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The Shadows of the Unseen
Retribution doesn't have an expiry date, or so it would seem...
A mysterious man clutching a trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur one rainy night in August 1990. Around the same time, four security guards are found dead with an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed lost forever.
Decades later, in February 2022, nine high-profile murders over nine consecutive days across the country leave the police force baffled and breathless. That most of the victims are or were members of a leading political party doesn't make it any easier for them.
Who's killing them? And, why? Could it be related to the robbery on that fateful night in 1990?
In this fast-paced murder mystery, Raghu Sarma weaves an intricate tale of unlimited greed, unbridled misuse of power and utter disregard for human lives.
A mysterious man clutching a trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur one rainy night in August 1990. Around the same time, four security guards are found dead with an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed lost forever.
Decades later, in February 2022, nine high-profile murders over nine consecutive days across the country leave the police force baffled and breathless. That most of the victims are or were members of a leading political party doesn't make it any easier for them.
Who's killing them? And, why? Could it be related to the robbery on that fateful night in 1990?
In this fast-paced murder mystery, Raghu Sarma weaves an intricate tale of unlimited greed, unbridled misuse of power and utter disregard for human lives.
397 pages, Paperback
Published June 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 31, 2022
ɴᴀᴍᴇ : ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴꜱᴇᴇɴ
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ : ʀᴀɢʜᴜ ꜱᴀʀᴍᴀ
ɢᴇɴʀᴇ : ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀʏ
Blurb : A mysterious man clutching a trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur one rainy night in August 1990. Around the same time, four security guards are found dead with an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed lost forever.
Decades later, in February 2022, nine high-profile murders over nine consecutive days across the country leave the police force baffled and breathless. That most of the victims are or were members of a leading political party doesn't make it any easier for them.
Who's killing them? And, why? Could it be related to the robbery on that fateful night in 1990?
My 💭 :
As a mystery books hoarder and reader, I prefer my reads to be fast paced and full of twists at every turn. To me, this book was extremely slow paced, too much detail oriented with too many characters. For me, some stuff could have been less elaborate and felt unnecessary. To be honest, I had to skip a few paragraphs just to keep up and it was quite difficult for me to finish the book. But maybe that's because I like fast paced mysteries. If one prefers slow murder mystery and likes all the little nooks and hooks, this book will definitely be their perfect read. The setting was good though, 9 days and 9 high profile murders. 👍
Since this is the first work by the author, it is a good try, I would definitely like to read other works by the author. But I would request the publisher to proof read their books properly for all kinds of errors before publishing them.
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ : ʀᴀɢʜᴜ ꜱᴀʀᴍᴀ
ɢᴇɴʀᴇ : ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀʏ
Blurb : A mysterious man clutching a trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur one rainy night in August 1990. Around the same time, four security guards are found dead with an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed lost forever.
Decades later, in February 2022, nine high-profile murders over nine consecutive days across the country leave the police force baffled and breathless. That most of the victims are or were members of a leading political party doesn't make it any easier for them.
Who's killing them? And, why? Could it be related to the robbery on that fateful night in 1990?
My 💭 :
As a mystery books hoarder and reader, I prefer my reads to be fast paced and full of twists at every turn. To me, this book was extremely slow paced, too much detail oriented with too many characters. For me, some stuff could have been less elaborate and felt unnecessary. To be honest, I had to skip a few paragraphs just to keep up and it was quite difficult for me to finish the book. But maybe that's because I like fast paced mysteries. If one prefers slow murder mystery and likes all the little nooks and hooks, this book will definitely be their perfect read. The setting was good though, 9 days and 9 high profile murders. 👍
Since this is the first work by the author, it is a good try, I would definitely like to read other works by the author. But I would request the publisher to proof read their books properly for all kinds of errors before publishing them.
January 31, 2023
The Shadows of the Unseen is one of the latest and most gripping crime thriller based on Human Greed, game of power and dirty politics.
The Narration is absolutely amazing.Lost of twist and turns will keep you hook to the story.
The story starts from a mysterious robbery and the murder of four guards of a bunglow in jabalpur in August 1990.
