Murder on the menu

Bombay Talkies (Frog, Rs 295) by Mayank Shekhar is a collection of ?informative? and ?irreverent? reviews of Bollywood films which are presumably more entertaining than the flicks themselves. Shekhar has been careful to mention that his book covers all kinds of films ? from blockbusters like Salaam Namaste to the not-so-famous Love in Nepal, featuring a heroine by the name of Fllora. If ever there was a book that would help film buffs separate the winners from the losers, this supposedly is it. But Shekhar doesn?t seem to realize that when it comes to contemporary Bollywood, a good film is an anachronism.

Cheating the Hangman: True confessions of a heroin trafficker (Frog, Rs 250) by Wade Agnew tells the story of 56-year-old Australian, an atheist and an anarchist, who has happily consumed heroin all his life. And when he was not on a high, he spent his time travelling and trafficking drugs all around the world. The escapades chronicled by Agnew are brimming with drugs, a bit of sex, and close brushes with the law. It is a pity that Agnew decided to kick the habit and come forward to spill the beans in the manner of a morality tale. A few more years doing the lines, and there could have been a bigger volume of adventures, hopefully with more drugs and sex.

Overpromise and Overdeliver (Portfolio, Rs 395) by Rick Barrera comes straight out of the stable of yet another marketing guru. This time, Rick Barrera has devoted pages to show how ?dangerously ambitious promises? have helped companies stand out in a crowded business environment. The book is filled with terms such as ?TouchPoint Branding? which might appear to be complicated to the uninitiated, Barrera has managed to produce a manual that cannot be touched without swallowing a few aspirins first.

The Page 3 murders (IndiaInk, Rs 295) by Kalpana Swaminathan is about a weekend party where things go horribly wrong. The invitees, an assorted mix of Page 3 regulars, attend the soir?e only to discover that the cook has served more than they can swallow. There is murder on the menu. Luckily for the guests, Lalli is in attendance. For Lalli is no ordinary houseguest, she is a sleuth who has a penchant for oddities. Swaminathan?s book is interesting in parts but it can be bartered for a good old Miss Marple adventure.