The Thorough Check - Book Review

The Thorough Check – Travails of an Indian Muslim

By Vadassery Thaiparambil Rakesh

Review By Ila Garg

The Thorough Check, a thrilling narrative by the debutant writer Vadassery Thaiparambil Rakesh is published by Frog Books (an imprint of Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd). The paper and print quality show that it is a publication house that we should keep an eye on. The cover is apt as much as the title is and hooks the readers. It will instantly make you want to grab the book and read on. The Thorough Check is gripping crime thriller which is adorned by an equally illustrative cover design.

Born in a sleepy village of Kerala, amidst the greenery of paddy fields, overflowing ponds and canals, croaking of frogs and the mysticism of snake worship, Vadassery Thaiparambil Rakesh did his B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the Govt. Engineering College, Trissur. Bitten by the world of magical realism of a Garcia Marquez, Thriller tales of a Maclean or an Archer, nationalistic fervour of a Tharoor or a Nilekani, he finally took his dive to the deep ocean of writing. The Thorough Check is his literary debut.

The blurb reads as, “So much has been talked about to quell the great religious divide in India. But it pervades like a dust storm all across the society, politics, business, and intelligentsia. Here is an honest attempt to see the nation first, a nation that cannot afford to talk divisive after sweltering for hundreds of years under foreign rule and their loot.

This is the story of a police officer, who puts his life at stake in protecting the country. Narrated at the backdrop of some scintillating scenes of love, passion, and adventure, it keeps the readers glued to the content. The earthly appeal, scenic locales, and the contemporary relevance, make it a darling for all age groups.

The book creates yet another “Tryst of Destiny,” this time in the twenty first century. The protagonist achieves what the creators of this nation could not, a change of heart of the hardliners. A must read for the world citizens of tomorrow – Vasudaivakudumbakam.”

Needless to say it is a story centered on terrorism. The basic plot moves around the line of terrorists planning an attack in Gujarat that will shatter the city to the core. The protagonist is an undercover policeman working under the orders of State Police of Kerala. He is sent to the state of Gujarat for an assignment to find out the answers to all the mysterious activities which were being detected on the coast of Kerala and had their links in Gujarat. The case was complex, of course and the way it unfolds kept me hooked. The story is good, however it lacks the narration. The first person narrative is a big put off. The readers will find it tasking to read through the book due to the language errors.

Right from the beginning, readers will have to concentrate and ensure that nothing distracts them to keep pace with the story. The writing skills of the author demand time and attention from the readers to catch the flow. However, I liked the way the author developed the characters and built up the necessary suspense. Initially, it was a slow read but once the story picked up the speed, I quickly read through the remaining pages.

The 171 page book is divided into 44 short chapters and it manages to a good read. Not exposing the story much, I can easily say that readers will enjoy it despite the language difficulties. The plot that is different from the mainstream romance makes you keep turning the pages to reach the climax and unveil the suspense of the terrorist attack.

For a debut writer, V.T. Rakesh has presented a nice book with a different storyline. The suspense and thrill kept me glued to this book.

‘Yay’ Factors: The story line and the suspense that is built up is intriguing.

‘Nay’ Factors: The language and narrative.

My Verdict: To find out whether the protagonist is able to uncover the conspiracy or not, is he able to find the answers that he came looking for in Gujarat, can he save the country from the terrorists, what will happen when the terrorists get to know about the person who is stopping them, what role do the women characters play in the story, how complex the situation is; you will have to read the novel, The Thorough Check.

Ratings: 3/5

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This (Unbiased) book review is a part of "The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program". To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com. Thanks Nimi Vashi for giving me the opportunity to read such a nice book!