On the same night a mysterious man boarding a crowded bus holding a trunk and from the very same bunglow something goes missing from the safe and is never recovered.
After years, nine high profile murders takes place on nine consecutive days across the country. Most interesting is all the victims of these murders are somehow linked to a leading policital party.
Who is behind these gruesome murders & how all these murders are connected to that robbery which took place years back in Jabalpur.
Read to find out in this Novel.
The Narration is absolutely amazing.Lost of twist and turns will keep you hook to the story.
The story starts from a mysterious robbery and the murder of four guards of a bunglow in jabalpur in August 1990.
On the same night a mysterious man boarding a crowded bus holding a trunk and from the very same bunglow something goes missing from the safe and is never recovered.
After years, nine high profile murders takes place on nine consecutive days across the country. Most interesting is all the victims of these murders are somehow linked to a leading policital party.
Who is behind these gruesome murders & how all these murders are connected to that robbery which took place years back in Jabalpur.
Read to find out in this Novel.
January 19, 2023
I'm intrigued if I start with the book's title and cover. I picked this one after reading the blurb and title since I enjoy reading criminal thrillers. Although the book's plot is intriguing and the cover is appealing, finishing this book took a lot of perseverance because it was so long. There are 397 pages in this book. I was somewhat irritated by how long I had to wait for the climax.
The story starts with a mysterious man boarding a crowded bus in Jabalpur on a rainy night in August 1990 clutching a trunk. On that fateful night, four security guards are also found dead in a nearby bungalow. Something goes missing from a safe from the same house and is never recovered. Nearly 32 years later, Nine high-profile murders take place on nine consecutive days in all over the nation. What is more interesting is that all the victims are somehow connected with the Indian Democratic Party.
Retribution doesn't appear to have a time limit...
One rainy night in August 1990, a mystery man carrying trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur. In an adjacent cottage, four security guards are discovered dead in an empty safe. However, the stolen things are never found and are regarded as irretrievably lost.
In February 2022, nine high-profile killings occur over the course of nine days throughout the nation, leaving the police force perplexed and gasping for air. It doesn't help them much that the majority of the victims are or were members of a major political party.
Who is murdering them? Why, then? Could it be connected to the theft that happened on that crucial night in 1990?
The narration is flawless, and the plot is interesting. The plot contains several twists added by the author. The plot centres on a wide range of themes, including fury, emotions, suspense, tension, and high stakes. Numerous plot twists give the brain a tonne of food for thought and keep one interested until the very end. As a fan of the mental thriller subgenre, I found the novel to be completely engrossing. All of the elements—setting, characters, concepts, and plots—moved the action forward and sent me on an emotional roller coaster, making the book seem longer than I had anticipated. But as you read this book, you'll realise that everything is happening right in front of your eyes.
The story starts with a mysterious man boarding a crowded bus in Jabalpur on a rainy night in August 1990 clutching a trunk. On that fateful night, four security guards are also found dead in a nearby bungalow. Something goes missing from a safe from the same house and is never recovered. Nearly 32 years later, Nine high-profile murders take place on nine consecutive days in all over the nation. What is more interesting is that all the victims are somehow connected with the Indian Democratic Party.
Retribution doesn't appear to have a time limit...
One rainy night in August 1990, a mystery man carrying trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur. In an adjacent cottage, four security guards are discovered dead in an empty safe. However, the stolen things are never found and are regarded as irretrievably lost.
In February 2022, nine high-profile killings occur over the course of nine days throughout the nation, leaving the police force perplexed and gasping for air. It doesn't help them much that the majority of the victims are or were members of a major political party.
Who is murdering them? Why, then? Could it be connected to the theft that happened on that crucial night in 1990?
The narration is flawless, and the plot is interesting. The plot contains several twists added by the author. The plot centres on a wide range of themes, including fury, emotions, suspense, tension, and high stakes. Numerous plot twists give the brain a tonne of food for thought and keep one interested until the very end. As a fan of the mental thriller subgenre, I found the novel to be completely engrossing. All of the elements—setting, characters, concepts, and plots—moved the action forward and sent me on an emotional roller coaster, making the book seem longer than I had anticipated. But as you read this book, you'll realise that everything is happening right in front of your eyes.
