In Love with Simran — by Kulpreet Yadav
Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors
Pages:224
Price: Rs. 195 INR(paperback), Rs. 152 INR(Kindle edition)
ISBN: 978–9387022539
Buy here: https://amzn.to/2FWVGxd
Sanjana’s best friend at college is murdered. She was in love with a business tycoon named Nik Sethi, and Sanjana is certain that he killed her. In an effort to find proof, she decides to get close to him.
Good looking and rich, Nik falls in love with Sanjana instantly, but a month later, when he accidently discovers her real agenda, he throws her out of his life. Determined to nail him, Sanjana’s desperation exceeds all limits when she realizes that she too, like her friend, has fallen in love with a killer.
After she escapes an attack one night, Sanjana quits college and goes into hiding. Now her only ambition is to punish the killer and her only weapon is her body. In a last, desperate attempt, she uses herself as bait and pursues her best plan. There are only two options: she becomes a victim or she becomes a victor.
Through the story of Sanjana and Nik, In Love With Simran explores the boundaries of the basic instincts of the young: love, sex, trust and survival.
About the Author
One of the leading fiction writers in India, Kulpreet Yadav retired voluntarily from the armed forces to pursue a career in writing in 2014. Now also a motivational speaker, he regularly speaks at schools, colleges, and global corporate brands. Kulpreet’s latest spy novel, Murder in Paharganj, was published in 2017. Winner of “Best Fiction Writer, 2018”, at the Gurgaon Literature Festival, Kulpreet lives in Delhi.
My take on the book:
Sanjana’s best friend Simran is in love with a rich, successful business man Nik Sethi and is literally flying around in happiness. However, that is cut short as Simran is found murdered. Sanjana starts off with Nik as prime suspect however, police do not progress much on the case and not much evidence is found. Sanjana tries to find for herself her best friend’s murderer and thus starts a young nineteen year old college going girl’s journey of trying to brave all odds in the path of bringing justice to her dear friend.
Sanjana encounters fake policemen, goons, Nik’s security and staff, all seemingly harmful and trying to hush the truth before it can brought in front of the world. Alone and only with an ailing mother in a distant city, Sanjana refuses to end her search even if it meant putting herself in the hands of trouble and death. Will Sanjana be able to success in this quest and is this game as simple as it looks forms the rest of the story.
The story starts with a bang as Simran is killed in the intial few pages and Sanjana soon realises she has more trouble at hand than she could ever imagine. The entry of a detective Biplab, mid way through the story only makes the proceedings more dramatic and interesting. Sanjana’s never-die-attitude is what keeps the reader engaged till the climax.
But the story loses its direction in last few pages, where everything that is happening around is too silly and illogical. Nik’s character never reaches it required depth, the way it ideally has to, as he keeps swinging between reminiscing Simran but instantly falling for Sanjana a few days after Simran’s death. Sanjana who starts off as being a smart, bold young girl turns a cliched character as the story reaches climax.
While the story starts brilliantly and maintains the tempo for almost three-fourth of the runtime, the last few pages fail what could have been an intriguing thriller. Nevertheless the story holds the reader’s attention till the end and succeeds in that account. Pick this one for a racy thriller which entertains for a major portion.
My rating:
3/5.