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Some books never leave your mind. You see their spine on the bookshelf and are transported back to that time and space. You remember how you felt while reading it. ‘The Missing’ by Chris Mooney is one of those books for me. I had to sleep with the lights on after finishing the book. I must have recommended it to all of my reader friends and they too had similar reactions. It’s horrifying. It’s so good.

Mooney is the critically acclaimed author of Deviant Ways, World Without End, and Remembering Sarah, which was nominated for the Barry Award and the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Mooney’s other works are also equally terrifying and I love many more titles apart from The Missing. But The Missing is my favorite because it was my first time reading the author and I wasn’t prepared for what was coming. I later found out that it was also the first book in the CSI Darby McCormick series.

Specific scenes of the book still make me shudder. I decided to reread it to see if it still evokes the same feelings as it did a decade ago when I first read it. It was every bit as satisfying. Mooney is a great storyteller with a special penchant for crafting characters you will come to love and then throwing them into highly unlikely and unsettling scenarios. Something about it just makes your heart race. You feel for these people and become invested in the story.

CSI Darby McCormick finds an emaciated woman hiding at a kidnap site. DNA tests confirm she is the same woman who has been missing for five years. She has somehow managed to escape the dungeon in which she had been held captive. Then a teenage girl goes missing and Darby begins to hunt for the dungeon as she suspects a sadistic serial killer is on the prowl. She soon discovers that she has a past with the kidnapper/murderer and that she might be his next victim.

I don’t want to say anything else and ruin the suspense. I feel too many emotions for this book so I don’t trust myself not to say anything to spoil it for those who haven’t read it. But I can safely say that everyone will enjoy this book. The plot is good. The writing is superb. The author has mastered the pacing and tension-building that makes a good thriller. But The Missing isn’t just a blood-curdling psychological thriller. Mooney knows how to evoke empathy and question your morals. So, it makes for an interesting, wholesome read. Best, the ending will make you squirm.

Fiction

The Missing

Chris Mooney

Published: 2007

Publisher: Penguin Books

Pages: 403, Paperback

‘How to Kill Your Family’ is narrated in the first-person by Grace Bernard, a 20-something Londoner who hates her millionaire father. He refused to acknowledge her as his daughter. She and her mother had miserable lives while he shuffled between his luxury homes. Now, Grace’s mother is dead and she wants revenge. She wants to kill her father, but not before she kills the rest of his family members. She wants him to suffer.

 But before she can kill him, she ends up in prison. She isn’t caught for the many murders that she does commit but for one she had nothing to do with. In prison, Grace keeps a journal in which she documents the six murders she committed. She describes them in great detail, almost relishing them and in her flawless execution.

The book had potential—the plot is interesting. The characters are well-crafted. But the author didn’t flesh out the story beforehand. The first few chapters are good and the story picks up pace mid-way. But the ending feels forced and abrupt. Grace kills people in ingenious ways but that’s all she’s doing and after a few murders you can guess what she’s going to do. It gets repetitive and boring.

The story is peppered with biting commentary on the consumerist culture. These bits are fun and provide insight into Grace’s mindset and what drives her. But Grace still comes across as acerbic and annoying. I could never empathize with her. Even when some people have been kind and taken care of her, she’s been ungrateful, always questioning their motives. She never grew on me.

Also, since the story is narrated only from Grace’s perspective, you get a one-dimensional view of what’s happening. Grace is a cynical narrator and thus every character comes across as silly and vile. There is only black and white in Grace’s world and as a reader you find Grace’s ideas being forced onto you. It’s quite a discomfiting feeling at times.

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie is a light read you will forget the minute you finish it. It goes downhill pretty quickly. But you will have some fun while reading it. The writing is humorous and some passages will resonate with you, or you will vehemently disagree with the protagonist’s ideas. Whatever the case, your opinions and biases will surface time and again. In that way, the story will lead to some introspection, which can sometimes be a much-needed thing. But don’t go into it expecting it to be a great read, it’s just an average one.

Fiction

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/50224049 

How to Kill Your Family

Bella Mackie

Published: 2022

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 359, Paperback

I read ‘The Sari Shop’ over a decade ago. I remember how good I felt while reading it. It was a heartwarming story that stayed with me long after I finished it. I found the protagonist endearing. I came across the book as I was going through some of my old stuff—kept on random shelves and boxes at my parent’s home. All I had to do was read a couple of pages for the story to come back to me. I felt bad that I had forgotten about it for so long, that I hadn’t talked about this book when people inevitably asked me for book recommendations.

Ramchand is a 26-year-old shop assistant at Sevak Sari House in Amritsar, India. He spends most of his days showing saris to women who come to the shop. There are posh women from rich families who like to be treated well and giggling girls who like expensive silk saris but can only afford cotton ones. There is a certain rhythm to his days and Ramchand likes it, despite knowing he could never afford the lavish lifestyle of his customers.

