STORY SUMMARY
Aarav Rai is young adult, age 26, whose mother, Nina, disappeared when he was 16 years old. It has been ten long years of wondering why she left and never returned. He is back at his childhood home with his difficult father Ishaan Rai, a very wealthy company CEO and his father's 2nd wife, Shanti and their 7 year old daughter Pari. Aarav is recovering from an accident where he broke his foot and suffered a concussion. Aarav is also extremely wealthy as he has written one major best-seller (a thriller) which was then made into a movie and he is currently working on his second novel.
When his mother, Nina, disappeared, a quarter million dollars from his father's safe, also disappeared. Many towns people called her a thief, a bitch, a criminal. But...now she's back! Her bones are back and they are clothed in remnants of red silk.
A hiker discovered her car in the green forest on the edge of the very wealthy, gated community where the Rai's live. She was in the passenger seat which is a mystery to Aarav who remembers seeing his mother storm out of the house, after hearing her scream, and racing away in her Jaguar.
Someone in this very exclusive, wealthy and privileged community is keeping a huge secret. And it's not just the very rich who live here, but the people who work for them too......personal trainers, maids, housekeepers...all come and go.
Sombody knows what happened to Nina Rai that stormy, rainy night ten years ago. And Aarav is determined to figure out who his mother's murderer is. He is ready to face the ugly truth that lives beneath the moneyed elegance. But no one in the neighborhood is ready for the murderous secrets that are about to crawl out of the dark....because even the dead are not allowed to break the rules in this Cul-de-Sac.
MY THOUGHTS
This was a medium paced book with a lot of characters introduced in the first chapter. I had to jot down the names of the various families living on the Cul-de-Sac and their professions to keep it straight until they were more developed.
Once all of the characters were introduced and the plot gets moving, it is easy to follow. The character development is very well done as is the setting. (New Zealand).
I loved the family relationship of Aarav and his little half sister Pari and also of Shanti.
And like a good thriller...just when you think you know who the murderer is, along comes a twist.
I did figure out early on what was happening to Aarav and his "memory loss and migraines". I don't want to ruin it for you so I won't reveal what it is but it was well written and kept things moving. Just when he thinks he's on the path to solving his mother's murder, something else happens to make him question his sanity.
Themes in this book are: infidelity, abandonment, memory loss, childhood trauma, alcoholism, toxic relationships, emotional abuse, physical abuse, secrets, betrayal.
The book is a bit slower paced than the typical "thriller". There's a lot of realism in this story which I appreciated especially the intertwining of Hindu words and cultural practices. I enjoyed learning more about the cultural mores and thoughts regarding marriage and the role of a wife to her husband in that culture. My heart went out to Shanti. Again, I won't reveal why.
This was a good book! There were a few "F" words but no explicit s*x scenes or super vulgar language.
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8.
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