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The Rat Eater
When a Mumbai politician is found wrapped in a plastic bag behind a park bench, DIG Ajay Biswas is asked to take over the case. Ajay arrives in Mumbai only to discover that his colleagues don’t want him there and that someone is deliberately providing false leads...
- GenresFiction
379 pages, Paperback
Published January 12, 2020
9 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Anand Ranganathan
10 books172 followersAnand Ranganathan obtained his BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi after which he left on a Nehru Centenary Scholarship for Cambridge, UK, where he obtained his BA (Tripos) in Natural Sciences, his MA, and his PhD. After a post-doctoral stint at Cambridge, Anand returned to India to join International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Delhi where he ran his lab for 16 years.
In 2015 he joined Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, as an Associate Professor. His laboratory works in the area of Directed Evolution and Pathogenesis, with special emphasis on Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Anand is a Consulting Editor and columnist for Swarajya. He has written previously for Newslaundry, DNA, and The Newsminute.
In 2015 he joined Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, as an Associate Professor. His laboratory works in the area of Directed Evolution and Pathogenesis, with special emphasis on Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Anand is a Consulting Editor and columnist for Swarajya. He has written previously for Newslaundry, DNA, and The Newsminute.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 25, 2018
Loved the book. Don't know why it hasn't been more widely read and commented upon.
April 5, 2024
One of the rare "did not finish" books. Just couldn't take the caricatures that every character was turned into.
November 26, 2020
A convulsive and speculative read, if that's what you expect from fiction, then the authors have delivered it. Every chapter in this book is loaded with the author's contemplation on the current Indian state of morality with the story plot which is a crossroad of negative social constructs in our society and the hypocrisy we see in our daily walks of life. In this way, it provokes to understand the oppression being apprehended towards Dalits for centuries.
Also, it enlightens how trivial the human race has become a despot to claim existence for a brief period on mother earth, because of their cumulative layers of egoism which have been acquired from birth to death for no reason only to become Vibuthi or stardust in the ultimate end.
You might think what good fiction can do but it turns out that we have always survived this long only because of change in perspective in the course of time. The authors believed in a large collective change in the human mind towards progression instead of selfishness. That can bring powerful simplification to just exist with every creature on this planet, without bringing mundane absurdities.
A predictive plot in the end which didn't surprise me because this story is not just to bring you pleasure by reading some words rather to critically think beyond the plot and take away home some points to spread goodness in the society.
Tat Tvam Asi
Also, it enlightens how trivial the human race has become a despot to claim existence for a brief period on mother earth, because of their cumulative layers of egoism which have been acquired from birth to death for no reason only to become Vibuthi or stardust in the ultimate end.
You might think what good fiction can do but it turns out that we have always survived this long only because of change in perspective in the course of time. The authors believed in a large collective change in the human mind towards progression instead of selfishness. That can bring powerful simplification to just exist with every creature on this planet, without bringing mundane absurdities.
A predictive plot in the end which didn't surprise me because this story is not just to bring you pleasure by reading some words rather to critically think beyond the plot and take away home some points to spread goodness in the society.
Tat Tvam Asi
March 25, 2020
Mr. Saane, a Mumbai based politician’s dead body has been found in a park. When police embarks on investigating the murder, they try to hide many facts and blame innocent people to solve the mystery fast. But their unethical ways comes to a stop when DIG Ajay Biswas takes over the case. Through his intelligence and experience he discovers the loopholes and tries to find out the real culprit.
Throughout the book we get to experience two time lines- one the present day and another set 40 years back in a world full of discrimination and prejudice. The book highlights social issues which created a barrier among people. Also it brings the corrupt practices of the police who are meant to make people feel safe. The underlying meaning of the story is vivid and thought provoking. At the end of each chapter the authors pour down their feelings and questioned certain practices. The story is well weaved casting bigotry and corruption with a mixture of thrill and suspense. There was usage of both of hindi and english dialogues which I feel may not appeal to many. Overall it was a good read. Also one of the characters was an Agatha Christie fan which I really liked.
