Thrillers are written to thrill the readers all till the end of any book. Over the years a lot of thrillers have cropped up and entertained the readers with their edgy and alluring narration. Author A.X Ahmad in his debut novel "The Caretaker" narrates one such tale which promises to be a roller coaster ride for the readers. So is this ride worth taking? Let's find out.
A compelling thriller that introduces a new hero for our times: Ranjit Singh, former captain in the Indian Army, illegal immigrant in the heart of white America and caretaker to the rich and famous.
One harsh winter, Ranjit illegally moves his family into an empty, luxurious vacation home belonging to an African-American Senator. Ensconced in the house, he tries to forget his brief affair with Anna, the Senators wife, and focuses on providing for his family. But one night, their idyll is shattered when mysterious armed men break into the house, searching for an antique porcelain doll. Forced to flee, Ranjit is hunted by unknown forces and gets drawn into the Senators shadowy world. To save his family and solve the mystery of the doll, he must join forces with Anna, who has her own dark secrets. As he battles to save his family, Ranjit's painful past resurfaces and he must finally confront the hidden event that destroyed his career in the Army and forced him to leave India.
Tightly plotted, action-packed, smart and surprisingly moving, The Caretaker takes us from the desperate world of migrant workers to the elite African-American community of Martha's Vineyard and a secret high-altitude war between India and Pakistan.
First look at the cover and the title and the boldness of the title drips of something mysterious coming up. There's no image to go with which is a tad odd. An image could have aroused more curiosity among the readers. The blurb talks about a man and his life going haywire completely in wake of some events. The blurb contains information but in bits and pieces and dots have to be connected by the readers when they go through the book.
The story is of ex army man Ranjit Singh. He has migrated to USA along with wife Preetam & daughter but things are not rosy for him there. He gets a job of a caretaker at Clayton Neals house and his whirlwind relationship with Anna also gets some wind but a lot happens once he settles down for a job. He finds himself on the run and his family torn apart as it becomes a scandalous affair. So will Ranjit Singh be able to save himself and his family? Will Anna Neals help him out? What role Clayon Neals is playing in this whole conspiracy? That's what the story is all about.
Thrillers are meant to thrill and this one doesn't disappoints at first. A lot of suspense, cockiness and edginess prevails in the first half of the story line. The narration detailed and the events happening at a furious pace. The story takes a lot of turns while it happens to maintain the decent run of a thrilling finish. The narration is good with expectation soaring high with each page.
The downside of the book is it's very weak second half where the suspense breaks and the entire plot becomes predictable. The sluggishness of the second half and the emotional quotient becomes too high killing other crucial aspects of a thriller. The parallel plot based on the past after one point of time looks completely out of place. The end also leaves a lot to be desired.
All in all the book could have done better in terms of gripping, binding and then execution of the plot. It takes you to a high and then brings you down but it's not an appropriate landing. The book has it's moments but fails to rekindle the magic of a thriller.
RATINGS:
3 OUT OF 5
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