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Switch in Time

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In the midst of a fierce succession battle for the crown of the Ajmera business empire, Lallan Ajmera introduces the twenty-four year old Kamsin Ahlawat as his heir-apparent and second-in-command. As Kamsin begins to consolidate her hold on the empire, Lallan Ajmera realizes that she is not just after his money but wants the complete destruction of his family, his legacy and all that he holds dear.

A powerful rival of Lallan Ajmera is killed in a seedy hotel in Byculla. Inspector Bushra Khokhar begins her investigations into this case and finds visible but intangible links to the power struggles in the Ajmera boardroom.

As a string of murders pile up across Mumbai, Bushra Khokhar races against time as Kamsin exacts her revenge on Lallan Ajmera, a man she has more in common with than either of them will admit.

334 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

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Rajesh Shankaran

5 books4 followers

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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
237 reviews17 followers
September 24, 2019
Gripping, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing, 'Switch in Time' sees skeletons in cupboards tumbling out, deceit winning over guile, people inviting their nemesis, and quite a few gory murders.

Armed with a strong plot, author Rajesh Sivasankaran, weaves together a story that is not only racy, but also one that has the power to keep the readers hooked and guessing till the end. With each passing crime, the mystery deepens and so does the confidence of the perpetrator of the crime. Loose ends are stitched closely together giving no room for an iota of doubt in the minds of the investigators regarding the identity of the killer/s. While life turns out to be miserable for some, it offers intoxication for others.

Overall a wonderful read, the book does have a few typographical errors. However what really put me off was the quality of the book. External appearances combined with amazing content is the hallmark of a successful book. 'Switch in Time' is wanting in this area. Received the book with a few pages popping out. ☹️



Profile Image for Rajan.
637 reviews42 followers
October 8, 2019
Switch in time is a thriller set in gargantuan business world of Mumbai. These is Lallan Ajmera business empire which is huge. He believes in expanding by hook or by crook. The one fine day Kamsin Ahlawat comes along like a hurricane and takes it over by force. Nobody in the family is amused. Bushra Khokhar is given investigation of murder of Ajmera’s rival. Can she unravel the mystery?

The novel is interestingly fast paced and amusing. The business world and the inner family feud is shown beautifully. Kamsin is one character which hold my attention. Bushra is fighting on two fronts; her office and home. Her lover ditched her and left a child in her custody. The novel is must read for lovers of mystery and thrill.


Profile Image for Arti.
660 reviews107 followers
September 13, 2019
The story begins with a murder with the police on the search for the killer. But that is not all, there are many more subplots to the book. And each subplot is somewhere linked to the main plot but the best part is that the subplot does not take away the importance of the main plot. The writing is crisp, and not once did the author lose the main plot while going into many subplots.
The characters, though many, have been developed well and I was not confused between them. I would have loved to know more about the Jatias. Scenes have described in detail and the twists and turns keep the reader guessing till the end as to who the murderer is.
The book is a fast paced page turner once I got the hang of the book and I could connect some incidents, I was engrossed and just did not want to keep it down.
I loved reading the book and would like to read more from the author.
Profile Image for Bishal Baishya.
Author 6 books14 followers
October 8, 2019
A corporate fight, internal ethics, family conflicts and hate as outcome of misdeeds are in nutshell of the story. Author has emphasised on bringing out of more important misdeeds among people includes foetal sex determination and social class promotion.

The story revolves around a realistic lady police personnel and a woman puppeteer who influences to make people her puppet to show her worth. Initially they started as different faces of a coin going parallel but finally coinciding to an end with efforts put to make it hooking.

Needed more work for final 5 chapters before the last one in story telling. The structure and style needed bit more classic touch as the potential of the characters and the plot. Nice to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ).
2,221 reviews82 followers
March 22, 2019
Book Title: Switch in Time - A Bushra Khokhar Crime Thriller
Author: Rajesh Shankaran
Format: Paperback

Book Title:
The title of the book ' Switch in Time - A Bushra Khokhar Crime Thriller ' is interesting.

Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is an abstract digital image of a young woman's face and cityscape at night time in the background. It sets the story mood to a dark genre.

Plot:
In the busy city of Mumbai, one fine day a famous businessman, names, Raseshwar Jatia, is found dead in a hotel room. He happens to be the in the race of many businessmen and one of them is Lallan Ajmera. The death of Jatia is linked to Lallan in a web of internal subplots. Each subplot has its own importance in the book.