January 25, 2023
The Shadows of the unseen by Raghu Sarma
.
Reading thrillers has a strange sense of fun, compared to the other genres. It welcomes you with a strange atmosphere, introduces well-written characters (that have motives), and by the end baffles you with a mysterious twist.
Similarly, human beings have sentiments for something that challenges their brain to think and then fail miserably. And that is the whole purpose of mysteries and thrillers to present a story that not only engrosses you but also makes you feel stupid with its execution by the end.
Book Blurb-
A mysterious man clutching a trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur one rainy night in August 1990. Around the same time, four security guards are found dead in an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed lost forever.
Decades later, in February 2022, nine high-profile murders over nine consecutive days across the country left the police force baffled and breathless. That most of the victims are or were members of a leading political party doesn't make it any easier for them.
Who's killing them? And, why? Could it be related to the robbery on that fateful night in 1990?
Review-
I read a thriller after a long time and I must say this one was astounding. A well-written murder mystery, that blows your mind with its storyline, characters, setup, atmosphere, and execution.
Firstly the story is slow paced but I haven't lost interest for once and that's a plus point. The characters are written with utmost precision so their purpose doesn't seem off-putting or distracting. The author has unfurled the plot among many cities so it gets interesting the more you dive into the book.
It surely feels like watching a web series, as you can picture the scenes considering you are reading a novel.
Would love to recommend this book to everyone, who is up for a great thriller.
.
Rating-4.6
.
.
Reading thrillers has a strange sense of fun, compared to the other genres. It welcomes you with a strange atmosphere, introduces well-written characters (that have motives), and by the end baffles you with a mysterious twist.
Similarly, human beings have sentiments for something that challenges their brain to think and then fail miserably. And that is the whole purpose of mysteries and thrillers to present a story that not only engrosses you but also makes you feel stupid with its execution by the end.
Book Blurb-
A mysterious man clutching a trunk boards a bus in Jabalpur one rainy night in August 1990. Around the same time, four security guards are found dead in an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed lost forever.
Decades later, in February 2022, nine high-profile murders over nine consecutive days across the country left the police force baffled and breathless. That most of the victims are or were members of a leading political party doesn't make it any easier for them.
Who's killing them? And, why? Could it be related to the robbery on that fateful night in 1990?
Review-
I read a thriller after a long time and I must say this one was astounding. A well-written murder mystery, that blows your mind with its storyline, characters, setup, atmosphere, and execution.
Firstly the story is slow paced but I haven't lost interest for once and that's a plus point. The characters are written with utmost precision so their purpose doesn't seem off-putting or distracting. The author has unfurled the plot among many cities so it gets interesting the more you dive into the book.
It surely feels like watching a web series, as you can picture the scenes considering you are reading a novel.
Would love to recommend this book to everyone, who is up for a great thriller.
.
Rating-4.6
.
December 29, 2022
Retribution doesn't have an expiry date, or so it would seem.....
Genre - Murder Mystery
Pages 380
There have been killings of prominent members of Indian Democratic Party. The killings, happening in different cities of India over nine consecutive days have sent a shockwave among the police as they have failed to ascertain who could be behind these killings. What has baffled the police is, no finger or foot prints are found and the cctv where the murders took place had been tempered with. And nobody seems to have seen anyone or anything suspicious. One thing commom is, all the victims have been killed in same manner.
Who could be killing these people and why? Was this a political vendetta? Was someone trying to extract vengeance??
#bookreview
This is a Murder Mystery weaved around the theme of greedy acts by power hungry politicians. The story starts with something happening in the year 1990 and then fast forwards to the current year 2022. The story is no doubt fast paced but in between it becomes monotonous with the same repeated descriptions because of which the book runs lengthy. This could have been avoided. There are lots of characters in the book so if you forget easily you might want to note it down.
It keeps the excitement of knowing, who and what and why, intact. You will have an urge to know who the killer is and how come he/she is not leaving traces.
The story uncovers that ugly side of politicians you wont be surprised to read. This being authors first novel i must say its well thought of. It keeps you immersed till the end.
