The Picasso kill by Suvash Dev

​"The Picasso kill" by Suvash Dev - Angad Rane starts!

This book is published by Kalamos Literary Services LLP in 2021 and has 82 pages. This is Book 1 of 'Angad Rane’ series.

A small time actress is murdered in south Mumbai. Inspector Angad Rane is on the case. The killer calls himself Picasso and leaves a sketch of dying victim near the body. Another murder, another beautiful victim.

Who is Picasso? Why does he commit murders? Can Angad crack the case? At what cost?

It’s a murder mystery, but there’s hardly any mystery. Two murders happen quickly, readers know who the murderer is, police identify him easily. With less than 100 pages worth of reading material, there’s hardly any time for buildup. The story happens easily and quickly. 

If so, is there anything worth mentioning? Yes, there is. It’s the end. The story ends with a shock for the readers. Even the police feel helpless and vulnerable when pitched with a kamikaze criminal. 

Although the story ends, the series begins. A new criminal calls Angad at the very end of epilogue. That would be Book 2.

There are some spelling mistakes in the book. Better proof reading is called for. 

Why did I read this book? Quick read.

What I didn't like? No mystery. 

What did I like? The twist. 

Partners by John Grisham

​"Partners" by John Grisham - Why?

This book is published by House and Stoughton in 2016 and has 58 pages. This is sequel of ‘The rogue lawyer’’. 

T Ray, 33-black-unemployed, works as part time drug mule in little Angola. Once, after a delivery a cop intercepts him and shoots at him. T Ray shoots back and luckily kills the cop. The gang that runs drug business engages Sebastian Rudd (The rogue lawyer fame).

Is T Ray guilty? Did the white cop try to kill black guy out of vengeance? Can Rudd defend T Ray? What’s the verdict? Who are partners?

It’s a small story and a very straight forward one. There are hardly any twists, any surprises, any complications. There are court room scenes sans drama, sans theatrics and sans excitement. 

Why would author publish this book that doesn’t serve any purpose? Unless the end of this is going to be important for the continuity of the sequel. I am not aware of any sequel. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Objective of this book.

What did I like? Umm…..

Give it a miss. 

Return of the Brahmin by Ravi Shankar Etteth

​"Return of the Brahmin" by Ravi Shankar Etteth - A sequel!

This book is published by Westland  in 2021 and has 342 pages. This is the sequel of ‘The Brahmin’

In previous book, The Brahmin, Samrat Ashoka’s spy master had left him when Ashoka decides to invade Kalinga. Ashoka has become Buddhist and has an ambitious and devious Buddhist monk in his court. Ashoka has created ‘dark hall’ in all prisons and the occupant is called Nirmukh (one real and other decoys). Khandapati is running resistance against Samrat and trying to kill Nirmukh and is also killing corrupt officials. 

Who is Khandapati? Who is Nirmukh? Will Brahmin return to Ashoka? Will Brahmin be able to nullify the threat to Magadh? Who is Pretnath? Is there something called elixir of life?

Brahmin returns. His former position is occupied by Lord Udra, a Kalingan. He finds gaps in current intelligence network and lapses in security. Nobody knows who is conspiring against who. Is Ashoka’s government penetrated? It’s a web of deceit. Everything seems lost but Brahmin perseveres. 

There are some convenient things in this book like death of an important character, ability of Khandapati to turn various individuals towards him by offering them what they seek most etc. 

The story is not as good as the first book. It’s a complex plot with many complications. Author handles it well. This book is darker than the previous one. The Brahmin is vulnerable.  He has lost his network, contacts and touch. But not all of it. Most of all he hasn’t lost his touch and determination. 

Description of Magadhan opulence is good and the language is very flowery. Ashoka’s character is darker. It’s known that once he embraced Buddhism, he was a changed man. This book, however, shows him as vein, vengeful, short tempered and violent, even after becoming Buddhist. 

There is a twist in the end. I didn’t see it coming. There is an impending twist in the last line of the book. It’s probably a preamble for another sequel. Will there be one? Will it be good? Guess we have to wait and watch. 

Why did I read this book? First book was good.

What did I like? Complex plot.

What I didn't like? Not a very gripping tale. 

Recommend reading. 

The last Don by Mario Puzo

​"The last Don" by Mario Puzo - Hollywood and Mafia! 

This book is published by RHUK in 2009 and has 496 pages. 

Don Domenico Clericuzio, his sons and nephew (PP Delena) have fought a mafia war with rival family and won. It has cost the Don one son and husband of his only daughter, Rosemary. Don wants a smooth transition from illegal business to legal business. Time leap. PP Delena has a son, Crucefizio (Cross). Rosemary has a son, Dante. They are the only two from new generation in the “family business”.

Who will inherit the family business? Dante, Cross or someone else? Will the exterminated Santa Deo gang rear it’s head again? Will Cross succeed in show biz or are the movie guys too smart for him? 

The book depicts  the show biz as glitzy, passionate, egotistic. Here sex trades as currency, to curry favors, exchange pleasure or simply a casual act. It involves the actors, aspiring actors, directors, producers, writers and studio. It shows how one exploits other, how one screws other and how one benefits from other. 

This book shows two worlds. First is the mafia world and second is the show biz. Although readers enjoy the show biz, it’s the mafia world and the strong undercurrent of violence, not really the violence, that peaks their interest. This is the world that retains audience interest. 

