Immersing in the brilliance of creativity shining in her masterpieces, Dr Manjiri Prabhu’s literary pieces always allured me into sensing a familiar connection to them. The one I traced to my ecstatic experience of delving into the mystery, thriller, and suspense novels that I voraciously devoured in the tranquil libraries of the UK. The name, her writing aura, and her work, which strongly emanates spirituality and cosmic connections, most certainly pique the interest of an intrigued audience. From the ingenious pen of a distinguished figure in the literary and filmmaking realms, radiates yet another masterpiece that is bound to astound the readers all over again.
Balancing the relatable with aspirational, bringing out the darkness of characters in the contrast of stunningly beautiful place, The Mystery of the Portuguese Hearts is a Destination Thriller that grabs the attention right from the very first word and maintains the effect throughout. From the famous Re Parker series, emerges a tale where ‘truth takes a realistic turn too close to comfort’ and eternal love remains ‘too tragic to imagine’. Slow uncoiling of a mystery and a deep pain through the ‘trail of lenços’, a minimalist yet expressive, famous art form of Portugal used as a symbol of love. The investigative journalist who thrives on signs, energies, and visions to solve his case, is destined to partner with a strong determined
lady who is ‘secure in her world of fulfilment, happy in her sense of achievement, with a future appearing bright and promising’, with no time for ‘foolhardy emotions and glorified sentiments’ like love. With her grandfather’s mysterious murder, Filipa is left ‘adrift in a world which right then made no sense and anonymous forces springing cruelest joke on her, scooping out the core of her existence’. Emerging from his self-isolation and contemplations over the deepest of emotions, Re is instinctively determined to ‘weave an aura of protection around Filipa, pull her away from the onslaught of shocks and heartbreaks, and prevent her from wallowing in her own sorrows’.
Thus begin the mystic trail of the lenços across the country heaven with tranquil landscapes, historical monuments, beautiful poetic clues, embroidered pictures, and loving emotions, all coming together to express the deepest desires of a heart. Heart of a Lady belonging to an era where the ‘world had progressed, but women were forced to turn to stone, the one where men adorned the square and women belonged to home’. A fiercely determined and courageous woman with a strong and rebellious mind, Ana Rebeiro supports voicing the thoughts of women through books and writing, she strongly believes in an uprising, expressing the innermost thoughts of women, encouraging them to stand up for their rights, and being their voice. A deeply emotional and sensible but equally strong and resilient woman, Ana falls in love with passionate young Ricardo. While their ‘torrid but short-lived affair led to tumultuous emotions of two souls who found each other through shared ideologies, and knew they belonged together, but were forced to part due to unsurmountable circumstances’, Ana ‘lived her anxieties with her and dreamt her desires through her letters and gifts’.
‘It is one thing to inherit a legacy, but quite another to honour that legacy. Luck can bring you the legacy, but it is hard work that will help you elevate it to new heights’, Ricardo had a fulfilling life, that of money, fame, family, legacy, and ultimate ‘grand love’. He could have followed the path of love, instead, he chose duty with ‘unimaginable emotional strength to defy the hunger of the heart and bury it ten feet beneath daily life’. Money and success always come at the cost of friendship and Ricardo has his fair share of enemies. Filipa, his granddaughter was his last hope to heal, to mend, and to resurrect. Falling prey to the cruelty of conspiracy, he made her promise to follow the trail of the lenços with the hope to never
compromise on love, and always follow the heart, because, in the end, nothing else matters.
From poetic chases, the threat of a bloodbath, bodies piling up, mystery surmounting, murders and attempted murders, virtual intractability of people, a trail of lenços taking the thrilling story-bookish hue, truth taking a dangerously realistic turn, too close to comfort and too tragic to imagine, the danger being nightmarishly imminent and evil ready to strike any moment, there is the unravelling of a timeline that is entwined in revolution, rebel, the path to freedom for a country since long been in censorship, the Armed Forces Movement, and finally the Freedom and Carnation Day. With watchful eyes and mastermind sneaking around surveilling the trail of Filipa and Re surreptitiously, following their every action, is it going to be a flat and disappointing end or is there fire ablaze with tricky twists and snaky turns?
Falling in love is a journey into the abyss characterized by relentless hope where the heart is placed in the past and eyes set on the future, with the strangeness of truth how the past weaves into the future. Through revelations and discoveries, in the idyllic country with picturesque landscapes, rugged hills, ancient castles and cathedrals, readers immerse in the mystery of an intricately woven surreal story while exploring the beautiful land of Portugal in all its glory. This one here is an irresistibly unputdownable piece of work that will constantly keep tugging at your heart, wrecking your senses all along.
“Agony of separation and yet the healing touch of hope, To love with a full flush of bloom and to be unable to enjoy the reciprocating weave of emotion had to be the saddest trick of fate.”, The Mystery of the Portuguese Hearts.
By - Jyoti Jha, Author, Storyteller, Columnist
Start a Conversation
Post comment