[HerStoryRecommends] Watch the unfolding of a gory crime with Delhi Crime on Netflix, and curl up with a delectable murder series - our top picks of the week

The many layers of crime

The Nirbhaya case in which a girl in Delhi was brutally raped in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012 sparked outrage and massive protests across the country not just because of the gruesome nature of the crime but was also a wake-up call for the safety of women in India.

If you have followed the case closely over the years, then you must watch the new Netflix special Delhi Crime, which recounts in detail the turn of events and the investigation that unfolded that dark, chilly winter night in Delhi. Shefali Shah plays Vartika Chaturvedi - DCP - Delhi South, who heads the hunt for the six accused as they are tracked one by one by her force from different parts of the country in just five days.

The focus here is on the police, their personal struggles and limitations, as they manoeuvre a complex system, long working hours, and limited resources to nab the culprits. Everyone is shocked by the nature of the crime and want to bring justice to the victim, but act with high restraint, often stopping themselves from beating up the victim, and playing by the book. Hard-hitting, compelling, and thought-provoking, Delhi Crime is also a reminder that our cities are still not safe and more needs to be done.

(Delhi Crime now streaming on Netflix)

Murder with a twist

Murder and food may make for a terrible combination, but author Joanna Fluke with her Hannah Swensen series has turned it into a recipe for success. The series is centred on the life of Hannah Swensen who returns to her small town of Lake Eden in Minnesota to open The Cookie Jar, a cafe that sells delectable sweet treats baked by her. While navigating life in the small town she grew up in, Hannah also unwittingly encounters murders she also manages to solve while treating us to delicious recipes of her dessert treats.

The cast of characters include her mother, Delores, her sisters, Andrea and Michelle, the town cop, Mike, and her dentist friend, Norman. In her latest, Christmas Cake Murder, Fluke takes us back in time to when Hannah first returned to Lake Eden, and chronicles her journey as a baker and subsequently settling down and becoming comfortable with the people around her. This prequel follows the somewhat serious Wedding Cake Murder (in which she gets married to Ross) and Raspberry Danish Murder in which her groom disappears.

Read it for the mystery and the food.

(Christmas Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke)

Strictly for Lalettan fans

This one comes with a caveat: strictly only for Mohanlal fans. The superstar's latest flick, Lucifer is also actor Prithviraj Sukumaran's directorial debut, and a tribute of an undying fan, like many others. It's also a political thriller, alright, with the right mix of crime, vengeance, and powerful dialogue. The story begins with the death of Chief Minister PK Ramdas, which plunges the state into political turmoil. Who will take up the political reigns? His younger son, Jathin, or his powerful foster son, Stephen (Mohanlal)? Where do his daughter, Priyadarshini (Manju Warrier), and her husband, Bobby (Vivek Oberoi), stand in the succession game? The power narrative moves ahead with many twists and turns in the tale as the director unabashedly turns the film into a fanboy tribute to Mohanlal. Watch the film for Mohanlal, and Mohanlal only.

(Lucifer, running in theatres)

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