Review: A book for movie lovers with romance, mystery, drama

“Advika and the Hollywood Wives” by Kirthana Ramisetti (Grand Central)

Night. Inside. We open on an Oscars afterparty, the place Advika Srinivasan is making drinks for half of Hollywood whereas barely holding on to a measured, service trade demeanor regardless of the belligerence and entitlement of the tipsy, trophy-toting friends.

However the night takes a wild flip when a good-looking producer takes an curiosity in Advika, marking a whole shift within the 26-year-old’s life as she falls laborious for the Oscar-winning — and far older — Julian Zelding. And, let’s face it, it doesn’t damage that he has intensive Hollywood connections which may assist Advika break into the trade to turn into a famend Indian screenwriter. Virtually earlier than she is aware of it, Advika is married to Julian.

When Julian’s first ex-wife dies shortly after, her will guarantees Advika $1 million if she divorces the person. Kirthana Ramisetti’s second novel, “Advika and the Hollywood Wives,” follows Advika as she sleuths to uncover every little thing she will be able to about Julian’s three ex-wives.

Given the abundance of forewarnings — like Advika and Julian’s 41-year age distinction and their gaping energy imbalance — it’s form of stunning it takes this mysterious proposition from a lifeless actress to kick the newlywed’s curiosity into gear. However Ramisetti’s writing is persuasive and, for some time, the crimson flags are dismissible. The advantages of Advika’s new fling far outweigh the dangers, and it’s straightforward to empathize together with her staying when all of the indicators (and family and friends and the web) level to leaving. Indicators like Julian’s proposal with a “coffin-shaped diamond.” By no means thoughts the Larry Fortensky reference and the voice of Advika’s lifeless twin telling her to run.

What’s that? Oh, proper. Advika’s twin, Anu, died all of a sudden in a tragic accident two years in the past. Demise hangs over the textual content like a snug T-shirt, detest to be shed from the primary chapter all the way in which to the novel’s conclusion.

However it’s not all doom and gloom. Whereas Advika typically falls into the patriarchal entice of doing issues and saying sure as a result of she’s anticipated to, she does typically give a transparent, resolved “no,” yanking again her company. Cue viewers applause.

With its good, lovely cowl design, “Advika and the Hollywood Wives” is a page-turner full of thriller, drama and romance. In a world full of books by and for bookworms, Ramisetti has penned one for movie fanatics — with a selected affinity for rom-com. Every chapter is known as for a romantic comedy, creating a formidable assortment spanning round 100 years. The novel performs with the medium, dipping into screenplays, textual content conversations and TV present excerpts, its stream of Hollywood references constant all through.

For higher or worse, Ramisetti’s ending can be very Hollywood movie-like: The ultimate chapters tie up an inordinate variety of free ends that truthfully didn’t want tying, but act like a key factor was addressed when it wasn’t.

However hey, that’s rom-com for you.