He Spoke After Ten Years

Apurva Mathur

Sep 2024 · Notion Press

About this ebook

Mumbai. 2021. An ordinary man gets bludgeoned to death at the peak of Covid. A R.D. Burman CD was found near the body.

Two years later, during the men's cricket world cup, a seasoned cop is frustrated with unexpected and extraordinary pressure to solve this cold case.

Neel Mantri, a child prodigy with scars of childhood trauma and a detective in making, gets to assist on the case. He pulls a thread and a whole saga of events unfold and the case turns out to be just a tip of the iceberg.

The genius young investigator Neel Mantri is tested in every way as the danger looms on his own life.

Will the killer strike again...?

Is it murder or justice...?

Will his first case be his last...?

Ratings and reviews

The writing is excellent, the pace is good, the mystery is fascinating, and the characters were all interesting. The pacing is perfectly set, neither too slow nor too fast but it won't leave you in the middle, you can't put this book down till you finish it. The author drew me in with the depth of his characters. The found family element and the trio friendship and a tragic past what else do you need? I love the concept of how they all interconnected with each other, supporting everything All in all, it was a pleasurable journey, and I would most definitely read it as a series,if the author decides to make it as one. You feel like you know them all what they look like, how they act. The characters were easy to fall in love with (Neel especially) and follow, along with the story. The author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real. It's a cozy book to read, and escape into a story, into another land, and into someone else's problems. Once the mystery of what happened is solved you are left with a team of characters so lifelike that you are genuinely invested in what is going to happen to them in the future and, of course, what future mysteries are going to befall them. The ending is both bittersweet and happy. I hope that you will go and read this book, the story line will stay with you for a long time as it will me. 📌Crime fiction 📌Murder mystery 📌Found family 📌Twists and turn 📌Traumatic past 📌Trios Rating : 10/10

'He Spoke After Ten Years' by Apurva Mathur is a breath-taking crime thriller novel that surprises the readers with it's unexpected twists in the tale and a pinch of humor that adds more spice in the plot. It revolves around our main protagonists "Neel Mantri" who lives in his own space without any intrupption. However, his childhood life was bit traumatic one due to the fact that, he lost his mother in an accident and his father disappeared. All the characters are well-crafted and developed keeping their essence alive in the story with every flipping page. Moreover, the connection of past and present is well built up by the author as it allows the readers to completely immerse themselves in the narrative. The close bond shared by the trio showcases the depth of their friendship and I really loved this fact that through their friendship, author has provided a different angle to the story. His writing style is engrossing and descriptive. Must read♥️♥️

Do you know what truly elevates "He Spoke After Ten Years"? The moral ambiguity at its core. The lines between right and wrong blur, making the reader question what justice really means. Will Neel find the answers he's looking for? Grab a copy of the book to explore more. The flow of the writing is so smooth that you will not leave your seat after starting the novel. The use of date and place before every incident will definitely help you to read the book without any extra efforts. The language is lucid and has appropriate use of vocabulary; my fellow beginner readers don't worry, you will be comfortable. One more thing, the use of Hindi terminology gives an extra vibes and make it more lively. However, there are a few loose threads in the storyline here and there. But as a short read and a debut novel, few things can be neglected and lastly, I would like to say that this is exceptionally well written.

About the author

Just like every other boy growing up in late 80s - early 90s, Apurva Mathur grew up fond of murder mysteries and wanted to be a cool detective like Sherlock Holmes, Feluda Mitter, Byomkesh Bakshi or Karamchand. Life took him to IIT Bombay and after graduating, he worked as an educational consultant for over a decade and a half. But eventually during the pandemic, his inner sleuth and a penchant for story telling made him write this riveting mystery novel and fulfil a childhood desire. The protagonist Neel Mantri and the mystery He spoke after 10 years is his tribute to the writers and characters he has grown up cherishing.