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A Dead Handby Paul Theroux |
Arlene Almas: Travel writer Jerry Belfont has been
in Calcutta giving lectures at the invitation of the American consulate when he receives
an unexpected request from a stranger, an American woman named Mrs. Merrill Unger. The favor
she wants of him is to investigate a mystery involving her son Charlie's friend Rajat.
As the novel unfolds, Jerry learns more about the seemingly unknowable Mrs. Unger; the narrative
moves from detailed descriptions of Calcutta to erotic scenes of Mrs. Unger introducing Jerry
to the intricacies of tantric massage. The book ends with a twist which definitely surprised me.
It's a somewhat unusual story, but I enjoyed it.
Rating: ****
