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Let Bhutto Eat Grass
A Pakistani spy may be stealing nuclear weapons technology.
The year is 1974. India tested a nuke just months earlier, and Pakistan is desperate to acquire a few for themselves. Unfortunately for Bhutto, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, his scientists are nowhere close to building a nuclear weapon.
Capt. Sablok, an intelligence analyst, is convinced that the Pakistani agent in Europe is passing sensitive weapons technology to back to Pakistan.
But his evidence is weak. His inexperience and reputation for alcoholism conspire against him, and his Section Chief declines to authorise an operation.
Sablok, however, has finally found a sense of purpose after two miserable years, and he will not give up without a fight. The only other person he trusts in R&AW is a washed-up Case Officer who was an outstanding field agent once.
But can the two of them rein the ISI in before Pakistan steals all the technology it needs?
The year is 1974. India tested a nuke just months earlier, and Pakistan is desperate to acquire a few for themselves. Unfortunately for Bhutto, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, his scientists are nowhere close to building a nuclear weapon.
Capt. Sablok, an intelligence analyst, is convinced that the Pakistani agent in Europe is passing sensitive weapons technology to back to Pakistan.
But his evidence is weak. His inexperience and reputation for alcoholism conspire against him, and his Section Chief declines to authorise an operation.
Sablok, however, has finally found a sense of purpose after two miserable years, and he will not give up without a fight. The only other person he trusts in R&AW is a washed-up Case Officer who was an outstanding field agent once.
But can the two of them rein the ISI in before Pakistan steals all the technology it needs?
160 pages, Paperback
Published August 7, 2017
43 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Shaunak Agarkhedkar
6 books23 followersAuthor of Let Bhutto Eat Grass; fountain pen addict; loves writing on paper; currently fixated on turquoise blue ink.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 9, 2018
John Le Carre would have been proud of such a book. This, however, is in the Indian context and the backdrop is Pakistan's attempt to acquire a nuclear bomb. The events are fast paced and narration crisp.
December 2, 2017
Loved the authors style of writing. Well researched, fast paced with interesting characters. This one shows bureaucracy in the 70’s, often making you smile.
A must read. Waiting for the sequel now.
A must read. Waiting for the sequel now.
September 19, 2017
Let Bhutto Eat Grass starts with a kill. A gritty, efficient killing of one soldier by another, driven by the need for vengeance for the suffering of East Pakistan's innocent civilians. The story unwinds in much the same way- gritty, matter-of-fact political intrigue, driven by a handful agents who take offence to one country's constant quest to brew trouble, up to the point where lines between duty towards their mission and personal vengeance are blurred.
Working in a hapless system getting murdered by red tape, a mostly ignored ex-soldier turned intelligence analyst, a mid level agent and his reluctant boss set events in motion that can change the power dynamics of the world.
If only the world listened!
Without giving away spoilers (any more than I already have), I want to say that Let Bhutto Eat Grass blew me away and kept me coming back for more. The story flows seamlessly, sets a good pace and doesn't slack whatsoever. The characters are well fleshed out, their progress natural. Once I started on the first chapter, I could not put the damn thing down. I read it while - brushing teeth, burning toast, doing the dishes, hopping on my feet to calm down a very cranky 2 month old followed by reading the story out loud to the same but considerably mellowed down two month old... etc etc... you get the picture. I loved Agarkhedkar's dry sarcastic humor. It was the perfect voice to paint a picture of the sorry state of Indian politics in the seventies, and very realistically capture how relatively normal people might deal with the horrific.
I'll be honest. As my first political/spy thriller, I didn't know what I was getting into. I had expected riveting chase sequences around the world (spies should chase stuff right? Or at least be chased by a diabolical sociopath bent on destroying nations), dashing heroes (I am a female after all), hot-headed patriotism (because spies...) and diplomatically handled political intrigue (being from a country where a hint of realism on politics can incite a very excitable populace to jump to any number of conclusions. In other words, shit escalates quickly).
Let Bhutto Eat Grass, turned my assumptions on the head and cured me of this silly naivete about how a spy thriller should read like an over the top Mission Impossible or James Bond movie. The dashing hero was the riveting story, diabolical villains took the alarming shapes of our deified leaders and patriotism took a refreshing pragmatic approach. I have been schooled and now eagerly look forward to the sequel next year.
Working in a hapless system getting murdered by red tape, a mostly ignored ex-soldier turned intelligence analyst, a mid level agent and his reluctant boss set events in motion that can change the power dynamics of the world.
