Beyond Byomkesh & Feluda: 5 must-read Indian detective novels that will keep you guessing

The Girl in the Glass Case: Keep Your Girls Safe. Boys Safer.

The Girl in the Glass Case by Devashish Sardana (Source: amazon.in)

Brace yourself for a petrifying and spine-chilling ride across Bhopal, where two brutal serial killers are locked in a deadly game of surpassing each other. ASP Simone Singh, sharp and stubborn, is on the hunt for the Doll Maker, a terrifying killer who dresses children as dolls and locks them in glass cases. But her nightmare escalates when another killer, the Clipper, returns, furious that he is no longer in the spotlight. As this becomes a twisted rat race between two monsters, Simone is caught in the middle trying to take down both of them. Devashish Sardana gives us a psychological detective fiction that is as disturbing as it gets. If you are a fan of psychological detective fiction that gets under your skin, then this is a must-read. The Girl in the Glass Case will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Crimson City

Crimson City by Madhulika Liddle (Source: amazon.in)

“She is like a child, this city. A spoilt child, unruly and obstreperous. So terribly difficult to control.” In 17th century Shahjahanabad (old Delhi), the Mughal Empire is starting to see cracks underneath its shiny surface. Muzaffar Jang, a nobleman and part-time detective, is called to investigate a trail of murders that shakes the city. With no modern tools, he relies solely on logic to uncover the truth. Madhulika Liddle has given a very realistic description of the city. From huge havelis to narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk, every page is a walk down old Delhi. Crimson City is not just a detective fiction, it’s a portrait of a city, a story wrapped in history. 

Best Served Cold: A Janardan Maity Mystery

Best Served Cold: A Janardan Maity Mystery by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay (Source: amazon.in)

We’ve all heard the saying that revenge is a dish best served cold. Bhaskar Chattopadhyay turns that idea into a haunting mystery. This is a story of justice long delayed. Twenty years after they were wronged, four boys return to the Manikpur tea estate. Detective Janardan Maity peels back layers of trauma and long-buried secrets. Every clue leads deeper in the past. It has twists and turns on every page. The past is coming back to settle the score. If you are into revenge plots, Best Served Cold deserves to be in your late night stack.

Murder in Old Bombay

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March (Source: amazon.in)

A tale set in 19th century British India, Murder in Old Bombay is an Indian historical mystery with the soul of a Sherlock Holmes classic. Captain Jim Agnihotri, a wounded soldier, becomes a detective when two young women fall to their deaths from a university clock tower. Convinced it’s not suicide, Jim steps in to solve the case. Most of his case solving techniques remind us of Holmes, whose methods Jim clearly admires. Nev March gives us a historical detective fiction that keeps us hooked throughout the book. As the mystery unravels, one thing becomes clear- “Secrets are like serpents, they grow in the dark.”

A Will to Kill

A Will to Kill by RV Raman (Source: amazon.in)

If you’re craving a classic whodunit with a modern twist, A Will to Kill is the perfect book for you. Set in a mansion in the Nilgiris, the novel introduces detective Harith Athreya, stuck in a locked room mystery. Every guest has a motive and every clue matters. There’s family drama and a suspicious death, all the things you would expect to see in a whodunit. RV Raman’s A Will to Kill is a must-read for any Agatha Christie lover, classic in style and setting. Be prepared for a finale that keeps you guessing till the very last page.