Meticulous Murder Mystery (Book Review)

The Mahabharata Murders: Dark & Fast Paced Murder Mystery

Book: The Mahabharata Murders

Author: Arnab Ray

Publisher: Juggernaut

The beauty of a murder mystery is that it keeps the reader engaged and thinking in parallel, as the story proceeds. The Mahabharata Murders (TMM) by Arnab Ray is no different, at least not in this sense. Like a good thriller, it keeps the reader thinking about the mystery killer, his choice of modus operandi and potential motives. The narration and the plot are the heroes here. A definite a page – turner!

Based in Kolkatta, the story revolves around the detective Ruksana Ahmed’s chase to find the murderer and bring closure to this perplexing case. She is supported by her junior Siddhanth Singh. The murders are committed by the villain, who presumes he is reborn as Duryodhana, supposedly. This so-called Durydhana kills his victims in the similar manner how some of the Kauravas were killed. The killer makes his move step-by-step, with an aim to reach the top of the pyramid and kill his Yudhistira - Pavitra Chatterjee - the honest political leader. This is what makes the plot horrific and more interesting, if I may say so.

The protagonist is simultaneously fighting her own demons, her misery and her failure to lead a happy life she has been yearning for. The story incorporates the snippets based on past of the protagonist, however the pace is good enough, as it doesn’t affect the flow of the story, rather it helps us understand, the character well.

Overall, The Mahabharata Murders is a well meticulously scripted murder mystery. A fantastic plot. After a long time, I have been drawn towards a puzzling, gruesome, and unputtdownable murder mystery.

My take-away from this book: in today’s world, there is a Yudistira and a Duryodhana hidden in the same person; there is a Krishna and a Kansa living together in the same body. We have to make our own choices.

My rating: 4.5 Stars

I received a review copy of the book from the Juggernaut in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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