Liddle’s third book is a success with its simple plot and intricate storytelling

THE FIRST Muzaffar Jang book that I happened to lay my hands on was The Eighth Guest. That was the second in the trilogy consisting of The Englishman’s Cameo, The Eight Guest And Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries and Engraved in Stone. With her third book, Liddle has established herself as a master storyteller and a desi Agatha Christie; the closest we can get to one. And, I am glad to note, she has won herself a fan in me. What is remarkable about Liddle is her confident grasp over her genre. Add to that her writing style (precise) and you have a hit. This time, too, Liddle transports her readers to the Mughal era (circa 1650s). Jang is back, escorting his elder sister (Zeenat Apa) and her beautiful lady friend (Shireen), to Agra. In the old city of Agra, Jang gets embroiled in a murder at his friend’s house and it is up to Jang to unravel a web, which started at Kabul and Bijapur. Though, the slowest of the three, it makes up for the pace by creating interestingly-layered characters—Mumtaz and Basheer Hassan, Ibrahim, and Jang’s friend, Akram. As always, the best bit is how Liddle manages to impart history lessons (yes, as I said before, I wasn’t paying attention in school) without sounding tedious. This time though, Liddle does not leave the readers with the delightful footnotes. They were sorely missed. While Liddle focused on Delhi for the previous two books, for Engraved in Stone she takes us to Agra, with a quick detour to Sikandrabad. The best bit about this book is its subtle humour which is spot on and she uses the humour to de-mystify a lot of legends (for example, an exasperated Basheer Hassan informs Jang that Shahjahan did not chop off artisans’ hands after the Taj Mahal was completed). An added attraction in Engraved in Stone was the close examination of the Taj Mahal, the then newly-constructed mausoleum. Though Jang remains the endearing and stoic detective, choosing to listen more, his character does not reveal any new facet. The book does introduce a softer side to the young detective. Yes, there is a smattering of romance, and fortunately and sensibly, it remains only a short bit of the tale. While some loops are tied neatly, one or two bits (a staged dacoity, for instance) left me wishing for a tighter style. For those who have not read a single book in the Jang series, you can start with this one. You will not be disappointed!