Anuja Chauhan

When a hunky personal trainer is found asphyxiated to death under an overloaded barbell at the posh Delhi Turf Club, on the eve of the club elections, it is first thought to be a freak accident. But soon, it becomes clear that one of the members of the DTC - all pickled-in-privilege Dilliwallahs - is a cold-blooded killer. As the capital bristles with speculation and conspiracy theories, Crime Branch veteran ACP Bhavani Singh is appointed to investigate the case. Together with his able deputies - ex-lovers Akash 'Kashi' Dogra, hottie crusader for human rights, and Bambi Todi, wealthy girl-about-town - ACP Bhavani sets out to solve a crime that seems simple enough at the surface, but turns out to have roots as deep and spreading as those of New Delhi's famous Neem trees... Anuja Chauhan returns with a bloody good romance set in the pulsating heart of Lutyen's Delhi.

Club You To Death

Ditipriya Acharya

Anyone who knows me knows that I love every book that Anuja Chauhan has written. I find her eccentric characters, dramatic situations and writing style enjoyable and I was an emotional mess after reading her last book, Baaz. So saying that I was excited when I heard she was writing a murder mystery would be an underestimation.

In Club You To Death, a popular and hunky Zumba instructor is found dead in the gym of the elite Delhi Turf Club when the elections for the club president is right around the corner and everyone is a suspect. To make matters more complicated, the two assistants helping ACP Bhavani Singh solve this case are ex-lovers and this doesn't help the case.

The book is not a perfect mystery. It is a little slow and maybe even a little dragged out but I am heavily biased. I loved the trademark eccentric characters, who seem far-fetched and relatable at the same time, and the atmosphere of the club that Chauhan creates. There are instances where she talks about the very real politics of our country, like her description of the goon-like politicians and the bid to turn the club into a gaushala, that make you wonder how much of our reality sounds fictional but laugh out loud at the same time. Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed the book just maybe not as much as her other work.

It is not often that you find a book that couples a spine-chilling murder with a rom-com set in Delhi. This whodunnit contains all the things you want for a refreshing read - cold-blooded murders, posh clubs, entitled snobs, fancy parties and an awkward reunion between two exes who think they are each others' "Ones that got away".

I have been waiting to get my hands on another one of Anuja Chauhan's quirky romance novels, but what I got was even better. There's not much romance in this one, but the element still exists as part of a subtle but not-so-captivating love triangle between childhood sweethearts who make for worthy assistant detectives.

Not exactly a spoiler below, but read ONLY if you want a nudge in a similar direction.
(view spoiler)[ When you discover the victim is poisoned, the quote "Poison is a woman's weapon" pops into your head. I really thought that the posh lady (Urvashi Khurana, who I visualised as the beautiful actress Tabu in my head) would be the killer, but that was too easy. I won't reveal any more details in case someone accidentally reads this, but it is where my mind went.  (hide spoiler)]

Make sure you aren't tempted to read the last chapter because that's where all the loose ends tie-up in one final knot; wait for it, the build-up to it is definitely worth it. The ending had me up for hours, petrified about the reveal of the murderer. The book flows like butter through the 417 pages, not a dull moment in place and every inch is filled with witty, desi metaphors straight outta Dilli.

I would rate this 4.5, inching closer to 5; this book could've secured the rest of the 0.5 by including more romance. If you enjoy reading Agatha Christie's Poirot and would love to see it with a quippy desi accent, pick this book up; you won't regret it. It can't be a coincidence that both their initials are A.C., one has written legendary detective novels and one may be onto becoming a thrilling series of fun murder mysteries with our very own adorable ACP Brownie.

Club You To Death

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