08 June, 2016

#SpecialFeature: Moitrayee Bhaduri talks about the key characters from her debut crime thriller - ‘The Sinister Silence’


*** Special Feature - June 2016 ***


Meet the Characters from The Sinister Silence


I have always been a fan of crime-fiction but when I started writing this book, I had no idea it would be a murder mystery. I was actually penning a short love story titled ‘Silenced’. Half way through the narration, I killed a key character. The way my other characters reacted to that murder was a thrilling experience for me! I decided to build on it and that’s how I ended up writing ‘The Sinister Silence’.
Whether it is a short story or a novel, I feel it is important that just as the characters talk to the author, they should also talk to each other. Unless they interact, I don’t get the motivation to take the manuscript forward. So, building believable, relatable characters is integral to storytelling.


A Glimpse of the key characters in ‘The Sinister Silence’

Mili Ray – the unpredictable private detective
My protagonist private detective Mili Ray’s mantra is simple: “Crack the motive and you have your murderer.”
Ray is a hyperactive and result-oriented ex-super cop with zero tolerance for nonsense. During her police days, she was a terror for criminals, especially drug-peddlers. She was also known for her uncanny ability to solve complex murder cases. She quit the police force at the peak of her career for reasons unknown.
Mili Ray is not a superwoman nor strives to be one. She is kindhearted at one moment and ruthless at another. Her colleagues call her ‘unpredictable’. She has an elephant’s memory, loves technology, and hates liars. Ray has a bad habit – cigarettes. However, she claims that she can kick or kiss its butt as she wishes!
To sum up, Mili Ray is a shrewd, witty detective who believes that every strong gut-feel must be substantiated with facts.

Advocate Gatha Trivedi and Captain Anubhav Datye – partners in crime
Together with Mili Ray, Gatha and Anubhav founded Kwest, their private detective agency.

Gatha, the criminal lawyer, is the most level-headed among the three. Intelligent and perceptive, she is Ray’s ‘3 a.m. friend.’

Anubhav, the youngest of the three, has served the Indian Army as a Commissioned Officer for a five-year-term. He is an observant soldier with an unusually analytical mind.   

Saahil and Morena – the inseparable friends
‘The Sinister Silence’ revolves round Morena and Saahil’s bitter-sweet friendship. They are software engineers working together at Zarine Software, a leading IT organization in Mumbai. They are young, ambitious, and full of life. The duo represents today’s urban Indian youth who spends the lion’s share of their ‘awake’ time in office, and often hang out with colleagues on weekends too.
Saahil is the star employee at Zarine – the top performer who always bags the coveted projects. He sings well, is excessively good-looking, and popular among his colleagues. Morena is diligent, cute, and sensitive. She often assists Saahil on critical projects. Apart from sharing a good working relationship, they are close friends who never get tired of each other!
But what happens when Farzad, their colleague is brutally killed and all evidences point to Morena as the culprit? Will Saahil and Morena’s friendship stand the test of time?
To know more and unravel the mystery with detective Mili Ray, you need to read the book.

To conclude
I would say that, through the characters listed above and the others you will meet in the book, ‘The Sinister Silence’ explores diverse emotions and aspirations – love, hatred, hope, betrayal, ambition, and more. It also deep-dives into relationships – from colleagues and friends to siblings, spouses, and parents. Each emotion and each relationship is different. Yet, somewhere they help connect the dots.  



About the Author
Moitrayee Bhaduri is a writer, reader, and music enthusiast. She loves reading crime thrillers as much as she enjoys writing them. She adores epic detective characters like Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, Feluda, and Byomkesh Bakshi. Since she wanted to read more Indian detective stories with women protagonists, she decided to create the character of Mili Ray. Moitrayee’s first book, The Sinister Silence is an action-packed suspense thriller that introduces private detective Mili Ray, an ex-super cop.  
Published by Srishti Publishers & Distributors, The Sinister Silence has been receiving great response and appreciation from the creative fraternity, booklovers, and the social media. The author has been featured in leading dailies like DNA, Dainik Bhaskar, Hindustan Times, and The Asian Age, as well as on popular online news & blogging sites.
Moitrayee grew up in a close-knit family in Kolkata, the booklover’s paradise. She enjoys dabbling with different forms of writing – technical content writing, copy editing, creative writing, and more. She has worked with leading IT organizations in various writing and people-managerial roles. For now, she is settled in Mumbai, working full-time, and trying to focus on completing her second crime thriller. In her leisure, she enjoys traveling, watching cricket, and hanging out with loved ones.

o    Movie to watch again and again: Serendipity
o    Aspired to be: An Indian Police Service officer
o    ‘Can’t do without’ authors: Paulo Coelho, Agatha Christie
o    Can pick up a fight for: the love of dogs
o    Wouldn’t mind being stranded alone in an island with: Chocolates

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About the Book:
When ace software engineer Saahil is found battling for his life on a rainy morning, it looks like a case of attempted suicide. However, Saahil's family strongly denies that possibility and calls in ex-super cop-turned-detective Mili Ray to investigate. While doctors are uncertain about Saahil's survival, the police discover the blood-soaked body of Saahil's colleague Farzad. Why are IT engineers being targeted? Is there a link between these ghastly attacks and Saahil's cutting-edge invention – the PA software?
Ray and her team – Advocate Gatha and ex-army officer Anubhav – dive into this case, which is turning murkier by the hour. Unaware that a conniving assassin is stalking her, Ray races towards a dangerous trap while murderous attacks continue to haunt the IT world. Who is behind these assaults – a jealous co-worker, an IT kingpin, an estranged friend, or someone else? With the killer on the loose, Ray's credibility is at stake...
Set in Mumbai, The Sinister Silence is an edge-of-the-seat thriller that traces detective Mili Ray's journey through a mysterious case that poses new threats every time she inches closer to her goal.


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Giveaway:
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3 Paperback of The Sinister Silence by Moitrayee Bhaduri - for Indian Residents Only
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1 comment:

  1. It was lovely to read about TSS characters and now I want read the book again. I am also waiting eagerly for Mili Ray's next case....

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