Best Served Cold

Janardan Maity #4

by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

Twenty years ago, four boys were wronged by a vicious man in an idyllic tea estate. Now, they have returned to avenge the crimes committed against them. His simplest case might just be the most challenging puzzle that detective Janardan Maity has ever faced.

Genres: Mystery

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2020

About the author

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is an author, translator, columnist and screenwriter. He is best known for the Janardan Maity series and for the translation of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's iconic novel 'Aranyak'. His primary research interest is the life, literature, art and cinema of Satyajit Ray, and he has written several books on Ray. Bhaskar has also written several screenplays, all of which are in production. He teaches screenwriting to film students and aspiring filmmakers. Bhaskar lives and works in Toronto.

Reviews

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, undoubtedly, the BEST work penned by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay till date.
It was full of darkness and beauty, vengeance and love, passion and compassion. The twists and turns shocked me and forced me to change my perspective repeatedly. The writing, despite its lucidity and simplicity, was breathtaking.
But most importantly, after 'Penumbra' the combination of plot and style again made me feel as if I am reading one of the finest works written by the Great Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.
This book is an essential read for any lover of mystery. Highly recommended.

[Krutika · Rating 5 out of 5]

• r e c o m m e n d a t i o n •

Just when you think you've read Bhaskar Chattopadhyay's finest work, you come across another one which surpasses everything else. Best Served Cold was my third book by Chattopadhyay and it quickly became my favourite. There's something incredibly unique about his books and it mostly has to do with the protagonist, the enigmatic Janardhan Maity. A man with a calm demeanor who oozes confidence and displays the right amount of emotions in spite of being a detective. This novel was unlike anything I've ever read because it begins with the prospect of a murder. But what initially appears like an open and shut case, becomes a mess of accusations with many possible suspects. Best Served Cold is undoubtedly a masterpiece, that keeps throwing one surprise after the other, making the entire reading experience an adrenaline filled one.

A powerful man approaches Maity on a balmy September evening, worried that someone's planning to murder him. Some time later, a young woman arrives at the door pleading Maity to stop her husband from murdering the very same man who visited barely a few hours ago. Maity is quick to act and travels to Manikpur tea estate to stop the occurrence of a potential murder. Assisting Maity is his friend Prakash who is a bestseller author and who also happens to be the narrator of the story. The story quickly garners speed, making it almost impossible to keep the book aside. Maity charms us with his wit and unwavering commitment to solve the mystery. Like his other books, I found myself completely immersed in the story, staying up late to know what happens next. Chattopadhyay has an innate ability to balance the story with the right amount of characters, drama and twists. I've said it before and I'll say it again. No one and I mean absolutely no one nails thrillers like he does.

5/5.

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling!!
Beautifully written and kept me hooked till the very last page.
Must Read!.

[Tiyasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I now have read 3 out 4 books of the Janardan Maity series and I couldn't be more satisfied! The setting is absolutely mesmerizing, and the plot highly captivating and twisty. Set in Manikpur, the story is centred around Jagat Narayan Chowdhury, the owner of a tea estate and the threat to his life by four men who were wronged by him in the past.

The story had nail biting suspense throughout and I practically raced through the last few pages. Scarcely have you recovered from a twist when you are hit with another. And then another. And another. And by the end your mind is absolutely wrecked. That's when I know a thriller's job is done. With just the right amount of emotion blended in with the highly twisted tale, Best Served Cold makes a remarkable read for lovers of detective stories set in Bengal.

[Lisa - The BookSirens Goddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark and a compulsive read, Best Served Cold is a mystery centered around vengeance. However, at first, the plot lays all the cards face-up on the table. We, as readers, know that the perpetrators of the murder to be are four boys (now adults) who were mistreated by the wealthy owner of a tea estate. However, that does not take away from the mystery. As one continues to read, several twists and turns keep you entertained and guessing. At times dark, yet fun book to read; I intend to pick up more stories by the author (this was my first).

[Ipsit Bibhudarshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I couldn’t think of even one instance in the past when Janardan Maity had been faced with such a strange and bizarre challenge. He had to protect both the victim as well as the killer"

Being an ardent Janardan Maity fan, I was looking forward for his next adventure and what an scintillating read it was. To put it one word, it was 'Unputdownable'.

