The Caretaker

Who is the caretaker hiding in the shadows of the Martha's Vineyard mansions he tends?Back in India, Ranjit Singh commanded an elite army squad. But that was years ago, before his Army career ended in dishonor, shattering his reputation.Driven from his homeland, he is now a caretaker on the exclusive resort island of Martha's Vineyard, looking after the vacation homes of the rich and powerful. One harsh winter, faced with no other choice, he secretly moves his family into the house of one of his clients, an African-American Senator. Here, his wife and daughter are happy, and he feels safe for the first time in ages.But Ranjit's idyll is shattered when mysterious men break into the house. Pursued and hunted, Ranjit is forced to enter the Senator's shadowy world, and his only ally is Anna, the Senator's beautiful wife, who has secrets of her own.Together, they uncover a trail of deception that leads from the calm shores of the Vineyard to countries half a world away. And when his investigation stirs up long forgotten events, the caretaker must finally face the one careless decision that ruined his life- and forced him to leave India.A gripping tale of hidden histories, political intrigue and dangerous attractions, A. X. Ahmad's The Caretaker introduces a new hero for our times: an immigrant caught between two worlds and a man caught between two loves.From Booklist*Starred Review* This fine thriller debut views disturbing political realism through the lens of Ranjit Singh, a newly immigrated Sikh fleeing danger in India after a politically explosive mistake ends his military career. Ranjit’s hope to settle in Martha’s Vineyard becomes reality when his landscaping work for a powerful senator’s wife grows into an unexpected relationship, opening doors for him to work as winter caretaker for the island’s wealthiest residents. When Ranjit’s cottage is damaged, the only housing option is a clandestine short-term move onto the senator’s property. But this brief flirtation with luxury is abruptly ended one night by armed men who break in and begin searching the house. Ranjit’s military training ensures his family’s escape, but the intruders track them to Boston and orchestrate his wife and daughter’s detention for illegal immigration. Stealthily tracking his pursuers, Ranjit discovers that they are the senator’s security personnel, desperately searching for something tucked inside a doll his daughter has taken from the house. Ranjit goes underground to decipher the doll’s secret and strategize using it to secure his family’s safety. Ahmad laces Ranjit’s voice with sadness, creating beauty as he spins a cynically smart political thriller that draws parallels of political expediency between Washington deal-brokering and Ranjit’s tragic past. Beyond the masterfully crafted, high-adrenaline story, readers will be fascinated by Ranjit’s strong Sikh faith, rarely seen in American fiction.