Blurb View:

When a series of seemingly unconnected murders rock the city of Mumbai with the macabre rituals and artefacts found around the corpses, Private India, a leading investigation agency takes the case. Santosh Wagh, the head of the organization, has only one mission. He needs to stop the killers before they strike again. However, in a city of over 13 million people, he finds that the clock is ticking too fast. He finds himself pitted against underworld dons and a Godman who isn’t what he seems. However, the worst is yet to come and Private India itself may be threatened with a revelation that could destroy the entire organization.

Review: 

Not having read a single James Patterson book might  have been an advantage when I began reading ‘Private India’. There were a few preconceived notions though, having read Ashwin Sanghi before. I had braced myself for a generous helping of mythology with a dollop of thrill and race to find the culprit. The ingredients were still present, but in different proportions.

The book begins with a lot of promise. Two murders in as many chapters give an inkling to the readers that there is a serial killer on the loose. A veteran detective heads the leading investigating agency in Mumbai, which has its counterparts all over the world. His team seems invincible but they aren’t able to find any clue about the killer. Meanwhile, the series of murders continues. Detectives and forensic experts keep working overtime to solve the case, but the clues are hard to find. I think here enters Ashwin Sanghi with his background knowledge and research in Indian history and mythology. The clues are arranged in order of a small portion of Hindu mythology, which in my opinion, could be elaborated for the betterment of young readers.

Many of us are not as conversant with mythology as we are in other topics. Since they linked the murders to a series of mythological tidbits, I had expected to find more of it in the ensuing chapters. The writing style is very much James Patterson’s, as I could gather while I progressed. The background research on Mumbai and Mythology seems invariably Ashwin Sanghi’s. It is interesting to read a book written in collaboration as the styles and forms of writing are blended carefully to present a complete package to the readers. The authors have succeeded in this case, though the content has veered toward Bollywood in the process.

There is enough masala to turn the book into a Bollywood potboiler, as is the case with most of Ashwin Sanghi’s books. From the characters’ names to their professions, much has been inspired from the film industry. The climax didn’t turn out to be as exciting as I was hoping.

Recommended for thriller buffs, enjoy the collaboration of two nations and writers.

My Rating: 3.5/5

About the Authors:

Ashwin Sanghi is an Indian writer and entrepreneur. He has also written: Chanakya’s Chant and The Krishna Key. He is also known by his pseudonym: Shawn Haigins.

A graduate of the Yale School of Management and St. Xavier’s College, he has since been awarded several acclaims for his work. His second book has been optioned for a movie by UTV and is expected to begin production soon. He currently lives in Mumbai with his loving family.

James Patterson is a bestselling American writer. He is best known for Along Came a Spider, Jack & Jill, When the Wind Blows and Step on a Crack among over 100 others.

Book Details:

Language: English,  Genre: Fiction/Thriller

Author(s): James Patterson, Ashwin Sanghi

Publisher: Arrow/Random House India, Year Published: 2014 July

Binding: Paperback, Edition: First, Pages: 480

ISBN-13: 9780099586395 , ISBN-10: 0099586398

Reviewed for: BlogAdda

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

This review is also shared with the  Indian Quills Reading Challenge at The Tales Pensieve and the First Reads Challenge at b00kr3vi3ws.

Check out bestsellers and new releases on Amazon India.