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A Hideous Convention
A car crash in the dark hours of dawn claims the lives of two passengers, leaving their seventeen-year-old son in the backseat severely injured. A procedural investigation ensues. The police detect little mystery but no foul play. Downplaying the findings of the Forensics department, the police conclude that the driver, Mr. Abhay Mishra, had dozed off behind the wheel, leading to the fatal accident. The survivor and remaining members of the family accept this and make peace with their fate.
However, the investigation takes a new twist once the Bombay Crime Bureau takes charge.
However, the investigation takes a new twist once the Bombay Crime Bureau takes charge.
53 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2022
1 person is currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 7, 2022
4.5 stars
Never before had I been offered to read a short story in exchange for an honest review, so here we go. SSP Dev Shinde and his team are digging further to find out what exactly happened on the night that both, Mr. and Mrs. Mishra died in a fatal accident. It all seemed Mr. Mishra feel asleep while driving, but...was that what really happened? Will Mr. Shinde and his team find out anything else with their questioning?
In my personal opinion this short story has been well written achieving what was intended. The set of characters play all an important role in the story and the writer takes us smoothly towards the climax of it. All the characters were well introduced and I even had to do some little research on IPC and NBC as I was not really familiar with them.
As some other readers, it took me little to reach the end, and I can say I look forward to reading more from Dev Shinde and team. I hope they'll entertain me as much as they did this time.
Never before had I been offered to read a short story in exchange for an honest review, so here we go. SSP Dev Shinde and his team are digging further to find out what exactly happened on the night that both, Mr. and Mrs. Mishra died in a fatal accident. It all seemed Mr. Mishra feel asleep while driving, but...was that what really happened? Will Mr. Shinde and his team find out anything else with their questioning?
In my personal opinion this short story has been well written achieving what was intended. The set of characters play all an important role in the story and the writer takes us smoothly towards the climax of it. All the characters were well introduced and I even had to do some little research on IPC and NBC as I was not really familiar with them.
As some other readers, it took me little to reach the end, and I can say I look forward to reading more from Dev Shinde and team. I hope they'll entertain me as much as they did this time.
February 8, 2023
Featuring ~ multiple 3rd person POV, death of parents, drugs, police procedural, references to (I'm hiding these because although I feel they need a warning, they do give a little bit of the story away, so read at your own risk
Yuvi is the only survivor in the crash that took his parents lives. It was ruled an accident, but once the investigators start questioning Yuvi, his grandfather, Mohan, and Jennifer, they learn there is way more to the story of how and why the accident happened. Every family has its secrets and the ones in this family are dark, which lead to a shocking ending.
Overall, a lot of information is jam packed into this 53 page book, in a good way. It's a great start to a series introducing characters of the Bombay Crime Bureau ~ Dev, Priya, Aaron and Salim.
Side note ~ Amazon says the reading age is 16-18. I don't agree, I think it has adult themes.
*Thanks to Krishnaraj HK for asking me to read his book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Yuvi is the only survivor in the crash that took his parents lives. It was ruled an accident, but once the investigators start questioning Yuvi, his grandfather, Mohan, and Jennifer, they learn there is way more to the story of how and why the accident happened. Every family has its secrets and the ones in this family are dark, which lead to a shocking ending.
Overall, a lot of information is jam packed into this 53 page book, in a good way. It's a great start to a series introducing characters of the Bombay Crime Bureau ~ Dev, Priya, Aaron and Salim.
Side note ~ Amazon says the reading age is 16-18. I don't agree, I think it has adult themes.
*Thanks to Krishnaraj HK for asking me to read his book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
September 16, 2022
This work by author Krishnaraj HK is in the form of a short story or excerpt from a forthcoming book. It takes place in police interrogation rooms where the police are investigating the death of a husband and wife in an auto accident that left their son injured but alive. His grandfather and he are questioned and the family's inner life is thrown open to view. This story is fast moving and filled with twists and turns. Very well done! This short story stands well on its own. It whets the appetite for more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2022
First and foremost, a large thank you to Krishnaraj HK for providing me with a copy of this short story, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
I was pleased to be handed an ARC for this short story, which proves to be highly entertaining. As I am one who always enjoys a great police procedural, I was eager to sink my teeth into one that uses an Indian flavouring to advance the story. Well-paced and with a few twists to keep me forging onwards, I was pleased to begin my journey reading Krishnaraj and his work.
