Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

Three children venture into the darkest corners of a sprawling Indian city to find their missing classmate, in a stunningly original debut novel - based on a true story.

Nine-year-old Jai watches too many reality police shows, thinks he's smarter than his friend Pari (even though Pari gets the best grades), and knows he's a better boss than his friend Faiz (even though Faiz has a job). When one of their classmates goes missing, Jai decides to use the crime-solving skills he has picked up from TV to find him. He asks Pari and Faiz to be his assistants and together they draw up lists of people to interview and places to visit. But what begins as a game turns sinister as other children start disappearing from their neighborhood. Jai, Pari, and Faiz have to confront terrified parents, an indifferent police force, and a new world awash with rumors of monkey-men, soul-snatching djinns, and kidney-hunters. And as the disappearances edge closer to home, Jai finds his life changed forever.

This brilliantly written novel is based on a real life incident. At times exuberant, at times heartbreaking, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line traces the unfolding of a tragedy while capturing the fierce warmth of a community forged in times of trouble.