Book Review - Misogynist Interrupted by Shyam Sundar Bulusu

My Rating - 2 out of 5 stars
Publisher - Notion Press
Genre - Fiction/Thriller
Publishing year - 2017
Language - English
ISBN - 978-1-946556-61-5
Pages - 166

My Review - 

Misogynist Interrupted is my third read from Shyam Sundar Bulusu. Before that, I read his poetry and short story collection. This book is a compact thriller about a serial killer going on in Chennai. The plot revolves around women's safety and portrays anti-feminist thoughts.

The killer murdered ten girls in five years, and after a year and a half, he strikes again. The police have no clue, and a retired DCP asks for help from a detective named Azhagan. Being a rowdy ex-cop, Azhagan has his ways to find out the truth; he starts studying the case with his assistant cum receptionist, Meera. 

Their search leads them to the next victim, but will their hunch prove right, or is the killer just playing with them? The criminal has a significant slaying style, but due to Azhagan and Meera's interference, in a rage, he starts making mistakes that guide the authorities in the right direction. The police and detective work together without any bad blood or thinking about who will take credit, which is a new aspect I found in this book. 

Things that didn't work for me - The grammatical errors always throw me in a bad mood, and then I felt that the characters didn't grow or develop maturely over time, so I could not connect with them. There is a lack of darkness in this book, and don't get me wrong; if I'm reading a thriller about serial killing, I need the opacity, moral greyness, the mystery around the characters, and a plot that gives me goosebumps, which was missing. I wish that the author had spent more time developing Mani's personality, and providing his back story in detail would work much better for the readers. 

Things that work for me will work for you too - There is an advantage to a short book. You'll finish it in a few hours, and it helps you get out of a reading slump. The language is also lucid, so you don't have to spend time googling meanings. 

I know that this book didn't create wonders for me, but it does have an audience, and it is best suited for newbies looking for a fast-paced and short crime fiction novel. 

Grab your copy from - Amazon IN Amazon US