Book: Club You To Death
Author: Anuja Chauhan
Pages: 338
Read on: Kindle
Read in: 3-4 hours
Plot Summary: When a hunky personal trainer is found asphyxiated to death under an overloaded barbell at the posh Delhi Turf Club, on the eve of the club elections, it is first thought to be a freak accident. But soon, it becomes clear that one of the members of the DTC - all pickled-in-privilege Dilliwallahs - is a cold-blooded killer.
As the capital bristles with speculation and conspiracy theories, Crime Branch veteran ACP Bhavani Singh is appointed to investigate the case. Together with his able deputies - ex-lovers Akash 'Kashi' Dogra, hottie crusader for human rights, and Bambi Todi, wealthy girl-about-town - ACP Bhavani sets out to solve a crime that seems simple enough at the surface, but turns out to have roots as deep and spreading as those of New Delhi's famous Neem trees.
Things I Liked:
1. The setting of this book- in a posh Delhi club- was interesting to me because clubs are such a peculiar insular little world with their own set of rules and acceptable/ unacceptable behaviours! So, a murder in a club with its members as potential suspects seemed interesting- petty rivalries, undercurrents and hilarious club dynamics would be par for the course and in that respect the book did not let me down!
2. Anuja Chauhan has written very fun, quirky and rooted-in-specific-Delhi-sub-cultures type of characters. This book was also full of such characters. Cantankerous ex-faujis and civil servants, 50-something posh South Delhi Aunties, stoned young people etc. However, Chauhan infuses these characters with vulnerability and humanity that helps them rise above being caricatures. I particularly enjoyed reading about the different types of members of the Delhi Turf Club- their elitism, their struggles, their privilege and their bizarre worldviews!
3. There is a little love story woven into this murder mystery and I quite liked the couple (rather, the 3 young people involved in the love triangle) at the centre of it. Kashi Dogra is idealistic and against the elitism and snobbery of the DTC members, but at the same time, these are people he has grown up with and so, his unique insight into them is what the cops are counting on to help them navigate the tricky dynamics of the Club. Bambi Todi, the other end of this triangle, is Kashi's childhood sweetheart, who had dumped him three years ago to get engaged to a suitable Maru guy chosen by her parents. She is bubbly and cute and also helps the cops navigate the snobbish, tricky waters of the Club. Through this whole process, Kashi finds himself being re-drawn to Bambi and conflicted about his feelings for her and his love for Kuhu- his JNU Bangalan girlfriend. The interactions between Kashi and Bambi, the conversations and connection between Kashi and Kuhu were really lovely.
4. Every murder mystery needs a sleuth and the sleuth here- ACP Bhavani Singh- was unlike any Indian cop character that I've read! Bhavani Singh is smart, calm and has his own charming way of getting information out of people. He is non-judgmental, almost a feminist and has a lot of empathy for the people he interviews. I also loved reading the interactions between him and his wife. Such a sweet couple!
5. The overall narrative structure, the peeling back of the layers one by one to reveal new information about the dead man- Leo- and each of the suspects, was really gripping and nicely done. There was nary a dull moment in this book, which is more than what I can say about many other books written by seasoned authors of the genre!
Things I Didn't Like:
1. The killer was very, very easy to guess. The motive was not very obvious, but the killer was. I don't entirely begrudge that or hold that against Anuja Chauhan given this was her very first murder mystery. However, I do wish it was a little more challenging to figure out who the killer was!
Rating: 4/5
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