Easy language
Apt for beginners too
Genre - Murder Mystery
Pages 380
There have been killings of prominent members of Indian Democratic Party. The killings, happening in different cities of India over nine consecutive days have sent a shockwave among the police as they have failed to ascertain who could be behind these killings. What has baffled the police is, no finger or foot prints are found and the cctv where the murders took place had been tempered with. And nobody seems to have seen anyone or anything suspicious. One thing commom is, all the victims have been killed in same manner.
Who could be killing these people and why? Was this a political vendetta? Was someone trying to extract vengeance??
#bookreview
This is a Murder Mystery weaved around the theme of greedy acts by power hungry politicians. The story starts with something happening in the year 1990 and then fast forwards to the current year 2022. The story is no doubt fast paced but in between it becomes monotonous with the same repeated descriptions because of which the book runs lengthy. This could have been avoided. There are lots of characters in the book so if you forget easily you might want to note it down.
It keeps the excitement of knowing, who and what and why, intact. You will have an urge to know who the killer is and how come he/she is not leaving traces.
The story uncovers that ugly side of politicians you wont be surprised to read. This being authors first novel i must say its well thought of. It keeps you immersed till the end.
Easy language
Apt for beginners too
January 2, 2023
This book is a surreal, suspenseful, subtle, and nerve-wrecking murder mystery thriller. The story is inexplicably so absorbing in itself that it will keep the bookworms hooked till the very end.
As the story picks up and proceeds further, there are a lot of murders happening and even though it should have been very aggressive with the descriptions, all of it was narrated very calmly, like even when describing the chaotic or the passionate part.
One story, a cobweb of a serial murder mystery, possibility of the same linked with a robbery which executed a long back ago, the serene city of Kochi, and all the victims having political links, this story will leave you guessing how, why, what, where and who are the mastermind behind the impending badlem.
The best thing about this book was the plot which was seconded by the writing. The flipsides also lie in the same way that writing could be more fast-paced as it is an essential condition to hook the readers especially who is going to read thrillers for the first time.
As I'm a voracious reader, here's a twisted tale that captivated my attention by its title and cover, that kept me thinking what it holds in the pages within. So, I simply liked this book in its entirety.
For starters this is way more intense and needs a seasoned writer as a lot of mysterious things happen including all the narrations from the past and the present.
The characters sketching, plot, setting, dialogues, conflicts and storytelling is good and entertaining. I personally enjoyed reading this book and will recommend this book to everyone who loves murder mystery. Overall, it is a fantastic read per se.
As the story picks up and proceeds further, there are a lot of murders happening and even though it should have been very aggressive with the descriptions, all of it was narrated very calmly, like even when describing the chaotic or the passionate part.
One story, a cobweb of a serial murder mystery, possibility of the same linked with a robbery which executed a long back ago, the serene city of Kochi, and all the victims having political links, this story will leave you guessing how, why, what, where and who are the mastermind behind the impending badlem.
The best thing about this book was the plot which was seconded by the writing. The flipsides also lie in the same way that writing could be more fast-paced as it is an essential condition to hook the readers especially who is going to read thrillers for the first time.
As I'm a voracious reader, here's a twisted tale that captivated my attention by its title and cover, that kept me thinking what it holds in the pages within. So, I simply liked this book in its entirety.
For starters this is way more intense and needs a seasoned writer as a lot of mysterious things happen including all the narrations from the past and the present.
The characters sketching, plot, setting, dialogues, conflicts and storytelling is good and entertaining. I personally enjoyed reading this book and will recommend this book to everyone who loves murder mystery. Overall, it is a fantastic read per se.
December 29, 2022
The Shadows of the Unseen by Raghu Sarma is a murder mystery book written around 400 pages.
The story revolves around a mysterious guy, clutching a trunk, boards a bus in Jabalpur one wet night time in August 1990. At the same time, four guards are found dead with an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed misplaced all the time.
This book is the perfect mixture of mystery, suspense & thriller. I couldn't stop myself till reach to the last page. There are many shocking twists in the plot made my jaw dropped. Its totally unpredictable story.
