If I had to pick three words to describe the latest M4 whodunit by award-winning writer Mallika Ravikumar, it would be swift, sharp and sensitive. Ravikumar’s first book in the series, The Case of the Vanishing Gods, introduced readers to the town of Maulsari and a group of young detectives who call themselves ​‘the M4’. In their very first case, the M4 manage to bust an international ring of antique smugglers. Now, in the second book, The Case of the Missing Turtles, the narrative sensitively engages with the who, why and what of wildlife poaching. In an age of rising biodiversity losses and social inequalities, such balanced narratives are more important than ever before. As in the previous book, the plot moves along at a brisk pace while the locales and characters come alive thanks to the finely etched details. Although it is clear the author has been inspired in part by Enid Blyton’s Five Find-Outers (and their dog), this book is well embedded in India’s social and natural world. But let me back-pedal a bit, for the benefit of new readers. 

The M4 – Meera, Malhar, Mirchi and Munna – appears to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the British military intelligence services MI5 and MI6. Meera and Malhar are siblings and the children of ace lawyer Madhavi Pradhan and top cop Dhananjay Pradhan. Despite their parents’ no-nonsense approach to life, Meera and Malhar manage to get entangled in a fresh case when a young fisherboy comes to their friend Mirchi (and his dog Munna) and asks for help because his father has been suddenly arrested by the police for poaching turtles. Discovering the difference between riverine and sea turtles plays an important role in helping the M4 get on the right track.

The plot is well-constructed and, over a span of just ten pages, the author presents an excellent summary of why there are often conflicts between those who want to conserve sea turtles and those who depend on fishing for their livelihoods. She also introduces an important middle ground in these debates through the figure of Surmai Jadhav, the missing fisherman, who reveres turtles and hence has switched to traditional fishing techniques. 

Throughout the story, the book gently but unflinchingly introduces readers to the many social inequalities that pervade the country based on caste, class, tribe and gender. The M4’s efforts to prove the fisherman’s innocence and apprehend the real culprits takes them to slums, pet shops, police stations and forest villages where they see the lives of different people such as scrap collectors, flower sellers and forest officers. The author’s own training in law has also influenced the plot because bails, police diaries and vakalatnamas (or legal documents) are sprinkled across the storyline. Also, many characters in this book are neither fully heroic nor fully villainous personalities and this nuance will hopefully get readers to think beyond stereotypes. A heads-up for those who like to read in short bursts: don’t be alarmed by the number of chapters (45 in all). Each chapter is only a handful of pages, so even with interruptions, you will not lose the thread of the story. 

Now for a round-up of features that I found particularly delightful: the first is the non-preachy tone of the narrative since it is easy (and common) to slip into sermon mode when discussing wildlife crimes. Next are the vivid descriptions. For instance, the author describes the entrance hall of a police station as follows: Three uniformed policemen were at their desks, one noting something into a large register, another peering into a computer screen, a third talking into his phone as a smiling Gandhi, stately Nehru, and stoic Patel watched over them from photo frames pinned to the wall. The third is the cast of female characters who play a major role in moving the plot along: Meera, Madhavi, Paromita, Vanaja and the feisty flower girl all kept me hooked to the story. And finally, I thought it was generous of the author to include the names of environmental adventures written by others (clue: search for it on page 181!).

To conclude, this second instalment of the M4 series skilfully packs a wealth of information about wildlife conservation, poaching and legal processes alongside a cast of engaging characters. The novelty of the plot and the pace of action is bound to appeal to readers. This is certainly a book that will be read over and over again! 

About the reviewer:

Madhuri Ramesh researches nature-society relations, mainly inclusive, interdisciplinary approaches to conservation and sustainability. She teaches at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, and reads anything and everything. She has written two books on the Kadar people of the Anamalai Hills — Walking is a Way of Knowing and Speaking to an Elephant.