The elements of mystery find their ways in the fragment of human lives, whether they are in fiction or reality. When this is narrated the right way, then it has the potential to keep the readers involved and engaged throughout their reading of the book. In his book, Abhishek Roy Chowdhury, “The Last Encounter,” packs his book with the same elements of mystery and presents the events in a nail-biting form for the readers to keep them both wondering and glued to the action of the book. This is a major attraction that makes the book an immediate page-turner for readers, and they can’t help but get fixated on the text from the moment they go through the first few pages.

The Plot

The short novel begins in a relatively conventional style where the author patiently takes his time to build up the plot around the protagonist and weave it in the light of the events that his life comprises of. At the same time, he shows life from the other side of a social group who have to opt for unfair means to earn their living and provide two square meals per day. Mostly told in the third person narration, the readers are more like observers, learning and understanding the life of the protagonist, Dilip, with close observation. He may be into thieving by profession, but clearly, the readers do not see him or judge him with eyes of prejudice or hatred.

As the plot unfolds, the idea of thieving takes a back seat, and other significant matters take centre stage, and the readers’ minds are also occupied with them after that. Prabha’s diary may have all the answers that the readers and Dilip have, yet the author cleverly holds to their curiosity by leaving loopholes which they can only fill up once they read till the last page. In all manners, Prabha’s diary emerges as one significant for both the police investigation and the readers’ understanding of the atrocities she went through. The manner in which she appears creates an air of mystery, and the discovery of her diary only further heightens the puzzle the author had already built around her character.

Construction

The author constructs the plot with careful clarity. If readers do not read the blurb, they cannot have the slightest clue of the direction in which the action would go or where the narrative is headed towards. This altogether helps in creating a well-knit plot where the story would unfold only when the readers would read through the book from cover to cover. Dilip’s character has different dimensions, which overshadow the fact that he is in the negative profession of thieving. His concern for Prabha shows the humanitarian element in his personality and also reinforces the fact that a person’s work or job cannot define their temperament. When the readers see the Kumar family in sharp contrast in light of their social behavior and their lifestyle, they forget the facts related to Dilip altogether.

The Story

“The Last Encounter” features a story that is written in a span of around 100 pages, and in addition to the mysterious plot, which features more of joining the dots situations, the author presents different themes that form the heart of majority of Indian households. The first and foremost theme is the circumstances that force people to take professions that would otherwise not be everyone’s first choice. Other themes include people’s hypocritical behavior, their double standards, the attitude towards domestic help regardless of the fact that they are equally as human as anyone else, the absence of giving basic dignity and respect to a person, and the fact that how the economic position of a person can define just anything in a person’s life. These factors loom large when the Kumar family comes into the picture and beyond mere mentions of others.

Prabha is a representative of the many women who suffer like her in silence, with failed attempts in protesting against the wrongs done to her. Dilip and Prabha are more or less two sides of the same coin, which show the faces of society which are defined by their gender. Readers who are interested in reading books that have the potential to bring out the detective in them should try reading “The Last Encounter.” There may not be an actual detective presence in the book yet, as the police investigation comes into force, the readers also become individual investigators trying to unravel and unveil the secrets that surround Prabha’s character.

Final Words

The author keeps the language simple and clear; the plot development is specific, focused and driven at an accurate speed to keep the readers in tune with the action. All readers who are interested in reading content which is short, sharp, and thought-provoking can read Chowdhury’s work without any second thoughts.