After an early-morning vehicle accident claims the lives of two people, a teenaged boy is the only survivor with answers as to what’s might have happened. Scanning the scenes the police cannot answer all their queries, but are fairly certain that sleeping at the wheel as the likely cause of the vehicle veering into the path of an oncoming truck. However, Forensics may have something else to say on the matter, which leads Dev Shinde, Senior Superintendent with the Bombay Crime Bureau, to take a closer look.
When a container of pills are found in the glove box, Superintendent Shinde wonders if there may be more to the story. He digs a little deeper to learn that the family has a history of addiction, including the teenager who was on his way back from a facility with his parents. As Superintendent Shinde probes a little more, additional secrets begin tumbling out, which only adds motive and depth to this road incident. Might there be more than a freak accident to investigate here? Who might have wanted others in the vehicle to suffer and how did this all come about? A great introduction to the Bombay Crime Bureau. I look forward to the full-length novel to come.
It is always a gamble when an author approaches you, in hopes of you reading their work. The pressure is on, but I am happy to keep things honest throughout the review, as this is the only way an author will grow. I readily accepted this police procedural short story by Krishnaraj and hoped that it would whet my appetite for the upcoming novel with the same cast of characters. The story is strong and follows well, creating twists throughout to keep the reader on their toes. There are some good characters whose backstory will surely be developed as the series takes root. I am eager to see where things are headed and am happy to have taken the gamble with this piece.
Police procedurals the world round rely on strong narrative direction, particularly for those who are not familiar with the local customs or system of law. The reader is led quite nicely along with this piece and Krishnaraj keeps things moving at a brisk pace. Characters offer some depth, as well as comic relief, throughout the piece, which opens the door to some great development, once the series gets rolling. Plot twists throughout keep the reader on their toes, but also provide some ‘aha’ moments as Krishnaraj surely does not want things to become too predictable. I am glad that I took the time to read this shorter piece and await news on the full novel, which is sure to come soon.
Kudos, Mr. Krishnaraj, for reaching out and providing such a nice introduction to your series, I am eager to see how things go.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
I was pleased to be handed an ARC for this short story, which proves to be highly entertaining. As I am one who always enjoys a great police procedural, I was eager to sink my teeth into one that uses an Indian flavouring to advance the story. Well-paced and with a few twists to keep me forging onwards, I was pleased to begin my journey reading Krishnaraj and his work.
After an early-morning vehicle accident claims the lives of two people, a teenaged boy is the only survivor with answers as to what’s might have happened. Scanning the scenes the police cannot answer all their queries, but are fairly certain that sleeping at the wheel as the likely cause of the vehicle veering into the path of an oncoming truck. However, Forensics may have something else to say on the matter, which leads Dev Shinde, Senior Superintendent with the Bombay Crime Bureau, to take a closer look.
When a container of pills are found in the glove box, Superintendent Shinde wonders if there may be more to the story. He digs a little deeper to learn that the family has a history of addiction, including the teenager who was on his way back from a facility with his parents. As Superintendent Shinde probes a little more, additional secrets begin tumbling out, which only adds motive and depth to this road incident. Might there be more than a freak accident to investigate here? Who might have wanted others in the vehicle to suffer and how did this all come about? A great introduction to the Bombay Crime Bureau. I look forward to the full-length novel to come.
