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Broken Dreams A Callipur Murder Mystery
Aditya Banerjee, author
In 1978, a horrific murder takes place in the small idyllic town of Callipur, India. The murder and a string of robberies has the town on edge. The mystery baffles the police department and the young officer who is desperately searching for the truth. In Shankar Sen’s first case, each turn and clue seem to lead to a dead end. The young man who is killed is well liked and has no enemies. Is it a robbery gone wrong? Or is there something sinister going on that someone is trying to hide? As the young detective steadfastly investigates the mystery, he finds that he cannot always rely on his own department. But he gets help from an unlikely source.As the investigation heads towards its conclusion, more secrets are revealed, and uncovering the truth may not necessarily mean getting justice.
Reviews
Set in the town of Callipur, India, in 1978 shortly after the restoration of democracy, Banerjee’s gripping series launch introduces recent police academy graduate Shankar Sen. With distrust of the authorities still an issue following a lengthy suspension of civil liberties, Sen must overcome that sentiment to solve the murder of Karan Lal, an auto shop apprentice whose battered corpse was found on the floor by one of the shop’s owners, Pramod Bhaskar, after Bhaskar visited his business after midnight. Sen’s first suspicion is that the death was the consequence of a botched robbery, committed by a gang of burglars responsible for a string of crimes targeting shops, stores, and factories. Lal’s murder is consistent with the violence of that gang, whose members sometimes beat security guards and business owners they encounter during their break-ins. A promising lead is compromised by possible police misconduct, and Sen must look into alternate theories before finding the truth. Assured plotting matches strong characterization, and Banerjee vividly recreates the life of the town. Readers are sure to welcome the sequel. (Self-published)
