A Poet’s Ballad

Crossword Mystery, #1

by

Aditya Banerjee

Endearing characters and a well-crafted puzzle of a mystery set in 1980s small-town India.

A Poet’s Ballad is the first novel in author Aditya Banerjee’s new series, the Crossword Mysteries, and I couldn’t have wished for a better, more satisfying debut than what I found. With its endearing main characters, vibrant and lively small-town setting in 1980 India, and well-crafted and, literally, puzzling mystery, I felt like I was taking a refreshing vacation every time I opened the book. 

The story is told from the viewpoint of two main characters. Mahesh Pal is a Delhi graduate student preparing to join a Ph.D. program in far-off London, England. Aarvi Lal is the manager at her family’s generations-old bookstore, preparing for her traditional wedding in two weeks. Both face huge life changes when they each receive an odd inheritance from a local retired university professor whose death may not have been as accidental as it has been claimed—the common link among the three is their love of crossword puzzles. 

I was immediately drawn into the story by the easy and authentic camaraderie among Mahesh’s university friends. The author completely captures in his portrayal the essence of this time in Mahesh’s life as he prepares to embark on the next phase of his academic career, and he does so quickly and in only a few pages! You could easily understand Mahesh’s conflicting emotions: excitement for the future, sadness over leaving his friends and family, and regrets that he and his father do not see eye-to-eye about his decision to continue his studies rather than return home to work in the family business. 

Being a contemporary of the fictional Aarvi Lal, I could readily empathize with her feelings and experiences as a young, educated single woman at the start of the 1980s. She’s always been the obedient daughter, going with the flow (rather than fighting with her mother) and never causing her parents any trouble. She studied hard to succeed academically, only to be expected to shelve her accomplishments and autonomy when she married. The author recreates the restrictive atmosphere of the time, the conservative views of women’s roles in the family and the workplace, and the necessarily cautious arms-length relationship between Aarvi and Mahesh because of the potential damage she could suffer from the juicy gossip should she be perceived to act too casually. I enjoyed their mutual respect and growing friendship. These two are capable and smart in their pursuit of Devesh’s story, and they were a joy to watch as they worked together to work out the mysterious clues. 

The author creates a vivid and vibrant setting for the story in his depictions of the historic tourist town Benares and the activities leading up to Aarvi’s pending nuptials. I could feel the heat and humidity of the ancient city, but even the bustle of the tourists and religious pilgrims was nothing compared to the manic preparations necessary before the traditional Indian wedding. It was fascinating, complex, and eye-opening; I was exhausted just reading about it all. 

With its engaging characters, compelling mystery, and vivid setting, I recommend A POET’S BALLAD to historical mystery fans, especially those who would enjoy a 1980s time period and an Indian setting. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.