Considering the two happening worlds, the book is not very eventful. One would expect some action all the time. That’s not the case. There is some action, but it’s not full of action. 

You know that Athena is an actress who uses her beauty and the effect she has on others as currency. You know that although handsome, well behaved, cool, Cross is from a mafia family and active in the business. Yet you like the characters. Despite being 80 years old Don still is in control of family affairs. He is the man with foresight. Dante is dashing. He is the heir apparent. But he is conflicted. 

There is a surprise element in the book, but it’s not concealed properly. Intelligent readers can guess it. While reading the book the final curiosity reader has is about who the last Don will be?  Author conceals this answer well. Of course it’s revealed in the end. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? Undercurrent. Insights in mafia and Hollywood.  

Recommend reading. 

Sauvasitika: The struggle of Shantiputra by Ashwin Sanghi

​"Sauvasitika: The struggle of Shantiputra" by Ashwin Sanghi -  Incomplete!

This ebook was published by Westland in 2020 and has 38 pages.

Rahul, a fisherman of Saptadweep islands finds an intricately carved gold pendant with left pointing Swastika. Pankaj, a farmer from Dheeli Reti dessert also finds a similar pendant. Shalini, a blacksmith from coastal Mudirasa find one too. Aruna, a perfumer from Kalisthal too finds one. All these places are part of Chaaranga. Shantiputra from Sukhavati in Shambhala connects with the four. Sankatputra, the dark lord from Madhyabindu is rising. 

Then the book ends.

You read right. Then the book ends. Neither does the book cover says that this is a series nor is the sequel published in last two years. I don’t understand why would one publish a 38 page book with incomplete story. Usually sequels are written when a single full book can’t accommodate the story. Writing a series with first book of 38 pages and then not publishing sequel defies logic. 

I firmly believe that whether to read a series or not is readers prerogative and its author’s duty to tell the readers that this is a series. Author fails to do so. 

The story is written in amateurish style. Probably he wrote when he was in school.  It’s written very simplistically. It’s predictable. 

The sentence that I liked most from this book was “Happiness was not about having what one wanted, but wanting what one had.”

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Incompleteness. Writing style. 

What did I like? One sentence. 

AVOID. 

The Indus challenge by R. Durgadoss

​"The Indus challenge" by R. Durgadoss - Brahmastra in times of Chanakya!

This book is published by Rupa publications India in 2016 and has 320 pages. This is Janam 2 (Book 2) of the series. 

For readers like me, who haven’t read Janam 1, author gives summary of Janam 1 to create background. 

It’s 306 BC.  It’s the story of Rudra, wilder of Brahmastra and commander in chief of Chandragupta Maurya. It starts from his childhood, his attaining the Siddhi under able guidance of Chanakya, creation of empire, Chandragupta’s marriage to Greek princess Helen, the palace politics and the ominous curse of short life. 

Most of the first part of this book is pillow talk between two pairs, Chandragupt Maurya and his wife Helen and Commander in Chief Rudra and his wife Swastika. 

The story is written in a floral but unattractive way. Reader doesn’t get excited. Events are just placed one after other rather than stringing them in a story. Author also appears to be undecided about what Brahmastra does. Initially he explains the after effects of Brahmastra are like a nuclear weapon. Later he shows it being used as a precision weapon to kill just one person without harming the one next to him. Then he shows it used as a tracking device. There are discrepancies about age too. Chandragupta is 40 years old when his grandson Ashoka is identified as potential heir. His son commits murder after thinking it through at the age of 5. The list goes on….

Ashwatthama is an important character in this book. It was expected that he learns something from the curse. But rather than being repentant, he appears vengeful and even petty. Character of Rudra’s father also undergoes a sudden inexplicable transformation that’s not digestible. 

Book ends with a preamble for Janam 3. I strongly suspect that it’s going to be about Ashoka’s nine unknowns. 

Why did I read this book? Blurb.

What I didn't like? Narration . 

What did I like? Umm…

Give it a miss. 

The dark hours by Michael Connelly

​"The dark hours" by Michael Connelly - Murder and Rape! 

This book is published by Orion in 2021 and has 400 pages. This is Book 23 of Ballard & Bosch series. 

Times of Corona, end of 2020, Los Angeles. Defunding has resulted in Detective Rene Ballard working dark hours alone, without a partner. Ballard gets two cases. First case is Midnight men, a two men rape team who breaks into house occupied by single ladies, tie them, blindfold and rape them. Second case is a Murder of an ex-gang banger during new year fireworks. This is too much for a single person, but Ballard doesn’t want to let go any of the cases. She teams with Harry Bosch, her mentor and a retired detective, without knowledge of her superior.

Will Ballard be able to retain both cases? Will Ballard be able to crack them? Will Ballard lose her job for involving an outsider and for insubordination?

The story is good. A little on slower side, but that is expected in the investigative work. What’s important is that author retains audience interest. Ballard and Bosch are interesting characters. Both are driven. Both are true detectives. Both don’t care for being politically correct. Both are pain in the neck for their superiors and both get results. 

Book ends with a question mark. Will Ballard remain with Hollywood division of LAPD or will she go private? Guess we will have to wait for Book No. 27. 

After reading this book, I happened to notice that there are five seasons of ’Bosch’ on Amazon Prime, a show dedicated to Harry Bosch based on previous books. Started watching it and completed 2 seasons. 

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Pace. 

What did I like? The rest 

Recommend reading, if you are or are planning to read the series.