Legend of the Snow Queen by Dr. Manjiri Prabhu

Book- Legend of the Snow Queen

Author- Dr. Manjiri Prabhu

Publisher- Readomania Publishing

Format- Paperback

Genre- Contemporary Destination Thriller | Crime Fiction

Price- ₹399

Rating- *****

Reviewed by- Jyoti Jha

Amidst the allure of a vacation under idyllic snowy winters, the majestic cradle of starry evenings, icy serenades, and a jolly jovial Christmas spirit, there’s something potentially dark lurking beneath the merriment. In picturesque Germany in all its glory of winter chills, two colorful and fascinating legendary personalities of German and Austrian history spin-off as two strangely connected souls in the contemporary time zone carrying forward the enigmatic aura from the past and infusing it into the present. A mystic persona lurking to discover its existence beyond the shadows of the past, joined by a ‘meant-to-be’ companion instantly, instinctively, and out of necessity, set out to investigate a case that weaves around thrill, suspense, and conspiracy.

Vagabond in spirit and non-conforming to the dictates of society, the Empress of Austria, Sisi’s 180th birthday celebration is planned in Hotel Die Kaiserin, around Lake Starnberg and about 25 km from Munich Germany. A Peace Treaty arranged between five European nations in honor of the Empress that aims at joining the nations’ forces in peace, open opportunities, sharing resources, and harmonious co-existence appears to go for a toss with sudden twists of events and impending threats by an unknown villain who ‘seems to always be one step ahead…almost leading the protagonists on a race to some pre-planned, well-orchestrated finale, holding the signposts close enough so that they are not able to read them’.

Haunted by his own ‘childhood memories that have tagged along invisibly all his life and that pop up when he is least expecting it’, Re Parker, the investigative journalist plunges into the case-solving spree. Scrutinizing and deciphering the puzzled case that travels back in time to the ‘two cousins of royal families, as different from the rest of their royal family and kin as they could be, free-spirited, artistic and poetic, lonely, misunderstood-soul-mates in every sense of the word’, King Ludwig II and Elizabeth the Empress of Austria, Re experiences a strong connection, both to the place and the person central to this investigation, Rosamonde. Reviving and reinstating bearings from the past and interpreting them in the present, Rosamonde is a mystery in herself. Haunting blue-green eyes that give away glimpses from ‘some weird reserved secret place within her’, has Re’s heart thudding with emotions he can barely understand. The soft snow falling around the darkened sky of stolen mascots of the treaty with threat messages to disrupt the treaty, the perplexing path to searching the ‘soul-song’, and decrypting the ‘perpetual, delirious state of mind and yet lucid thoughts in grip of emotions’ of mystifying Rosamonde, Re Parker finds ‘time becoming relative and momentary as if his past and present were coming together somehow simultaneously’.

Someone using Rosamond’s ‘fondness for the Empress to their devious advantage’ and the ‘disconnected and haphazard incidents like the disrupted tracks of train’ that threaten the treaty and the lives of people involved, Re has to find the ‘underneath smooth track where all seemingly haphazard rungs would fall into the right places’, bringing together all pieces of the puzzle. The ‘chill of his cold heart that matches the ice outside’ and the rising warmth of ‘an instinctive sense of connection through many lifetimes’ that is en route to a ‘searing end of soul-ties, Re treads the path through ‘roots that have spread and entangled in criss-cross tentacles, so much so that finding the beginning and end is humanly impossible’. Will he succeed? Will Rosamonde’s heart be freed from the golden cage of past and present? Will the treaty go through?

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Dive into this Destination Thriller, ‘Legend of the Snow Queen’, wrapped in a coming-of-age tale that quests the present and is precluded by the weight of the past. A refreshingly fast-paced set of events that take us away from everyday affairs and immerse into majestic snow, festive holiday spirit, ice crackling underfoot, and the fire of thrill and suspense burning within. Like a blazing thriller, Dr. Manjiri Prabhu’s ‘Legend of the Snow Queen’ gets the heart pumping, lungs fluttering, and sweats breaking through the chill of ice, as the tight plot propels you along twists and turns, not letting you go until the end.

Hailed as the ‘Desi Agatha Christie’ and acknowledged as being the first woman writer of mystery fiction in India, Dr. Manjiri Prabhu’s 19th mystery thriller and 3rd in her destination thriller series, ‘Legend of the Snow Queen’ is certainly a ‘chilling international conspiracy and a haunting love story’. A Doctorate in Communication Science, Short-film-maker, an award-winning international author, and the Founder-Director of two festivals, Dr. Manjiri Prabhu has an international fan following, and it comes as no surprise that her latest literary piece comes with the ‘confidence and authenticity of someone who has seen it all’.

And although all the above reasons compellingly suffice for me to pick up the book and indulge in the thrill and mystery of it, I have a special connection to this particular destination thriller that adds to the reasons that make it a must-read. Having resided in and visited some of the alluring tourist hubs of Europe and having experienced proximity to epic history, historical heritage and culture, artistic multiplicity, majestic royalty and palaces, baroque streetscapes, and winter wonderland, provided an added zest making me revisit those remembrances instead of merely imagining them through the impactful narrative. A magical pull drove me into this compelling destination thriller with likable and multi-layered characters, a gorgeous setting, a juxtaposition between past and present, a sharp plot, and surprising twists and turns. The reader in me was left wanting for more…etching to board that trains and grabbing life before it could get ‘sucked into oblivion…wishing for warm feelings of the heart to break free the frost of helplessness…with a promise to reconnect those bonds of the souls affiliated through the dots of childhood.

About the Book Reviewer

An Author of three books and a former HR Professional, Jyoti Jha is a Columnist and Globetrotter. An esteemed winner of ‘TOI Write India Season 3’, she is a proud Panelist and Guest Speaker in IIM Lucknow and IITs. Speaker at the prestigious Times LitFest, an honourable Judge at Kashiyatra, IIT BHU, Featured among Top 6 Young Indian Personalities in India Today, and receiver of several literary awards including Asian Literary Award, Iconic Authors, Global Progressive Women Award, Savitribai Phule National Award, Best Columnist of the year, and more, she contributes to both Hindi and English literature. Her books are available in the library of Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore and have been widely appreciated by readers and prominent media houses of the country. Her Hindi novel ‘Aanandi’ has been shortlisted for PVLF Author Excellence Award, has been picked up for creating Audio book on Storytel by Pune-based Zankar Studios, and has been adapted for Play by Let’s Inspire Bihar. Raised with literature-ingrained upbringing, she aspires to thrive in the literary world and contribute to literature with her continued endeavours.