In the present era where we are served loads of OTT Content day in and day out, Best Served Cold by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay comes as a refreshing breeze taking me back to the old world charm of a perfect mystery novel with its twist and turns before the big reveal and it doesn't even end there and when you realise you have all figured out, there's something new and it keeps you turning the pages till the very last.

The tea gardens where the plot is set up has never been described in more mysterious yet beautiful manner. The characters may remind you a bit of Dr. Watson and Sherlock with a Christie-type setup but with so much more panache where you feel for each of its characters. This is a novel where each of the characters and their dilaogues have so much significance that it keeps you glued to the book till the very end.

Having completed all his books, I could very convincingly say that Mr. Bhaskar is one of the finest murder mystery writers in the country. Looking forward for more such adventures ahead.

[E.T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

It began with a good setup. But the investigation was shoddy and the trick of revealing the murderer thrice didnt work but made it unconvincing and convoluted. Especially since almost every1 had the opportunity and you could have twisted it anyway you like.
This was my 5th book by the author and so I have read all by him. The prev 4 ranged from decent to good. But here he has really disappointed me.

[Sharmishtha Shenoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Served Cold is a fantastic murder mystery. There are brilliant twists and turns and the best part is of course the epilogue. This is a story sensitively portrayed. And reminded me of Satyajit Ray. Don't miss this one. Very similar style of storytelling. Waiting eagerly for the next one.

[Sou Mini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: 3.75/5
Setting: 5/5
Characterisation: 4.5/5
Credibility of the ending: 3.5/5
What does a murder mystery have to offer? A baffling crime, an ensemble cast of characters each of whom is a suspect, a setting that makes the crime seem more ghastly or more unexpected and an ingenious sleuth, sometimes accompanied by an acute observer who would later jot down the events with some additional spices thrown in!
'Best Served Cold' offers these and more. Very engrossing, and carefully structured. The narrative just sucks one in! I highly appreciate Bhaskar Chattopadhya's writing acumen.. have always done so. And it thrills me whenever a new Janardan Malty mystery comes up!
The relevance of the title becomes clear even before the reader reaches half of the novel: the revenge motif. The book hooks the readers' interest from the very beginning by making it uncertain as to whether there will be any crime at all or not.
The case proposed to Mr. Janardan Maity was unique and mind boggling. It was made more difficult by the fact that some headstrong, resolute young people were to become a part of it.
The setting was mesmerisingly detailed, to say the least. Locked down for over 10 months, I made a refreshng tour around the verdant gardens of the Dooars, the book showing both its serene and sinister sides. I think the same plot in a different setting, somewhat urban and 'modern' would have failed to make any impact on the readers.
Almost all the characters are round characters. They have either changed in the course of life or developed with the turn of events.
The plot. Interesting. Intriguing. Each page was laced with mystery. The problem gradually expanded its periphery as suspects, suspicious activities, revelations, confessions began to make way. Janardan Maity sounded credible when he startled all with his astute judgments, keen observations and intelligent deductions.
However, the lure of surprising the readers again and again perhaps went a bit too far for the author this time. The 'epilogue' was a huge disappointment because it simply lacked credibility. 'When pigs fly...' such a turn of events can be expected. There was no need for that last touch; it was useless, worthless and simply too much to take. Chances and coincidences should not be dignified with logical explanations in a murder mystery. A well-built plot collapses miserably then because, after all, what is a murder mystery without a satisfying ending?

Quite a few things bothered me after I completed reading this book. Some unanswered questions! I will try to list them here without any spoilers:
1) Why did Maity ask Pele about his place of birth the second time? He said that he had his reasons for doing so, what were they? Not revealed.
2) Why was X hovering near the lodge on the night one of the boarders of the lodge left? X could not possibly have known before, that the person was leaving.
3) How did Ashu babu know the names of the two visitors from Kolkata? Who told him? It is said that he was told about the purpose of their visit over the phone after their visit.
4) How did Maity know that he would get to meet Y at Victoria memorial?
5) How was Maity so sure about what he would find in the forest? There could have been hundreds of other precious little things that the concealer might have chosen to throw away beyond anybody's reach.

Sorry to say that these unanswered questions and the futile epilogue robbed the book of its charm and brilliance that it exuded even till the penultimate chapter.
The book is definitely worth reading; it will satisfy your hunger for mystery, please your aesthetic senses but it will leave you feeling disappointed. A mystery that rose to an exciting climax and then goofed up!

