A Will To Kill is the first book in a new murder mystery series by R.V. Raman. Released 1st Dec 2020 by Agora on their Polis imprint, it's 340 pages (print edition) and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This is an isolated country house murder mystery very much in the classic golden age style of Carr, Christie, Allingham, and the rest of the pantheon. Although set in the modern era, it's full of creepy atmospheric (haunted?) settings from the RAJ era of Indian occupation, rich eccentric characters, despicable grasping family members, contested wills, in the midst of which an acquaintance of the family is thrust into the role of investigator. The investigation follows the rules of engagement; the reader is given all pertinent info as clues are uncovered. There are twists and red-herrings aplenty and I found myself thoroughly charmed and engaged as the mystery unfolded.
The writing is beautifully and precisely well crafted, with clearly described settings, finely rendered characterizations, and dialogue that flows well and freely. My only struggle came from the plethora of relatives, servants, and other secondary characters - keeping them straight in my head was difficult (but not impossible - I really love the search feature on my e-reader).
Classically appealing and engaging murder mystery with a cleverly twisty plot. Four and a half stars. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment. Highly highly recommended especially to fans of classic golden age mysteries.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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