SPIES, LIES & RED TAPE

Spies, Lies & Red Tape

A Spy Military-Political Fiction Thriller Based On The India Subcontinent

Author : Amit Bagaria

Publisher : Notion Press

Pages : 190

Price : 139/- INR

Format : Kindle

Buy : Amazon India

Rating : 5/5 Stars

Blurb :

 The Gang of Six were clinching their fists under the 21-seater oval teak table in the PMO in New Delhi. How could their Prime Minister speak to them like that? How does the Constitution of India allow such people, with just 35 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha, to become the PM?

The Indian PM's aircraft took off from Islamabad Airport at 7:45 am IST and was scheduled to land at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi at 9:10 am IST. When the aircraft started deviating from its scheduled route, there was panic at the IGIA air traffic control tower. By 9:15 am IST, the aircraft was seen heading south, when it became out of range of the radars at IGIA. Had the PM's aircraft been hijacked? Was it headed to Sri Lanka or the Maldives?

The defence minister, external affairs minister and the NSA had accompanied the PM to Islamabad. In their absence, the best men to contact the Indian Air Force Chief were the cabinet secretary or the defence secretary. Both men tried to get hold of him, but to no avail. He was not answering his office or mobile phone. They tried the Vice Chief and got no response either. What in hell was going on?

By 9:45 am IST, Indian Army soldiers in battle gear began arriving in army trucks at North and South Block, and at various other ministry buildings spread across Lutyens' Delhi. Hundreds of soldiers also arrived at the residences of the union ministers in the 28.7 km2 Lutyens Bungalow Zone.

At 9:45 pm Pakistan Time, about five hours after the Indian generals had finished the press conference in New Delhi and about two hours after millions had started demonstrating on roads across fifty-plus Indian cities, Prime Minister Irfan Khan chaired a meeting of Pakistan's National Security Council. A plan of action was framed.

Review :

Phenomenal, from start to finish.

What a terrific book! So compelling and intriguing. This book has so many things, Slow burn of thriller, loyalty to country, politics and international relations. A great book from the Brilliant writer Amit Bagaria. Best book I have read this year and you should probably read it. Highly recommend !

The Curse Of Nader Shah

The Curse Of Nader Shah

Rise And Fall Of A Tyrant

Author : Sutapa Basu

Publisher : Readomania

Pages : 278

Price : 295/- INR

Format : Paperback

Buy : Amazon India

Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb : 

What happens when a megalomaniac builds aspirations of being a world conqueror? Son of a humble shepherd from the remote northern mountains of Persia, his colossal ambition and bold strategy catapulted nader qoli Shah from a soldier to the Shah of Persia. However, nader Shah’s downfall was carefully orchestrated from the day he ascended the throne of Persia. As he compelled his Army to undertake punishing campaigns, squeezed the nation economy to starvation, and piled up mutilated bodies, even his loyal companions rose against him. They all wanted him gone but one of them wanted it the most. Who played him like a game of chess, drove him to insanity, and became his nemesis?.

Review: 

Author Sutapa Basu holds her reader spellbound through a sweeping narration. The book leave the reader amused at the sheer brilliance of the writer. With unbelievable amount of research and detailing author set the perfect example of how to blend fiction and history and make it  informative, interesting  and gripping. Excellent book on Nader Shah whose intelligent use of strategy made him supreme of Persia and demonic and tyrannical madness lead him into the grave. Language of the book is simple and easy to understand. The coverpage and title of the book is apt to the content and compel you to pick it up. A must read book. Highly recommend.

** This review is a part of the Blogchatter book review program **

https://www.theblogchatter.com/book-review-program-from-blogchatter/

A Useful Death

A Useful Death

Author : Sriram Chellapilla

Publisher : Westland Books

Pages : 410

Price : 399/- INR

Format : Paperback

Buy : Amazon India

Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb : 

Aspiring actress Priya is dead. It’s a suicide, and rumour has it that Anil, son of politician and former Telugu-movie superstar Mohan Krishna, drove her to it. Just another film-industry scandal? Or something bigger, much bigger?

Partha, hired by Mohan Krishna’s family to handle the crisis, thinks so. Why won’t such a powerful father defend his son, Partha wonders. Is there an intra-family war? Whose interests are playing out in the media and on social media? Is a political game afoot or is this all connected to Mohan Krishna’s own dubious past? And why are student unions getting involved?

Even as Partha and his associates, Seema and Harish, confront the ethics of being involved in a war with no heroes, they are drawn into a dangerous hunt. They must negotiate a tangled and vicious world to answer one question: a young woman is dead—to whom is her death useful?

Review :

This was a fabulous read with a great storyline and fantastic characters. I love crime thrillers and this was no exception. I will definitely read more from the author. I really enjoyed the story with lots of action that move right along.  Author Sriram Chellapilla tells a good story here with strong sense of place and centrality of landscape and pursuit of dependent on landscape of plot. Characters are well developed (Mohan Krishnan , Partha ). The language of the book is simple . The cover page and title of the book compel you to pick it up. Definitely a good solid read. Highly recommend.

Operation Johar

Operation Johar

A Love Story

Author : Abhishek Banerjee
Publisher : Notion Press / Indica

www.indicacademy.org

Pages : 212
Price : 200/- INR
Format : Paperback
Buy : Indicacademy / Amazon
Rating : 4/5 Stars

Blurb :

Meet Somu. His days are divided between tackling physics problems and the taste of fresh parathas and alu-gobi. He is in love with Sangeeta, the girl next door. She is seven years older than him -- and a doctor.

Sangeeta already has a boyfriend. An odd fellow named Jatin who says he will change the world. Then there is a shooting and Jatin disappears. Slowly, Somu and Sangeeta unravel a story of murder, betrayal and ultimately an act of unbelievable cruelty that is `Operation Johar.'

Who is the mysterious woman that Jatin meets in the forest? What is Jatin's strange obsession with conquering the power that she calls the `Guardian of the forest'? And will Jatin really push Sangeeta over the edge of the waterfall to her death?

In 2003, the state of Jharkhand and its capital of Ranchi have become a playground for the forces of hope and the forces of fear. And a bit of love. This is that story.

Review :

A Well written book. The story is raw and original and we'll researched. The author Abhishek Banerjee is master in blending fact and fiction which makes the reading more interesting. The book explores the psyche of urban naxals who get involved in dangerous activities labelled as sedition at the risk of one's life. The language of the book is simple and easy to read. The cover page and title of the book is apt to the story. A must read book. Highly recommend.