Author Interview: Madhumita Bhattacharya, author of 'Dead in a Mumbai Minute' the Reema Ray Mysteries

Madhumita Bhattacharya

In this Interview, we have Madhumita Bhattacharya, talking of what really drove her to writing this murder mystery. Picking up from the first part of the series, 'The Masala Murder', this book, 'Dead in a Mumbai Minute' goes ahead with Reema Ray's detection and adventures.

In this interview, Bhattacharya tells the storyteller in all of us, to explore storytellling in all its forms. Do read, My Review of 'Dead in a Mumbai Minute' right here and also pick up a book from Here.

How did ‘Dead in a Mumbai Minute’ happen? 

I had conceived Reema Ray as a trilogy, and it is the second part of Reema’s journey. Sort of her coming of age.

What kind of research did you put into the writing of the book?

To the best of my ability, I have tried to ensure that what is meant to be true to fact actually is. Particularly all the tech stuff.

I also did a fair amount of reading about the security industry. The rest is all imagination!

How did you come up with the core idea and develop it?

It was, for me, a logical extension of Reema’s journey. In ‘The Masala Murder’, she is alone in a failing private practice, handing small cases. She is a talented investigator with everything going for her, so naturally she would not be confined to that situation.  

How would you relate the book and its characters to the lives today?

I hope that all of my characters are believable. Of course, they lead more adventurous lives than most of us do!

What is the most fulfilling part of writing a book?

Watching an idea that exists solely in your head come to life on paper. Being able to iron out all the little kinks so it works.

How did you manage to blend in technology and love into your story?

Technology happened to creep into this story. I try to approach it as a lay person, and restrict the information to what any other lay person might understand. Everything in my book is real.

Love for me is an essential element to a good story. I am a sucker for it.

What pushed you to write a murder mystery?

It is a genre, I love to read.

Your third book is coming up. How do you expect to develop it?

It is Reema Ray part 3! The groundwork has been laid in ‘Dead in a Mumbai Minute’. I can tell you that it is set mainly in Goa.

When do you see it released?

Sometime next year.

Who was it that told you that you could become the author, you are today?

I don’t think anyone really did. I was a journalist. I loved to write, and it came naturally to me as a form of expression. I started writing fiction and realised it was where my heart lay.

Any advice to writers that would like to be published today? How tough is it to be published?

It is very hard to break into the market. My advice to young people is to explore storytellling in all its forms. There are so many ways of telling a story that simply did not exist when I was young.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

 

I love the works of Margaret Atwood. I love J.K. Rowling and Agatha Christie too. So many others. I enjoy reading quirky books of non-fiction a well.

Which book are you currently reading?

‘Wool’ by Hugh Howey and ‘The Emperor of All Maladies’ by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

What do you do on a daily basis?

I am a full time mom who tries to sneak in work whenever she can!