[Sonia Chatterjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth book in the Maity-Ray series leaves me a little perplexed. On one hand, I can't stop admiring the layers of mystery that a reader needs to peel away before getting to the truth. There are too many twists that makes the climax unpredictable and delightful. It was also a pleasure to find a character like Shibu in the story whose skills reminded me of Bimal Kar's Kikira.

On the flip side, I can't help but question the imbalance in the gender ratio in the book. Almost every female character gets a fleeting mention (except one). In a story rich in setting and skillful application of the sensory details of sight and sound, the detailing of most characters feel inadequate. But what felt unnecessary is the preachy tone that Maity seems to have acquired for this story.

I look forward to the next adventure of this duo.

[Pritam TheBookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly wonderful

This was my fourth Janardan Maity novel, and after completing this I can definitely say we have the finest frictional indian crime investigator in present time after Byomkesh Bakshi, Kiriti and Feluda. This starts with a very simple plot where four boys trying to murder a person named Jagat Narayan, who was done some heinous crime against them and destroyed their childhood. Wife of one of them comes to Mr. Maity and seeks his help to prevent the upcoming misery. To prevent them Mr Maity along with Prakash comes to Manikpur and here he faced the most bizarre case of his life.
It is truly very tough to explain the beauty of this story. At first it seemed very ordinary revenge story and I personally missing the mystery which I got Janardan Maity's previous books. But when I kept on reading I understand this book has the best mystery then all prior. As always Bhaskar Chattopadhyay creates fantasies atmosphere. This book is a slow burning beauty and the twist of the tale is one of the best twist I ever read. Just one thing saddens me, don't know how long I have to wait for Janardan Maity and Prakash Ray's next adventure.

[Nandini · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Undoubtedly Chattopadhyay's best work to date in the JM series. Saying this as a reader who's read all four books within 10 days this one was the best. It was complex with an engaging, eerie background and story. The scenic descriptions seemed too stretched at times but the story compensated for it. The epilogue was totally unexpected and I am still unsure if it confused the finished platter more or not.
Otherwise the twists, the turns, the action, the drama, the suspense- everything was top-notch.

Prakash Ray and Janardan Maity are a beloved thriller pair for me now and I would love to read more books in this series in the future as they come.

[Aravind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best Served Cold by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is, as could be guessed from the title, a story of revenge—the revenge of four little schoolboys, each irreparably affected in his own way by the actions of a rich, highly influential man, vowed to be exacted twenty years later.

Janardan Maity—the famous detective who detests the title—and his friend a la Dr. Watson to Holmes, author Prakash Ray, take on the tricky job of preventing the four boys—now grown-up and having a fairly successful life—from committing a murder. The prospective victim is Jagat Narayan Chowdhury, the owner of many businesses including a Tea estate in Manikpur in the alluvial northeast of the state of Bengal, who has committed numerous crimes including molestation, rape and murder, and is mighty enough to elude the law. Almost eighty-years old now, Chowdhury approaches Maity to investigate a recent break-in attempt at his bungalow whose motive might be more than simple burglary. Put off by the old man’s arrogance, Maity declines to take the case and turns Chowdhury away from his house. But, within a few hours, he receives another visitor who is the wife of Dr. Prabhat Sengupta—one of the four murderous friends— who wants Maity to help prevent her husband from committing a capital crime that is sure to destroy their life. Intrigued by the challenge, Maity and Ray travel to the alluringly picturesque tea estate to attempt the daunting, and unpleasant, task of preventing a vile man’s murder. Whether they succeed in their mission or not is told with several twists and turns in the rest of this novel.

Best Served Cold was my first taste of the series that is four books long so far, and I found many positive things, the foremost of which is the author’s simple yet elegant language. He describes the beauty of the tea estate and the scenic countryside vividly, painting an appealing picture in the reader’s mind. The premise of the novel is quite interesting as stopping anyone from murdering someone is not as straightforward as it seems—at best, the murder could be delayed, but there is no means to avert it unless the would-be-killer has a change of heart. Thus, it is exciting to see how the brilliant Maity plans to achieve the unachievable. Written on the lines of classic golden age mysteries, there is a certain charm to reading this book.

On the downside too, I have a few things to say. In spite of the taut premise, several sequences feel a bit too contrived, seemingly in an effort to cast suspicion on as many characters as possible and make the plot more complex. The words and actions of a few characters seem to be of significance, but are left without much elaboration. And, somehow, the plot feels like it is happening at least fifty years ago whereas it in fact happens contemporarily—maybe due to the author’s choice of words and descriptions—and that is not a nice feeling. However, these are relatively minor issues when compared with the biggest fault of all: the totally unneeded Epilogue. It raises more questions than it answers, botching up the ending, which was quite satisfactory in the final chapter.