If only the world listened!
Without giving away spoilers (any more than I already have), I want to say that Let Bhutto Eat Grass blew me away and kept me coming back for more. The story flows seamlessly, sets a good pace and doesn't slack whatsoever. The characters are well fleshed out, their progress natural. Once I started on the first chapter, I could not put the damn thing down. I read it while - brushing teeth, burning toast, doing the dishes, hopping on my feet to calm down a very cranky 2 month old followed by reading the story out loud to the same but considerably mellowed down two month old... etc etc... you get the picture. I loved Agarkhedkar's dry sarcastic humor. It was the perfect voice to paint a picture of the sorry state of Indian politics in the seventies, and very realistically capture how relatively normal people might deal with the horrific.
I'll be honest. As my first political/spy thriller, I didn't know what I was getting into. I had expected riveting chase sequences around the world (spies should chase stuff right? Or at least be chased by a diabolical sociopath bent on destroying nations), dashing heroes (I am a female after all), hot-headed patriotism (because spies...) and diplomatically handled political intrigue (being from a country where a hint of realism on politics can incite a very excitable populace to jump to any number of conclusions. In other words, shit escalates quickly).
Let Bhutto Eat Grass, turned my assumptions on the head and cured me of this silly naivete about how a spy thriller should read like an over the top Mission Impossible or James Bond movie. The dashing hero was the riveting story, diabolical villains took the alarming shapes of our deified leaders and patriotism took a refreshing pragmatic approach. I have been schooled and now eagerly look forward to the sequel next year.
January 16, 2018
Well this is a cracking read. While serving in the Indian army in 1971, as a Sapper on a covert mission, Captain Sablok was so badly injured that he wouldn’t ever be able to serve in the same capacity again. He was assigned to a desk job as an intelligence analyst, well ok his job wasn’t that glamorous, but it did involve handling sensitive documents when he filed them. The only way he could really get through the days was with the help of a lot of alcohol and a little nosey as he was doing he job.
India was well ahead of Pakistan in the race to produce the first nuclear weapons in the 1970’s which didn’t go down well with the then Prime Minister Bhutto of Pakistan. He had sworn that he would do anything to ensure that they came out on top. When Captain Sablok stumbles upon a couple of suspect documents it isn’t the easiest of tasks to persuade his colleagues that there is a little bit of a leak by someone. He enlists the help of his boss, after constant pushing and things really take off. Brains against brains, masses of paper work and gruelling investigating all with an engaging dry humour that just took it from great to brilliant.
This story becomes a battle of wits to find out how the information is being obtained and passed on to the Pakistan Government. A race against time and odds. This is a story that the author has built round events in the 1970’s between India and Pakistan. The book is only 160 pages long but packs in a whole lot tension and makes a nitty-gritty paper work investigation into a fascinating story. The research that the author has done just shines through on every page making it one must read story.
India was well ahead of Pakistan in the race to produce the first nuclear weapons in the 1970’s which didn’t go down well with the then Prime Minister Bhutto of Pakistan. He had sworn that he would do anything to ensure that they came out on top. When Captain Sablok stumbles upon a couple of suspect documents it isn’t the easiest of tasks to persuade his colleagues that there is a little bit of a leak by someone. He enlists the help of his boss, after constant pushing and things really take off. Brains against brains, masses of paper work and gruelling investigating all with an engaging dry humour that just took it from great to brilliant.
This story becomes a battle of wits to find out how the information is being obtained and passed on to the Pakistan Government. A race against time and odds. This is a story that the author has built round events in the 1970’s between India and Pakistan. The book is only 160 pages long but packs in a whole lot tension and makes a nitty-gritty paper work investigation into a fascinating story. The research that the author has done just shines through on every page making it one must read story.
February 19, 2023
I bought this novel after reading many of the author's newsletter issues (Espionage &) on Substack. Was this book as well-researched as his newsletter writings? Absolutely.
'Let Bhutto Eat Grass' is what you'd call "unputdownable". It has a fast-paced (albeit predictable) plot that has been woven around a chronology of historical events.
While it's the perfect weekend read, I wish the writing was better. With the exception of a few witty dialogues, a lot of the lines were unnecessarily wordy. But I'll let it pass because it's a debut. I also wish I was more invested in the characters as there was not enough insight into the inner workings of their mind.
However, I do believe in the high potential for the plot to get even more intriguing with each installment. In fact, the series would make for a great adaptation on an OTT platform. It could change the Indian spycraft genre that has been nothing but disappointing for a long time.
