Group Read June 2018 - The Butcher of Benares by Mahendra Jakhar

cynic

The votes are in and The Butcher of Benares by Mahendra Jakhar has been chosen as the Group Read of the month.

The Butcher of Benares by Mahendra Jakhar




The shocking and brutal murder of a young American woman rips apart the peace of the ancient city of Benares. She is found to be a research scientist working with the Vatican Observatory, one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world. Hawa Singh, a senior inspector from Delhi crime branch on a visit to Benares, gets embroiled in the case. He finds that the murdered woman had been researching the Bhrigu-Samhita, an astrological classic dating back to pre-Vedic times, believed to be lost. The FBI sends in Ruby Malik, a Pakistani-American to investigate the murder. Soon, more bodies are found with bizarre connections to both the Bhrigu-Samhita and Christian orthodoxy. The Vatican seems to be carrying out a clandestine operation, seeking the secrets of Hindu astrology in the city most sacred to it. Secrets that the Vatican would kill to know. Hawa Singh, hardened by many gunfights and with a bullet already lodged near his brain in a previous encounter, teams up with Ruby Malik to unravel the mystery. Nothing is the same any more. The temple bells fade in the perpetual winter fog. There is blood on the streets of Benares, which becomes a battleground where faith and science collide. The worlds of astronomy and astrology come. Hawa Singh and Ruby search the opium dens and the domains of Naga sadhus, Aghoris and Doms in the cremation grounds, hunt a cannibal lurking in the maze that is Benares and clash with the figurehead king of the city, Kashi Naresh Maharaj Abhay Narayan Singh. The killer could be anyone. Only Hawa Singh and his beautiful co-runner on the chase, Ruby Malik, possess the mindset and the indomitable courage, to find the murderer at the heart of this mystery and in the process, find themselves.


The book is available at https://www.craxme.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=6993

Members are requested to join in. Please use this thread to discuss the book.

Note: Please check in if you are interested in participating in the group read. A simple "I'm in" would suffice. It gives us a fair idea of the wait time before we start discussing the book. If you wish to join in later, that is okay too.

Mousetrap

I'll get started with the book this weekend!

jhsurti

It might take me at least a week before I start the book. As currently I'm reading "Red Sparrow" by Jason Matthews, which I can't leave halfway.

cynic

I too would pick it up sometime next week. Have a working weekend ahead.

v_ragh

I will also plan to read this book. Glad you started this post since it helped me find out about this book.

viksorion

Will read it in the second half of the month as am in the middle of a series of three books halfway. But yes will be interesting to go have others opinion.

Ahmedsalman

I have finished this book today

It wasn't  that good as I expected it to be

Story lacks the thrill which is why I got bored in middle

viksorion

Dear Friends Pls avoid comments about the book  for now... Lets say we start the comments part after 20th of the month so that those who are reading can do so unbiased....
I hope all agree to this

riteshk

A GREAT SUSPENSE THRILLER!!

riteshk

I AM IN THOUGH I HAVE ALREADY READ THIS BOOK