It is always a gamble when an author approaches you, in hopes of you reading their work. The pressure is on, but I am happy to keep things honest throughout the review, as this is the only way an author will grow. I readily accepted this police procedural short story by Krishnaraj and hoped that it would whet my appetite for the upcoming novel with the same cast of characters. The story is strong and follows well, creating twists throughout to keep the reader on their toes. There are some good characters whose backstory will surely be developed as the series takes root. I am eager to see where things are headed and am happy to have taken the gamble with this piece.
Police procedurals the world round rely on strong narrative direction, particularly for those who are not familiar with the local customs or system of law. The reader is led quite nicely along with this piece and Krishnaraj keeps things moving at a brisk pace. Characters offer some depth, as well as comic relief, throughout the piece, which opens the door to some great development, once the series gets rolling. Plot twists throughout keep the reader on their toes, but also provide some ‘aha’ moments as Krishnaraj surely does not want things to become too predictable. I am glad that I took the time to read this shorter piece and await news on the full novel, which is sure to come soon.
Kudos, Mr. Krishnaraj, for reaching out and providing such a nice introduction to your series, I am eager to see how things go.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 18, 2022
This is a short story that is a prequel to a series following the Bombay crime bureau. First of all it’s interesting to read about crime investigation in India, since I’ve never done it before. The book describes interrogations to figure out what happened after a car crash. For me it was a bit hard to fully understand why it was investigated at all, maybe a bit more context would have helped. I also would have loved more ‘meat’ generally since there was a lot of back-and-forth dialogues. That will probably be easier in longer books, though. I also think the writing can be improved. For example these sentences: ‘it was a long nap and an hour later’.. and ‘her rising anxiety showed in her short, wavering burst of words’.
I also was surprised by the interrogation technique described as it was very coercive. But maybe that’s how it’s done in Bombay?
I also was surprised by the interrogation technique described as it was very coercive. But maybe that’s how it’s done in Bombay?
August 29, 2022
Fast-paced, Dark and Twisted suspense.
----
A plain open and shut case is revisited by the Protagonist S.S.P Dev Shinde wherein a fatal car accident is to be investigated.
I liked the style in which the chapters have been divided based on what's going on in which room. Since the book is totally based upon police interrogations, the reader oscillates between a couple rooms.
The writing style is fast-paced and the plot is dark and quite unpredictable. Kept me engaged for quite a good time. For me, it turned out to be more darker and twisted than expected.
I'm a sucker for characters and I believe that not every character portrayed has to be good; similarly, not every character in the book has to be flawed. Sadly, I couldn't much connect with any of the characters from the book.
All in all, a quick read. Hoping to see what's coming next from S.S.P Dev Shinde.
----
A plain open and shut case is revisited by the Protagonist S.S.P Dev Shinde wherein a fatal car accident is to be investigated.
I liked the style in which the chapters have been divided based on what's going on in which room. Since the book is totally based upon police interrogations, the reader oscillates between a couple rooms.
The writing style is fast-paced and the plot is dark and quite unpredictable. Kept me engaged for quite a good time. For me, it turned out to be more darker and twisted than expected.
I'm a sucker for characters and I believe that not every character portrayed has to be good; similarly, not every character in the book has to be flawed. Sadly, I couldn't much connect with any of the characters from the book.
All in all, a quick read. Hoping to see what's coming next from S.S.P Dev Shinde.
July 3, 2022
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
WOW. I really liked this book. It's a brilliant book for those who love reading thrillers, mysteries and crimes! Perfectly engaging and well sought out. The book was very interesting and creative. I was always trying to think of what would happen next. Totally worth reading! I'm looking forward to read more books by this author!
WOW. I really liked this book. It's a brilliant book for those who love reading thrillers, mysteries and crimes! Perfectly engaging and well sought out. The book was very interesting and creative. I was always trying to think of what would happen next. Totally worth reading! I'm looking forward to read more books by this author!
July 22, 2022
I was approached by the author to read this novel in exchange for an honest review. By my own admission I am not the biggest fan of the shorter reads so it was quite a brave move to ask me to review the authors hard work. Obviously Raj’s confidence in his novel was well founded as the book proved an excellent short read. Very good characters , well written and an interesting plot. The book is a prelude to his novel ‘All Things Vile’ which is to be the start of a police procedural series.
