This 1st book in the Mayur Varma Mysteries series starts off with a solid plot: we meet Vayur Varma, a freelance investigator saddled with his first assignment. A software engineer called Priya Bedi, a young well-liked woman from a rich family is found murdered in her flat. The plot thickens as Mayur and his partner Aisha look into the hints left at the crime scene. There are a lot of potential suspects including family members. From past lovers being implicated, to current engagements with lackluster partners, to the killer taunting Mayur on the phone, there are some exciting developments and twists in the story. The pacing felt right, and the investigation moved along well.
The weaker parts of the novel were the characters, their dialogue and the lack of editing. The characters are promising and have hints of some depth here and there; but the constant telling vs. showing in the story as well as the repetitive and dull dialogue saps all the authenticity out of the characters. The descriptions of the characters are also repetitive and flat. The book could stand to be proofread and edited to make the English flow better and make sense.
I award 3 stars.
