3 Review(s)

Madhulika Liddle’s Engraved In Stone takes readers into some fascinating secrets of the Taj Mahal, two years after its completion. Summary Of The Book Thrilling and entertaining at the same time, Madhulika Liddle’s Engraved In Stone takes a closer look at many of the secrets surrounding the enigmatic Taj Mahal. This exploration happens for a whole of two years after the completion of this magnificent structure. The protagonist of Engraved In Stone, Muzaffar Jang, is the epicenter of a murder mystery revolving around the suspicious death of a noted trader Mumtaz Hassan. Jang, a nobleman and skilled investigator, is handed the responsibility of solving the mystery by Mir Jumla, the Diwan-i-kul. Muzaffar finds no plausible evidence at his disposal, except an equally mysterious paper fragment ensconced in the fist of the murdered trader. Muzaffar has to solve the murder mystery before Mir Jumla’s return if he wants to avoid being beheaded. The dead trader’s opulent lifestyle and past throws up clues, which Muzaffar starts to unravel, including Hassan’s scandals and romances. He stumbles upon the story of the unfathomable disappearance of a forgotten woman. Muzaffar falls in love with Shireen and deals with a plethora of suspects. Liddle captures India in the seventeenth century in Engraved In Stone. Her picturesque scenes and settings provide solid historical backing to the novel. A thrilling murder mystery, the book hooks readers right from the first chapter itself. Avid readers of detective stories will not be disappointed with the sheer detail, scintillating plot and sufficient twists and turns. The story gains some much needed momentum right from the third chapter onwards. About Madhulika Liddle Madhulika Liddle is a prolific Indian English writer. Apart from her novels, she has also dabbled in short stories, travelogues, non-fiction and writings on classical movies. Madhulika Liddle has also written books like The Englishman’s Cameo and The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries. She has also published a short story collection titled My Lawfully Wedded Husband and Other Stories. Madhulika Liddle has worked with Habitat World, the India Habitat Centre, a travel portal, an advertising agency and also at NIIT Limited as an instructional designer. She studied at the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition where she met her husband Tarun Bhandari. She has also written humorous articles, and recorded them as well. She won the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Short Story Competition in 2003, and also won the Oxfordbookstore e-Author version 4.0.