Throughout the book we get to experience two time lines- one the present day and another set 40 years back in a world full of discrimination and prejudice. The book highlights social issues which created a barrier among people. Also it brings the corrupt practices of the police who are meant to make people feel safe. The underlying meaning of the story is vivid and thought provoking. At the end of each chapter the authors pour down their feelings and questioned certain practices. The story is well weaved casting bigotry and corruption with a mixture of thrill and suspense. There was usage of both of hindi and english dialogues which I feel may not appeal to many. Overall it was a good read. Also one of the characters was an Agatha Christie fan which I really liked.
July 9, 2021
The book grabs from the first page. The language and the style is very different. The style is filmy in that sense but it is very absorbing. While the end is not exactly a surprise, the story telling style is very engaging.
it is a dark murder mystery.
it is a dark murder mystery.
December 5, 2025
2.5/5
The section at the end of each chapter was bit confusing, dragged on and slowed the pace of the story. The overall idea of the story was good.
The section at the end of each chapter was bit confusing, dragged on and slowed the pace of the story. The overall idea of the story was good.
December 18, 2020
It's a 3.5, but rating at 4 for the important social message.
‘The Rat Eater shakes the reader up. Its philosophies draw you in. A dark murder mystery, this is an important novel’ says the blurb from Amish (Tripathi) on the front cover.
‘Part mystery, part rebuke, The Rat Eater is an experimental, pacy, honest, modern novel...’ says Manu Joseph on the back cover.
With such glowing recommendations, expectations were whipped up high. To be honest, the novel is part of what Amish and Manu say, though not all the way. To slot this novel into the category of MURDER MYSTERY will be a disservice, both to the novel and to the reader. Yes, the plot has a murder mystery, but it is weak one, and the serial killer’s identity is obvious very early into the story. Even the modus operandi is contrived. But where the novel fails as a murder mystery, which it is not, it succeeds as a social commentary, which it is. It is a commentary on discrimination, meritocracy (rather, the lack of it), corruption and consumerism. There is a very unnecessary love story thrown in, but we will ignore that.
The social commentary part of the book, particularly on the widely prevalent caste discrimination (yes, it is a reality even in the 21st century), is the core of the book. There is nothing new that the authors tell here, nor do they tell in a different manner. Yet, it is important that it is being said. That it is being said in the format of a mainstream novel makes it necessary, and important.
The scenes that narrate social injustice are described in disturbing detail and is not for the squeamish. This is necessary, for there is no other way to wake up a slumbering society. The language, particularly the philosophical discussions at the end of each chapter are jagged and jarring. It throbs with a pent-up rage that many may find difficult to digest. But this again, is necessary, for the injustice that is talked about, should arouse feelings of rage in all of us. The writing style digs up that raw emotion. Reading these pages is like watching a little kid, frustrated with helpless anger, scratching back and forth on a page with a pen, repeatedly, until the page tears.
The inciting incident for the protagonist is a dastardly childhood incident, which by the way is based on a true incident that happened a few decades ago. This has been heart-rendingly depicted in the Tamil movie Asuran. Strangely, what makes the protagonist a murderer is not this incident, but another incident many years later. The second incident is deplorable for the injustice, but appears trivial compared to the devastating first one. That this second incident should be the one that tips the protagonist over the edge was a tad disappointing. The victims he selects for the serial murders, have no connection with the first, or the second incident. Of course, they can all be grouped under ‘ills plaguing society’, but it makes for a weak link and a weaker motive.
This could have been a brilliant book, but unfortunately, there are many distractions that draw attention away from the primary premise. The language is one such. The text is peppered, extensively, with words and phrases from French, Tamil, Latin, Hindi, that are left untranslated. This is irritating and frustrating. There is also an entire chapter with a bunch of British characters, whose speech is paraphrased in Brit-accent spelling. Blimey maai, yough noah wough aai meee? This was extremely difficult to follow, irritating and unnecessary. After struggling through 20 pages of this, where we are told about the back stories, the families and the affairs of these Brit characters, we find that these chaps don’t appear in the novel ever again. The reason for their appearance is for one event, which could have been reported in a two line newspaper headline. This entire chapter could have been said in one paragraph, in readable English.
