Private India

Title: Private India

Author: James Patterson & Ashwin Sanghi

Pages: 480

Publisher: Random House

Why i picked up this book:I have previously read 'Chanakya's Chant' by Ashwin Sanghi and

enjoyed reading it,had given it 4/5 stars on goodreads if I remember correctly.

(I had also read an excerpt of 'The Krishna Key' by Ashwin Sanghi).

So I was looking forward to read Ashwin Sanghi's next and when it was in collaboration with James Patterson,I just grabbed it.And in any case i like reading thrillers.This book is certainly a murder mystery/suspense thriller genre and i enjoyed reading it.

The story is set in Mumbai during the week of Navrathri where the plot unravels and it grips you in its hold pretty much from the beginning of the book.
Santosh Wagh,the protagonist,an ex-cop is the chief of PRIVATE INDIA,Mumbai branch of one of the best detective agencies in the world.Wagh is a middle aged guy who is addicted to alcohol and is almost always drawn to a bottle of Johnnie Walker whenever it comes within his sight.Sporting a salt and pepper stubble and walking with a psychosomatic limb. Facing nightmares about his troubled past but brilliant at his job as private detective is called into action right at the beginning when a body is found in the bathroom of room no.1121 at Marine bay plaza hotel.The dead body was identified as Dr.Kanya Jaiyen,found with a yellow scarf around her neck and hands tied with a string with a lotus flower in the right hand and a fork in the left,also a toy Viking helmet tied to a toe. Then.. there is a series of murders(all women) with the same yellow scarf around the neck and some props carefully placed in and around the body.
Why is the killer killing only women? Why is his method of killing is to strangulate using a yellow scarf? What's all the props/clues that the killer leaves behind?Do they tell a story? 
Santosh Wagh and his team at private India must solve the case and fast,otherwise God knows(or may be Santosh Wagh does know!) how many more women with a yellow scarf around their neck will be found dead.
There is a sub plot with the Indian Mujaheddin acting on the orders of ISI trying to destroy PRIVATE INDIA.

They say,murder mystery/suspense thriller must keep you guessing as to 'who the killer is?' or 'what will happen next?'.'Private India' most certainly kept me guessing throughout.My suspicion moved from one character to another until it reveals itself in the book.I completely loved reading this one.The climax is quite thrilling with a twist which is hard to guess!

The action involving Jack morgan and Munna(Mafia don) in the climax is quite unneccessary and a little too filmy or atleast felt so.

I strongly recommend this,you will love it, or at worst you won't be disappointed. That's for sure.

Characters that i liked/ found interesting: The entire PRIVATE INDIA team.
Nisha Gandhe-assistant /next in command to Wagh , beautiful middle aged women,an ex-cop married to stock market guy with a little daughter.A charming character.
Hari Padhi-'tech geek' of PRIVATE INDIA is also a very likeable character with some very interesting bit of history attached to him(typical of Sanghi to blend history into his story/characters, he ssems to that effortlessly and its very believable too).
You'll like this guy and also feel bad for him as you read along.
Mubeen-the forensic expert of PRIVATE INDIA who also has troubled past similar to Wagh in certain respects.
Jack Morgan-an ex-marine in US, the founder of agency PRIVATE.

Rating: 8.5/10