This story sounded really interesting & I was excited to read it. I have to say it didn't grab me & seemed to drag on a bit.

A serial killer who has stopped killing.
A very dark but certainly different read which took me a little while to get into but once i did i couldn't turn the pages quick enough.
Well crafted characters and overall a worthy 5 star read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

A captivating and thrilling novel that explores the dark and dangerous world of a serial killer. The story follows Madhav Kalsi, a former killer who is forced to confront his past when he sees his last victim alive. The author does an excellent job of crafting a gripping plot with well-developed characters, making the book hard to put down. Readers who enjoy thrillers and mysteries will be drawn into the story and eagerly turning the pages to find out what happens next.

‘’We all had various personalities, or at least I did. The one I offered to the world. The one I shared with my loved ones and the one I manifested to myself every time I stared in to the mirror was the most truthful.’’

We are introduced to our protagonist. A seemingly psychopathic male with a thirst for murder. The unexpected events that unfold one evening put a stop to his killing spree for good, or so we think.

This story started very well. Fast paced and exciting, its first person narrative gave us a good insight in to the depths of the protagonists mind. With a strong theme of good vs evil running throughout, we are asked to answer the question: are we willing to suppress our true nature to hide the ugliest parts of ourselves from the world? On an ordinary day I would struggle to find any similarities between myself and a serial killer, but I was able to relate to several aspects of this characters internal struggle. We all have our secrets.

Good descriptive language allowed me to keep up with the protagonist. The author succeeded at separating the human from the killer. He expressed obvious dissatisfaction with the monotony of ‘normal’ life and there appeared to be some disassociation between his body and mind. This presented a realistic portrayal of someone struggling with their identity. While he possessed dark thoughts, he still displayed morality in his discomfort at witnessing others commit acts of violence. I found this contradiction engaging - it added nuance to the plot and the character.

About halfway through, the plot began to feel a little fractured. Our protagonist is sent on a seemingly unnecessary goose chase. There were a couple of parts I didn’t feel were particularly necessary. I would have enjoyed learning a little more about this characters past and what caused his desire to kill.

Overall, this was an enjoyable short story with an ending I approved of… you can’t hide forever.

Note: I have been unable to post my review, notes and highlights on Goodreads as this book does not exist on the site.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A gripping thriller that follows the story of Madhav Kalsi, a former serial killer who is living a content and non-violent life with his wife. But when he sees his last victim alive, Madhav's past comes back to haunt him, and he is forced to confront his demons and question the person he has become. With a gripping plot and well-crafted characters, this book will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.