There are also a number of glaring inaccuracies. Every Mumbaikar knows, for instance, that you cannot put your hand out of the window of a local train. Or that there is no train from Borivali to CST (actually Mumbaikars still call it VT) and the very few that are there, do not pass by Powai. In fact, there is no local train station in Powai. There are many such instances that could have been fixed with proper research.
The book is also excessively critical of a number of things Indian, the Indian way of doing things. We are not perfect, far from it. We do have flaws, but when it is exaggerated to the exclusion of things that are worth celebrating, the writing alienates the reader. Government departments depicted as lazy, inefficient and unintelligent, for instance, is far from the truth. This is just one example.
Though the philosophising at the end of each chapter has important messages, it takes away the pace of the narrative, and is distracting. After a few chapters, it gets repetitive and sounds patronising. The writing style doesn’t help either.
In conclusion, this is not the book if you are looking for a whodunit page turner. It conveys an important message, though it does not say anything new. Writers from Mahasweta Devi to Hansda Sowvendra and mainstream movies, from Asuran to Article 15 have said it better and in a more engaging manner. Despite the shortcomings, this book deserves a reading because someone said what it does, in a popular paperback format. Hopefully, the message will reach many.
PS: Thanks to Indic Academy for providing a copy of the book for review.
‘The Rat Eater shakes the reader up. Its philosophies draw you in. A dark murder mystery, this is an important novel’ says the blurb from Amish (Tripathi) on the front cover.
‘Part mystery, part rebuke, The Rat Eater is an experimental, pacy, honest, modern novel...’ says Manu Joseph on the back cover.
With such glowing recommendations, expectations were whipped up high. To be honest, the novel is part of what Amish and Manu say, though not all the way. To slot this novel into the category of MURDER MYSTERY will be a disservice, both to the novel and to the reader. Yes, the plot has a murder mystery, but it is weak one, and the serial killer’s identity is obvious very early into the story. Even the modus operandi is contrived. But where the novel fails as a murder mystery, which it is not, it succeeds as a social commentary, which it is. It is a commentary on discrimination, meritocracy (rather, the lack of it), corruption and consumerism. There is a very unnecessary love story thrown in, but we will ignore that.
The social commentary part of the book, particularly on the widely prevalent caste discrimination (yes, it is a reality even in the 21st century), is the core of the book. There is nothing new that the authors tell here, nor do they tell in a different manner. Yet, it is important that it is being said. That it is being said in the format of a mainstream novel makes it necessary, and important.
The scenes that narrate social injustice are described in disturbing detail and is not for the squeamish. This is necessary, for there is no other way to wake up a slumbering society. The language, particularly the philosophical discussions at the end of each chapter are jagged and jarring. It throbs with a pent-up rage that many may find difficult to digest. But this again, is necessary, for the injustice that is talked about, should arouse feelings of rage in all of us. The writing style digs up that raw emotion. Reading these pages is like watching a little kid, frustrated with helpless anger, scratching back and forth on a page with a pen, repeatedly, until the page tears.
The inciting incident for the protagonist is a dastardly childhood incident, which by the way is based on a true incident that happened a few decades ago. This has been heart-rendingly depicted in the Tamil movie Asuran. Strangely, what makes the protagonist a murderer is not this incident, but another incident many years later. The second incident is deplorable for the injustice, but appears trivial compared to the devastating first one. That this second incident should be the one that tips the protagonist over the edge was a tad disappointing. The victims he selects for the serial murders, have no connection with the first, or the second incident. Of course, they can all be grouped under ‘ills plaguing society’, but it makes for a weak link and a weaker motive.
This could have been a brilliant book, but unfortunately, there are many distractions that draw attention away from the primary premise. The language is one such. The text is peppered, extensively, with words and phrases from French, Tamil, Latin, Hindi, that are left untranslated. This is irritating and frustrating. There is also an entire chapter with a bunch of British characters, whose speech is paraphrased in Brit-accent spelling. Blimey maai, yough noah wough aai meee? This was extremely difficult to follow, irritating and unnecessary. After struggling through 20 pages of this, where we are told about the back stories, the families and the affairs of these Brit characters, we find that these chaps don’t appear in the novel ever again. The reason for their appearance is for one event, which could have been reported in a two line newspaper headline. This entire chapter could have been said in one paragraph, in readable English.