Overall, Best Served Cold showed a lot of promise for the most part but, for me, did not live up to it.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Served Cold by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is a gripping tale that delivers on its promise of cold, calculated revenge wrapped in a narrative that’s both thrilling and thought-provoking.

This novel doesn’t just serve vengeance on a silver platter; it serves it with a side of psychological depth and social commentary, making it a feast for readers who like their thrillers with substance.

From the get-go, Chattopadhyay’s writing hooks you with a pace that’s brisk but never rushed. The story unfolds in a world where justice is often elusive, and characters must rely on their own grit and cunning to balance the scales.

The protagonist, whose motives and moral compass are intriguingly complex, drives the narrative forward with a blend of vulnerability and steely resolve. This balance keeps readers invested in not just what happens, but why it happens.

What stands out is the author’s skill in crafting characters who are not mere archetypes of revenge fiction. They breathe, falter, and evolve—sometimes in surprising ways. This depth adds layers to the narrative, transforming a revenge plot into a meditation on human nature, the cost of obsession, and the blurry lines between victim and perpetrator.

Chattopadhyay’s prose is sharp, often laced with wit and irony that add a contemporary flavour to the story. The dialogues crackle with authenticity, and the descriptive passages paint vivid scenes without bogging down the momentum. As a teacher of English and lover of writing, you’ll appreciate how the novel balances narrative efficiency with lyrical touches that elevate the reading experience.

Another impressive aspect is how the novel situates personal vendettas within broader social and political frameworks. This interplay lends the story a relevance that transcends the typical revenge thriller. It challenges readers to reflect on the societal forces that shape individual destinies and the cyclical nature of violence.

However, while the pacing is mostly commendable, certain sections linger a bit too long in introspection, risking a brief dip in the narrative energy. Yet, these moments often offer valuable insights into the characters’ psyches, which compensates for the slower tempo.

In conclusion, Best Served Cold is a compelling read that combines the visceral excitement of a revenge saga with intellectual depth and stylistic finesse. Bhaskar Chattopadhyay crafts a story that not only entertains but also provokes reflection on justice, identity, and the human spirit’s resilience.

For anyone who enjoys layered storytelling with a pulse, this book is a solid pick.

[Fiction freakk · Rating 4 out of 5]

BEST SERVED COLD: BY BHASKAR CHATTOPADHYAY
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Summary:
Twenty years ago, four boys were wronged by a vicious, rich tea estate businessman Jagat Narayan Choudhary. And now they have returned back to have vengeance for the crimes committed against them. Janardhan Maity, a famous detective of Kolkata must solve this challenging case by stopping them from committing any further crimes.
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Plot:
The plot starts in the house of Prakash Ray, a friend of Mr Maity and an author who is stuck in between the writings of his new novel just when he receives an invitation call from Maity for tea.
As he reaches there, Maity is attended by an old and arrogant visitor, Jagat Narayan Choudhary who is a tea estate owner from Manikpur stating that his life is in danger and wants Maity to investigate his case and protect him as he can't trust anyone, not even police.

🔸

On the same evening with a coincidence, a woman visits Maity stating that her husband Dr Prabhat Sengupta along with his 3 friends are planning to take revenge on an old man who destroyed their childhood by doing horrendous things with them. And this old man was not any other man but Jagat Narayan Choudhary.

🔸

On hearing this, Maity and Prakash rush to Manikpur. Marty and Prakash start their investigation. They come across various people other than those four boys.
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My Reviews:
This is the fourth book from the series of Janardhan Maity written by the author. And like always Mr Bhaskar NEVER EVER disappoints his readers.

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There are so many things that were described in detail from the beginning itself of the book. Let it be the traffic of the city or the pure nature of the Manikpur tea estate.

🔸

But in the middle of the plot, the storyline becomes very slow. There were few plot holes where you will think that this information was not that necessary to be included in the story. But as you will further proceed with the storyline you will come to know the reason behind it.

🔸

I loved the way the author has ended the plotline.
No matter the story was a bit slow and less thrilling compared to previous books of the author, this one was well ended. Till the last page of the book, the secrets were revealed after a 1-year gap. There was a shocking truth revealed with SO MANY twists and turns, that it made me flip back to page 1 where the old man visits Maity.

