Ghanshyam Shashtri-Saras Azad

Book: Ghanshyam Shashtri
Author: Saras Azad
Publisher: Redgrab Books

Do you think Indian Detective stories are becoming popular?

Ghanshyam Shashtri Case 1: Investigation Begins by Saras Azad is the story of the namesake who aspires to be a detective, but has been largely unsuccessful. When he had almost given up under pressure from his family, he gets his first case, a suspected suicide. Vikram Patel, the son of a prominent jeweler in Ahmedabad allegedly shot himself on the night of Diwali. The police closed the case stating that all the evidence pointed to suicide, but unsatisfied, his fiancé hires him to find out the real reason behind the events that unfolded. Would Ghanshyam be able to solve the case, or would he have to bite the dust?

The premise of the story is very well defined, with a character that has a potential to span across books. The story is well-told with twists and turns at multiple places, and the plot is not that easy to guess. Saras has kept the premise relatable with simple characters, along with a parallel love story. The red herrings in the story are very well inserted, and merge well with the story. The one thing that did not work for me was the language of the book, which could have been written well, as well as edited well. Ghanshyam, despite being a detective, is too submissive, and the use of salutations makes the story quite boring. The climax is well drafted, though could have been executed well.

The characters of the book are very relatable, as they have been drawn from the usual, day-to-day life. Ghanshyam is the usual mid-20s guy who wants to succeed in his endeavor and also be together with the girl he loves. Govi as a sidekick was well drafted though it could have been better utilized in the story. Rajni was quite a complex character, and I am impressed the manner in which her story unfolds. If the series continues, I would love to see how Ghanshyam’s story unfolds.

Overall, a book that is promising, but can be improved a bit more. The book scores a 3.44/5 for me.

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