Manu Joseph's new novel takes on 'entire system'

Author Manu Joseph takes on the entire system, not just politicians, the bureaucracy, law enforcement officials and lackeys, but also investigative journalists, social activists, social media champions, and the common man in his new novel.
"Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous" will be published under HarperCollins' Fourth Estate imprint in September.
The novel begins with a building collapse in Mumbai. In the debris is a man who is mumbling something in delirium.
It appears that he is passing on the real-time movements of a young Muslim couple. Elsewhere, a young intelligence agent is assigned to shadow two terror suspects, one of whom is a teenager and the sweetheart of her street, Laila.

Taking up a slice of recent history that is replete with social, political, communal and gender tension, Manu proceeds to lampoon the entire system, the book's blurb says.
"Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous" is pervasive in its satire, wicked in its humour, broad-based in its canvas but bitingly particular in pithy aphorismic dismissals of the signposts of 21st century India.

Udayan Mitra, Publisher (Literary) at HarperCollins India, says "Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous" is at once a desperately brave, and wildly, uproariously funny book that could only have come from Joseph's pen.
"People will be talking about and debating over Miss Laila for a long time; we at HarperCollins India are thrilled to bring this terrific book to readers," he says.

Says Joseph about his book, "I have come to understand that the people at HarperCollins India with whom I collaborate are not merely practical professionals but also extremely emotional and passionate, and intelligent promoters of my stories.
"I am sure they are as passionate about all the books they publish but I can only speak of what I have seen first- hand. I feel lucky to be in their care for the third time."
Joseph's previous books "Serious Men" and "The Illicit Happiness of Other People" garnered rave reviews and won and were nominated for several national and international awards.