Two people are killed when the car they were passengers in is involved in a crash. The seventeen year old son of the two passengers survives but is seriously injured. The case is investigated by the local police but they find no signs of any wrong doings and conclude that the driver, Mr. Abhay Mishra, had fallen asleep while driving the vehicle. The son and his remaining family accept the verdict but everything changes when the Bombay Crime Bureau get involved.
As well as being a very good story it is an excellent introduction of the characters who will feature in the upcoming series. My usual criticism of short stories is that often the characters are not developed and the plot is kept very simple due to the page constraints. Somehow the author avoids both these potential problems and serves up a very good story with interesting characters.
I am pretty sure we will hear more from this author in the future.
A strong 4 stars rounded up.
Two people are killed when the car they were passengers in is involved in a crash. The seventeen year old son of the two passengers survives but is seriously injured. The case is investigated by the local police but they find no signs of any wrong doings and conclude that the driver, Mr. Abhay Mishra, had fallen asleep while driving the vehicle. The son and his remaining family accept the verdict but everything changes when the Bombay Crime Bureau get involved.
As well as being a very good story it is an excellent introduction of the characters who will feature in the upcoming series. My usual criticism of short stories is that often the characters are not developed and the plot is kept very simple due to the page constraints. Somehow the author avoids both these potential problems and serves up a very good story with interesting characters.
I am pretty sure we will hear more from this author in the future.
A strong 4 stars rounded up.
October 8, 2022
A Hideous Convention by Krishnaraj HK is Crime fiction (kinda!?). This story happens in India. A couple being killed in a car accident and the bombay crime bureau is investigating the real reason for their dead. This is prequel for another book.
This is really a fast paced story that you'll probably end up reading in one sitting and it's a small read also. Very interesting plot and characters hooked me from the beginning to end.
I loved this book very much and will definitely read more from the author, can't wait to read more of Dev and his team's investigations.
Thank you to the Author for asking me to read the book, I ended up absolutely loving it.
https://deluwrites.blogspot.com/2022/...
This is really a fast paced story that you'll probably end up reading in one sitting and it's a small read also. Very interesting plot and characters hooked me from the beginning to end.
I loved this book very much and will definitely read more from the author, can't wait to read more of Dev and his team's investigations.
Thank you to the Author for asking me to read the book, I ended up absolutely loving it.
https://deluwrites.blogspot.com/2022/...
October 23, 2022
An interesting and introduction to a new book (series?). I have never read a police procedural set in India. It is well written and will try another.
August 17, 2022
I got to read this for an honest review so
All I got to say is that at first it was an alright story but I was genuinely shocked when I read the end. I didn’t expect it. And I did like the characters even if it was such a short story. I’d probably read All Things Vile by this author just from reading this. I normally don’t read stuff like this so I’m glad it was a good story.
All I got to say is that at first it was an alright story but I was genuinely shocked when I read the end. I didn’t expect it. And I did like the characters even if it was such a short story. I’d probably read All Things Vile by this author just from reading this. I normally don’t read stuff like this so I’m glad it was a good story.
November 5, 2022
The author very kindly provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the first in a new series of crime books set in Bombay. The story was dark and fast-paced but as with most novellas, it was hard to fully engage with the characters.
There were a few sexist descriptions of the female characters, which were disappointing, for example: “Instantly, she became one of those rare women who proved age to be just a number. Though over forty, she was still very attractive, and did not rely on cosmetics, for the dark circles beneath her eyes were evident”.
I enjoyed the story overall and would read the second in the series.
There were a few sexist descriptions of the female characters, which were disappointing, for example: “Instantly, she became one of those rare women who proved age to be just a number. Though over forty, she was still very attractive, and did not rely on cosmetics, for the dark circles beneath her eyes were evident”.
I enjoyed the story overall and would read the second in the series.
