Scan barcode
A review by katykelly
Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup
4.0
I really enjoyed both Q&A and The Accidental Apprentice. This for me was a 'light' read - not short, no, but content-wise it's the kind of book where you can just float along and see where it takes you. But it IS a murder mystery. You forget that after a while.
The introduction, by an investigative journalist, tells us that rich, corrupt industrialist Vicky Rai has been murdered at a party at his home (celebrating his acquital for murder). Six suspects are in custody, each in possession of a gun that could have fired the fatal bullet.
We are then taken back one by one through each of the suspects' stories and backgrounds, back up to the date of the party. Each is completely different - a Bollywood megastar, a village tribal, a mobile phone thief, a politician, an American and Vicky's own father. It takes 400 pages but eventually we see how each tale takes the suspect to the murder site, and how some are connected.
It's not overly involved, though at the end names and accusations fly thick and fast and your guess is bound to be wrong. I guessed the final twist just before it was revealed .... (to avoid spoiler, skip down a line)
*SPOILER* and then was annoyed as I felt the synopsis on the back cover needed a rewording *END SPOILER*
It's a really enjoyable read, though a few phrases of English jarred. I liked Shabnam's narration the best I think, the Bollywood story, though all had their moments, especially the slightly dumb American, over in India to meet the 'fiancee' he's been sending money to.
Another book with a good feel for India (at least to this Western reader!) and a read to while away a few days.
The introduction, by an investigative journalist, tells us that rich, corrupt industrialist Vicky Rai has been murdered at a party at his home (celebrating his acquital for murder). Six suspects are in custody, each in possession of a gun that could have fired the fatal bullet.
We are then taken back one by one through each of the suspects' stories and backgrounds, back up to the date of the party. Each is completely different - a Bollywood megastar, a village tribal, a mobile phone thief, a politician, an American and Vicky's own father. It takes 400 pages but eventually we see how each tale takes the suspect to the murder site, and how some are connected.
It's not overly involved, though at the end names and accusations fly thick and fast and your guess is bound to be wrong. I guessed the final twist just before it was revealed .... (to avoid spoiler, skip down a line)
*SPOILER* and then was annoyed as I felt the synopsis on the back cover needed a rewording *END SPOILER*
It's a really enjoyable read, though a few phrases of English jarred. I liked Shabnam's narration the best I think, the Bollywood story, though all had their moments, especially the slightly dumb American, over in India to meet the 'fiancee' he's been sending money to.
Another book with a good feel for India (at least to this Western reader!) and a read to while away a few days.