Book Description

It’s 1980, and Mahesh Pal has just a couple of weeks before he flies out to start a new life in London for his doctoral studies. It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing: His parents are unhappy that he hasn’t taken charge of the family business and settled down with a wife and kids. They are even more disappointed in his desire to move abroad. Mahesh remains steadfast in his decision until he receives an unusual letter. A professor whom he barely knew, Devesh Tripathi, has passed away, leaving behind a box of possessions that Mahesh must retrieve in person. Before he knows it, he is on a train to Benares to pick up the box before leaving for London. Aarvi Lal, the daughter of a local Benares bookseller, enjoys working with her father in his shop. Books are her whole world, and she’s dreading the day of her marriage—as well as all that will change with it when she starts a new life with her husband. But things take a mysterious turn when she’s informed that Devesh, her father’s friend, has left behind a folder and books for her. Mahesh and Aarvi discover that they have received a series of crosswords, and solving them unearths cryptic clues. Their answers unravel a mystery about who Devesh truly was and whether his death was really an accident. But why did he choose them, two crossword puzzle aficionados from different corners of India, to reveal the truth? As the pair get closer to finding the answer, they form a friendship that quickly blossoms into something more. But they are running out of time . . . and solving the mystery has bigger implications than they had ever anticipated. A Poet’s Ballad: A Crossword Mystery is a charming, wistful tale about two characters who find themselves at major crossroads in their lives; one because of their own choices and the other due to parental and societal expectations.