July 10, 2022
A Hideous Convention is a short story that serves as an introduction to the Bombay Crime Unit where SSP Dev Shinde and his team of bright subordinates are adept in solving cases.
Two people have died in an accident which seems to be an open and shut case. However, SSP Dev's team get pulled in to the case due to political pressure and they uncover the true story behind.
Coming to positives, I really enjoyed the flow of the book. It mostly alternates between interrogations happening in different interrogation rooms. It reads like a tight screenplay and is engrossing so much so that this book can be very easily read in a single sitting. Writing is both crisp and to the point, two things I greatly admire in any writer in this genre.
However, I did feel some questions were left unanswered. For example, why Ms Gaargi Gupta, a politician, was interested in the case? She brings up that her father was murdered and people were paid to keep quiet. What's the deal behind that? It's not clear whether these questions would be answered later or not. Also, while I understand this is a short story, I would have loved to see a little more procedural stuff that goes behind the scenes as this story focussed almost entirely on the interrogations.
In the end, I certainly recommend this book to practically anyone. I am also looking forward to know more about Dev Shinde and his team and what interesting cases they solve next!
**** I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. ****
Two people have died in an accident which seems to be an open and shut case. However, SSP Dev's team get pulled in to the case due to political pressure and they uncover the true story behind.
Coming to positives, I really enjoyed the flow of the book. It mostly alternates between interrogations happening in different interrogation rooms. It reads like a tight screenplay and is engrossing so much so that this book can be very easily read in a single sitting. Writing is both crisp and to the point, two things I greatly admire in any writer in this genre.
However, I did feel some questions were left unanswered. For example, why Ms Gaargi Gupta, a politician, was interested in the case? She brings up that her father was murdered and people were paid to keep quiet. What's the deal behind that? It's not clear whether these questions would be answered later or not. Also, while I understand this is a short story, I would have loved to see a little more procedural stuff that goes behind the scenes as this story focussed almost entirely on the interrogations.
In the end, I certainly recommend this book to practically anyone. I am also looking forward to know more about Dev Shinde and his team and what interesting cases they solve next!
**** I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. ****
December 22, 2022
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for my honest review. This was a short and easy read that kept my attention. It was a good introduction to the characters and I look forward to reading the next book and watching the characters develop.
August 20, 2022
I rarely read books set in India for various reasons, however, A Hideous Convention (Bombay Crime Bureau: Interrogations) sounded so intriguing that I gave it a try. I'm glad I did. This is a short story, an introduction, to what will become a new series centering on the vilest crimes in our midst. The author's writing is both compelling and succinct bringing the story to a surprising ending with a twist that made me gasp; not a twist just for the sake of throwing the reader off course but a real, "never-saw-it-coming" shock. I loved it and can't wait to read more.
August 3, 2022
This is a short introductory story into the world of a young detective team working in the Bombay Crime Bureau.
It completely achieves this purpose and more.
A political intervention asks that a fatal crash, investigated and signed off by the police as an accident be re-opened to try and understand all the factors in play that fatal early morning.
If you like interview scenes in crime investigations you’ll love this brief story. There are no fewer than 3 interview rooms.
The investigator’s hand grows as stronger as new information, witnesses and evidence is found during the course of this process in just one day.
I liked the way these fresh insights took the story off on a new and interesting tangent. The questioning and dialogue sounded both forensic and true to life. Details were prepared and new clues quickly followed up. The sense of power between the two combatants seemed to pass between each so you wondered if the truth would ever be discovered.
I warmly recommend this new author and his original crime drama. There is the promise of a new series expanding on this police departments work.
It will be interesting to see if in a longer format the interest can be sustained outside the pressure cooker demands of the interview room. As these characters lives are expanded upon and more descriptive writing is required to carry a story.
There is enough here to want to read that book and wish a fledgling author well in this project.
It completely achieves this purpose and more.
A political intervention asks that a fatal crash, investigated and signed off by the police as an accident be re-opened to try and understand all the factors in play that fatal early morning.
