"Private India " is co authored by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson. Sanghi has previously authored best sellers like Chanakya’s Chant and Krishna Key. In this book he has partnered with America’s mystery-teller.
I havent read any of the author's work earlier.Looking at their profiles , I started reading this book with "great expectations". The story begins with a good suspense and is plotted in the city of Mumbai
A series of murders seemingly linked to each other come out and the investigation is with private investigators. The head of "Private India" is the chief investigator and he has an international boss.Private India is portrayed to have a rock solid investigation team with "state of the art " investigation aids and unlimited brilliance.
The thematic series of murders when being investigated makes you suspect almost all the characters that are introduced and the suspense is maintained throughout the end.
With such a story line, did the book keep me interested? my answer is no. Because, the theme of the murders is not so strongly explained and is also diluted with another sub plot of "terrorism".
Adding too many twists, too many suspects and trying to link a lot of events and personalities unsuccessfully makes the book a bit of a "Drag".
The authors also keep highlighting the "sad past" of the investigators, which do not draw a connect to the storyline till the end . ( or atleast, I couldnt figure out the connect of their background and the storyline. Possibly, they are connected to the sequel or the prequel?).
Some excerpts from the book which I found was interesting-
Having located The Nine Durga Avatars of Hinduisim , they sat down at an illuminated desk.
The mother goddess - Durga- has three basic forms and each of these has three manifestations thus resulting in a total of nine avatars. Each night of nine day festival of Navratri is dedicated to one of the nine avatars.
....and found the chapter that described the first avatar of Durga. She was known by the name Shailputri.
......"The name Kushmanda is derived from two seperate sanskrit words"..Kushma which means warmth and anda which refers to the cosmic egg. So kushmanda is considered to be the creator of egg- shaped universe."
"The name Chandra ghanta is a combination of two words- chandra and ghantha. ..The night of the murder as per the almanac was a half-moon night. The half-moon is also a symbolic representation of a bell.
....The Eighth avatar was mahagauri, depcited with a fair complexion and holding a drum.Finally, the ninth incarnation - known as Sidhdhidatri- was shown with four arms holding a discus, a mace, a conch , and a lotus"
If you want to find out more about the avatars and the murders that are depicted in the book, you may pick up a copy of the book. But don't blame me for any disappointments as I hope I have forewarned you enough of what to expect from the book.
Verdict :- "Two" many cooks , spoil the book.