So if you want to get out of a book slump or find a fictional starting point to research your way through the non-fictional world of nuclear weapons and geopolitics, you must have this book on your list.
'Let Bhutto Eat Grass' is what you'd call "unputdownable". It has a fast-paced (albeit predictable) plot that has been woven around a chronology of historical events.
While it's the perfect weekend read, I wish the writing was better. With the exception of a few witty dialogues, a lot of the lines were unnecessarily wordy. But I'll let it pass because it's a debut. I also wish I was more invested in the characters as there was not enough insight into the inner workings of their mind.
However, I do believe in the high potential for the plot to get even more intriguing with each installment. In fact, the series would make for a great adaptation on an OTT platform. It could change the Indian spycraft genre that has been nothing but disappointing for a long time.
So if you want to get out of a book slump or find a fictional starting point to research your way through the non-fictional world of nuclear weapons and geopolitics, you must have this book on your list.
March 25, 2018
"We will eat grass, even go hungry, but we will get one of our own."This reported comment by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the foreign minister of Pakistan, explained the mindset of the country to build the atom bomb at any cost.
2 Indian spies get wind of this operation to build the bomb. A Pakistani origin scientist is covertly trying to steal blueprints to help build the bomb and it's a race against time for this duo to thwart the effort.
The first book is a roller coaster,and is a little known gem. Makes it a thrilling read,and ends well, making you look forward to the sequel. Go for it.
2 Indian spies get wind of this operation to build the bomb. A Pakistani origin scientist is covertly trying to steal blueprints to help build the bomb and it's a race against time for this duo to thwart the effort.
The first book is a roller coaster,and is a little known gem. Makes it a thrilling read,and ends well, making you look forward to the sequel. Go for it.
March 16, 2021
Wow. This was unexpected. A super spy thriller in the genre and style of John Le Carré. Fast paced, set in the mid-seventies and captures the time era very well. How things would work in the world of spies with no Email no SMS no Whatsapp. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Already started book 2.
March 23, 2018
This is a very exciting thriller based on India-Pakistan conflicts. And I must say that the author has been able to successfully capture the tension between the two nations and the spy wars during 1970s very effectively.
Its very difficult to keep this book down once you start it.
We need more such books to help us understand the world of RAW and ISI in APAC region. More Indian authors need to come forward with such kind of books. It would have helped if the inner functioning of RAW would have been explained. We seem to be knowing more about FBI and CIA than our own intelligence agencies.
I am very eagerly looking forward to the next part in this series.
Its very difficult to keep this book down once you start it.
We need more such books to help us understand the world of RAW and ISI in APAC region. More Indian authors need to come forward with such kind of books. It would have helped if the inner functioning of RAW would have been explained. We seem to be knowing more about FBI and CIA than our own intelligence agencies.
I am very eagerly looking forward to the next part in this series.
October 10, 2022
Ver interesting. A fictional story woven into a modern historical narrative, the story is gripping and engaging.
September 28, 2017
If espionage interests you then this story is what you’ve been waiting for. A refreshing take on how intelligence agencies actually function. Makes such a good change to read about our own guys and not the Americans and brits. Once you start reading you’re sure to finish it in one sitting! It’s wonderful how a fictional tale has been spun around verified historical facts. Excellent job! Waiting for what Captain Sablok does in the sequel!
February 20, 2022
What gives "Let Bhutto Eat Grass" true weight is its attention to detail. From the psychology of fear to flight aerodynamics, from bureaucratic inertia to the geography of rural Pakistan - Shaunak Agarkhedkar blends immersive composition with meticulous research into the minutest of elements. With characters so real you can practically smell them, "Let Bhutto Eat Grass" takes us deep into the grays of a world that is helplessly obsessed with seeing itself in black or white.
February 11, 2022
Well researched
March 14, 2022
A historic event-based spy thriller, which is very much engaging in the narration of the events and their consequences, and there are quite a few moments of suspense and thrill to enjoy. a nice read.
May 8, 2018
Shaunak Agarkhedkar successfully turns the spy fiction genre on its head with "Let Bhutto Eat Grass". Devoid of chest-thumping jingoism, overlong anatomical descriptions and massive action set pieces which rarely serve anyone's purpose, Shaunak's book goes into actual intelligence work done by the little-known heroes copped up in CGO, Lodhi Road.