The narration style is perfect, storyline is captivating. Author has put many twists in the plot. The story revolves around a vast array of subjects like rage, emotions, suspense, tension, and high stake. Ample twists in the story provides a lot of fodder for the brain and keeps one cling till the end. Having a penchant for psyche thriller genre , i totally got engrossed in the book. Be the setting, characters, themes or plots all propelled the action forward and took me on a roller coaster ride and the book seems quite longer than I expected. But when you read this book, you will experience that the entirety is going on in front of your eyes.
The writing style which author used totally easy and beginner pleasant book. Language and presentation is in reality well. The narrations were great.
Overall I've enjoyed it.
The story revolves around a mysterious guy, clutching a trunk, boards a bus in Jabalpur one wet night time in August 1990. At the same time, four guards are found dead with an emptied-out safe in a bungalow nearby. But, the stolen goods are never recovered and are presumed misplaced all the time.
This book is the perfect mixture of mystery, suspense & thriller. I couldn't stop myself till reach to the last page. There are many shocking twists in the plot made my jaw dropped. Its totally unpredictable story.
The narration style is perfect, storyline is captivating. Author has put many twists in the plot. The story revolves around a vast array of subjects like rage, emotions, suspense, tension, and high stake. Ample twists in the story provides a lot of fodder for the brain and keeps one cling till the end. Having a penchant for psyche thriller genre , i totally got engrossed in the book. Be the setting, characters, themes or plots all propelled the action forward and took me on a roller coaster ride and the book seems quite longer than I expected. But when you read this book, you will experience that the entirety is going on in front of your eyes.
The writing style which author used totally easy and beginner pleasant book. Language and presentation is in reality well. The narrations were great.
Overall I've enjoyed it.
December 31, 2022
I'll begin by stating that I enjoy reading thrillers, suspense novels, and mysteries. I've always been quite interested in reading mysteries. This one is excellent, and the author has written it so that it reads like an intriguing web series. Every time I read it, I was caught up in the thrill, which makes me want to read more.
🔹The tale jumps ahead to 2022 from the beginning of the book, which takes place in August 1990 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
🔹After 32 years,nine murders has recorded on nine consecutive days, all of them are high-profile killings without any leads.
🔹The entire police department has been working on these murder investigations, but the lack of any leads has left them breathless and perplexed.
Please read the complete narrative if you want to learn more👍
📌personal observations ~~
✔️The murder mystery theme
✔️crime, suspense, and thrills
✔️Characters can be reduced in number to make things clearer quickly.
✔️slower paced, but interesting
✔️writing that is simple to understand and like a web series
✔️Plot features many Indian cities
✔️language - transparently clear
✔️ Narrative power is outstanding
Overall a masterpiece work and really enjoyed the book.
Author's effort are fully appreciated. I will definitely check his more works in future as well. They did an fantastic work.
🔹The tale jumps ahead to 2022 from the beginning of the book, which takes place in August 1990 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
🔹After 32 years,nine murders has recorded on nine consecutive days, all of them are high-profile killings without any leads.
🔹The entire police department has been working on these murder investigations, but the lack of any leads has left them breathless and perplexed.
Please read the complete narrative if you want to learn more👍
📌personal observations ~~
✔️The murder mystery theme
✔️crime, suspense, and thrills
✔️Characters can be reduced in number to make things clearer quickly.
✔️slower paced, but interesting
✔️writing that is simple to understand and like a web series
✔️Plot features many Indian cities
✔️language - transparently clear
✔️ Narrative power is outstanding
Overall a masterpiece work and really enjoyed the book.
Author's effort are fully appreciated. I will definitely check his more works in future as well. They did an fantastic work.
January 5, 2023
✴️Murder mystery is a genre that I can read anytime and anywhere. I begin and never stop. Raghu Sarma has just amplified this love of mine for this genre. He brings to you a very interesting plot where everything seems like happening in whole different worlds but like Murakami joins the most disjoined things, he has made his plot very similar to one of Murakami’s.