The other characters like Police Officer Bushra, Ajay Parashar, and Kamsin are very intelligently plotted and every page thus becomes a page turner because of the above characters. Who killed Jatia? Why is Lallan framed in it? What role does Kamsin or Ajay play in this case? Will Bushra solve the case?

What I like:
1. The crime plotline which is handled well
2. The two-sided faces of humans who are within us and with us are explained well.
3. The mystery factor is maintained very well until the end of the story.

What I didn't like:
Though the font in the book is very comfortable to read, the indentation must have been taken care of.

Characters:
All the characters are plotted very well in the story with ample importance.

Narration:
The interesting narration is found in the story. Nice storytelling made the book a definite page-turner.

Language & Grammar:
A good language with nice vocabulary is used.

My Final Verdict:
A good read.

Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Narration: 3/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 3/5
Profile Image for Rashmi Pai-Prabhu.
113 reviews7 followers
November 28, 2019
Book review 59:
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Switch in time by Rajesh Shankaran
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Foreword :
The cover of this book indicates an urban melodrama and the title also suggests that it possibly has all ingredients of a modern pot boiler. Completely True that !
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About the book:
Lalan Ajmera is that stereotypical dashing and debonair business magnate, very wealthy and successful and as in most such cases, a closet playboy. .
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Arati Devi, his wife is also a stereotypical rich bored socialite who keeps herself engaged in lunches and liquor and of course yoga :). .
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Kamsin Ahluwalia is introduced as the mistress, possibly the woman on the cover page as well. She is cool, calculated and absolutely gorgeous, it is little wonder that she has Lallan eating out of her hands and actually transferring the reins of his empire to her. Well, quite surprising or not? .
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Mrigank Ajmera is the embittered wimp of a son and Neeti, his fiesty, scheming wife.
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Rasheswar Jatia is that stereotypical business rival and opposing giant business magnate and very unfortunately leads himself to get murdered .
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In the battle for the Ajmera empire and personal glory n gratification , all past stories are dug up and there is a fair bit of mud slinging too. Throw in suspense, drama and murder and it's a page turner all the way, until the very end when the truth is revealed and what a twist! .
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Takeaway A stereotypical storyline ,but the author has handled it so beautifully that it's terrifically gripping . The language is simple and flawless too.
Highly recommended and a must read ! .
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FOR SIMILAR BOOK REVIEWS do follow me on instagram @rushme_reviews.


Rating :⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ excellent .
Profile Image for Ankita Khataniar.
Author 4 books20 followers
September 12, 2019
📖Book review📚
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Title: Switch in Time
Author: Rajesh Shankaran
Publisher: G.J Group
Pages: 334
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Blurb: Lallan Ajmera is a powerful businessman with a huge business empire. Amidst the battle for the succession of his throne, Lallan surprises everyone by introducing Kamsin Ahlawat as his successor and second-in-command. Meanwhile, a business rival of Lallan, is killed in a hotel and suspicion falls on Lallan. Inspector Bushra Khohkar begins her investigation and soon finds that Kamsin, Lallan and his business is intertwined in a series of murders that happens across Mumbai.
Who is Kamsin and what are her intentions? Will Bushra solve the murders as quickly as possible?
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1️⃣ The cover of the book portrays a young girl quite possibly depicting Kamsin and her role in the treacherous business.
2️⃣ The starting of the book is a jumble of stories. It was like many stories starting at once. But soon the stories fall into place and the book starts in a natural pace.
3️⃣ The characters are well developed.
4️⃣ The links in the story are well established and it won't have you scratching your head thinking 'what did I just read?'
5️⃣ The story reminded me of a classic Sidney Sheldon novel with a bit of David Baldacci thrown in. Although the vocabulary is vastly different from them.
6️⃣ The mystery held up until the end of the story, which is usually a drawback in most Indian mystery novels.
7️⃣ The plot might seem predictable if you are a thriller fan and read too many of those.
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Over all a good read for me. My rating 4/5.
Profile Image for Shreyasi Basu.
271 reviews19 followers
Read
September 23, 2019
|| SWITCH IN TIME ||
by
Rajesh Shankaran

.

