The Mysterious City
Anuradha Kumar’s The Kidnapping of Mark Twain paints an intriguing portrait of Bombay around the time of the American writer’s visit
Looking for a juicy period mystery that involves some famous foreigners and lots of local colour? en e Kidnapping of Mark Twain by Anuradha Kumar might be one to consider. Set in Bombay of 1896, the story brings you a well-crafted web of mystery that revolves around the visit of American writer Mark Twain. Fact and fiction come together in a tale that embellishes on Twain’s actual travelogue from the time—Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World— which describes the people and places he encountered. Kumar deftly weaves the warp of class and caste issues, the social milieu and believable characters, into the weft of Twain’s observations to create a tapestry of insight and intrigue. And, in this case at least, east may be east and west may be west, but the twain do come together in a burst of epic events. Unfortunately, while Kumar has clearly researched the book extensively, she often gets caught in a vortex of her own making, allowing the information she’s gathered to overshadow the story’s progression. at some of the geography is off can be forgiven as creative licence. But there’s a lot of repetition that should have been edited out. e number of times that we’re reminded of Twain’s real name, for example, can be rather annoying. And while we’re all for introspective protagonists, the depths that American Trade Consul Henry Baker plumbs seem a trifle unnecessary. His constant stream-of-consciousness sharing leads to an analysis paralysis, wherein not much action takes place for large swathes of the text. Meanwhile, the Watson’s Hotel (at Kala Ghoda in South Mumbai) in all its glory is at the crux of the story, forming a picturesque backdrop for conversations and investigations. Mentions of the erstwhile Byculla Club (although sadly, no mention of its famous soufflé!) and fabulous parties in palatial Malabar Hill residences are juxtaposed against the city’s cotton mill ethos and the ‘native’ Indian reality. In fact, 19th-century Mumbai, with its layered complexity, is the most fascinating character in the story. While the others flit in and out to our disinterest, the city is brought to life wonderfully well by Kumar. So, while the book may not quite work as a mystery, it merits a read for its intriguing portrayal of old Bombay.