DEVI : Mystery of the Kolkata Murders

by Prasun Roy

Kolkata has dressed up like a bride for the grand festival of Durga Puja. Amidst the festivities, a dramatic turn of events unfolds as a fugitive business baron, Durgacharan Mahesh is being extradited to India from Spain, transiting via Kolkata before reaching Mumbai. Three days before Durgacharan’s arrival, his brother-in-law, Vasudeva Patel, is found murdered, with the word ‘DEVI’ written in blood beside the body. This marks the beginning of a series of baffling and brutal crimes coinciding with each day of Durga Puja. On Maha Chaturthi, a precious jewel-studded conch belonging to a 260-year-old Durga idol gets stolen. On the subsequent days, more bodies emerge with a host of clues, prompting the police commissioner to launch an investigation along with his best men.
The victims harbour dark secrets. The clues twist and writhe and refuse to keep still. Meanwhile, the killer observes the investigation, knowing that they can’t be stopped. Mystery intensifies and reaches a crescendo just as the city erupts in joyous fervour and gets ready for Navami and Dashami.
How are all the victims linked? What is the strange connection of the murder weapons? Most importantly, who is DEVI? The answers lie in this edge-of-your-seat crime thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the nail-biting, heart-stopping climax!

Genres: Mystery

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2023

About the author

Prasun Roy is a bestselling author of several bestselling books known for their gripping and appealing narrative style written in simple language. He has written extensively in the genres of biography, translations, history, crime thrillers, mythology and the paranormal. Prasun has a remarkable lineup of fiction titles in varied subgenres of mystery, adventure, young-adult and thriller. Two of his fiction titles for young adults have been selected as supplementary reads for students at a prominent school in Vadodara. A couple of his works with eminent publishers have been taken up AV adaptations too.

Prasun has delivered lectures at eminent institutes like IIT Kanpur, Maharaja Sayajirao University (Baroda), IIT Delhi in association with IHAR/DRDO/Ministry of Culture/ Ministry of Defence/IGNCA/Rishihood University, All India Radio and The National Library. He has been a prominent speaker at many prestigious literary festivals, including Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet, Valley of Words International Literature & Arts Festival (Dehradun), Ahmedabad International Literature Festival and Pune International Literary Festival.


Prasun lives with his family in Kolkata. An alumnus of IIM Lucknow, La Martiniere for Boys and Dolna Day School, he runs his family-owned business of pharmaceutical manufacturing and marketing jointly headquartered in Vadodara and Kolkata.

Reviews

[Ravi Chopra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Devi – Mystery of Kolkata Murders
Author: Prasun Roy

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Kolkata's Durga Puja, Prasun Roy’s "Devi" is an atmospheric and gripping police procedural. As the city immerses itself in festive fervor, the high-profile extradition of fugitive business tycoon Durgacharan Mahesh is overshadowed by a string of gruesome murders.
Each victim harbors a dark secret, and each crime scene bears a chilling signature: the word "Devi" scrawled in blood.
The narrative follows a compelling cast, including suspended inspector Arun Palit, his estranged police friend Jai, and a determined reporter, Savitri.
As the festival progresses from Mahalaya to Maha Dashami—each day acting as a chapter—the investigators race against time to stop the self-proclaimed vigilante and solve the theft of a 260-year-old idol's precious jewel.
While the climax feels slightly rushed and some twists are predictable early on, the journey is cinematic and entirely enthralling.
Roy masterfully contrasts the festival's theme of good over evil with the ugly, vengeful reality of how the rich and influential often escape justice.
With its steady pacing, complex characters, and rich cultural setting, "Devi" is a thrilling start to a promising mystery series that will keep you glued until the very end.

[Supratim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the paperback edition which is surprisingly not available on Goodreads.

A decent thriller featuring a serial killer targeting criminals in the city of Kolkata (India) during the Durga Puja celebrations.