✴️In this book, you follow a very vague character who looks like he just dropped from another planet and is boarding a bus with a big suitcase, or say a trunk in his hand. The author brings up how there has been a high scale robbery just about that time. The police try everything to uncover the criminal but no evidences lead to him. After a long and backbreaking investigation, they close the case and neither money nor the criminal is found. The case remained close until 32 years later something unexpected happens and the police is forced to link it to this robbery. What happened? How can it be related?
✴️I read this book in literally one sitting. From page 1 to 395 there was not a single dull moment. I was in love with the plot and the characters. Raghu shocked me in multiple was bringing about the most unexpected twists. If you are someone who likes thriller plots, this is for you. Do not miss it.
✴️In this book, you follow a very vague character who looks like he just dropped from another planet and is boarding a bus with a big suitcase, or say a trunk in his hand. The author brings up how there has been a high scale robbery just about that time. The police try everything to uncover the criminal but no evidences lead to him. After a long and backbreaking investigation, they close the case and neither money nor the criminal is found. The case remained close until 32 years later something unexpected happens and the police is forced to link it to this robbery. What happened? How can it be related?
✴️I read this book in literally one sitting. From page 1 to 395 there was not a single dull moment. I was in love with the plot and the characters. Raghu shocked me in multiple was bringing about the most unexpected twists. If you are someone who likes thriller plots, this is for you. Do not miss it.
January 25, 2023
"The shadows of the unseen" by Raghu Sharma is an breathtaking murder mystery thrilling novella. The story begins way back in jabalpur (1990) . And it revolves around a mysterious guy, clutching a trunk, board a bus in one wet night .
The plot is amazingly blended with thrilling ekements of suspense and mystery. I enjoyed each and every twist that comes with every turning page. Somehow, this story showcases the dark side of power and politics . Author had narrated the story amazingly by adding more twists and turns to spice up the things.
Although I found the book intriguing but it's but of a heavy read for me. I like the way author connected the dots of the story by begininng in 1990s and then jump in feb 2022. The language and narrative is engaging and gripping with intriguing characters.
The story also represent the themes of rage, emotions, suspense, tension etc. Moreover author's writing style is quiet elaborated one and he amazingly describes the each and every sequence to keep the readera hooked throughout the book.
Cover of the book is fabulous and it comoletly justifies the entire novella. Overall if you are looking for a perfect murder-myster and thriller then do not miss this one.
Must read❤❤
The plot is amazingly blended with thrilling ekements of suspense and mystery. I enjoyed each and every twist that comes with every turning page. Somehow, this story showcases the dark side of power and politics . Author had narrated the story amazingly by adding more twists and turns to spice up the things.
Although I found the book intriguing but it's but of a heavy read for me. I like the way author connected the dots of the story by begininng in 1990s and then jump in feb 2022. The language and narrative is engaging and gripping with intriguing characters.
The story also represent the themes of rage, emotions, suspense, tension etc. Moreover author's writing style is quiet elaborated one and he amazingly describes the each and every sequence to keep the readera hooked throughout the book.
Cover of the book is fabulous and it comoletly justifies the entire novella. Overall if you are looking for a perfect murder-myster and thriller then do not miss this one.
Must read❤❤
December 29, 2022
The story starts with a mysterious man boarding a crowded bus in Jabalpur on a very rainy night in August 1990 clutching a trunk. On that fateful night, four security guards are also found dead in a nearby bungalow. From the very same house, something goes missing from a safe and is never recovered. Nearly 32 years later, Nine high profile murders take place on nine consecutive days across the country. What is more interesting is that all the victims are somehow connected with the Indian Democratic Party.
Who is behind these gruesome murders? What is the purpose behind them? And how are they connected to that fateful night in Jabalpur?
Read to find out in this gripping novel.
The narration is great and with a gripping storyline. This book makes for a great read. At times there are so many things going on together that it feels overwhelming. My only complaint is with the volume of the book. At nearly 400 pages the book doesn't feel that fast-paced. For me, the book could have been at least a 100 pages shorter. Minute details that were irrelevant to the plot could have been skipped. However, the overall story compensates for all of this.
My rating for the book - ⭐⭐⭐½
Who is behind these gruesome murders? What is the purpose behind them? And how are they connected to that fateful night in Jabalpur?
Read to find out in this gripping novel.
