A Will to Kill is an interesting whodunnit that is set in the hills of Ooty. In many ways it reminded me of Bhaskar Chattopadhyay’s Penumbra. A bunch of people cooped up in a bungalow, a cloud of suspicion hanging on each of their heads as a murder mystery is being investigated. The protagonist, Harith Athreya is a man with quick mind and polite manner and I liked him instantly. The story is fast paced and extremely well narrated, making it very hard to put the book down. It had been a while since I last enjoyed a murder mystery and this one turned out be exactly what I needed.

The infamous Bhaskar Fernandez invites Athreya to his Greybrooke manor for a party he hosts for 12 other guests. The wheelchair bound Bhaskar writes two wills, each to be used depending on the circumstances of his future death. When all 13 guests are trapped in the manor due to a landslide for a couple of days, a murder occurs and Athreya sets out to solve it.

The story is somewhat predictable until it’s not. Suspense lurks around like a shadow and one can’t help but let their thoughts whir around trying to pinpoint the murderer. I enjoyed this one thoroughly and gobbled it up in a couple of sittings. Raman writes crisply, not deviating from the plot.

I recommend this highly especially for those who are willing to give Indian authors a shot when it comes to nailing whodunnit so seamlessly.