There are also a number of glaring inaccuracies. Every Mumbaikar knows, for instance, that you cannot put your hand out of the window of a local train. Or that there is no train from Borivali to CST (actually Mumbaikars still call it VT) and the very few that are there, do not pass by Powai. In fact, there is no local train station in Powai. There are many such instances that could have been fixed with proper research.
The book is also excessively critical of a number of things Indian, the Indian way of doing things. We are not perfect, far from it. We do have flaws, but when it is exaggerated to the exclusion of things that are worth celebrating, the writing alienates the reader. Government departments depicted as lazy, inefficient and unintelligent, for instance, is far from the truth. This is just one example.
Though the philosophising at the end of each chapter has important messages, it takes away the pace of the narrative, and is distracting. After a few chapters, it gets repetitive and sounds patronising. The writing style doesn’t help either.
In conclusion, this is not the book if you are looking for a whodunit page turner. It conveys an important message, though it does not say anything new. Writers from Mahasweta Devi to Hansda Sowvendra and mainstream movies, from Asuran to Article 15 have said it better and in a more engaging manner. Despite the shortcomings, this book deserves a reading because someone said what it does, in a popular paperback format. Hopefully, the message will reach many.
PS: Thanks to Indic Academy for providing a copy of the book for review.
June 11, 2021
As I am from Bihar I can easily understand the word ‘musahar’. In the beginning, the book is like any other books, But what makes this book unique that after every chapter the authors have reserved space for philosophical thoughts as the aim of the author is not only story telling. The main aim to send message to the reader, to the society. As on one hand we say “Atithi devo Bhava” and on the other hand the foreigner has to pay more to visit Tajmahal, that’s is irony. And as per style, I can guess that philosophical thoughts are written by Anand Ranganathan. And I find these thoughts are like “chaar chaand lagana”. (as in the book also the authors have used common hindi words as it is). The author has avoided the book being fancy. I think every govt officials and bureaucrats should must read this book. The people on whom shoulders there was responsibility of nations building, have knowingly not performed their duties. And not only failed themselves, they have also failed the nation. The book is more than a murder mystery. Just superb.
In starting the story was insipid. But as we progress, the story takes interesting twists and turns. Presentation of things and situation in the book is so realistic that one can easily visualise and when compare with reality the things are almost same. The book also gives an insight of the word called ‘justice’. In our judicial system the justice is delivered only by accident and not by nature. In the police station facts are created, twisted and concocted as per convenience that are based on imagination of them.
The book also deals with colonial mind set who keep harping about those golden colonial rule. Those people have only rosy picture of colonial rule and they portray britishers as benevolent. Because they have never read history by their own and keep telling someone else’s version.
In starting, where I was rating one star, now I can give four star to this book. If it is not must read, but worth read.
In starting the story was insipid. But as we progress, the story takes interesting twists and turns. Presentation of things and situation in the book is so realistic that one can easily visualise and when compare with reality the things are almost same. The book also gives an insight of the word called ‘justice’. In our judicial system the justice is delivered only by accident and not by nature. In the police station facts are created, twisted and concocted as per convenience that are based on imagination of them.
The book also deals with colonial mind set who keep harping about those golden colonial rule. Those people have only rosy picture of colonial rule and they portray britishers as benevolent. Because they have never read history by their own and keep telling someone else’s version.
In starting, where I was rating one star, now I can give four star to this book. If it is not must read, but worth read.
February 18, 2021
This is my first book review ever and second book which i have read this year . When i received this book last month courtesy of Indic Book club , i was intrigued by the title and got an inkling that this story has some connection with my state and caste dynamics prevalent here . One of the ex cm of my state had publicly declared the virtues of eating rats . So i cannot deny that i was elated by the fact that i will be able to correlate with the characters and setting of the story .
Central Character of this book is Kalki Mushaar . The word mushaar comes from the maghi(one the dialects spoken in bihar) word mus which means rat .Hence the mushaar means the rat eater . This story has two timelines firstly the birth and rise of kalki and secondly the year 2005 in which a murder of prominent maharashtrian politician is being investigated by the CBI and mumbai police sleuths .
