TIED TO DECEIT author, Neena H Brar on marriage and relationships
Today we welcome author Neena H Brar to discuss how marriage and relationships are integral to her new mystery novel Tied to Deceit.
As D. Donovan from Midwest Book Review noted, Tied to Deceit, my debut mystery is
“a literary mystery saga that includes far more depth and psychological and cultural insights than your typical murder mystery’s scenario.”
Parallel to the story of Devika Singh’s murder investigation, I’ve tried to write quite a bit about life and people in general, the social stigma women have to face in Indian society, the warmth, the coziness of Indian culture. But the most important aspect of Tied to Deceit’s story is numerous insights to the human psyche and relationships, especially marriage.
When I first sat down to write Tied to Deceit, I wanted to sketch an interesting plot and compelling characters who were sharp and intelligent, characters who could carry a smart conversation even if it was in their head. In literature, there is a lot written about love, marriage, and relationships. The literary characters, especially, the heroines in literature have consistently studied their partner’s minds with a dispassionate eye.
As a hard-core reader, the books heavy on different characters’ varied takes on love and relationship have never failed to win me. Similarity, in Tied to Deceit, I’ve tried to observe issues of marriage and relationships through the lens of fiction. The following quotes from the book reflect different characters’ perspectives on varied aspects of love, marriage and relationships.
10 Quotes about Marriage and Relationships
1.“When she met Rudra, it was as if she had just awakened to the world and discovered its wonder. She knew a lot about dreams and a little about wickedness.”
2.“Was he not supposed to be suffering for what he did to my heart? I couldn’t bear the thought of him living his life somewhere as if nothing had happened. I wanted to find him, confront him, ask the reason for breaking my heart. But then, I realized it was pointless. He wouldn’t have any answers I wanted to hear. There was nothing out of character in his treachery.”
3.“It wasn’t an unhappy marriage? Could a marriage be happy, standing on a shaky ground of adultery and a disregard for the wife’s feelings? He didn’t say anything; he listened to her quietly.”
4.“She might be carrying the scars from years of disappointments. Or else she might be one of those women who would rather keep her marriage intact, despite everything, as years of betrayals have dulled her senses.”
5.“You know how your intuition warns you about someone, but you bury it because it shows the darkness underneath which you wish to ignore; the bright and shiny on the outside is so inviting, you don’t want to look anywhere else?”
6.“He had swept her off her feet then, and was all charm and charisma but then the magic slowly diminished and finally died due to his secret betrayals over time. Thousands of little resentments had replaced the early warmth. But their hearts, although heavy with bitterness and anger at the failed expectations, had gotten used to the solace of each other’s company that often comes with years of living together, and they never stopped performing this morning ritual of their married life.”
7.“I had fallen in love with the mask she donned; I was unable to see the viciousness behind it. When the mask came off, there was nothing but ugliness.”
8.“Time heals everything, that’s what everyone says. Wounds heal and leave only scars behind. But some wounds run too deep to heal, and pierce the deepest layers of one’s soul. They stay there unhealed and ready to ooze blood at the first sign of grief.”
9.“When he walked out of my life after three years, he was the same person who had entered my life three years earlier. I’d formed an image out of my perception. I thought he was what I wanted him to be.”
10.“For a long time, he had tried to make her happy, but, I suppose, she had no desire to be happy with him.”
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Tied to Deceit Synopsis
On a drizzly August morning, the inhabitants of the hill town of Sanover, Himachal Pradesh, wake up to the shocking news of the murder of the exquisite, secretive, malicious, and thoroughly immoral Devika Singh.
As Superintendent of Police Vishwanath Sharma begins to sift through the hidden secrets of Devika Singh’s life, it becomes evident that everyone who knew her seems to have a clear-cut motive for killing her.
Faced with the investigation of a crime that appears to have as many suspects as there are motives, Vishwanath Sharma probes the sinister web spun around a tangle of lies and deception.
(August 2018)
Praise for Tied to Deceit
“A remarkable whodunit that’s as sharp as it is concise. Brar enhances her taut murder mystery with an engaging setting that effectively incorporates the local culture. The smart, believable denouement will have readers looking forward to Brar’s next endeavor.” –Kirkus Reviews
Get your copy of Tied to Deceit from:
Amazon | B&N | Kobobooks | Book Depository | Indigo | Booktopia(Aus)
About the Author, Neena H Brar
Neena H. Brar lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, two children, a highly energetic German Shepherd, and a lifetime collection of her favorite books. A hermit at heart, she’s a permissive mother, a reluctant housekeeper, a superb cook, and a hard-core reader. Tied to Deceit is her debut novel.
Check out Neena’s website or connect with her on Instagram @bookaddictnwriter and Facebook.
