The Maladies Of Life

A troubled teen falls for someone forbidden-and is drawn into a series of chilling, chemically peculiar murders only he seems connected to. Solving them becomes his only lifeline.

Sixteen-year-old Mark never planned on becoming a detective. But when someone he loves in Bangalore’s underbelly is murdered under bizarre, unexplained chemical circumstances, the quiet secrets of his family and his father’s brothel begin to split open.

With the police unwilling to probe further, Mark turns to an unexpected refuge: Rainbow Matters Anonymous, a 12-step support group for the LGBTQ community, whose warmth, lived wisdom, and street-level instincts become the backbone of his first investigation.

Each new death grows stranger and more deliberate-murders marked by patterns no one can explain. Every clue pulls Mark deeper into a world his father has tried hard to hide. As the trail tightens around him, he must decide what he’s willing to risk for truth, love, and the fragile sense of identity he is only beginning to understand.

Ideal for fans of Richard Osman’s charm, Alexander McCall Smith’s humanity, and Joanne Fluke’s character-driven mysteries, this debut introduces a fresh young sleuth with heart, humour, and a gift for seeing what others overlook.

Readers who admire Agatha Christie’s classic clue-craft will find the same spirit of deduction here, set against the vivid, modern rhythms of India.