If you like interview scenes in crime investigations you’ll love this brief story. There are no fewer than 3 interview rooms.
The investigator’s hand grows as stronger as new information, witnesses and evidence is found during the course of this process in just one day.
I liked the way these fresh insights took the story off on a new and interesting tangent. The questioning and dialogue sounded both forensic and true to life. Details were prepared and new clues quickly followed up. The sense of power between the two combatants seemed to pass between each so you wondered if the truth would ever be discovered.
I warmly recommend this new author and his original crime drama. There is the promise of a new series expanding on this police departments work.
It will be interesting to see if in a longer format the interest can be sustained outside the pressure cooker demands of the interview room. As these characters lives are expanded upon and more descriptive writing is required to carry a story.
There is enough here to want to read that book and wish a fledgling author well in this project.
July 26, 2022
I received the book from author in exchange of honest reviews
It's a mere 60 page short story and O.M.G. This blew my mind like no other!
What an amazing twisted plot and what an amazing writing style
It's a 100% recommendation on my part. If this is how short story has turned out to be I'm more than waiting for the full length novel!
Don't wait! Read it already!!!
July 28, 2022
Pretty interesting little novella! I find crime novels can be a bit of a hit or miss for me but I did enjoy this one and the whole time it felt interesting and readable. I would definitely be tempted to check out the other books in the series.
4/5 stars
4/5 stars
August 29, 2022
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this story. This was my first book set in India. It was very well written, succinct and contained great introductions for the main characters. I look forward to reading the author's soon to be published book, "All Things Vile".
August 2, 2022
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
This is a short prequel to a crime novel I presume the author will be publishing later this year. In that sense, it sets up the story and leaves the readers with a lot of questions that they will find answers to in the upcoming book (I hope!)
Here's what I liked about the book:
1. The format of the book is easy to follow. The chapters are divided by room. Each room contains a different individual that is being interrogated about the accident in question to ascertain whether there may have been any wrongdoing.
2. There was a steady build up to a shocking reveal near the end of the prequel that I wasn't expecting at all. I'm not easily surprised, but this took me off guard.
3. It seems we are just at the tip of the iceberg. There is a hidden story that is yet to come out in the longer novel, and this prequel does a good job of piquing the reader's interest.
I think that the dialogue in some cases could be streamlined / edited for a better flow. It was a little challenging to keep track of all the characters that were introduced, many of whom played almost no role or very minor roles in this prequel, so I question whether they are even necessary at this stage. Of course, it may be because they will feature more prominently in the longer book, so it's hard to say but I found them distracting in the context of this shorter story.
All in all, it's a promising start. It kept me engaged and curious.
This is a short prequel to a crime novel I presume the author will be publishing later this year. In that sense, it sets up the story and leaves the readers with a lot of questions that they will find answers to in the upcoming book (I hope!)
Here's what I liked about the book:
1. The format of the book is easy to follow. The chapters are divided by room. Each room contains a different individual that is being interrogated about the accident in question to ascertain whether there may have been any wrongdoing.
2. There was a steady build up to a shocking reveal near the end of the prequel that I wasn't expecting at all. I'm not easily surprised, but this took me off guard.
3. It seems we are just at the tip of the iceberg. There is a hidden story that is yet to come out in the longer novel, and this prequel does a good job of piquing the reader's interest.
I think that the dialogue in some cases could be streamlined / edited for a better flow. It was a little challenging to keep track of all the characters that were introduced, many of whom played almost no role or very minor roles in this prequel, so I question whether they are even necessary at this stage. Of course, it may be because they will feature more prominently in the longer book, so it's hard to say but I found them distracting in the context of this shorter story.
All in all, it's a promising start. It kept me engaged and curious.
August 31, 2022
Well written crime thriller - interesting characters with short/divided chapters which I enjoy reading - the mystery of the interrogations will keep you reading....
October 18, 2022
First of all I want to thank the author, Raj, for providing me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.