Then, one day, he is sent to show some saris to a wealthy family. They are preparing for their daughter’s wedding. This incident jostles him from his reality and he wants another shot at reliving his childhood dreams. To start with, Ramchand tries to find a purpose by fulfilling his dead father’s dream which is to improve his prospects by learning English. He spends a major portion of his earnings on the Oxford English Dictionary, The Complete Letter Writer, and Pocket Science for Children, among other random titles.

His efforts with English mean he can finally pick up fragments of conversation among his wealthy customers. The things they say aren’t always nice and he can’t make much sense of things when they talk about politics and other worldly affairs. You could say Ramchand’s efforts disrupt his peaceful existence and make him realize that life can be a lot harsher than he imagined.

The simple story is dotted with events that make you think about social hierarchy and society’s obsession with wealth. Through the varied characters—the crass Mrs Sandhu, the educated but improper Mrs Sachdeva, and the young and hip Rina and Tina Kapoor—Bajwa paints a picture of upper-class India and the growing chasm between the haves and the have-nots. There is a lot of sarcasm and a fair bit of humor too. But the story is in no way pretentious. Nothing dramatic ever happens. The Sari Shop is a social commentary where the ugly truths of life are brought under a glaring spotlight.

Fiction

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/9409  

The Sari Shop

Rupa Bajwa

Published: 2004

Publisher: Penguin Books

Pages: 240, Paperback

Doing nothing on the weekend might sound appealing, especially after a hectic work week. But finding some fun things to do can help you bond with family and friends while ensuring that by Monday morning you are refreshed and recharged. So, what can you do to make your weekend fun and memorable? We’ve curated a list of ideas for you to get started.

Paint a masterpiece

Art can be intimidating, and with that many of us never pick up a paintbrush. But it’s not that difficult. The idea is to have fun. The House of Palettes is a painting studio in Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur that lets you sip on wine and cocktails while you work on your masterpiece. Don’t fret, there are experts to help you. Quite a few other restaurants occasionally hold ‘paint and sip’ sessions and promote the event through social media. Alternatively, you can also buy some paint and canvas and have a go at it at home too.

Host a movie night

Whether it is rewatching a movie you loved as a child or finally watching Squid Games on Netflix, a movie night can be a lot of fun and wholesome too. Invite some friends over, get a big tub of popcorn, and watch something you know you will all enjoy. There is something special about spending Saturday surrounded by your loved ones while watching something that feels nice and nostalgic. We recommend ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ and ‘Matilda’.

Go on a food tour

We are all guilty of eating the same thing. We often go to the same restaurants whenever we eat out. So, spend a Saturday doing something different. Make it a point to sample a new cuisine or go to a new place and try the local food there. The Durbar Squares, especially Patan and Bhaktapur, have many small eateries that serve great local delicacies. Be a tourist in your own town and indulge in some good food while you explore the place.

Plant a garden

Most garden DIY projects can be completed in just one weekend. If you have a small patch of land or a balcony area, look into ways you can create a small garden. Buy some pots, paint them, and plant some seasonal flowers. They look great and will beautify your home with minimal effort. You can ask your spouse or sibling to help and make it a family affair. You can also go plant hunting and visit a few local nurseries. You can make a garden box or plant an herb garden if you don’t have much room.

Have a spa day

Doesn’t a relaxing day at the spa sound like just the thing you need after a long, tiring week? Book a massage for yourself and your partner. You can also opt for a staycation at one of the many hotels in and around Kathmandu and pamper yourself with the many facilities at the spa there. A hot oil head massage followed by a whole-body deep tissue massage and a sauna session might be just what you need to feel like you have got this.

Play some board games

Board games aren’t just for children as most people falsely seem to believe. Games like ‘Sequence’, ‘Stratego’, ‘Scrabble’, ‘Go’, ‘Battleship’, and ‘Monopoly’ among others can be a lot of fun as well as help keep your mind sharp. Or when was the last time you put together a jigsaw puzzle? You get some cool 500- or 1000-piece puzzles these days. It might take you more than a single weekend to put it together but the effort will be worth it.

Visit the farmer’s market

No matter where you are, chances are you won’t be too far from a farmer’s market. They are indeed all the rage right now. And there is so much to explore in one. You can enjoy a taste of the freshest produce, source high-quality food that you won’t get at a supermarket, as well as hang out with family and friends. It’s almost like a picnic of sorts. What’s great is that there is usually no entry fee and you can probably snag a few free samples—of coffees and self-care products—too.

Organize your digital data

We have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos on our phones. We have scanned important documents but we need to scroll through a lot of random pictures to get to them. Additionally, there are all these notes and photos in an old shoebox somewhere—you know you’d be heartbroken if you lost that black and white photo of your grandparents or that card your best friend gave you when you were in school. So set aside a weekend to scan and save your photos and memorabilia and organize them properly in your digital storage space. It will send you on a trip down memory lane and also make it easier for you to find that citizenship when you need it.