I'm a sucker for stories in the thriller-crime-horror genres, and even with that I haven't come across something as 'The Psychopath, The Cannibal, The Lover'. The story revolves around Raj, Ajay, Aaina and Tushagra - how their lives get intertwined and how it leads to revelations of their deepest, darkest secrets.

The narration is fast paced, racy and laced with swear words, none too odd given the backdrop of a boys hostel and a college, as Raj, who appears to lead the story, is an engineering student, aspiring to be a writer. True to it's subtitle 'Chronicles of a Ninety's Serial Killer', it has flavors of the 90's strewn all around that will hit you with waves of nostalgia.

The characters are dark. They take you on a journey where you'll often get confused, but more often thrilled, and intrigued about what to find next. There are certain chapters, particularly in the backdrop of the boys hostel, that send a chill down your spine. Just about the end when you think you have it all figured out, the writer waits with a surprise that will surely befuddle your already dazed braincells. A very commendable work for a debut novel!

The story kept me hooked till the end. The language is simple. The only thing that creeped me out was too much booze, drug and the gory details of the violence. I took breaks between reading to normalize myself with the idea of starting and ending your day with alcohol, snorting drugs like snacks, and heads being ripped off with hands... But that's probably just my taste.

I'll end by suggesting anyone with a knack for mind-bending crime thrillers to pick this book up and give it a read. It will keep you on your toes till the end.

Buy the book here: