The Mahabharata Murders | Arnab Ray | Book Review

PLOT: 4.5/5
CHARACTERS: 4/5
WRITING STYLE: 4.5/5
CLIMAX: 3.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4.5/5

My Golden Rule

It’s not always necessary to judge a book by its climax.

This golden rule that I often strive to follow holds particularly true in the case of the book, “The Mahabharata Murders”.

The book is written beautifully. It is compact, compelling and chill-inducing but the end is a bit dull.

So, what should one do while reviewing such a book? Well, I am going to stick to the golden rule and recommend this book to my crime fiction lover readers.

Duryodhana is Back

There is a new serial killer out in town who is out to get his revenge. But this revenge is for a crime committed thousands of years ago.

The man calls himself Duryodhana and is out to get revenge from the Pandavas for the crimes they committed against his brothers and family members.

He kills Draupadi first. Sahadev goes next.

But is there a pattern to target his victims? How does he identify a Pandava amidst the crores of people who inhabit the bustling metro of Kolkata? Who will solve the Mahabharata Murders and how?

These are just some of the questions which will keep baffling you until you get to the end of this book.

A Tantalizing Plot

The story of “The Mahabharata Murders” is tantalizing. The plot is complex and engaging.

There are many elements of intrigue and mystery evenly laid out throughout the book.

Duryodhana is fascinating to read about as a serial killer and the manner in which he kills is painstakingly detailed.

The victims are killed exactly in the way the Pandavas killed their enemies in the epic Mahabharata.

To add to the confusion and chaos further, there is a poster of the soon-to-be chief minister Pavitra Chatterjee and a cut out from Amar Chitra Katha at the scene of every murder.

How Good are the Characters?

The character development is such that there is no way you will be able to forget the charming and picture-perfect politician Pavitra Chatterjee, or the evil black man Duryodhana, nor you will be able to forget the muscle-rippling physique and the adamant nature of the Bihari detective Siddhanta Singh or the simple and courageous homicide detective Ruksana Ahmed who also happens to be the narrator of this story.

In short, all the characters are gripping and interesting.

The Author’s Writing Style

The author writes in a fashion that creates a new turn and twist after every few pages. There is a lot of mystery and suspense to keep the reader hooked on till the end.

There is even an element of macabre and spookiness in the way the murders are planned and committed.

All in all, there is no way one can keep the book down before getting to the end.

What about the Climax?

The climax of the book is the only thing which I wanted to be better.

Even though the storyline is such that writing the end would surely have been the most difficult task for the author, I was still looking for something more.

The end as such was not disappointing in the exact sense of the word, but I still wish it had something more to offer.

The Final Verdict

“The Mahabharata Murders” is a fascinating book and me, therefore, present it as a must-read recommendation to my readers.

The entertainment quotient of this book is extremely high and it is definitely worth your money and time. I end this review by rating the book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy from the link below!