MUMBAI MAYHEM BY DEV AYAN (2024)

Blurb: A dead body drops outside Kamala Mills. Whose dead body? Who dropped it? And why was his face painted violet? Meet Detective Billy Tavde, Sees crime as an opportunity to use his grey cells Deeply roots for that special person And ACP Gaitonde, A rule-following cop in a muddle of police system Faces the biggest challenge at a personal level. Will they be able to find the killer before it’s too late In The City of Dreams? The City of Hopes? The City of Opportunity? Or the city of Mayhem?

Let me start off by mentioning that I was expecting this book to be a whodunnit mystery (given the premise), but it was more of a cat and mouse chase between the police and the serial killer. And while that did disappoint me a bit in earlier chapters, I was eventually quite satisfied with the narrative in the later chapters and its transparent approach to telling its story. So now that the lens adjustment in terms of the expectations is out of the way, I’d love to get to the crux of the review.

At one point, most Indians were fans of CID, and the inseparable trio of ACP Pradyuman, Daya, and Abhijeet. If you have ever been a fan of this trio, then you’ll definitely enjoy the dynamic between the eccentric Detective Billy with his sharp deductions, and ACP Gaitonde with his righteous valour. These characters are at the heart of the story, but all the murders are anchored by RB Sheikh, a psychopathic serial killer who sets out to kill those who lack the courage to make challenging decisions in life. The supporting characters are the victims and their loved ones who are forced to grapple with the aftermath of the murders. While some victims give up on their dream career to tackle difficult circumstances, others give up on their love out of fear of societal judgment. I also like how the story actively sheds light on the ugly aspects of police brutality and shady journalism that happens to manipulate public opinion. The narrative deals with a huge ensemble, but makes sure to flesh out each character with meaningful backstories that become relevant to the main story. By the end, all character arcs are neatly tied up, and the climax includes some unexpected revelations and a confrontation that’s so intense that you’ll be thinking about the ending for days after putting your book down!

Fast paced, intense and thrilling, I’d like to give this story a rating of 4.5/5.