🔸

I hope we will get more Janardhan Maity series to read in future.
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My Ratings:
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
(4.5/5 stars)

[Bastab Saha · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Best Served Cold' is the first novel of Bhaskar Chattopdhyay that I have read. It is a crime thriller novel with a nice setup which becomes heavily predictable and tried to save it's face in the epilogue through a twist.

Four kids, who were wronged by a vile tea estate owner, decided to return twenty years later to avenge their past and kill the owner. Things spiral out of control and detective Maity faces a monumental challenge.

There are some unnecessary fluffs in the book. The dream sequence of Prakash was not needed. It led to nowhere just like enquiring the cab driver multiple times about his birth. Conversation with Rafiq Ali had no impact. Also whenever a clue was need, Prakash was there to observe and hear something. It looked very convenient and was hard to ignore.

Also the choice of words were surprising in many places. For example, a 79 year old shouts and 'vibrates the room with his roar' and does not shout or talk loudly anymore in the entire book. Character traits are changing way too much as per author's convenience. The same can be observed with Ashu Babu, the teacher of Manikpur.

Some tropes of thriller had occurred too. From the arrogant, non-cooperating police officer to gathering around every possible suspect in the climax, the inspiration of Satyajit Ray's Feluda was very prominent.

Despite all the flaws, it is a nice read and can be easily finished in one sitting. Hopefully we will see more from the author soon.

[Vishal Bagaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a passage in the story says, the mystery has several layers to it, so does Bhaskar Chattopadhyay’s fourth instalment in the Maity-Ray series. Hugely engrossing and highly cinematic, the book solidifies Chattopadhyay’s testament as a contemporary old-school mystery writer. Best Served Cold is atmospheric and racy, with the revelations shocking you one after the other as they come. The story is set in the tea gardens of North Bengal and the dilemma for the sleuthing duo is intriguing. The crime is complex. The details are plenty. The setting - the author hits a home run with it yet again! Through Prakash Ray’s character, Chattopadhyay represents the ever questioning reader; through Ray’s descriptions, the reader is drawn into the beauty of the tea estate and even questions the foulness and fairness of the situation wherein crime is about to be committed in such pristine settings. There were several ends and each one tied up decently in the end. However, I wish Chattopadhyay steps out of his comfort zone of rural and cut-off places and throws Ray and Maity into urban situations - where at least a smartphone works. Adding modernity to the otherwise Doyle-esque form would perhaps take the series steps ahead in terms of the challenges faced by the detectives. Other than that, Best Served Cold is a fitting successor in the series!

[Dhiraj Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author can certainly spin a yarn and keep the readers on the edge of their seats.

I may have mentioned in my earlier review's of the author's works but let me go on record in stating that after Satyajit Ray no Indian author can weave a thriller mystery like Bhaskar da.

Isolated setting of North Bengal's Doab region, a group of old friends planning to avenge the wrong done to them years back, a murder is committed and Janardan Maity's grey cells on overdrive, seeing and analyzing the clues which lesser mortals like us readers fail to see.

And just when you thought the author had provided the solution to the murder mystery the rug is pulled right under your feet (not once but twice) with the proverbial twists in the tale.

Best Served Cold is an engrossing tale, a real page turner with a satisfying ending indeed.

Hope Bhaskar da would reduce the time gap between writing/publishing of his thrillers otherwise lovers of this genre like me would have to wait for years to savor the delights of impeccably crafted thrillers.

Luckily for me they decided to publish a paperback of this book as I am not much of an e book/Kindle reader.

Why 4 starts and not 5, well, let's just say I found the author's previous works to be slightly better than this one.

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant desi whodunit!

Have always been a fan of Janardhan Maity series from Bhaskar Chattopadhyay, right from Penumbra. The writing only got better day by day including the language, the plot and the reveal.

Maity is getting more and more complicated day by day and the final reveal has always stumped me until now, in all of the books. In this book, the story unravels in one of authors' favorite locations (I guess!) and the plot is intriguing right from the start.

The writing is elegant and confident. The plot is well etched and the descriptions are amazing. What I like about the author is that he doesn't takes the reader for granted and cheats him by showing clues that were not even mentioned before (not even through obscure clues). All the information that lead to the reveal are already mentioned in the book in subtle ways. Only when I thought I have guessed the killer / incident here (as opposed to the previous books), the author threw me off guard with a reveal and just when I thought he was cheating me, the "real" reveal came and stumped me.

