Book Review: "Private India" by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson

If you wish to be caught in a gripping fast fiction combined with some sneak-peak into history and mythology alongwith some travel around Mumbai, then this book is for you. I received "Private India" from Blogadda as part of their Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers.

Have a look at what the Blurb has to say: 

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 is a race against time to stop the killer striking again. In a city of over thirteen million, he’d have his work cut out at the best of times, but this case has him battling Mumbai’s biggest gang lord 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.

Something about it:

This was the first time I was reading a book written by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson. Both these authors were new to me. Ashwin is a stalwart when it comes  to mythology and he is highly spoken off in this regard. The thrill that keeps you hooked to the book till the very last page can surely be credited to the famous James Patterson. 

The story begins with a series of women getting killed in a similar way, strangulation with a yellow garrote. The killer is quick and even before the investigation to the previous murder is complete, the next one takes place. The plot takes support of various factors to keep the reader glued and to keep the story going like the Mumbai train blasts, the underworld in Mumbai, Beggars association, the Mumbai Police, Riots in Mumbai, Navratri in Mumbai and the various tourist attractions in Mumbai.

The path in which every single factor is amalgamated and weaved into a thriller is definitely worth a read.

Where it works:

1. The plot is intensive and will definitely keep you hooked. For me, the initial few pages went off slowly but the story gets headstarted after you have completed one fourth of it. 

2. Combination of Ashwin's knowledge in mythology and James Patterson's experience in thriller writing cannot be disdained. 

3. The pace and thrill is maintained till the end of the book. At times I felt scared while reading the book as I live in the same city. 

4. The end of the book is unique. You wouldn't have dreamed that he/she could be the killer. The authors have nailed it in this.

5. Every Character has an important role to play and you wouldn't find even a single character who has just been used for the sake of it.

Where is does not work:

1. Grammatical errors are definitely not acceptable and prove to be a turn-off.

2. Some of the dialogues and sequences remind you of some Bollywood Thrillers. The sequence of fight between Rupesh and Santosh seems very familiar to a Bollywood movie.

3. The end could have been cut-short instead of extending the story to the sequence of bomb blasts.

My Verdict: 3.75/5 

The book is definitely worth a read for people who enjoy thriller and mythology

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