Author: Debeshi Gooptu
Publisher: Amazon Kindle
What would you do if a murder occurs during a regular meeting of your
book club?
When Bansuri `Bee’ Kohli’s dead body is discovered in the middle of a
high society book club meet, everyone assumes that her death is due to natural
causes. Bee had just turned forty and heart attacks were increasingly common in
women of that age. But, as the investigation progresses, it becomes obvious
that there is something sinister afoot. All the guests present at the meet that
night - from the hotshot novelist to the cut-throat socialite - had a reason
for wanting Bee dead. And one of them is prepared to go to any lengths to keep
a terrible secret hidden. A twisty thriller about friends, deception and murder
from the author of Gurgaon Diaries.
The story explores the lives of four members of a book Club in Gurgaon who meet regularly to discuss about the books they read. Things go haywire when in one of the meet ups where celebrated author Rohan Sood is invited and Bee drops dead and an investigation ensues where secrets start tumbling out of closets. The storytelling in the book is quite engaging and Debeshi has written a story that keeps you hooked. What I loved about the book was that it keeps its pace throughout the storytelling. The idea of a close-knit community which has secrets has been explored in a wonderful manner. Another aspect of the story that stood out was the investigative process that she has explored in the book, and rather than creating a larger-than-life investigative officer, a tea-loving and parantha eating police officer is deputed the case, who seems like a bumpkin, but is as sharp as a tack. The idea that you can know people for years, yet there are aspects to their personality that might remain hidden for years has been woven in in detail. Using the concept of a book club and the high-end society of Gurgaon, the setup is relatable. The book makes you take a step back and evaluate relationships and people that you associate with. The climax of the book is quite shocking and as a reader, you are truly surprised because the revelations that happen are not something that anyone could have foreseen.
The characters in the book are very well sketched, and I liked how each
of them has been given a detailed background that adds value to the story.
Being a character driven plot, description of the characters and their
backstories adds quite a bit of authenticity to the storytelling as well as
keeps the story moving. I specially loved how the character of Inspector Yadav
and his tenacity in keeping the investigation going and keeping his cool till
the very end. Bee’s character was also quite complex and the complexity has
been explored very well throughout the story.
Overall, the book is an engaging read and a recommendation for anyone who loves to read a well-written crime thriller. The book scores a 4.69/5 for me.
Get a copy of the book on Amazon Kindle!
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