stories of murders, espionage and thefts. Liddle continues to write Jang’s character cleverly, by focusing more on the young detective’s peers than him, and weaving a character based on the difference between them. Unlike his royal friends, Jang often collaborates with the “invisible class” (read: boatmen, servants, mahouts and slaves). He seems obsessed neither with luxury nor leading a decadent lifestyle, is pragmatic and appears more “manly” than his often-effeminate friends (perhaps because our amir was raised by Zeenat Begum; an older sister, often strict, always maternal, moral and yet modern). He is more active than most of his friends and clients who sometimes groan at the prospect of movement. But his tehzeeb is intact, and so is the chivalry. Liddle’s Jang, thus, is quite the maverick of his times and often stands out. As does his creator. Unlike several other Indian authors who write in English, Liddle does not ‘exoticise’ her context or story by adding several layers of explanations or meaning to the text. She presumes that her readers have an understanding of old Dilli, which frankly, makes her style refreshing, less tedious to read and less condescending. Liddle’s language is lucid and her style matter-offact. Though there aren’t many direct references to political intrigues, there are passing references or hints in the sub-plots which make Shahjahanabad more real for the reader. If you are one of those who has been on a steady diet of crime fiction, for you Liddle’s weakest point will be her plots: they are predictable at best. But because the crimes are often not over-the-top or too dramatic, one could be tricked into believing that they could very well have happened— in all times. The book’s strength lies in its details and the manner in which Liddle lays them down. The author’s Dilli is vibrant, alive and very real for the readers. Though the characters speak in English, there is a faint whiff of courtly tehzeeb in the manners of speech. On a personal note, two of her stories did stand out for me—The Bequeathed Garden and The Eighth Guest— because of the kind of characters she has sketched out. The footnotes at the end of the story add a layer of genuine history to the settings of the stories. All in all, Liddle’s style has enough in it to entice not just the whodunit lover, but also the fan of historical fiction. Born in Guwahati, Madhulika Liddle lives in New Delhi at present. Before she became a full-time writer, she worked in the hospitality, advertising and industrial design sectors. Her stories have won several awards, including the top prize at the 2003 Commonwealth Short Story Competition. Her elder sister, Swapna Liddle, is a historian (often helping the younger sister to get facts straight and organising Muzaffar Jang Walks through Old Delhi for fans). Liddle has confessed that she is often drawn to the murkier underbelly of humanity— it could be a result of being a police officer’s daughter. Though the family travelled frequently, her longest stint was in Delhi. “My affection for the city and its considerable historical heritage were directly responsible for my debut novel,” she has admitted. Otherwise, the prolific author spends her time writing about cinema and travel, and penning short scripts for All India Radio.