Complete with interesting characters, great descriptions, an understanding of the 70s and a compelling plot, Shaunak delivers what could be India's answer to le Carre. Indeed, a lot of the MI6 officer-turned-novelist seems to be present in the pages of "Let Bhutto Eat Grass" because of the methods Shaunak's characters adopt.
If you're a fan of espionage fiction (not the Ian Fleming kind) and would like to see more Indian writers delving into it, this is where you should begin.
A complete review of "Let Bhutto Eat Grass" can be found here: varunbhakay.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/...
Complete with interesting characters, great descriptions, an understanding of the 70s and a compelling plot, Shaunak delivers what could be India's answer to le Carre. Indeed, a lot of the MI6 officer-turned-novelist seems to be present in the pages of "Let Bhutto Eat Grass" because of the methods Shaunak's characters adopt.
If you're a fan of espionage fiction (not the Ian Fleming kind) and would like to see more Indian writers delving into it, this is where you should begin.
A complete review of "Let Bhutto Eat Grass" can be found here: varunbhakay.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/...
July 21, 2018
The highlight of this book is that it doesn't appear to be a fictionalised account. The characterisations and the storyline are so detailed that you feel it must have actually happened! Kudos to the author for blending the painstaking research and the story so well this book (and in the right dose). The details and the pace of the story are well balanced and keep you hooked right till the last page... waiting eagerly for the next one!
January 31, 2019
Very well written. Reads like breeze.
The author has done a thorough research beetle putting pen to paper. The scenes, especially the European ones are period correct. I enjoyed this book immensely. Incidentally, this is the first complete book I've read on Kindle.
The author has done a thorough research beetle putting pen to paper. The scenes, especially the European ones are period correct. I enjoyed this book immensely. Incidentally, this is the first complete book I've read on Kindle.
August 28, 2017
A fast paced & riveting story based on real incidents. Characters are well developed and leave an impression on you.
October 24, 2017
A beautifully written and impressively researched spy thriller!
June 9, 2018
Fast paced with some great narration - its a fine mix of fact & fiction
February 1, 2019
Essentially a true blue spy story...where no superhero goes around with guns blazing.shows how painstakingly slow real spies work. A realistic portrayal of how Pakistan tried to build an Atomic bomb.
August 19, 2020
Excellent read
Well written with sufficient detals for the reader to imagine the varopus scenes. The details on how a sinple tip off from a air hostess can lead to such a big man hunt/tracking the attempts to nip the attempts to build nuclear capability by Pak in the bud
Well written with sufficient detals for the reader to imagine the varopus scenes. The details on how a sinple tip off from a air hostess can lead to such a big man hunt/tracking the attempts to nip the attempts to build nuclear capability by Pak in the bud
September 23, 2017
A meticulously - researched, brilliant work of fiction, this book is a must read for anyone who loves spy novels! The novel is well written around historical facts and you have to continuously have to keep reminding yourself its fictional . The author has expertly described the real work that goes inside the spy system!! Tedious, painstaking research and analysis that goes on in the real world to pick out and make sense of one incident which any regular joe would consider to be a "coincidence", this book gives credit to the brains behind the mission rather than the guns!!
October 6, 2022
It is by chance, after reading a review of Ashley Tellis' book by this author, that I came to know of this trilogy. What a gifted, smart writer, and what a talented storyteller! How come that this trilogy then has not been grabbed by any major publisher? For an older reader like me, having lived through the 70's, and knowing a little bit about the "Islamic bomb" and the "father" of it, from newspaper accounts this first volume in the trilogy makes up for a lot of the missing dots in those old accounts. Thanks for writing, and for the way you do it, Mr. Agarkhedkar. I also very much appreciated your review of Tellis' book.
May 27, 2024
So, over the years, my taste in books of this type has evolved from pop fiction writers like Robert Ludlum to serious authors like John Le Carre and Graham Greene, who wrote important pieces of literature and disguised them as spy novels. This book falls somewhere in-between. It's a fast paced chronicle of India's efforts to stop Pakistan from obtaining a nuclear bomb during the 1970's. I highly recommend it.
Read
January 30, 2022"जर भारताने बॉम्ब बनवला, तर एक वेळ पानं किंवा गवत खाऊ,उपाशी राहू, पण आम्ही आमचा बॉम्ब बनवूच!" हे पाकिस्तानचे (तत्कालीन) परराष्ट्र मंत्री जुल्फिकार अली भुट्टो यांचे उद्गार हा या २६८ पानांच्या पुस्तकाच्या कथेचा विषय आहे. एखाद्या स्पाय थ्रिल्लिंग सिनेमाचे कथानक शोभावे अशी पुस्तकाची कथा आहे.
