A Well-Heeled Murder Mystery

The body of a young girl and a bloody heel lying on the railway tracks of a small town (Guntakal) leads to a chain of events and weaves an intricate tale of deception, betrayal, and revenge in author Chattanathan D’s The Heel. This suspense thriller is less than 150 pages, but it packs in a lethal punch!

The story revolves around the gory and mysterious death of a young girl, who was 14 weeks pregnant. The mishap occurs in front of the thundering Chennai Express train in a mofussil town in Andhra Pradesh. Even before police sub-Inspector Nathan takes charge of the case and starts investigating. The mysterious circumstances under which she is found dead, raise the pertinent question of whether it is suicide or brutal murder.

The incident sends shockwaves in Guntakal with the villagers whistling in the dark and spinning yarns about the girl and the gory death. The author has his finger on the pulse of the dark underbelly of Guntakal throughout the book. The characters are well-etched and tumble out of the closet like skeletons. The sinister plans and web of lies in this murder mystery keep the reader guessing – Who Did It? PSI Nathan as an investigating officer holds his own and fleshes out as a complex, yet compelling protagonist.

Although the entire novel is based on a murder mystery, the author takes care not to celebrate violence and macabre with gory graphic details. The book deftly captures the psyche of the killer and the victim, making it a gripping read. It delves into the complexity of human relationships, hidden desires, love, passion, and personal vendetta.

Chattanathan’s command over language and his ability to create unsettling powerful imagery is commendable. The climax of The Heel takes you to dizzying heights and leaves you gasping. This slim suspense thriller reaffirms the fact that you don’t need to write a magnum opus if you are a good storyteller! The Heel digs in deep long after the mystery is solved.