Foreword:
It has been quite some time since I have received this book for reviewing from Jaico Publishers. With time, it was lost among the various books and I totally forgot about it, until I was updating the TBR list lately, and noticed the picture of this book there.
That is when I started my search for the book until I found it. It was good shape and its head-note declarede proudly: Soon to be a major motion picture! Very unlike the contemporary head-notes of most novel: National Bestseller.
I remember what I thought when I requested this book for reviewing: Soon to be a major picture? I must read it.
However, till now (the book was first published in 2004 by Dell Publishers) the book is nothing more than a book. And also I had done a little research on this book, not once I stumbled on a article that informed that this book is going to be a filmed.
Intentionally or not, it is a kind of fraud to misguide the readers for whatever the reason maybe. And then, the book is just a work fiction. The head-notes might be, too.
Like various other books sent earlier from Jaico, this book is also sent by Marina.
You can check out various book from Jaico here: BR with Jaico...
Blurb (from the jacket):
A detective agency that combines astrological science with investigations!
If you have a problem, contact Sonia Samarth.
SONIA SAMARTH couldn’t have predicted it. It had only been a day, but her first advertisement had drawn dozens of responses. In the bustling city of Pune, with its winding alleys and exotic customs, Sonia has launched a brand new business – private investigation guided by Hindu astrology. Her unique brand of investigation might raise eyebrows but before long, she seems to have found her niche.
When a cat leads Sonia to her very first investigation, she uses astrology to unmask the killer. Suddenly, clients begin streaming in – a persistent, handsome TV personality; a terrified bride-to-be; a missing husband with suicidal tendencies. These cases initially seem like isolated experiences, but Sonia soon finds that they are bound by an invisible thread. Very soon she will have to look closely at her own stars: a notorious international criminal has just crossed Sonia’s path – and he has his own plans for her future!
My take on the book:
Though the head-note is misleading, the author - in the author's bio - is claimed as a filmmaker and television producer. Hence there is a narrow, rather than nothing, possibility of this story getting filmed. I let time worry about it and move on with the review. So it goes.
The colourful cover of the book is pretty interesting. All those Zodiac signs and woman and cat couplet. Yeah, well, the cat has its share of significance in the story.
A little about publishers. We have received various books from Jaico publishers. Most of them were outstanding, really. Especially their fictions. If you don't know, Jaico publishers have a narrow gateway for fictions and concentrate solely on non-fictions of all types. Almost all their fictions have won above average ratings from us. I strongly believe they must show their interest more in publishing fictions.
The story is exactly as the blurb states. And also, the very concept of Astro-Detective is pretty interesting: detection using astrology. I had pretty high stakes until I read the story, myself.
I don't mean, I was perspicuously disappointed by this book. In fact, I pretty much enjoy the mystery and they being solved.
What I felt as a downer for this was it's sole aspect only - Astro-Detection. I don't want to giveaway the story, and this could also be a spoiler, but I am stating this flaw anyway. Even when the astro-detection sounds pretty interesting, if you look closer you will see a loophole in it. There is nothing detection about the mysteries in the stories. After a lot of research the protagonist scans the horoscopes of the victims, finds out some absurd, out-of-the-research aspect and solves the mystery. That way it is not detection. It is pure magic!
However, I have to appreciate the author for her inventiveness and rational use of the concept...
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Title: The Cosmic Clues
Author: Majiri Prabhu
Tagline: India's First Astro-Detective
Series: Stellar Investigations Detective Agency #1
ISBN (edition I've read): 9788184954791
Rating:
Read between: 12-03-2014 to 14-03-2014
Reviewed for: Marina
Publishers: Jaico Books
Pages: 315
MRP: ₹ 299
The best deal of this book could be found here: 
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