Will look forward for his next book definitely.

[Shashank Tiwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the strong takeaways that I am describing in my own way:

The soul when wronged,
the heart shatters, remembers,
nurses vengeance with every beat,
while the mind warps, caves in.

Beyond the right and wrong,
only seething anger, remains.
perhaps even sheer madness,
avenging to clear off the slate.

To hold on is natural, easy,
yet venomous and draining.
To let go is hardest, unfathomable,
but peaceful and relieving.


——————


I knew I was in for scheming and twists. Having read the author’s previous book - I was also expecting an immersive experience of the places the story was set in.
And all these were executed so well.

The attention to details and the description of every character and the tea gardens was good.
And the banter and dialogues with Janardan Maity.

All these elements enriches the experience.

While I like these, what stood out, and what I wasn’t ready for was such an emotional ride. The conflict explores the gray area and ethical tension between safeguarding an evil life just because it is a life, because of law and morality, vs helping and understanding the ones seeking retribution while they’re willing to cross any boundaries.

[Saurabh Dandade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fourth book of Janardan Maity (series).Earlier three books are great which automatically increased expectations from the fourth one.Even though I have mixed feelings about the book but the fact that author has self-published the book is what I also liked.
The story is about four boys Who were wronged by a vicious man in an idyllic tea estate 20 years ago and they have returned to avenge the crimes committed against them.
The best things about the book is that every little aspect is very well linked to each other resulting in beautiful structure which is further strengthened by the balance of logic and emotions in the story.This book also talks about human side of Janardan Maity which I think earlier books lacked.
I liked twists in the story but at one point I found them too much.I also don't understood necessity of fight between Janardan and Prakash (after which it seemed that emotions got more focus than logic in the story.)
Overall I can say that it is a great read as I completed the book in one day.

[Anunay Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant! The story has definitely some conveniences baked into it, like Shibu trying to return the watch after 20 years, or no one recognising Arjun despite being so close to him. But these criticisms are minor as the story is really well-put. The plot takes some time to entrance you, but once the thrilling journey begins, it's a superb ride throughout. Also, the reveal of the killer was remarkable even though it came after two false reveals, and the climax portion was really well-thought, despite it being slightly convoluted. Overall, a highly recommended book for casual readers and mystery aficionados alike.

[Deepa Lakshmanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janardhan Maity - The 'Poirot' of Indian Fiction

This is my fourth Janardhan Maity book and I am loving the series so far. This one, like all the previous books was a gripping read till the end.
The chapters are fast paced and detailed to the tee.
The read is breezy with a great twist in the end
Can see many similarities in the deductive style of Maity and Hercule Poirot, both focusing on nuances of human behavior

[Sukamal Pegu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bhaskar delivers a classic who-done-it that's perfect for fans of intricate puzzles. His writing possesses amazing clarity and is packed with deliberate "breadcrumbs" that demand attention to every small detail. If you're someone who loves piecing together clues that keep you awake until 3 AM, Bhaskar is the author for you. This is another great Janardan Maity adventure and a must-read for the holiday season!

[Aman Khater · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word for this book: unputdownable. I got this for my Kindle, and finished it over a weekend. Chattopadhyay has outdone himself with this one. This was Maity Number 4 and I cannot wait for the next one.

The setting of this is perfect and the plot is so simple that the twists and turns along the book catch the reader completely off guard. Perfectly written.

[Satwik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is no less than the likes of the ones written by Agatha Christie. Every twist & the flow of the story made absolute sense. I wish the book was made into a film someday. It’s the kind of subtle detective story that everyone craves me. The writing & the writer certainly feel like have taken their inspiration from Satyajit Ray & his style.

[Neel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unputdownable

As always Mr. Chattopadhyay delights with his new Maity and Prakash tale. Setting is beautiful. The core puzzle awesome and some wonderful plot twists. Can't wait for his next book.

[Moushumi Sengupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not enjoy like I did with his other books. Seemed too much of coincidences . And unnecessary lengthening of the book. But like his previous books he did capture the place and its environment well enough.

[Santosh Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent plot. Well executed.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Seemed a bit stretched at some parts especially the elaborate description of nature and forest area. Other than that overall excellent read.

[Rochak · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average thriller

The book is an average thriller, a book which will fail to keep you hooked for a long period and yet will make sure you will finish reading it sooner than later.