I don't want to reveal the plot so i will basically jot down the pros and cons of this book . What i really liked about this book is that even the mundane facts like the railway routes being announced at railway platform is thoroughly researched . The quagmire of indian caste system with which our central character has to deal with throughout the story has been described so eloquently it feels like you are reading about true incidents which has occurred in some small hamlet . But calling this book a murder mystery would be same as calling tea as coffee . In every chapter after the story there is critical analysis/philosophical satire which is sometimes connected to the story and sometimes it is on different aspects of life which i feel is mundane and not needed. The end of the story and the process of solving the murder mystery leaves you unsatisfied . It's like after eating seven course dinner and waking up in the middle of night famished . The character of the book is agatha christie fan and some plots are taken from her books.
Central Character of this book is Kalki Mushaar . The word mushaar comes from the maghi(one the dialects spoken in bihar) word mus which means rat .Hence the mushaar means the rat eater . This story has two timelines firstly the birth and rise of kalki and secondly the year 2005 in which a murder of prominent maharashtrian politician is being investigated by the CBI and mumbai police sleuths .
I don't want to reveal the plot so i will basically jot down the pros and cons of this book . What i really liked about this book is that even the mundane facts like the railway routes being announced at railway platform is thoroughly researched . The quagmire of indian caste system with which our central character has to deal with throughout the story has been described so eloquently it feels like you are reading about true incidents which has occurred in some small hamlet . But calling this book a murder mystery would be same as calling tea as coffee . In every chapter after the story there is critical analysis/philosophical satire which is sometimes connected to the story and sometimes it is on different aspects of life which i feel is mundane and not needed. The end of the story and the process of solving the murder mystery leaves you unsatisfied . It's like after eating seven course dinner and waking up in the middle of night famished . The character of the book is agatha christie fan and some plots are taken from her books.
February 18, 2020
The story starts off from a Police Station . A mysterious Murder case of Mr. Sanne , a Mumbai base political figure has put the Police out of gear and there is an odd similarity with Agatha Christie novels. Mumbai Police has thrown their heart and soul to solve this case. To investigate this matter IPS AB comes to Mumbai from Delhi with her wife Aparajita. Though they come for another reason but this situation gives them a chance to meet their college best friend After 15 years !
Throughout the book we the readers , experienced two different timelines. Author takes us 40 years back and forth in order to weave the story. In 40 years before timeline the story of Kalki has been said. After each and every chapter author has put down philosophical thoughts and questioned some customs and practices .
From the starting the book felt not so interesting because I didn't found any hints what's coming next. I have guessed the scenario between the Trios quite well. But As the plot starts to change the book started to swallow me.
If you read this book you don't only enjoy a Murder Mystery but the reasons behind these murders will moist your eyes. Author has blended a dark side of our society with mystery and suspense successfully.
A perfect Murder mystery and A book which has raised questions about Casteism !
Throughout the book we the readers , experienced two different timelines. Author takes us 40 years back and forth in order to weave the story. In 40 years before timeline the story of Kalki has been said. After each and every chapter author has put down philosophical thoughts and questioned some customs and practices .
From the starting the book felt not so interesting because I didn't found any hints what's coming next. I have guessed the scenario between the Trios quite well. But As the plot starts to change the book started to swallow me.
If you read this book you don't only enjoy a Murder Mystery but the reasons behind these murders will moist your eyes. Author has blended a dark side of our society with mystery and suspense successfully.
A perfect Murder mystery and A book which has raised questions about Casteism !
January 26, 2021
The Rat Eater comes across as a murder thriller combined with morality sermons on the current state of affairs the Indian populace faces or better, has been facing since Independence . The main chain of events is set in the end 90's and the authors have been successful in creating the nostalgia . Starting from detailed references of police stations in Mumbai to flashbacks of events that have led to the later onslaught of murders, the authors have been able to finely create the mood of the places and times the event took place. However, the novel felt more of a treatise on the Indian issues interspersed by snippets of murder mystery and not the other way round. Although the novel succeeded in being an eye opener of the wrong practices that we as Indians delve on a daily basis, the thrill of a murder mystery got lost somewhere in between .
All in all, the novel is Sacred Games all over again or Caste Games better !! with a Agatha Christie inspired killer on the loose interspersed by regular doses of desi conscience.