A Hideous Convention is a very special book, in fact
we follow the thread of this short story through interviews done by Dev and his team, so I found it very innovative.
In this prequel we begin to get to know the characters who will follow us in the sequel.
Dev Shinde is a Senior Superintendent with the Bombay Crime Bureau and a case is presented to him.
A man, due to a stroke of sleep, collides with his car against a trailer truck killing himself and his wife. The only survivor is the poor son sitting in the back seat. But did the accident really happen like this?
One of the things that struck me the most was that the book touches on different topics, including favoritism towards rich people, how the queer community is considered and much more.
This story kept me glued to the pages, I found it very well written and very interesting. It's full of twists, not to mention the completely unexpected ending.
To conclude, I recommend reading this book to all those who are passionate about the crime genre.
I can't wait to read more about Dev and his team!
A Hideous Convention is a very special book, in fact
we follow the thread of this short story through interviews done by Dev and his team, so I found it very innovative.
In this prequel we begin to get to know the characters who will follow us in the sequel.
Dev Shinde is a Senior Superintendent with the Bombay Crime Bureau and a case is presented to him.
A man, due to a stroke of sleep, collides with his car against a trailer truck killing himself and his wife. The only survivor is the poor son sitting in the back seat. But did the accident really happen like this?
One of the things that struck me the most was that the book touches on different topics, including favoritism towards rich people, how the queer community is considered and much more.
This story kept me glued to the pages, I found it very well written and very interesting. It's full of twists, not to mention the completely unexpected ending.
To conclude, I recommend reading this book to all those who are passionate about the crime genre.
I can't wait to read more about Dev and his team!
October 24, 2022
From the Police Files
I received this book from the author Mr. Krishna Raj in exchange of a frank and honest review.
The opinions in this review are all mine and based on my reading of this book.
I am a sucker for legal thrillers and police procedurals comes as an extension.
This is a short book 53 pages on Kindle and 41 in the PDF that I received but it packs a punch.
The star character of Dev Shinde is very well etched and he comes across as a thinking man who puts more than just two and two together. His team is equally efficient and has some gender parity.
Their handling of the case belays the normally slow domestic procedures but is welcome in a book.
The story is a clean cut whodunit with ample spaces for forays. The final lines wraps up the case nicely staying within the legal confines without leaving any stray lines.
The story evokes recent memories of the recent drug searches, admissions as well as the NCB fiasco in the country but stays true to course.
Some of the insights gave me parallels to Chetan Bhagat's recent novels about a detective duo but in a good way.
Most of what I read here is current and most if not all of the influences can be alluded to by readers.
Raj's writing is crisp and does not dilly dally in situations.
The story itself is about a suspected accident-suicide-murder of a person from high society. The family frailties are exposed and raw showing a dark underbelly. The family patriarch, dark secrets, the gender blind child, drugs, affair, guilty history, all play a part in the story.
The author Raj has potential and this story being a hors d'oeuvre for a novel hits the right zones.
Just over 4 stars for me but a recommended read.
I received this book from the author Mr. Krishna Raj in exchange of a frank and honest review.
The opinions in this review are all mine and based on my reading of this book.
I am a sucker for legal thrillers and police procedurals comes as an extension.
This is a short book 53 pages on Kindle and 41 in the PDF that I received but it packs a punch.
The star character of Dev Shinde is very well etched and he comes across as a thinking man who puts more than just two and two together. His team is equally efficient and has some gender parity.
Their handling of the case belays the normally slow domestic procedures but is welcome in a book.
The story is a clean cut whodunit with ample spaces for forays. The final lines wraps up the case nicely staying within the legal confines without leaving any stray lines.
The story evokes recent memories of the recent drug searches, admissions as well as the NCB fiasco in the country but stays true to course.
Some of the insights gave me parallels to Chetan Bhagat's recent novels about a detective duo but in a good way.
Most of what I read here is current and most if not all of the influences can be alluded to by readers.
Raj's writing is crisp and does not dilly dally in situations.
