Smriti Irani turns crime fiction writer, her first novel to hit stands on November 29

Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani is turning into a fiction writer. Her first -- a crime thriller 'Lal Salaam' -- will hit the stands on November 29.

Through her first novel, the 45-year-old actress-turned politician seeks to pay tributes to the security personnel who serve the country and sacrifice their lives.

Irani has a "partner in crime" in her Cabinet colleague Mukthar Abbas Naqvi, who has also published three crime thrillers in Hindi-- Balwa, Cyber Supari and Raj Leela, and Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi, who has penned a political crime thriller 'The New Delhi Conspiracy'.

The publisher Westland Publications said that Lal Salaam is an action-packed thriller that "humanises the daily conflicts and ethical dilemmas that are intrinsic to modern life".

Also Read | Irani appeals to people to share on social media details of women vendors to create opportunities for them

Irani was inspired by the "tragic" killings of 76 CRPF personnel in Dantewada in April 2010 and the book is a tribute to the exceptional men and women who have given a lifetime of service to the country, especially in confronting the challenges in the red corridor, it said.

The book tells the story of a young officer, Vikram Pratap Singh, and of the challenges an "idealistic law-enforcer faces" when the system is "steeped in backroom politics and corruption". It is the "gripping tale of a struggle against overwhelming odds, and of men and women who fight these odds with courage, ingenuity and resilience", it said.

This was how Irani spoke about her decision to turn a writer: the story has been brewing at the back of my mind for a few years now until there came a time when I simply couldn’t ignore the urge to put it down on paper. I am hoping readers will enjoy the pace and the insights I have tried to bring to the narrative, which is set in a less-reported part of India.

Karthika VK of Westland Publications said the novel "combines all the ingredients of a fast-paced thriller—pace, action, suspense, memorable characters and situations -- Lal Salaam is a page-turner that’s bound to hook the reader from start to finish."

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