Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis

"Murder House" by James Patterson and David Ellis. This book is published by Random House in 2015 and has 400 pages.

Nova Walker is having an affair with wife of a rich businessman. He is arrested by Jenna, an honest and intelligent cop, for murder of an upcoming stunning model and the agent who supported her in a house termed as 'Murder house'. Jenna's uncle is chief of Southampton police. The businessman wants Nova convicted. Jenna's uncle is killed and Nova sentenced. More previous murders are found.

What role does Jenna play in the conviction? Why is her uncle killed? Is Nova guilty? What has it to do with a school shooting incident in 1995? What happened when Jenna was eight?

It's a multiple murder mystery. Jenna, who doesn't remember what happened when she was eight, first investigates the murders, then she is arrested for them, then released and then pursued again. The key is in her lost memory of that incident.

There are multiple suspects. Author has done his best to divert his attention from the real criminal. But he has overdone it. Thus I could identify the identity of the criminal using least suspected method very easily halfway through the book. Then what remained is to go through the process.

Author has succeeded in giving a small surprise in the climax. But it is too little, too late.

Characterization is not mature. The story doesn't flow. It's like bits and pieces put together.

Give it a miss.

Memory Man by David Baldacci

"Memory Man" by David Baldacci. This book is published by Pan McMillan India in 2015 and has 352 pages.

Amis Decker's (a detective) life is devastated one day when he finds his brother-in-law, wife and daughter killed brutally. He looses his house, job, life and starts living life of a homeless private investigator. One fine day a person walks in police station and confesses murders of his family. There is a shooting in local school on same day.

Amis has hyperthymesia. Hyperthymesia is the condition of possessing an extremely detailed autobiographical memory. Such a person can recall almost every day of his life in near perfect detail.

Will Amis avenge the killings? Is confessor the murderer? Are the two incidents related? Will he go back to normal life, ever? Can he solve this?

The book is nicely paced. Hyperthymesia, a very rare disorder, makes the book interesting. It's good to see that the protagonist, though having hyperthymesia, is tall, fat and overweight person and has characteristics of a common man. David is a master story teller and he does not disappoint. Characterization is unusual.

The book starts with triple murder but then the mystery thickens with school shooting, another murder, another one and then a double murder. However when the mystery is unraveled and the reason behind murders becomes clear, one can not help but think 'is that possible?'

Book ends with definite seeds of a sequel.

Read it for a change.

Asmita (अस्मिता) by Suryakant Jadhav (सूर्यकांत जाधव)

"Asmita (अस्मिता)" a Marathi (मराठी) book by Suryakant Jadhav (सूर्यकांत जाधव). This book is published by  Mehta Publishing House in 2011 and has 278 pages. I read the book through Grantha Tumchya Dari (ग्रंथ तुमच्या दारी) scheme of Kusumagraj Pratishthan (कुसुमाग्रज प्रतिष्ठान).

This is the story of Inspector Sanjay Patil's (संजय पाटील) search of a young girl Asmita (अस्मिता), who has gone missing. A mysterious Guru called Gurumani (गुरूमणी) offers his help to Sanjay to find Asmita. They are fighting against a gang, a MP and Sarpraj maharaj (सर्पराज महाराज).

Will Sanjay take help? Or will he take the evidence and clue route? Does he believe in such powers? Do such powers exist? Can he find Asmita alive?

This book explores the world of esoteric, unnatural (अघोरी) powers, black magic, spells etc in the modern world. A number of readers will give it a miss only because of above. Fight between good powers and bad powers (सुष्ट व दुष्ट) is an eternal battle that has been presented and written about for years in various forms & in all civilizations.

Narration is semi interesting. Story is decently paced. You do not get bored. It covers the land mafia, construction mafia, fishing mafia, corruption, black magic, police, politicians and much more.

I thought that the author had tried to rope in too many things in the book. Initially the focus is on land mafia, then it moves to Sarpraj maharaj, then to human sacrifice to fishers to land mafia again. In order to cover everything he is all over the place. Defeat of Sarpraj majaraj is a classic anti climax. The story drags unnecessarily after that, should have been rapped up quickly. It's a violent story with more than a dozen deaths.

Book cover is not attractive but it's apt for the subject. However it may repel a few readers.

Read it if you don't mind the subject, otherwise give it a miss.