The narration is great and with a gripping storyline. This book makes for a great read. At times there are so many things going on together that it feels overwhelming. My only complaint is with the volume of the book. At nearly 400 pages the book doesn't feel that fast-paced. For me, the book could have been at least a 100 pages shorter. Minute details that were irrelevant to the plot could have been skipped. However, the overall story compensates for all of this.
My rating for the book - ⭐⭐⭐½
January 3, 2023
As a thriller read lover, I pick at least three books from the genre, and this month I pick this murder mystery, with not one, not two but a series of murders set in Kochi. The murder spree started when a mysterious man boarded a bus with a trunk, and four guards were found dead in a bungalow. All characters from the story were behind that trunk, which was misplaced during an accident.
What I like in the story:
• Besides managing the mystery, thrill, and suspense, the story touches upon the dirty politics and hunger game for power. The story also revolves around dark human innate emotions, like rage and greediness.
• The language and narration are simple and easy to follow, reflecting the characters' conflicts.
• The theme of 9 days and nine murders and a cat-mouse game between police and culprits was the hook for me in the story that kept me glued to the book.
What I didn't like in the story
• I found several characters hard to remember, and I have to go back in the pages to remember them and break my pace.
Overall, I want to applaud the author as his Debut book and recommend this to the beginner murder mystery lover.
What I like in the story:
• Besides managing the mystery, thrill, and suspense, the story touches upon the dirty politics and hunger game for power. The story also revolves around dark human innate emotions, like rage and greediness.
• The language and narration are simple and easy to follow, reflecting the characters' conflicts.
• The theme of 9 days and nine murders and a cat-mouse game between police and culprits was the hook for me in the story that kept me glued to the book.
What I didn't like in the story
• I found several characters hard to remember, and I have to go back in the pages to remember them and break my pace.
Overall, I want to applaud the author as his Debut book and recommend this to the beginner murder mystery lover.
January 6, 2023
The best part about mystery stories is that they often introduce fresh ideas because every author writes in accordance with their own thought process and creates original or distinctive stories in accordance with their own ideas. Because of the time gap in this novel, it reminds me of old Bollywood movies as I read it. because the story begins with historical events and jumps straight to the present after a long period of time.
The 1990s Madhya Pradesh rainy night where the story begins . A shady figure carrying a trunk boards the bus. After , the scene changes to a bungalow where four security guards were discovered dead and some goods were stolen with no trail of evidence. After 32 years, a horrible crime involving nine high-profile killings in nine straight days comes to light in 2022. which shocks the entire police department. All of the victims have been mysteriously discovered dead. You can connect these deaths are connected to a previous incident that took place in Jabalpur in 1990. This tale demonstrates the political power abuse and human avarice. Although it will be a touch lengthy, this narrative is interesting to read.
The 1990s Madhya Pradesh rainy night where the story begins . A shady figure carrying a trunk boards the bus. After , the scene changes to a bungalow where four security guards were discovered dead and some goods were stolen with no trail of evidence. After 32 years, a horrible crime involving nine high-profile killings in nine straight days comes to light in 2022. which shocks the entire police department. All of the victims have been mysteriously discovered dead. You can connect these deaths are connected to a previous incident that took place in Jabalpur in 1990. This tale demonstrates the political power abuse and human avarice. Although it will be a touch lengthy, this narrative is interesting to read.
January 2, 2023
The plot began in August 1990 when a shady man carrying a trunk boarded a bus in Jabalpur and was involved in an accident. Four security personnel were discovered deceased in an abandoned home at about the same time. The book's opening was really suspenseful and enjoyable to read.
The tale then picks up in February 2022, when a series of murders begin in locations like Kochi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, and police investigators try to identify the killer. Police were unable to identify the murderer or the cause of the incident, as well.
The plot was excellent, but the book's length and repetition of information made it monotonous. That portion, in my opinion, wasn't necessary. There are so many characters in this book that you need to keep a pen and paper nearby to track the flow. But the story was engaging and hence I kept the work and my reading going.
As you know, this is a crime thriller book, and if you like this genre, you should definitely read it. You will definitely feel the thriller.
