Picture This! It's a lazy day and you have plenty of time to kill (if you don't have too many or any of those 'free time' days you gotta make some serious changes to your life). You are fed up of the TV and the updates on the social media don't excite you. You want to do something different but don't feel like going out. You are looking for something interesting to read or hold your attention. That's precisely the time for a book like 'A beam of light'. It has a plot which moves at a steady pace and holds your attention through all the twists and turns.
Plot: Inspector Salvo Montalbano wakes up from a nightmare with a start. The nightmare has him visit a vacant plot to investigate a coffin containing the body of someone very familiar. As Montalbano struggles to make sense of the dream he's beckoned to a vacant plot to investigate a cabin which turns to be a hideout out for anti-nationalist forces. The vacant plot has an eerie semblance to the one in the dream but before Montalbano can go any further he's drawn into another case where the young wife of a prosperous business man is assaulted and robbed at gunpoint. Bothered by a bad dream and embroiled in two tricky cases, Montalbano accepts an invitation to visit the new art gallery in town just to divert his mind. There he meets the beautiful and breezy art gallery owner Marian. Sparks fly instantly and a steamy affair ensues. The presence of Marian seems to reinvigorate Montalbano but his joy is short lived when his estranged girl friend Livia calls up to enquire about his welfare. Dealing with two women is tough enough but things get even more complicated when Montalbano discovers inaccuracies in the assault victims' case and the anti-terrorist squad steps in and takes over the vacant plot case. Marian also has to leave town all of a sudden to close an art deal which reeks of suspicion to the inspector. Will Montalbano ever discover the connection between his dream and the incidents which unfold? Will he be able to choose between Marian and Livia? What does a beam of light indicate?
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| A Beam Of Light by Andrea Camilleri <Courtesy: Amazon> |
Review: 'A beam of light' is more of a drama rather than a mystery. There is a very serious undercurrent to the lighthearted set up involving a middle aged inspector grappling with two women even as he solves multiple cases which are very different from one other. The conclusion brings a poignant end to the proceedings by not only tying up the various loose ends but also justifying the title (although I felt the title could have been better justified with a little more emphasis at different points in the story).
The serious ending however doesn't dampen the spirits set up by an otherwise light hearted drama which almost borders on farce at times. Inspector Montalbano is not your archetypal super sleuth (read Sherlock Holmes and Hercules Poirot who were confirmed bachelors and were also certifiable geniuses). Montalbano indulges himself every which way he can, is intelligent but not brilliant, is resourceful and redoubtable but also lazy and one step behind his peers at times. While such a characterization is a departure from the classic detectives we have read from time to time, it's also extremely novel and refreshing to follow an imperfect hero whom we all can identify with. Montalbano's one redeeming characteristic is his conscience which he calls upon whenever there is a tricky problem to solve.
The supporting cast in the story is every bit as colorful as Montalbano is. There is Montalbano's deputy 'Mimì' Augello who uses his considerable charm to woo secrets out of unsuspecting women. There is the very efficient Fazio who is not only Montalbano's right hand man but is also someone whom Montalbano envies. There is the devoted and simple minded Catarella who has unique gifts but confounds the living hell out of Montalbano every time he utters a word. It's these characters along with the two women (about whom I will not say much for fear of giving away the story) who bring a soul to the story and ensure there is never a dull moment as the plot moves along.
Conclusion: So there you are my friends a book which will spice up your day. Please do remember that the plot is for adults only, so do remember to keep the book away from the reach of your children. Happy reading!
Rated: Time Pass
Until Next Time,
Your Book Lover,
J.J. Chaitanya
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