Ratings: 3.5/5⭐
Genre: Fiction; Crime thriller
Number of Pages: 185
Format: Kindle
Blurb of Faith and The Beloved
Naithy Cherokil is a rich and successful businesswoman from Mumbai who marries the young and handsome model Tony D’Souza after the death of her husband. Little does she know that the ideal sex slave of her husband is the sleeper cell of a terror outfit. Events in her life take unforeseen turns as the male Mata Hari is activated.
Prem Rollands is a Kalari exponent and brilliant student whose world revolves around his brother Arun. Things go awry when the police kill Arun under mysterious circumstances. Prem kills the inspector in retribution and is on the run. He is on the lookout for Alice to find out the dark secrets leading to the killing of his brother. Prem must avenge those who have plotted to kill his brother, even at the cost of his own life.
Eighteen-year-old Alice Cherokil knows more about computers and mystery games than a girl of her age. Alice’s life falls apart when her mother is hospitalized and in a coma. Alice is playing the ultimate mystery game of her life as the web of secrets surrounding two precious diamonds and her stepfather threaten to destroy her family. Alice overcomes the moral dilemma to kill her stepfather and she is on the run. Alice must outwit the underworld and stay ahead of all to save her mother’s life or the guilt of her failure will haunt her forever.
As the lives of Naithy, Prem, and Alice cross each other they must retain their faith and protect their beloved ones even at the cost of their own lives.
A saga of love, lust, betrayal, intrigue, and revenge.
Summary of Faith and The Beloved
Naithy Cherokil, a rich businesses woman from Mumbai marries a young model named Tony D’Souza after losing her husband in the 26/11 terror attack. But little does she know that the handsome lad she married is actually an LTTE sleeper cell. Alice, her only daughter, however, never liked her stepfather and stays away from him as much as possible but the turn of events occurs and her life changes when she finds out that her mother met with an accident and is in a coma. She learns about Tony’s filthy actions and decides to do something to save herself and her mother that she never thought she’d do.
Prem Rollands is a bright student, whose life revolves around his elder brother, Arun. But under undue circumstances, he loses his beloved brother and swears to seek revenge.
Their lives cross paths and it’s intriguing to know who can survive and save their loved ones and seek vengeance. Faith and the beloved is a story of love, lust, vengeance, and crimes (a lot of them).
“Life always offers you second chance, that is called tomorrow”
Personal Reviews on Faith and The Beloved
Faith and the beloved is my first read from the author – Kochery C Shibu so I obviously kept no prior expectations but I happened to like the book when I started off with it. The initial chapters were really gripping but as the story advances it gets darker and more complex. The back stories of all the characters are narrated and they seem pretty random tales till the dots start connecting.
The narration is like that of a web series plot with the right amount of suspense. However, in a few places, I feel the author has over-explained things- some details which were even irrelevant to the story. I was even grossed out at a few points. And there is SO much crime– right from gruesome murders to ruthless rapes that it actually makes you sit and think about the kind of society we’re residing in where it is actually easy to commit a crime and get away with it.
In a nutshell, there’s a lot of stuff happening and you’re likely to get lost or keep the book down. I’d only suggest you read this if you’re a seasoned crime thriller reader.
About the author of Faith and The Beloved
Kochery C Shibu graduated from the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, in 1981. He has served in the Indian Navy and commanded two warships. Post his retirement, he has executed hydroelectric projects in the Cauvery River basin in Karnataka, the Beas River basin in Himachal, and the Teesta River basin in Sikkim. He holds a postgraduate degree in Defence Studies from Chennai University and MA in English literature from Pune University. Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar is his debut novel.
Shibu has changed tack from the snow-clad mountains to the blue oceans and has been associated with the setting up of a shipping company in India. Faith and the Beloved is his second book. Many of the characters in the novel are inspired by those whom he has encountered during his extensive travel.
Kochery C Shibu was born in Kochi, Kangarapady, and now lives in Bangalore with his wife and daughter.