✔ CHARACTERS are Rasheswar Jatia, Arati, Neeti, Kamsin , Bushra ,Mrigank, Ajay, lalan & so on. Multiple main & sub characters are played a vital role in this story. All characters are finely developed and managed brilliantly.
(I will not disclose some of characters here)
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✔It was an usual morning in Mumbai. Rasheswar Jatia, A renowned businessman is found killed surprisingly in a hotel & leave everyone clueless about it. Though There are a lot of suspections over it but Mrigank, son of Rasheswar Jatin is determined to find out the real criminal.
Now the doubts are:
Who killed Rasheswar Jatia & why? How will it be solved? Whats the connection between each and every character? wait ! Grab the book to spot the criminal.
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✔ Plot is really nice and thrilling. Suspense is dragged till the end that made me glued with the story. Its really a very gripping & enjoyable. Many sub characters are there. Even they are described well.
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✔ authors writing style is mindblowing. Simple sentences are used. Some unknown words are there though but Thats completely fine because its good for my stock of words. Narrations are fast knotted well. Its a medium to fast moving story for me.
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✔ Cover & Title is appreciating, it gives an idea about the thrilling plot. I couldn't even guess the criminal there. A lot of turns & twists are placed that impressed me. A highly recommended book for fiction & detective story lovers.
Profile Image for Meghasi Bhatt.
Author 2 books6 followers
March 13, 2019
Lallan Ajmera, a business tycoon, suddenly announces that the beautiful Kamsin Ahlawat is his successor and will take over his business empire. Everyone is aghast at his announcement, particularly those closest to him, his wife Arati Devi aka AD, his son Mrigank and daughter-in-law Neeti and his second in command Ajay Parashar. They suspect that Kamsin has a hold over Lallan and Ajay and Mrigank in particular are determined to find out what it is.
In the meantime, Lallan’s business rival Rasheshwar Jatia is found murdered in a seedy hotel. Inspector Bushra Khokhar is assigned to the case. Though Bushra struggles to cope as a single mother, she is still determined to solve this murder mystery.
It appears that Kamsin is not exactly whom she appears to be. Whenever someone comes close to finding out about her true identity, a brutal murder takes place. Who is Kamsin Ahlawat and who is her accomplice?
How is the murder of Rasheshwar Jatia connected to Lallan Ajmera? Will Inspector Bushra Khokhar be able to unravel the mystery before any more murders take place?
The reader will have to read the story to find out.
‘Switch in Time’ is an extremely enjoyable suspense thriller and I recommend it to readers.
188 reviews4 followers
September 7, 2019
Title - Switch in Time
Author - Rajesh Shankaran
Genre -Fiction (Crime Thriller)
Pages - 316
Format - Paperback
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Switch in time by Rajesh Shankaran is a very thrilling book.It give me a great turn from reading different love stories.There are many characters which makes it more interesting.To be honest I was finding it difficult in starting but after about 2 chapters it was normal and I was almost fully addicted to it.Once you start the book you will make it continue to the end .If someone is finding some engaging triller story then this is it.
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Review -
1) The cover and the title of the book is very nice makes it attractive.
2) The plot of the story is well narrated by the author in a dramatic way just like a Bollywood movie.
3) The language used by the author is simple and easily understandable.
4) The characters are well developed and described by the author.
5) The flow of the book is well paced but went somewhat slow in starting.
6) Overall, an thriller read.
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I recommend this book to all especially readers who love reading about crimes and triller.

Profile Image for Kriti.
374 reviews26 followers
September 4, 2019
Switch in time

Page count : 314

The story starts with the revelation of a bitter truth by kamsin Ahlawat to Lallan Ajmera. Shocked and perplexed, Lallan calls for an urgent board meeting and gives kamsin Ahlawat the ultimate control over his business.

Meanwhile the murder of big business man Rasheshwar Jatia is grabbing the attention of media and Officer Bushra is in charge for this case.

Somehow the murder was connected with Lallan Ajmera. But how?

The first few chapters were slow paced and a little confusing as it introduced all the characters of the story. Narration was nice.

There was something more about kamsin Ahlawat which no one knew.

After a few chapters the story grabbed Its pace And became more interesting to read. All the characters are very well portrayed. The twists were well narrated. Language was also simple so the beginners can also go for the book. Title perfectly blends with the story. Cover could have been a little more catchy.

