Author: Sonia Bhatnagar
Publisher: HarperCollins India
I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
What would you do if your best friend was incriminated in a crime and you
were asked to assist in the case?
On a cold, wet night, Ratan, a wandering law-college dropout, is called
to pick up his employer, Sara Davenport, from a party at the Governor's
residence. As he arrives, he sees a figure running through the trees in the
dark. The next second, he spots Sara in the thicket, just as she stumbles and
falls. He rushes to her, but she dies in his arms. Her throat has been slashed.
Sara was his employer, his lover, his friend, and now Ratan has her blood on his
hands. He decides to flee. Little does he know that when her body is discovered
the next day, the police will find alongside it a book of erotic stories
written by Ratan's childhood friend, Lavanya Shriram. And with the book will be
a note - addressed to Ratan. The police trace Lavanya in Bombay and threaten to
ban her book unless she can help them find Ratan. Can the two childhood friends
come together to track down the real killer and absolve themselves before it's
too late? Set in a time when India is grappling with colonial rule, this is a
thrilling tale about secrets uncovered, and freedoms lost and found.
The book is a wonderful story of murder, intrigue and whodunnit set in the pre-independence era. The book opens in Shimla where we find Sara dead in Ratan’s arms and thus starts a cat-and-mouse game. The story, on the one hand, explores the investigation into Sara’s death by the police and how it shapes up, and on the other hand explores how cultural sensibilities of the time affect people’s notions and their treatment of people. The storytelling is interesting, specially where we have Sitara’s track running parallel to the primary storyline. What I liked about the book was the fact that Sonia has kept the character of the time intact and the divide between the natives and the British has been captured beautifully. The plot of the book has been paced well, and the author has given each scene due time to get processed. As the book progresses and new facts come to light, the concept of the story does too. As a reader you keep guessing who killed Sara, and as you guess the name, something in the story would force you to rethink your choice. The climax of the book, while explaining the incidents, got a bit too complex and I would have preferred things unfolding a bit before the climax so that the reader could have had some time to process things, however the reveal is quite something.
The characters in the book are well crafted and quite apt for the story.
I loved the chemistry that Ratan brought into the story, both with Sara and
Lavanya. The way his character evolves throughout the story is quite good, and
I loved how it comes a full circle in the end. Lavanya’s character as a fiery
writer, standing up for herself is extremely well written and adds quite a bit
of flavor to the story, specially when facing off with the police.
Overall, this is a good thriller that explores a well-crafted plot that
enthralls, excites and entertains you. The book scores a 4.25/5 for me.
Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!
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