A STUNNING AND INTENSE CRIME THRILLER

Chirdeep Malhotra . Updated: 9/2/2018 4:57:28 PM Books and Authors

Book Review: : '13 lives and a heart' by Naveen Dagar

The genre of crime thrillers is an interesting and exciting one, as the fusion of the criminal renderings, the psychological reasons behind the crime, and the quest of catching the criminal is a riveting and action-packed cruise for the reader. However, many of the crime thrillers being published nowadays are bringing nothing new to the narrative. The author Naveen Dagar comes up with the book “13 lives and a heart”, which is a crime thriller written with a different and fresh perspective, and will be liked by fans of this genre.
The narrative details the story of the protagonist Aryan Sirohi. The book begins on the day of Aryan Sirohi’s execution. He has been convicted of murder and his is the only trial in the history of the Indian Judiciary to have resulted in an unorthodox sentencing- death by lethal injection. In his final moments, he is tied down to a chair and just before Sodium thiopental is injected into his bloodstream, he reflects back on his life one last time.
Then through flashbacks, one gets to know about Aryan Sirohi’s story. He was not always a criminal. Once he was a shining star, a good son, a great friend and a besotted lover. What went wrong when all seemed perfect? What crime did Aryan Sirohi do for which he was sentenced to death by lethal injection? The narrative then goes on to answer these questions.
The front cover of the book is intriguing and has “Prison Break”-like overtones to it. The blurb on the back cover is well-written, provides a genuine insight into the story, and will surely entice readers to delve into this crime thriller. The writing style of the author is elegant, and the twists and turns that he has incorporated in the story make it a compelling read. The storyline is electrifying, the narrative is fast-paced and one will surely get impressed with the author’s writing style, given that this is the debut book of the author. The plots and subplots are also intricately woven, and the characters and their musings are explored in depth. However, there are a few editing glitches in the book.
This is an intense thriller, and is an action-packed trek through the convoluted psychological human mind and the musings that it partakes in. This book also fuses a romantic subplot in this crime thriller, and skilfully combines psychological suspense, intense crime and courtroom procedural; making for an engrossing read.


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