Overall it was a simple and interesting read.
Profile Image for Audriza Banerjee.
625 reviews10 followers
September 29, 2019
The cover is okay-ish nothing pretty. I genuinely think that the blurb and book is nice but had the cover been attractive I would have readily pick up the book even without reading the blurb. The initial chapters are slow and sometimes confusing as there are several characters in the book which are introduced to us in the initial chapters. Then gradually the pace is picked up and the twists and turns make the book a lot more interesting. The plot and storyline are very interesting and is handled very well by the author. The thrill and Mystery is maintained throughout the book. The characters are well developed and the narration makes it all the more interesting. The grammar and vocabulary is good too. A little disappointed with the indentation and page quality apart from that the book is really good one. The book is really engaging and the human emotions and corrupt nature has been portrayed very well. It is a really smooth read and I completed in a single sitting I would definitely recommend this book and the author has put in remarkably good effort.
Profile Image for ~ NS Reviews ~ biblio_confessions .
52 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2019
Book: Switch In Time
Author: Rajesh Shankaran
Rating: 4.5🌟/5
Format: Paperback
Pages: 314
Publisher: GJ Group
Cover: 3.5/5
~Sneak Peek~
Amidst the battle for the crown of Ajmera Empire, Lallan Ajmera brings forth a twenty four years old Kamsin Ahlawat as his heir apparent. This sudden decision of Lallan Ajmera brings forth restlessness among the Ajmera Empire. With a secret past and more than common ties with Lallan Ajmera and his family, Kamsin tries to exacts her revenge for all the wrongs that has been done to her. On the other hand Lallan Ajmera’s biggest rival is discovered dead in a seedy hotel. Inspector Bushra Khokhar’s attempt to discover the murderer leads to many intangible links and power struggle prevailing in the Ajmera Empire. With murders lining up in the glittering city of Mumbai and each character fighting hard with their past and survive in their future, “Switch in Time” is a fast paced thriller.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mikitaa.
58 reviews
September 24, 2019
Crime, mystery, revenge, business rivalries, the book is a complete thriller pack.
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The title does not directly tell you about the storyline, however, it turns out to be perfect. The cover of the book is dark doing Justice to the plot, and the girl with rage lingering in her eyes altogether makes an ideal cover for the book. The language is easy to understand. Though there are typos, at one or two points. Characters, there were a lot of them and it was difficult for me to keep up with all of them, however, as the story progressed, they became familiar. A commendable narration, along with a thrilling plot made the book an absolute page-turner. The scenes would start randomly, leaving me puzzled, but slowly, everything would fall into place connecting all the dots together. I was stupified with the climax. Author twisting the story at the right time.
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My ratings: 4/5⭐
Profile Image for Divya Malhotra.
341 reviews4 followers
September 25, 2019
Title -
Switch in Time - A Bushra Khokhar Crime Thriller
Author - Rajesh Shankaran
Genre - Suspense and thriller.
A nail-biter read.

In the beginning we read that the famous business tycoon has been found dead namely Raseshwar Jatia.
The story is a thrilling read though one can find some confusion in the starting as there are passive and active characters both.
Its nice to read such different kind of genres as we often come across the same plot . The author has taken care of the language and the whole crime murder scene in mind so that the readers are not bored.

I liked the character and the role of inspector Bushra Khokhar , as how well and with full of responsibility she handled her task assigned of the murder mystery.
She was strong and independent. (leading character)
The cliffhanger in the story is also mentioned .
Profile Image for Abirami Pillai.
48 reviews
November 10, 2019
The story revolves around Ajmeraa Family, owner of largest hospitality company. All of sudden, the abandoned daughter shows up in most unexpected way. She is determined to bring complete destruction to the family.
The book is a complete pack of crime, mystery, revenge & thriller. The book starts as a jumble of stories, like many stories starting at once. Soon they all fall into place & the book catches a pace.
All the characters are well developed. The links in the story are established in a very clear way 7 not letting you like- what did I just read? The mystery is held until the end of the story.
The title doesn’t explain much about the story but the cover is dark in line with the plot. The language is easily understandable. The narration of the thriller plot made this book a real star. Would definitely recommend to all to get this book soon!
Fast Paced Thriller
4/5
Profile Image for Vivek.
480 reviews25 followers
April 2, 2019

