Review of Scarlet Nights by Mayur Patel

Name                - Scarlet Nights 

Author                  - Mayur Patel

Publisher              - Half Baked Beans

Number of Pages - 240

Publishing Year   - 2016

Edition                  - Paperback 

Price                     - 250

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Rating : 3.5

Blurb

Smart, sexy and confident, Malvika Chauhan lives an enviably perfect life in Mumbai. She has a flourishing career, a loving boyfriend and a promising future. Spiteful, fearless and mysterious, Margrita lives on the extreme ends. Self-merriment is the only thing that matters to her. Destiny plays wicked and brings the two women face to face with each other. While Malvika knows nothing about Margrita, Margrita is well-aware of the hidden secrets of Malvika's past. Malvika's life turns sour as she struggles against the insufferable circumstances inflicted upon her by Margrita. It's a situation she cannot escape. If the hidden secrets get disclosed, Malvika will be finished. She will lose every precious thing she has... her career, her prestige, her love... 'Scarlet Nights' is a haunting tale of the unfathomable depths inside the human psyche.

My Review
A voyage through the deeper crevices of mind, Scarlet nights is a Psychological thriller. The plot starts with the life of Malvika Chauhan, who leads a trouble free, exciting and perfect life. Her days become nights and nights full of nightmares when she starts to have blackouts for hours, unable to do what she did in the meanwhile. Only person who could help her is Margarita. Once Malvika meets Margarita, instead of detangling the secrets, her life becomes messier. 

Author has taken great care in maintaining the suspense element throughout the story. Nevertheless, the connection between Malvika and Margarita becomes more or less obvious in the initial chapters itself. The idiosyncrasies of Malvika and the give and take between the two women seems exaggerated in between but author has justified it in the last chapters. Since it is a thriller, I am unable to disclose more. It might end up as a spoiler.

Major complaint I have is about the narration, especially in the initial chapters. While dealing with such serious and deep subjects the narration could have been more regimented. The title Scarlet nights seems perfect in the first half but towards the second half the color Scarlet loses its significance. The cover image is good and reflects the whole mood of the book.

Hardcore Sydney Sheldon lovers might find the book dragging since the book has lot of similarities with 'Tell me your dreams' by the author but lacks pace. Nevertheless in comparison with the thrillers by Indian authors, the book definitely stands out.

I recommend the book to all Psychological thriller lovers. 

Reviewed for the publisher

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

About the author

Mayur Patel has studied Civil Engineering. He has worked as a civil engineer and an Interior Designer. He was a part of an orchestra as a singer some years back. At present he works in a Newspaper as a sub-editor. 
His first book ‘Vivek and I’ was a work of romance and was published by Penguin Books India. He writes Novels, Short Stories and Columns in Gujarati, too. 
Besides writing, he enjoys a wide variety of activities like reading, gardening, singing, watching movies and playing badminton. Travelling is an addiction which enables him to bring life to his writing. 
The author lives in Valsad, India with his family. He can be contacted at markmayur@gmail.com.