Jeffrey Epstein

 This is darker than any fiction an author could cook up. The scale of his operation, which went unchallenged for so many years, aided apparently by a lady who recruited other handlers or procurers, was unprecedented. We do hear of gangs of sex traffickers, but usually those are gangs of criminals. This was a gang of sophisticated socialites who routinely did sick stuff and blackmailed the elite of the U.S. and the world to perhaps arm-twist them into paying money, and using influence to silence any attempts to inquire into their crimes.

Thanks to some activists in the U.S., the DoJ has been forced to release the possible evidence of wrong-doing. Funnily, no American other than the lady Maxwell has been arrested, or charged, in spite of a lot of statements which are in the files. Other countries have done slightly better.

No idea when this will end or how, but surely, some more people must be guilty?

Kalyug- Book Review

This is an original fiction title, just published. Written by first-time author Sreeram Ramakrishnan, it is a thriller set in present-day India.

Meticulously detailed, it sets out with a writer being called upon to witness a coup 'as it happens', in Delhi. A shadowy organisation claiming to do it in the nation's interest, puts up a puppet as the Head of the new government, and runs it by remote control. There is another organisation run by an industrialist, with nexus abroad, which is a rival power-monger, appropriately called 'Powerhouse'. The coup succeeds, and the rival, Powerhouse, attempts to sabotage the new 'government' by all means available to it. There is an exciting finale to resolve the various threads.

The unique thing about the story is its contemporary Indian setting, and characters drawn from recent political history. Many of the characters and events are recognisable, and add to the curiosity of the reader about how things will pan out for each one of them. The crux of the story is a defence scandal (from recent memory of a similar one that actually happened) involving shoddy equipment that ends up killing soldiers on the front, and one general's commitment to expose it. A female journalist also takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of things, and plays a pivotal role, and the love interest.

There is also interference from Britain and the US, sometimes positively affecting events, but usually looking down upon India from their high horses-pretty accurate in its depiction. There are plenty of surprises, and the writing is first rate.

A well-researched, high-voltage drama, and scary in its implications, it reminds the reader of how easily democracy can be subverted, with just a few years' planning, and a handful of committed people, if things are rotten in Denmark. A good read!