Received book in lieu of honest review.
__________________
A desi James Patterson indeed. A crime whodunnit with some raciness adapted to Indian family audiences. The writing is crisp, the plot a bit predictable probably because I have read too many in this genre but the author still manages to surprise me. Honestly a good effort in the masala crime segment. A good mix of character development though quite a few are left hollowed out to keep things gory and quick. I think the fact that the main threads got most of the limelight, the other threads that were supposed to obfuscate and confuse were too light for the reader to pay importance. On a technicality, the binding of the book is pretty bad. Quite a few pages came out as I read through.
Profile Image for Aarti Arora.
269 reviews26 followers
September 27, 2019
‘Switch in Time’, by ‘Rajesh Shankaran’ is a unique thriller involving brutal murders and equal amount of other emotions as well. The story is set in the current time in Mumbai, India.
This story involves many characters, each different from the other. The author has done characterisation of each character very acutely and perfectly. However, the story line is really very good, but I found the narration, baffling at times. Though, I didn’t find the cover much appealing.
The story flows like a movie script, fast paced and precise. The title is somewhat, appropriate for the book. The language used by the author is trouble-free accompanied with different tone styles.

Read the full review on:
https://bit.ly/2njL2tS
Profile Image for Sukhmanjot Kaur.
110 reviews4 followers
February 15, 2020
:- This book is about a successful businessman, lallan Ajmera whose daughter suddenly comes back after 24 years . One of his business rivals Mr. Jatia is found dead in a hotel room. His murder is a complete mystery . Police tries their best to find the criminals. Story takes various twists and turns. But it gets boring at some point because the impatience of knowing what will happen next. Language of the book is very easy. Ending was not at all satisfying . I felt like it could have been better . The way this book ended was really surprising at the same time. Person stays in suspense while reading the book. Though I spend a lot of time to finish this book. The cover of the book is really simple and a little bit less attractive . Overall this book was a good read.
157 reviews1 follower
October 3, 2019
The story here begins with a murder where the police is in search of the killer. Now that is not the only matter, there are many more subplots to this. And each subplot is somewhere linked to the main plot but the best part here is that the subplot does not just take away the importance of the main plot.
The characters, though many, aren't confusing, and have been developed well. Scenes have described very well and the twists and turns keep the reader guessing till the end as to who is the murderer.
The book is a fast paced page turner. I was totally engrossed and just did not want to keep it down.
I loved reading the book. 5 stars to this book.
1 review
March 10, 2019
White collar crime is a relatively new genre in Indian fiction and this particular book makes a strong case for it. Fantastic plot and page turner in James Hadley Chase style with twists and turns. Very well etched out characters. Seems like you have met them in your office. Great writing. Worth the time spent!
Profile Image for Sneha.
307 reviews18 followers
July 4, 2020
This is an amazing book , it kept me glued till end. When I thought I figured this book out, it completely bowled me over with it's twist at end . The book revolves around business industry with it's real rivalry among businessmen and their race to stay on top. By hook or by crook . This is story of one such rivalry among two hotelier . Along with main story runs ,which is a family drama in one of theirs. And then the serial killing begin in order to silence the truth . The lady inspector Bushra started investigating the murder cases and solved them or not solved them really is big question? You have to read it to know it !! A perfect blend of mystery and thrill . I really liked it immensely.
A perfect read !!
Profile Image for Merril Anil.
931 reviews78 followers
March 28, 2019
First of all a huge thanks to the author and the team for sharing the book with me and allowing me to experience this thriller. It was a refreshing welcome from all the conventional indian romance fictions and with the kind of twists and turns it had weaved into the book, it was an enjoyable and wonderful read.

Let me be honest in saying that through the first two chapters i had a rough time travelling in the book. The book opens to random scenes and people and it is thrown at to you in a neck breaking speed. So it is a bit tough to reign in all that is coming to you when you are only getting started with the book. Fortunately the book settles down quite quickly and very smoothly sails through the rest of the events of the book.

The book definitely plays with a lot of character traits and human nature. That makes it interesting to watch the way various characters are shaped and allowed to behave in the book by the author. In a weird combo, even with so many layers and twists, the book is also a simpler read. That means you don’t have to sit down with your notepads to connect the dots in the book. Everything has its perfectly combed path which makes it a smoother and entertaining read

The book would definitely appeal to anybody who is looking out for a quick and engaging thriller read. The characters, plots turns and event paths make it enjoyable and fun.

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