'लेट भुट्टो ईट ग्रास' या पुस्तकाचा परिचय माझ्या ब्लॉग वर.
Read more on
https://www.pustakexpress.com/2022/01...
'लेट भुट्टो ईट ग्रास' या पुस्तकाचा परिचय माझ्या ब्लॉग वर.
Read more on
https://www.pustakexpress.com/2022/01...
November 12, 2017
I am happy to have received a free copy of this book from the author / publisher through goodreads in exchange for my honest review.
Let Bhutto Eat Grass is a novel that exudes high quality on all its aspects. The author has gone beyond the glittery world of James Bond-ish spy thrillers to put together a gritty, realistic tale of espionage set in the Nineteen Seventies. Based on some true events from the times of Pakistan's race against India to achieve nuclear parity, the story plays out in the Indian intelligence headquarters in Delhi and the streets of The Hague in Netherlands. Espionage has a lot more to do with painstaking, mind-numbing research and mountainous paperwork than exciting chases and gunfights. The author has built a crisp story by incorporating all these dull elements cleverly.
The lead characters are well etched, especially those of Captain Sablok and Jugs Arora; would have liked to know more about Malathi though. The only gripe I have is with the book's length; it is so short that it leaves the reader thirsty for more.
This gripping tale promises a lot more from the author and I'm eagerly waiting for the sequel, slated for release in early 2018.
Let Bhutto Eat Grass is a novel that exudes high quality on all its aspects. The author has gone beyond the glittery world of James Bond-ish spy thrillers to put together a gritty, realistic tale of espionage set in the Nineteen Seventies. Based on some true events from the times of Pakistan's race against India to achieve nuclear parity, the story plays out in the Indian intelligence headquarters in Delhi and the streets of The Hague in Netherlands. Espionage has a lot more to do with painstaking, mind-numbing research and mountainous paperwork than exciting chases and gunfights. The author has built a crisp story by incorporating all these dull elements cleverly.
The lead characters are well etched, especially those of Captain Sablok and Jugs Arora; would have liked to know more about Malathi though. The only gripe I have is with the book's length; it is so short that it leaves the reader thirsty for more.
This gripping tale promises a lot more from the author and I'm eagerly waiting for the sequel, slated for release in early 2018.
January 22, 2018
A gripping fast-paced thriller which also has historical facts right.
My gripes about the book are
1. Some of the details & processes related to workings of intelligence agencies are not fleshed out. This would have made it more interesting.
2. Explanation about Structure and reason for the existence of RAW and the details related to how it operates in other countries would have helped. Also, it would have made sense to describe various departments with RAW, maybe?
3. Book assumes that the reader has knowledge about Indian history during the 70's. Doesn't elaborate on emergencies and how the Indira government was paralyzed and reacted to legal offensive. This would have given a great reason for inaction against AQ Khan which is one of the main points of the book.
Other than these, its a good thriler!
My gripes about the book are
1. Some of the details & processes related to workings of intelligence agencies are not fleshed out. This would have made it more interesting.
2. Explanation about Structure and reason for the existence of RAW and the details related to how it operates in other countries would have helped. Also, it would have made sense to describe various departments with RAW, maybe?
3. Book assumes that the reader has knowledge about Indian history during the 70's. Doesn't elaborate on emergencies and how the Indira government was paralyzed and reacted to legal offensive. This would have given a great reason for inaction against AQ Khan which is one of the main points of the book.
Other than these, its a good thriler!
June 30, 2023
Let Bhutto eat grass was an excellent read. Must read. The second part is on my list next.
Without being too dramatic or too tiresome, Shaunak runs through the events with some factual ties to the historical events keeping the pace and maintain the interest.
It is quite well written. I really enjoyed the comment "a stirring, bilingual exposition on the leadership and their female blood relations, their incestuous sexual habits, and the mechanism of their birth"
Without being too dramatic or too tiresome, Shaunak runs through the events with some factual ties to the historical events keeping the pace and maintain the interest.
It is quite well written. I really enjoyed the comment "a stirring, bilingual exposition on the leadership and their female blood relations, their incestuous sexual habits, and the mechanism of their birth"
December 2, 2025
Mr Agarkhedkar , please write another series. I was totally hooked form page 1 till the last full stop of book 4. You made the events come alive. Loved the style of narration and choice of vocab. Very engrossing. Liked it probably more than I liked Harry Potter.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews