Title: Natasha Mehra Must Die
Author: Anand Sivakumaran
Publisher: Fingerprint! Publishing
Genre: Fiction (Thriller)
Date: 2018
Price: INR 199
Pages: 216
Snapshot: This is a thriller where as the title suggests, every girl named Natasha Mehra is targeted and killed. Why? We only know as the book comes to a conclusion and that too an open ending as this is the first book of the series to follow.
The Review: The book begins with a Natasha Mehra, a girl in a western nation, getting killed, in what looks like a shootout by someone mentally imbalanced. Little does she know that it wasn't a random killing but she was targeted for her name "Natasha Mehra", justifying the title of the book. Sequentially we are introduced to different girls and women all of the same name, varied lives, being murdered. This is spotted by the central character, an outlier "Natasha Mehra", whose worst nightmares come true when her suspicion gets confirmed. She tries to then hatch a plot to combat this and save her life. However the powers are way above her, a clan "Kul" as old as humanity trying to put an end to all the "Natasha Mehra's" of the world.
Why are "Natasha Mehra's" being targeted? Will our protagonist, one of them, be able to save the rest? Who is the "Kul" and what do they wish to accomplish from these killings? Read the book to know more.
To begin with the positives of the book, it is Anand Sivakumaran's writing style. The accuracy of a teenager's thoughts right at the beginning of the story gets the reader hooked. Further all a thriller needs is very crisp writing and he gives the reader just that. The book is fast paced and impossible to put down once you start.
The only negative I found was that there were spelling errors and one part of the plot I wish were different, however its just my personal choice as a reader. Someone else might enjoy it (not revealing it as that would be a huge spoiler).
RC Rating: 4/5. Beware if you pick it up at night, you wont be able to sleep. I read it in one sitting. Eagerly waiting for part two.
About the Author:
Anand Sivakumaran has been telling stories since he was five. After passing out of IIT Bombay, he did stints in journalism, advertising, event management and youth marketing, before landing up in the entertainment business. His credits include films like Kalyug and Nazar and TV shows like The Buddy Project, Sadda Haq, Miley Jab Hum Tum, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, Rishtey, Adhafull, etc. He has directed two films as well—Detour and Money Devo Bhava (awaiting release).
He currently runs CROCTALES, a creative shop that makes and runs web series, films and TV shows.
Anand also does live, interactive storytelling which involves making up stories on the spot in front of a live audience using their words. He also has a storytelling podcast—The Croc’s Tales—again telling stories using listener’s prompts.
Mumbai is his base in between exploring the world.