Book 46: Six Suspects

Vicky Rai had it coming to him. He's a corrupt, rich playboy who has escaped justice on more than one occasion. When this novel opens, he has just been shot at a party he threw to celebrate his acquittal on murder charges, charges he escaped by exploiting a corrupt system. The police find six suspects-- six attendants with guns at the party. The opening chapter is told by a journalist who has vowed to find the truth. No one should commit murder without paying the price.

The novel tracks each of the Six Suspect through the circumstances and choices that brought them there. Fate is capricious and unkind in this book. The pacing though is great. I was up much later than usual on a couple of nights due to this book. There is just not a good place to stop until you hit the end of a character's path.

I did not whole-heartedly enjoy the book. The American character, Larry, was poorly drawn. His poor grammar is supposed to show he's ignorant, but the errors Larry makes are not consistent and a couple of the words he uses are distinctly English instead of Texan. Maybe it's a translation problem. Additionally, Larry is so painfully stupid that it really strains belief. The character possessed by the ghost of Ghandi was more believable. Well, until a twist on that at the end that was off-key.

I did call the culprit in the book a lot sooner than if it were truly a crime story. This is really more of a social commentary.