The tale then picks up in February 2022, when a series of murders begin in locations like Kochi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, and police investigators try to identify the killer. Police were unable to identify the murderer or the cause of the incident, as well.
The plot was excellent, but the book's length and repetition of information made it monotonous. That portion, in my opinion, wasn't necessary. There are so many characters in this book that you need to keep a pen and paper nearby to track the flow. But the story was engaging and hence I kept the work and my reading going.
As you know, this is a crime thriller book, and if you like this genre, you should definitely read it. You will definitely feel the thriller.
January 10, 2023
The narrative centers on a mystery man who boards along with handling the mystery, thrill, and suspense, the plot also touches on shady politics and the power struggle. The plot also centers on sinister human instincts like wrath and greed. The nine individual murders in the story—and they happened on successive days—are all quite puzzling.
The bodies of all the victims were unexplainably found. You might draw a connection between these fatalities and an earlier occurrence in Jabalpur in 1990 but all the murders happened in 2022 in different states. It is undoubtedly a book that will demand your complete focus because of the incredible attention to detail and the number of characters. The plot contains several twists added by the author. The plot centers on a wide range of themes, including fury, emotions, suspense, tension, and high stakes. The overall read is great and I absolutely enjoyed the read.
The bodies of all the victims were unexplainably found. You might draw a connection between these fatalities and an earlier occurrence in Jabalpur in 1990 but all the murders happened in 2022 in different states. It is undoubtedly a book that will demand your complete focus because of the incredible attention to detail and the number of characters. The plot contains several twists added by the author. The plot centers on a wide range of themes, including fury, emotions, suspense, tension, and high stakes. The overall read is great and I absolutely enjoyed the read.
January 19, 2023
The Shadows of the Unseen by Raghu Sarma is an action thriller revolving around game of power, human greed and dark side of humanity.
The story begins with an event in Jabalpur 1990 and then proceeds to nine serial killings of an important political party's members in the year 2022. Are the two events so much separated by time related? I don't want to reveal more of the plot since this is a thriller and it's better to go blank.
Talking about the story the plot is good. Political thrillers always has a separate edge which was in the book. This book also hadblot of actions in them. I will be honest that it took me time to get interested in the story but once everything started shaping up I wanted to read more and more.
The twists in the story are good. You can relate to the story because we are all aware of the dirty side of politics and game played by the political people.
I am sure this book will be enjoyed by all thriller lovers looking for some action and twists.
The story begins with an event in Jabalpur 1990 and then proceeds to nine serial killings of an important political party's members in the year 2022. Are the two events so much separated by time related? I don't want to reveal more of the plot since this is a thriller and it's better to go blank.
Talking about the story the plot is good. Political thrillers always has a separate edge which was in the book. This book also hadblot of actions in them. I will be honest that it took me time to get interested in the story but once everything started shaping up I wanted to read more and more.
The twists in the story are good. You can relate to the story because we are all aware of the dirty side of politics and game played by the political people.
I am sure this book will be enjoyed by all thriller lovers looking for some action and twists.
December 29, 2022
It’s been months since I picked up a thrilling mystery read and I am so glad that I picked this one up. This book kept me on the edge throughout and I ended up binge-reading it in two days.
I enjoyed the entire story - the plot was well thought out and smartly developed, the flow was maintained throughout, the mystery factor was well executed and the ending was left open for speculation. In the beginning, the multiple cases and the names of the people handling them kept getting me confused so ultimately, I had to maintain notes for it.
The only thing that I would like to point out is the length of the book. The things and incidents in the books have been explained in detail which has rendered this book 350+ pages read. I wish some of the incidents and mundane facts had been cut short. Other than that, this was a good mystery read.
I enjoyed the entire story - the plot was well thought out and smartly developed, the flow was maintained throughout, the mystery factor was well executed and the ending was left open for speculation. In the beginning, the multiple cases and the names of the people handling them kept getting me confused so ultimately, I had to maintain notes for it.
The only thing that I would like to point out is the length of the book. The things and incidents in the books have been explained in detail which has rendered this book 350+ pages read. I wish some of the incidents and mundane facts had been cut short. Other than that, this was a good mystery read.
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