The author won't reveal his name. The cover design is more or less disappointing - a bunch of presumably white people walking down a street - for a book that's written about Indians. So, I didn't start 'Scammed' with a lot of enthusiasm.
But it turned out to be more or less a page turner. A sort of Chetan Bhagat pot-boiler. But a few notches higher in terms of fresh ideas and tying up the loose ends. I don't suppose the Lit Fest crowd will crow about this one - but it deserves its own space. It's readable and holds your attention, especially when you're desperately trying to relax after a tense day at office.
Speaking of office, the story line might strike a chord with millions of folk slaving away at their desks and cubicles every day. Doing the grunt work while someone else takes the promotions and credit. Accountant Hitesh Shah decides he's had enough. He says TATA to the boss, takes up an offer to start a new business and is quickly appointed CEO.
Hey - I didn't say everything would be believable. But Aspirational - yeah! Who wouldn't want a ride like that? Throw in a model girlfriend who's an old flame from college, a flashy new car, instant celebrity in the national media - it's the stuff wet dreams are made of.
But then Mr Shah runs into accounting scams in his own company, is hit by the charge of money laundering, is skillfully manipulated and let down by people he thought he could believe in and is suddenly on the run. A stunning fall after a breathtaking ride to the top.
But our good hero still has his decent middle class morals and values in place. In his time of crisis, he manages to find a life partner and the support of old friends. He even turns the table on his tormentors and walks away with a packet of money. Whee! Not exactly outstanding intellectual stimulation - but when you're reading it, with all the twists and turns in the plot, it does seem believable.
And for that, one must give credit. Because while it's easy to write a few lines in review, it is a challenge to write a convincing book that people will buy and read and recommend. Not everyone can do that and this Anonymous author did manage to do that.
The only slightly jarring point was the end. Mr Shah buys a plot in Turkey for his family with the money he makes. Even assuming that he wanted to get away from all the attention the Indian media had been showering on his dubious escapades - Turkey? Seemed a bit of a stretch.
Book: 'Scammed': Confessions Of A Confused Accountant; By: Anonymous; Published by: Westland; 182 pages
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