Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could be ever youthful? Would long life not attract you? The elixir of longevity or the Amrita is a secret so powerful that people are willing to curse, die and kill for its possession across millennia. Tijara’s Mystery Codes by Hemma Myers Sood weaves an intricate timeline spanning over three different eras; each having the same focus – discovering the Amrita to become immortal.
When the palace-appointed doctor at Tijara Fort is killed under mysterious circumstances in 1977, Delhi Police sends their special officer Siddhartha under the guise of an interior decorator. While his true identity is known to a select few in the Fort, he is in for quite a shock when he discovers the true personalities of the Royal Family.
The doctor was researching and decoding a medical breakthrough that can be concocted with the help of special ingredients as handed down in the scriptures of the past. Was this the Amrita that made him the target of many? In his progress, Siddhartha also discovers that the doctor had more sides to his personality apart from being a medical genius and researcher. Could they be the reason behind his untimely death?
Siddhartha is introduced to the members of the Royal family in due course. The principled yet secretive Maharaja Mahadev Rao; the gracious Maharani Ambika; their eldest twins, the conceited Rajkumari Mansi, the timid Crown Prince Vikas; and their youngest, Vikram. The trusted guards Ramlal, Abhinav, and Jeevan as well as the local inspector Sawant give important directions to the case. Sood crafts the characters with such distinct personalities that they are hard to forget. The calm demeanor that is usually maintained by members of the Royal Family is a façade and the storm brewing within their hearts and minds finds an outlet through mysterious habits and activities within the Fort Walls.
Being a high-priority case, the murderer needs to be identified within a week. Siddhartha goes through ebbs and flows of realizations and revelations during his stay at the Fort. He gets caught in a complex web of irrational behaviors by several members within the Fort which can often leave one confused or mislead the investigation. However, his past records and unique way of solving cases often lead him to the right decision, and in this case – catching the killer red-handed.
What is interesting and almost never before seen is a police inspector who believes in both rationality and the mysterious. Siddhartha is known for his visions, sightings of omens, and clairvoyance, throwing in a bit of palmistry as well; traits that are usually unheard of in police officers. This makes Sood’s character stand out from the rest of the thriller and detective stories. Would Siddhartha’s omen observing power guide him to the right path or would it have been better to have followed a rational path based on evidence and not intuitions?
The murder within the Tijara Fort and the top-secret research pursued by the doctor takes the readers through two distinct timelines apart from 1977. It talks about the distribution of Alwar as a state and the Tijara Fort between two brothers during the British era of the 1800s. Moreover, it further dates back to the Dwapar Yug when the area used to be a part of Trigatpur, whose ruler Susharma fought with the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra war.
Does the doctor find out how the three timelines are linked with each other? Was he researching an elixir that can prolong life which ironically took away his own? Why was the King so adamant about finding the elixir or the Amrita? Would Siddhartha be able to catch the killer without spoiling the honor of the Royal Family? Tijara’s Mystery Codes, answers all and more. This captivating read enthralls the readers in the diverse webs of dilemmas and actions till the greatest mystery of the hour is solved.
No. of Pages: 274
Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications
Availability: Amazon / Flipkart
Purchased: via Amazon
*I would like to Thank Vinfluencers and Vandana Choudhury for sending over a review copy.
by Subhadrika Sen 