The story itself is about a suspected accident-suicide-murder of a person from high society. The family frailties are exposed and raw showing a dark underbelly. The family patriarch, dark secrets, the gender blind child, drugs, affair, guilty history, all play a part in the story.
The author Raj has potential and this story being a hors d'oeuvre for a novel hits the right zones.
Just over 4 stars for me but a recommended read.
August 19, 2022
When a car goes off the road in darkness, the couple in the front seats both die while their son, sitting behind, survives but with severe injuries. Despite the forensic report, the local police force deem it an accident due to the driver falling asleep at the wheel. Then the Bombay Crime Bureau take over the case .. and they are nothing if not thorough . . .
This is a short story, an introduction to a new series and it does the job very well. We get to know the main characters and their modus operandi and it is a thrilling tale. With an excellent use of language, I was pulled in from the first page and will certainly be looking out for more in the series. If you fancy something new and just a tad different, I definitely recommend this! 4.5*.
This is a short story, an introduction to a new series and it does the job very well. We get to know the main characters and their modus operandi and it is a thrilling tale. With an excellent use of language, I was pulled in from the first page and will certainly be looking out for more in the series. If you fancy something new and just a tad different, I definitely recommend this! 4.5*.
August 5, 2022
Interrogations-A Hideous Convention is a prelude to Raj’s upcoming police procedural/ Thriller “All Things Vile”.
SSP Dev Shinde and his team are part of the Bombay Crime Bureau is given a reopened case on a car crash. This story was well written, but I do have a few small unanswered questions. Overall it leaves you with wanting to read more on The Bombay Crime Team.
Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
SSP Dev Shinde and his team are part of the Bombay Crime Bureau is given a reopened case on a car crash. This story was well written, but I do have a few small unanswered questions. Overall it leaves you with wanting to read more on The Bombay Crime Team.
Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 31, 2022
I wish this book shouldn't have got over so soon.
The narrative so engaging that it felt like watching a suspense thriller on screen.
Each character is portrayed so well along-with building up the storyline.
Suspenseful events unfolding one by one makes this book engrossing and unputdownable.
I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review and I am happy that I came across it. A quick, engrossing and engaging read. Thorough research done by the author upon crime investigation shows up in his work.
This review are my own thoughts about the book and are in no way biased.
Looking forward to reading more from the author.
The narrative so engaging that it felt like watching a suspense thriller on screen.
Each character is portrayed so well along-with building up the storyline.
Suspenseful events unfolding one by one makes this book engrossing and unputdownable.
I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review and I am happy that I came across it. A quick, engrossing and engaging read. Thorough research done by the author upon crime investigation shows up in his work.
This review are my own thoughts about the book and are in no way biased.
Looking forward to reading more from the author.
July 29, 2022
As an introduction to a series, "A Hideous Convention" cannot be faulted. As a stand alone story, it is superb. It reads fast, kept my attention, and left me wanting a whole heap of other short stories and half a dozen full-length novels! We don't get to know a great deal about the characters (it's a short story, after all), but we learn everything we need to... and maybe more. I'm very much looking forward to the next book, and hope it won't be too far in the future.
My thanks to the author. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
July 24, 2022
A delightfully engrossing, twisted and suspenseful, introduction from a brand new voice in diverse crime fiction. Despite the unpleasant nature of the revelations, I immensely enjoyed this fast-paced and in-depth short story and eagerly await the full-length novel. Set in India, we meet a family that on the surface is wealthy and enviable. But that's a veneer.
A thin and shaky veneer. This short story also contains LGBTQ+ issues, delicately addressed.
A thin and shaky veneer. This short story also contains LGBTQ+ issues, delicately addressed.
July 3, 2022
This may be a short read but does not hold back. A good taster for what may happen next. Clever introduction to characters that will definitely entice the reader into seeing these characters on their next adventures.
July 7, 2022
This was a great short story! It read so fast and the characters were well developed. The plot was fantastic and held my interest for the entire thing. Really enjoyed it!
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