Author:James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi
Genre: Suspense & Thriller
Publisher: Arrow Books
Publication Year: 2014
Pages:470
Price: Rs. 193
Before I begin with my review,I must tell you that I have read few Alex Cross novels by James Patterson. They were good read,completed few books in a go. So maybe expected a little more here. James Patterson,my craze of reading thrillers and the gist of the novel made me sign up for the first book review!
Private India opens with a murder of a Thai doctor in a Mumbai hotel. She has a yellow scarf around her neck and her hands are tied with strings. There is a flower on one hand, and a fork on the other. There is also a small, Viking toy helmet tied to one of her toes. Eight such killings take place in Mumbai. Every victim has a yellow scarf, with trinkets placed around them. What was common? Victim:Beautiful women with a secret past.
The man who has to get to the bottom of these killings is Santosh Wagh, an ex-policeman, who heads Private India. Wagh was handpicked by Jack Morgan, a former CIA agent who heads Private Inc. Wagh is a compelling and pitiable character with a troubled past.
The case of the serial killing is handed over by the Mumbai Police to Wahg and his team of detective,medical examiner and techie. We are introduced to Rupesh from the Mumbai police,who shares an uneasy and strained relationship with his former colleague Wagh.
The mythology and cult mix along with politics,drugs and sights of Mumbai weaved a pacy plot.
There is a terrorist angle that keeps interrupting the fast-paced plot.
The prose is good, with Patterson's fast pace and Sanghi's Indian touch of mythology. Well researched and detailed.
Negatives? Sub-plots that was unnecessary and the bollywood touch made it look like an exaggeration. A slight disappointment to the Patterson readers.
All in all I think Private India is a good read.
Rating – 3/5
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