Nobody likes an outsider by Fawaz Jaleel

"Nobody likes an outsider" by Fawaz Jaleel - Whodunnit!

This book is published by Kalamos Literary Services LLP in 2021 and has 212 pages. This is Yohan Tytler Mystery # 1. This is author's debut novel.

It's a political murder mystery. Although it's a fiction, as per author, the story draws inspiration from lot of real events.

Ashraf Zain, most promising young politician of India, is killed in an accident. He doesn't subscribe to religion and cast based vote bank politics. He was one honest politician that India wants. Piyali Sharma, Ashraf's PA commits suicide. Sr. Inspector Yohan Tytler of CBI, gets this as his first case as lead investigator. Yohan and his team of sub inspectors Sukumar & Ila Qureshi head to Begusarai, Bihar.

Was it an accident or murder? Is one of two main political parties involved? How will Yohan handle his first case as lead? What kind of pressures will he be subjected to? Whodunnit?

Yohan is a young dashing Sr. Inspector from a business family who has chosen this career over family business. Sukumar is analytical and his specialty is data gathering and deciphering. Ila is a child of single mother who had to struggle to continue her education and work for CBI. Director Verma is under pressure from various forces but trusts Yohan and his team. 

The story has all the right ingredients. There are false clues, there are red herrings, the perpetrator is not the suspect (the least suspected theory), there is investigation and deduction. Author's motive for murder is unexpected but true. So it becomes a decent murder mystery. The one thing that story lacks is drama. In a murder mystery readers should sit on the edge of the chair with anticipation. There should be twists and surprises. That is missing in this story. 

A number of questions go unanswered. How does Maulavi achieve soft baritone by reciting azan, when azan is always sung by Muezzin, not Maulavi. Why Piyali didn't call her father or someone else? How does the antagonist know about the swiss knife? Why Priyanshu and Chirag were not killed?

The book ends with the solving of this case. Expect Book # 2 soon. There is a preamble to second book at the end of this book. There is also a hint of possible romance in Yohan's life. 

All in all,  it's a good book, but not as good as the Goodreads and Amazon ratings suggest. 

Why did I read this book? High Goodreads and Amazon ratings. 

What I didn't like? Not enough drama. 

What did I like? Identity of perpetrator and motive is concealed well.

Read of you are a whodunit fan.