Title: Never Say Never
Author: Kaushal Patel
Publisher: Leadstart publishing
Genre: Mystery, Crime Thriller
First Publication: 2022
Language: English
Book Summary: Never Say Never by Kaushal Patel
“As it stands today, Shivya’s sister is still missing. Till you find her, you can’t claim the inheritance.”
Sutradhar Apte aka Sutra is staring at an uncertain future after losing his job as an investment banker when he gets unexpectedly nominated in his dead grandfather’s inheritance. Sutra is surprised as he was left an orphan at an early age and had never spoken to his estranged grandfather. Is this sheer good luck? Maybe not.
The grandfather’s will has a curious condition – Sutra must find Yami, a young girl who is mysteriously missing, to claim the inheritance.
A baffled Sutra thinks – I struggle to find a missing sock and am expected to find an entire person!
Reluctantly, the laid-off banker gets sucked into unravelling the mystery of Yami’s disappearance, along with Yami’s beautiful sister Shivya. As they piece the clues together, one after the other, they get caught into an unnerving and dangerous net, with every discovery leading to a few more things to be discovered.
Even as the cynical Sutra discovers his true calling, will he be able to fulfil his dead grandfather’s wish and find Yami? Are there any other surprises in store for him and Shivya, his newfound muse?
Book Review: Never Say Never by Kaushal Patel
Missing persons tropes are common in mysteries and thrillers, and the theme has been written and explored in many predictable ways, but also in many clever, even shocking ways. But, no matter how it is presented, it is a scenario that never fails to draw me in. But, I must say, Never Say Never by Kaushal Patel puts an entirely new and fresh spin on the missing persons mystery.
The story centers on Sutradhar Apte, aka Sutra, an investment banker who lost his well-earned Job. While he was thinking to find a new career path, he opened the pink envelope he had received a few weeks ago. The envelope contains a letter with news of his grandfather’s passing, with whom he hadn’t been in touch for so many years. When he read about his grandfather’s inheritance in letter, he was surprised to find out that he was the only nominee. But, in order to claim it, Sutra must track down a mysteriously missing girl – Yami. As a result, Sutra and Shivya, Yami’s beautiful sister, embarked on an unexpected journey together to solve a jigsaw puzzle. Sutra never in a million years could have predicted the shocking revelations his inquiries would uncover or the personal epiphanies that would change his life forevermore.
Most of the plot is traditional tale that have been told before in some form, but the difference is that the author Kaushal knows how to take something that could be predictable and put his own spin on it. The atmosphere, characterization, and raw emotion that is infused into the characters elevates their status to something that few suspense novelists have attained. The blending of multiple genres in this book really creates a unique reading experience.
For me, the characters are what really shines and puts this book a cut above the rest in the crowded field of ‘missing person’ mysteries. The characters are complex and interesting, going through tough times, but learning and emerging stronger. Whereas I find most mysteries in this genre to be rather over-the-top, with paranoid characters doing unfathomable things and scaring themselves silly, the characters in Never Say Never – their actions and their behaviors -make sense to me. Sutra, in particular, keeps his head and acts calmly, even when evidence starts to appear that some things may not be what they appear.
This story was a little dark, but also quite emotional and poignant. Sutra’s voice is so realistic, raw, and sympathetic. His emergence from a tortuous state of joblessness and his fierce determination to get to the truth, and begin truly living life again was an amazing transformation. The mystery of what happened to Yami still hangs ever present and as the plot twists and turns, you see it all unfold slowly and unbelievably before your eyes. Kaushal Patel creates a well-written and perfectly paced story. Just at the right time, he reveals enough of the story to create suspense. He balances the darkest well by adding just the right amount of light along with the insight into the characters’ emotions.
Overall, Never Say Never by Kaushal Patel is a bit different from the usual mysteries because of its in-depth character study and concentration on the evolution of emotions and behaviours, motives and intentions rather than the mystery itself. I really enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well written, engrossing mystery-thriller.
