Book Name: Tropical Detective: A Hari Majestic Mystery
Author: Zac O’Yeah
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Rating: 4.9/5
Book Blurb: Part of the Hari Majestic series, in Tropical Detective Hari grows up, gets serious and travels to Sweden in his first ever international case. A modest family man, Hari Majestic holds a steady job as an ATM night guard. But when one rainy night, the ATM is stolen right under his nose, all hell breaks loose.
Luckily, as he is also the head detective of diamond and Majestic Investigations Private Limited, he is the right person in the right place. Soon the case starts to get increasingly complicated and his only hope, according to Pandit the astrologer, is to make a pilgrimage to seek the blessings of a particular idol that is known to forgive and forget.
But, alas, this idol too has been stolen and now Hari has only one option. In his first ever international case, Hari travels halfway across the world on an epic search, even as his horoscope gives up on him. The question is: Will Hari return home as a hero, or will his luck finally run out?
Review: Zac O’Yeah spins a good yarn in this cheeky tale of Hari, the quintessential happy go lucky man from Bangalore who is not afraid of trying out his luck. If you’ve read other Hari mysteries by Zac O’Yeah, you know what am talking about!
In this adventure, Hari who has life sorted out and is working as an ATM guard running his household honestly soon finds himself in a lot of trouble after a burglary. Trouble seems to follow Hari who tries hard to clear his name but there is more to the plot than is first revealed. You cannot help sympathizing with Hari, our tragic hero who in spite of the odds stacked heavily against him tries his best and remains true to his detective side.
Zac O’Yeah has a keen eye for observation and this is the hallmark quality for any good writer. It comes in handy when painting characters like the police aunty:
“She was a good cop too, and her moustache was enviably thicker than Hari’s upper lip fluff. She was hard at work around the clock for she didn’t believe that crime should pay (and ever since her husband had left her to become a cave dwelling philosopher in the Himalayas, she didn’t need to go home to cook).”
Zac O’ Yeah has a knack for finding humor in the most tragic situations and Hari’s chatter even when he is surrounded by goons and is being interrogated makes for a fun read. This is Hari’s first international adventure and he does not let go of his shady side even when abroad.
I feel it is the right time to introduce a side-kick for Hari as that would further develop our beloved character.
Zac O’Yeah writes in an easy, colloquial style which works very well for the book. He is establishing a new comic-tragic style of mysteries which reminds me of the subtle humor in Poirot’s character. the book is engaging enough and you cannot put it down once you start reading it. There is never a dull moment with Hari and his sometimes desperate, over the top maneuvers result in a laugh riot.
This is a book worth reading and will appeal to everybody. Well done!