Monday, August 07, 2017

BookReview: 3 and a Half Murders, by Salil Desai





This is the first book I've read of this author. I wouldn't mind reading another after a while.

As a murder mystery written by an Indian film-maker, this is a nicely woven and well-narrated story. It was almost like watching a well directed motion picture. Though it is not an extraordinary story (I've read better whodunits), it is still a good read over a weekend.

The action and thrills were gradual and well drawn out throughout. There were no boring moments. There were no page-fillers which had nothing to do with the story, so I didn't find the need to skip or skim through pages at any point. I count this as the biggest plus of this work, which made it definitely readable.

Characterization was good; almost all characters were believable. The human side of the detective, the cops, their families and the antagonists shone through nicely. This was the second plus, as it made me relate to the characters and kept me hooked to know what happens to them.

Events (and clues) unfold in a realistic, well-balanced manner throughout the story. Nothing is hidden from the readers, as they are allowed to follow the case along with the detectives. So readers can also form their conjectures as the story develops, which will not be far removed from those of the investigators, until finally arriving at the final realization.

Perhaps by now it may already be obvious that there are no wild and thrilling twists and turns in this story. No sudden surprises at any point, but only a smooth and normal transition. So if you are a lover of whodunits by authors such as Sathyajith Ray, Sydney Sheldon, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe or Conan Doyle, then you should know that this story is certainly not in the same league. This is one of the main reasons I gave it 3-stars.

It is a simple, realistic, well-balanced story, but not extraordinary.


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