Pune-based author Dr Manjiri Prabhu, widely acclaimed as the 'Agatha Christie of India', has launched her latest destination thriller 'The Grand Oxford Mystery'. With an engaging storyline, well-developed characters, and a vividly immersive setting, the novel seamlessly weaves together mystery and history, and keeps readers hooked from start to finish.
Set against the backdrop of the hub of knowledge - Oxford, the story follows investigative journalist Re Parker - a character familiar to those who have read Prabhu's previous destination thrillers - as he, along with a local tourist guide Emma Carter, navigates a labyrinth of secrets.
Plot:
Emma steps into the heart of the story when an elderly man, Paul, whom she once helped write the first chapter of his novel, unexpectedly dies. The plot thickens when Emma's uncle, Professor Jeffery, receives that very chapter, accompanied by a note threatening to disrupt a prestigious award ceremony to be held at the historic Sheldonian Theatre.
Within no time, Re joins forces with Emma, and together they embark on a high-stakes quest to find the remaining seven chapters across Oxford's iconic landscape. As the pieces come together, Re realises that this is no ordinary literary puzzle - it has transformed into a deadly mind game, challenging both logic and imagination to the limit.
During the search, he also deduces the connection of the novel to his mother, Maria, and her past as a student in Oxford. The stakes rise higher. With lives hanging in the balance, including those closest to him, Re must solve the mystery in a race against time.
Whether he succeeds or not is the question that will keep readers turning the pages.
Review:
Just like her previous books, Manjiri has invested significant effort in researching the setting of her novel. Her detailed descriptions make it feel as though you're strolling through the streets of Oxford yourself. The lucid language is a bonus. Besides, with the unexpected twists, the gripping intrigue and the captivating mystery, the story keeps you hooked.
Overall, 'The Grand Oxford Mystery' is a captivating thriller that will genuinely appeal to those who enjoy this genre.
