Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Book Review: Private India

Book: Private India
Authors: Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson
Price: 350 INR
ISBN: 978-0099586395

Blurb: In Mumbai seemingly unconnected people are dying, strangled in a chilling ritual and with strange objects carefully arranged with the corpses.
For Santosh Wagh, head of Private India, the Mumbai branch of the world’s finest investigation agency, it's a race against time to stop the killer striking again.
In a city of over thirteen million, he has his work cut out at the best of times but this case has him battling Mumbai's biggest ganglord and a godman who isn't all he seems.
And then he discovers there may be an even greater danger facing Private India. Hidden in the shadows is someone who could destroy the whole organization along with thousands of innocent Mumbai citizens.

My rating: 4.5/5

My review:

When two great mystery writers collaborate for writing a book, you can be sure that this book will be no ordinary experience. Private India is one such book that you can pick up without having an ounce of doubt.

The attractive cover of the book along with the intriguing blurb tantalizes readers to dive into the book. And as you dive in the book, the very first chapter captivates you.

The story begins with the murder of a doctor, Kanya Jaiyen in Marine Bay Plaza Hotel. The Hotel asks Private India, the biggest investigative agency to solve the case. The team of Private India constitutes of Santosh Wagh: head of Private India, Nisha Gandhe: an attractive investigator, Mubeen: the medical examiner and Hari: the technology geek. ACP Rupesh Desai assists Private India in this case.

Soon, one by one murders of women keeps happening in Mumbai and the object common to their murder is a yellow garrote with which the victims are strangulated to death. The corpses are left with uncanny and dissimilar objects like lotus, rosary, half one rupee coin, doll etc. The objects perplex Santosh Wagh to extremity until he starts connecting the dots and then tries to reach closer to the killer.

The way Private India solves the case is amazingly witty and interesting. Especially the juncture where Santosh Wagh connects the dots (read: uncanny objects) is brilliant. It will surely give the readers an adrenaline rush. Similarly, the way Private India finally traces the killer is amazing. No one can guess who the killer is until they reach towards the end of the book. Readers will suspect many people in between reading the book. The book is marvelously scripted in this regard.

There are some chapters where we find the killer’s soliloquy. Those chapters will give the readers some extra thrill.

The main characters of the book are finely etched. Santosh’s character is sketched with the perfect hues. We see him as a painfully intelligent investigator who has a tormenting past that haunts him every now and then. Santosh Wagh’s intelligence will surely blow the minds of readers. Nisha’s character of a brave and fearless investigator is sketched well too. Same goes for the characters of Hari, Mubeen, Jack Morgan and Rupesh.

Well, the downside of the book is that in the middle of the book, so many characters are introduced that readers may feel a little lost. But that phase doesn't last long, the book quickly grips and engages again. Apart from this, there are no flaws in the book.

Private India is an unputdownable thriller. The pages of the book turn themselves. Highly recommended!
Just a suggestion to readers: Try to read it at a go. That will help you savor this mystery thriller much more!




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