kiss of Death : Malcolm rose

*Kiss of Death - A Mysterious Thriller by Malcolm Rose*

Hello! I picked up *Kiss of Death* by Malcolm Rose, drawn in by its captivating title and cover. It's a gripping thriller—less about scares, more about lingering questions and moral twists.

 

The story shows 17th-century history from Eyam village in Derbyshire, where villagers heroically quarantined themselves during the Black Death to protect others. This selfless act sets the stage for a tale of separation, loss, and enduring messages. The tragedy starts here: a young couple, Rowland Torre and Emmott, get separated due to the outbreak when the church decides to quarantine the village. Still, they meet daily from a distance. Rowland finds comfort knowing Emmott is safe, until one day she stops showing up. He later learns she died in April. Heartbroken, Rowland writes a message for Emmott on a lead plate and throws it into what becomes known as Mompesson's Well. Mompesson was the man who enforced the quarantine.

Jumping to the present, three friends—twins Kim and Seth (opposites in personality), plus Seth's best mate Wes—visit Eyam on a school tour. Bored by history lessons on Mompesson's Well and the plague, they get tempted by "wishing" coins and other items, sparking greed and trouble.

 Seth, though just a kid, always tries to stop them. But Kim and Wes don't listen. They steal donation money from Meadowhall shopping centre's fountain (meant for a hospital). Then, on a tour to Eboracum, they steal another historic item—a lead plate with something written in Latin.

As misdeeds pile up, mysterious plague-like illnesses strike, forcing young Seth to uncover connections to the past and fight to set things right. The book blends history with mystery in a short, thoughtful package—less intense thriller, more powerful lesson on consequences.

To save his sister and friend, Seth must return everything to its rightful place. He donates the Meadowhall money to the hospital—but things don't improve. Then he has to return Rowland's message coin (R.T.) to the well—a very difficult task. Seth doesn't lose hope. He does everything possible to save them. In the end, he wakes up in a hospital bed himself, but everyone recovers.

But there's a final twist! Kim gets into an accident with an ambulance. She was wearing the coat bought with money from Mompesson's Well, and the lead plate falls from her pocket. Written on it in Latin: *"He who wears another's cloak will be crushed to a rotting corpse."*

The collector (perhaps a guide or history lover) repeatedly warns them to return things to their original places, but the kids don't take it seriously. This causes all their suffering.

 

The book is good—a blend of history and mystery, short but deep. Less thriller, more lesson. Malcolm Rose shows how the greed can be deadly.

Also Seth's courage teaches us to have the bravery to correct mistakes. "Stealing others' things isn't just about money—it's stealing history and respect. Anything not in its rightful place becomes poison—whether an old coin or a new coat." Worth reading, especially for kids and teens. 4/5 ⭐

This story took me back to the covid times when everybody was so panicked about the disease. But very less people were there who were selfless like Mr. Mompesson & Mr Thomas Stanley.

Gunahon ka devta

Gunahon Ka Devta

(I just closed the book)

Rating: 4.5/5 (Because this book made me cry, even though I cursed Chandar after finishing it)

I just finished Gunahon Ka Devta. The pages are turned, but Chandar’s voice still clings to my ears – that voice which calls itself a ‘god’, yet crushes humanity at every step. This isn’t a story of love; it’s a story of crimes committed in the name of love. And the saddest part? The criminal is none other than our hero, Chandar – the same Chandar I once thought was pure in the beginning.

Chandar: Not a God, but the Biggest Predator of Sins

I hate Chandar. Throughout the book, he sees himself as the greatest sacrificer, the greatest philosopher, the greatest lover. But the truth is, he’s the biggest coward. He turns Sudha into a ‘goddess’, worships her, but when it comes to standing by her side, he backs down. In front of Dr. Shukla, in front of caste, in front of society - he bows. And this pushes Sudha into hell.

Sudha’s death wasn’t an illness. It was murder committed by Chandar. Slow, cruel, in the name of love.

She kept saying it, over and over, like a prayer. She didn’t even know it was love. It was pure, childlike devotion – the kind where Chandar was her world, her god, her everything. She wasn’t asking for marriage. She wasn’t demanding. She just wanted to stay.

But Chandar?

He didn’t listen.

He didn’t stand up.

Instead, he forced her.

Sacrifice? Whose sacrifice was it, really?

He pushed her into Kailash’s arms – a man she didn’t love, didn’t want, didn’t even know how to want.

He convinced her it was duty.

He called it love for her father.

He wrapped it in friendship.

Sudha didn’t walk into that marriage.

She was dragged.

By the man she worshipped.

By the man who claimed to worship her.

And the worst part?

She agreed.

Not because she wanted to.

But because Chandar asked her to.

Because she loved him that much, and a piece of Sudha died in that moment. In the end, all that remained was an empty shell.

 

 

Then Promila. Chandar uses her like a ‘comfort’. When Sudha drifts away, when his heart breaks – he goes into Promila’s arms. But was it love? No. Just solace.

And Binti? That innocent girl who truly loved Chandar – he rejected her too, simply because she wasn’t ‘divine’ like Sudha.

Even Berty – that drunk, that weak man – was more honest than Chandar. At least he never pretended to be in love. Kailash too, who was straightforward, wasn’t two-faced like Chandar.

But… Is Chandar Just a Villain?

No. That’s the power of this book. Chandar isn’t a monster. He’s one of us. He’s that boy who loves but lacks courage. He’s that person who thinks sacrificing makes him great, but in reality, he’s just running away. Dharmvir Bharati has crafted Chandar with such nuance that I hate him.

How many of us have stayed silent in a relationship? How many have sacrificed love in the name of ‘society’, ‘family’, ‘honor’? Chandar’s sin isn’t just his – it’s society’s sin, our weakness’s sin.

Sudha: The Highest Price of Love

Sudha… my eyes well up while writing this. That girl who saw Chandar as a god, who was ready to do anything for him – what did she get? A broken heart, a ruined life, and a slow death. Until her last breath, she kept forgiving Chandar. Is this love? Or love’s cruelest form?

In the End…

Gunahon Ka Devta isn’t a love story. It’s a scream. It doesn’t give me peace; it leaves me restless.

Chandar ruined everyone’s life. But perhaps that’s what Bharati wanted to say: when love mixes with ego, even a god becomes the god of sins.