Having reviewed five of Roswitha Joshi’s earlier works — two novels, Once More and Indian Dreams and three collections of short stories — On the Rocks and Other Stories, Life is Peculiar and Fool’s Paradise — I must say that with her latest novel, Trapped in injection molding china Want and Wonder, while she yet again keeps her readers well entertained, it is with the added dimension of intrigue and bits of risqué humour. She comes to know when the owner of her media group arrives in Delhi with a plan to invest in hotels. When Dev gets jitters about his career, Som assures him that objectivity and integrity do not matter any more. Pampered out of his wits by the wily tycoon, he presents him as paragon of industry and kindness, while a rival channel exposes him as child abuser. It does not help Dora that of the many problems she has in dealing with Amit, she is flabbergasted about not being able to read his face which she describes as "a Halloween mask, perpetually grinning, no genuine smile, no moving facial muscles, not even a nervous tick, nothing.

Dora, a German journalist, accepts her Indian colleague Dev’s marriage proposal after he finally feels free to do so, or rather, is itching to. Mehra turns out to be a "show stopper” and prodded by Dev, viewers donate to his project with unheard of generosity. Dora is delighted. Dora, meanwhile, writes stories about her life in India, wondering why she is paid so much. Whatever, based on Dora’s report, Dev agrees to interview Mehra and commissions as introduction a short film on his work. Her role would be to scout for locations and then publicise the work in progress. Dev’s career too gets a boost when his hard-hitting colleague, Hitesh-aka Hitty the Shitty, collapses in front of the camera and he takes over his show.. Unlike his bulldozing predecessor, Dev tries to build up personalities of repute as role models. Dev, however, tells her to mind her own business and, unwittingly, sets the stage for a drama they never wanted to act in. Fearing mischief on Amit’s part, Dora wants to investigate.Soon after their marriage, both start hearing odd noises. An example: how a Western lady in India requiring to be administered an injection in the thigh must never raise her skirt but like Indian ladies wearing saris, must lower it from the waist Another hilarious example is how a "paan” chewer spitting out betel-nut juice accumulated in his mouth is mistaken for a serious blood-coughing patient. This robs him of his peace of mind, as he suspects a systematic attempt to destroy the pillars of society, individually and collectively. While this irks Dev, Dora anyway, decides to keep house under Indian conditions and employs a servant, Amit, whose conduct soon arouses her suspicion. Impressed by this founder Mehra’s personality, Dev requests Dora to investigate whether the ground reality justifies his tall claims.

And then he has a dream I must not break the suspense but recommend that the not very expensive book be bought and enjoyed for all the delightful twists in the tale and to the English language that the author provides and all of Dev’s ever ready and uninhibited attempts at amour to diffuse many tense situations. Yet, instead of the expected tributes, he faces tribulations that leave him shell-shocked and unable to comprehend why his life has turned from fairytale into nightmare. Dora shifts to Delhi, where, while Dev is awaiting his divorce, they stay in a place only her fat salary makes possible. Yet, rival channels continue to expose some of his "heroes” as frauds. And the way he slithers around like ”While Dora is away, a Dr Som offers Dev a job that would give him name, fame and substantial perquisites. Social issues are mere fig leaves. The viewers want entertainment and scandals are good for business-TRP (target rating point) and all that.

Dev agrees to become a TV-anchor only when Som promises to get his divorce through.While Roswitha Joshi’s plots juxtapose the Indian and Western attitudes, they certainly do not lack in some quite unique and humorous situations. After his maiden show about the acclaimed carpet exporter Agarwal, Dev becomes "famous”, indeed. Dev is sure to have made TV history.While her plots juxtapose the Indian and Western attitudes and relationships between characters of these two cultures, they certainly do not lack in some quite unique and humorous situations. Dora not only finds them justified, but also remembers that she had met Mehra before under different but decent circumstances, — unlike Kim, a female employee, whom she once evicted from her bedroom. While Dev ponders the issue, Som asks him to meet the founder of a home for destitute children as potential candidate for his show

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