Book Review 2014 #2: Sirens Spell Danger

Title: Sirens Spell Danger.

Source- Facebook

Authors: Suresh Chandrasekaran, Karthik L, Radha Sawana

Price: Rs. 99.00 (Kindle Edition)

About the story:

'Femme Fatale' (Author: C. Suresh)

To celebrate his selection in IPS, Vikram goes into a bar to have a drink but what he does not know is that his life will never be the same. He meets a beautiful girl, Tanya, and he just cannot stop ogling at her. Vikram decides that luck is on his side when the sexy siren, Tanya, invites Vikram to her hotel room “to get to know each other better”. What hidden dangers lurk behind this invitation? Read C. Suresh’s story “Femme Fatale” to find out if Vikram manages to survive the web of peril woven by Tanya.

‘Bella Donna’ (Author : Radha Sawana)

Rich industrialists are being murdered and Inspector Shardul Rehman finds himself in charge of a serial murder case. The only clue that the murderer leaves behind is a calling card, a small laminated card with connection to the word ‘Atropos’. Hanging on to this feeble thread of clue, Rehman with the help of Rajinder Sharma, the head of Forensics department, has to race against time, before the body count rises and the murderer claims another victim. 

‘Bellary’ (Author: Karthik L)

When Jay, one of IB’s young stalwart, has to cut short his glorious vacation in Goa, after a call from his boss, Vasu, he knows that this is no ordinary case. Although aggrieved about the treatment that IB officers receive when compared to their counterparts in other similar organizations, like CBI and RAW, he agrees to investigate the case. With vague details about something important occurring in a few days’ time, Jay travels to Bellary. But during this mission Jay finds out that things are not as he had perceived it to be and sometimes the person who will lend a hand to help you is the person you least expect to.

My Review: 

The book starts with the story by C. Suresh, who is well known for his rib-tickling posts at his blog. But he can also weave one hell of a thriller plot because his “Femme Fatale” is a fast paced, action-packed adventure that’s sure to set pulse racing as one reads it. The narration flows smoothly with the author’s trademark humor making for some light moments in the story. I loved the twist in the end which was quite unpredictable and for me it was the ‘piece de resistance’ of the plot.

Next is Radha’s “Bella Donna”, which is a typical whodunit, with a serial murder angle also added to the plot. I love crime stories with serial murderers and this was my personal favorite in the book. It’s a well-researched story with lots of medical jargons thrown in good measure and it makes the story intriguing. Although one keeps wondering and waiting for the entry of the ‘Sexy Siren’ in the story, the climax solves all the missing pieces and the reader gets to see the whole picture. The author deserves applause for keeping the mystery intact in the plot right till the end.

The third and final story is Karthik’s “Bellary” which has a paranormal angle attached to the plot. Although the story takes it’s time to build the suspense and intrigue, the climax of the story is absolutely mind-blowing. You feel empathetic towards the main protagonist when he finds himself in a sticky situation and hopes that he manages to survive through the ordeal. Managing to strike a chord with readers through one of the characters in the plot marks the true creativity of the author. 

Verdict: Fast-paced, intriguing and managing to enthrall the readers, all the three stories are splendid. At just Rs. 99/- per download this book is fully ‘paisa-wasool’ 

entertainment.      

                                   

Rating: 4/5

This review is posted for Write Tribe's book review program.