Middle time

While going through the papers of her client Tulsi, who died under mysterious circumstances, Maya, a lawyer in Chennai, discovers a motheaten paperback which transports her back in time. Hampi, 1536: the glorious reign of Krishna Deva Raya has ended. The times are turbulent, riddled with fratricidal conflicts, secret plots and territorial battles. At the centre of the storm is Achale, a beautiful temple dancer who is on a quest to uncover the truth behind the murder of Thulasi, a Brahmin widow. Ostracized by the village for bearing an illegitimate child, Thulasi is catapulted to respectability when Manjunatha, her son, is declared a saint after experiencing a miracle. Soon after, her dead body is discovered under suspicious circumstances.
Why was Thulasi murdered? And why do her secrets have a bearing on a the untimely death of Tulsi in modern day Chennai? Maya has to ask herself these questions as she races against time to catch a dangerous enemy and unlock the mystery of murders spanning across centuries…

“Priya Vasudevan makes a scrumptious literary sandwich with a delectable secret tucked expertly between two layers of time. Middle Time is energetic, evocative and well-researched. One feels equally at home in the 16th century devadasi mansion of Achale as in the bustling life of lawyer Maya and modern day Chennai. A plucky first novel that comes alive with mystery, emotion and history.”

Shreekumar Varma