not one of his best..got better but was hard going

I had almost given up on reading this book and reviewing it for Blogadda! Yes, I live in one of the more obscure parts of this country and the mail gods rarely smile there! The book was not delivered once and later I had to pick it form the courier office but the extra effort was all very worth it. The persistence of Blogadda finally made it possible for me to read this bestseller.

This is my first book by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson and they make a formidable team together. The book is set in Mumbai as is evident from the cover and the book blurb also pulls you into the labyrinths of Mumbai. Just the fact that a collaborative novel is on India and that as a part of a famous series I was really keen on reading this one. It does not disappoint, in fact it takes you on a journey that makes you realize that nothing is as it seems. The plot seems straight forward enough but the keepers of justice and the violators come together in a nail biting finish and it leaves the lines of justice muddled.

I have not been able to find a writer that kept me hooked to the suspense and mystery like a master story teller without the unnecessary blood and gore and mindless killings for quite some time now. This book had me hooked from the beginning and I think I will be reading a whole lot more from these two authors. The language is beautiful, crisp, precise and the India in Private India was perfect.

The very flawed hero Santosh who has his own personal demons chasing him and the murders planned so perfectly that they got you worried and scanning newspapers looking for similar news. All the characters have so much depth and layers to their characters, each one different and with their own failings and flaws; utterly human and totally believable. The pain, hurt and loss makes them so human and soon you are rooting for them, not knowing which one of them is the killer.

The villains are etched with a slice of pizzazz and style yet it does not glamorize the dark, negative and filthy actions and you are happy to see them suffer. The crime here is grey just like it is in real life. What a tale it made with all the mythological twist added to it; are they mysterious artefacts or cheap diversions? The story is well spun and has no loose ends. All the characters whether they are in the book for a single page or a single chapter, tell their story with a lot of depth.

I could go in detail about them but then it would take away the suspense, enough to say that the real culprit is suffering but what unfolds makes you wish for more accountability for the crimes. Such a twisted mind or a tortured soul; hard to say? The only think I felt was that the villain got off easy but then the history was quite unkind to the villain.

Overall an absolutely nail-biting finish. I thoroughly enjoyed it, so will you. So hurry up and buy your copy today or else you will miss a best seller.

My least liked book of James Patterson. It didn’t flow like the previous books in the series and I almost put it down several times. The ending was good, but other than that, I’d suggest skipping this one for anyone reading the series.

I didn't like this book. I enjoy the Private series but this book didn't do anything for me. It's obvious that Patterson didn't write this book and his co-author did, which is fine, however I didn't like the author's writing style. I found some of the plot wasn't explained well and I was confused in parts of the book.

This is a very good book ... Good characters and good story.

So here's the thing. I love James Patterson's book. I have read some of them. But I don't like Ashwini Sanghi's writing. I find his writing too chaotic. He introduces too many characters and it is hard to keep track of them. And that's exactly what happened in this book. Too many characters, too many subplots and too much unnecessary information.
The only redeeming factor of this book was the symbology. I really loved the comparison of the women with the goddesses as well as how they were killed. And that's the only reason I gave this book 4 stars

The book is written so lazily like a b grade Bollywood film.

Why does India feel exactly like L.A in Patterson land?

Decent book but not as good as the other Private books I've read.