All in all, the novel is Sacred Games all over again or Caste Games better !! with a Agatha Christie inspired killer on the loose interspersed by regular doses of desi conscience.
March 19, 2020
Half way through the book I came to know the killer... The monologues after each chapter was not needed for all chapters.. But one thing the writers got it bang on right is the actual India... Be it the lingo, culture, n the police system... 200/200 there.. Duh I know coz the authors r Indian they hv to get it right but even the caste system the details.. Some of which even I never knew were too good n gruesome... So hats off there
July 29, 2020
I don't know why I even bought this book..I just dropped it after 50 pages. Toooo disgusting for my taste. In these first 50 pages, latrines have been cleaned, a birth has been described, the act of chewing tobacco has been described over two paragraphs, a dozen expletives have been thrown at you. Also, opinion pieces have been given the authors at the end of each chapter which maybe could have been published as a separate book as they just break the chain.
July 7, 2020
Review : 4.5/5
Loved it! Read my review on my Instagram ID
Loved it! Read my review on my Instagram ID
December 2, 2024
No connection between first half and second half, just a very childish book.
February 15, 2021
I acquired this book at a give away by Indic Book Club.
Rat Eater is a story that is entirely different from your typical portion of secrets and thrillers.
The book takes as much time as necessary for the plot to intensify and the puzzle to uncover itself
The storytelling utilizes dialect that's rich and assorted. The plots jump among two timelines that converge towards the end. There is a philosophical summary at the end of each chapter that acts almost like a sermon. The narration is the zenith of the story which sometimes changed gear to Avant-Garde with focal points being clever word combos and original quotes.
A lot is inspired by classic western mysteries but at its core, the story is Indian. At the point when DIG Ajay Biswas moves to Mumbai with his teacher spouse Aparajita Balasubramanian to understand a prominent homicide, they rejoin with their college companion and science Professor Akhil Sukumar. Their love triangle gets uncovered as the story progresses while DIG gets into disentangling the character of the killer.
The general purpose of the book is a message that the writer wishes to pass on to its perusers with most extreme direness and it's a message that questions the very supportability of the purported present-day lifestyle. I simply love how the book manages to give out different vibes throughout the story. At some point, it appears to be gospel, at others a mystery. Some of the times, it progresses like a psychological thriller while effortlessly metamorphosing to a drama. Though every single one of those 350 odd pages was a treat to read, I do believe the pace of the story could have been better.
Though the climax is predictable, Rat Eater has no dearth of entertainment. It is also relevant to our current socio-political atmosphere and more than just a story. it's a call to action which concludes with a fragrance of poetic justice.
At long last, Rat Eater is a story that has a message for everybody.
Rat Eater is a story that is entirely different from your typical portion of secrets and thrillers.
The book takes as much time as necessary for the plot to intensify and the puzzle to uncover itself
The storytelling utilizes dialect that's rich and assorted. The plots jump among two timelines that converge towards the end. There is a philosophical summary at the end of each chapter that acts almost like a sermon. The narration is the zenith of the story which sometimes changed gear to Avant-Garde with focal points being clever word combos and original quotes.
A lot is inspired by classic western mysteries but at its core, the story is Indian. At the point when DIG Ajay Biswas moves to Mumbai with his teacher spouse Aparajita Balasubramanian to understand a prominent homicide, they rejoin with their college companion and science Professor Akhil Sukumar. Their love triangle gets uncovered as the story progresses while DIG gets into disentangling the character of the killer.
The general purpose of the book is a message that the writer wishes to pass on to its perusers with most extreme direness and it's a message that questions the very supportability of the purported present-day lifestyle. I simply love how the book manages to give out different vibes throughout the story. At some point, it appears to be gospel, at others a mystery. Some of the times, it progresses like a psychological thriller while effortlessly metamorphosing to a drama. Though every single one of those 350 odd pages was a treat to read, I do believe the pace of the story could have been better.
Though the climax is predictable, Rat Eater has no dearth of entertainment. It is also relevant to our current socio-political atmosphere and more than just a story. it's a call to action which concludes with a fragrance of poetic justice.
At long last, Rat Eater is a story that has a message for everybody.
November 30, 2023
ok murder mystery
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