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The Coin
“Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey.
Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9-year-old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps?
Does the murderer want to convey something?
Whose story is being recited?
Why is the murderer taking personal interest in Raunak?
Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same?
Welcome to the Brutal world!
Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9-year-old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps?
Does the murderer want to convey something?
Whose story is being recited?
Why is the murderer taking personal interest in Raunak?
Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same?
Welcome to the Brutal world!
164 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2018
29 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Sandeep Sharma
128 books70 followersSandeep Sharma is an Amazon bestselling author of The Coin. He has also written Let the Game begin, Hey Dad! Meet my mom and Just a few lies that sold around 10000 copies collectively.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 17, 2018
***ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review***
(It is a strictly 18+ read)
My Rating: 2/5
Pages: 164 (Paperback)
Date of Publication: 25 April, 2018
Synopsis:
The prologue starts by showing us the relationship between a father and his son, and a strange father-son bond appears throughout the story. And then, bang comes the killer, bringing with him a chill and creepiness that is in tandem with a serial killer on the scene. A killer, who takes grim pleasure in making the police department chase after him by performing theatrics, recording the process, and sending it to the concerned authorities.
The story follows Inspector Raunak Upadhyay as he chases down the leads to catch a serial killer, while grappling with his personal demons, questioning his twisted relations, and trying to one up the killer at his own game. He is sure that the killer is not the one he encountered years earlier – then, who is he? – a copycat, imitating the same pattern of the one now behind bars? Or is it the same one as before, pulling strings?
Review:
The story runs in the form of a parallel narrative, and for most of the part alternates between Inspector Raunak Upadhyay, and the serial killer, with a father-son narrative thrown in between which ups the mystery quotient. But the timeline of the story gets confusing which muddles up the character's ages in the eyes of the reader and certainly warrants more explanations.
The Coin is a book that the reader can devour in one sitting, and the story moves forward at the right pace. The story is gripping, and as I read it, I was constantly questioning the characters' choices, what drove them, where they were coming from, etc. It is not confined to a single genre either, rather has elements of all three – crime fiction, mystery, and thriller, with a bit of science fiction thrown in.
The Storyteller Murderer's stories about a nine-year old child just squeezed my heart (imagine the horrors of growing up like that!). And the abusive father-fearful son relation tore my heart out, such a vicious sadist the father was.
Also, the big reveal right in the middle of the story was totally out of the blue, and it gave the story a definite edge.
The build-up, the subtle tension keeps the reader hooked, and the mysterious aura surrounding the killer makes you suspect everyone.
Characters:
Readers can relate to characters more if they can imagine them in their mind's eye, and since there is no description in that area, it is difficult to engage with them.
There is not a single female character in this entire story, I think I can live with that, but it still bugs me.
The characters that started the story, I was expecting more of them but got disappointed when there was hardly any mention of them further down the line. It was a bit disappointing which led me to question as to what was their relevance to the story.
The antagonists; the inherently evil one, I get him, but the other antagonists' motivations are not that clear, and their back stories seem to be a bit fuzzy around the edges.
The protagonist, Raunak, is the most thought out character of the lot. His ingenuity, and the offbeat methods he uses, in his investigation work, makes him the best at what he does, and also a delight to read. Also, the place from where he comes, and the heights he has reached in spite of that, make him reverential in the eyes of the reader.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and there are countless errors throughout the text which made reading this no mean feat! And so, it needs heavy editing and proofreading, as is evident from the following:
The English used is crude:
- Raunak rushed near to them to hear the talks . [Pg. 153]
- Sun has already lowered down [Pg. 128]
- Raunak was building the aura . [Pg. 57]
Words have either been skipped or there are erroneous words:
- "No. I am trying to figure out why are saying lies to me," Raunak answered. [Pg. 141]
- Ramu fell down and scrolled on the floor [Pg. 106]
- Flood started flowing out, and after a few moments, a loud scream escaped from his prey's throat. [Pg. 31]
Tenses:
- He thought that he had control over everything but the moment he has stepped in the central jail, everything seems to have fallen apart. [Pg. 139]
- Raunak was all charged up, sitting in his cabin when he saw that Jasmit, the commissioner, has just arrived at the police station. [Pg. 57]
- The aura of the cabin naturally changed to its worst when the commissioner of police seems to be off mood. [Pg. 41]
Grammar:
We had one thing common . [Pg. 111]
He got benefited of the training [Pg. 103]
Raunak changed the topic and came on the point. [Pg. 24]
There are punctuation errors as well as incomplete sentences, and at some places, the sentences are choppy. All this has made the text quite incoherent sometimes.
There is a proverb: 'Do not judge a book by its cover.' But, all throughout the book, the coin mentioned was a half-burnt one. And though the book had its fair share of bloodshed, shouldn't there be fire instead of blood on the coin?
Overall the story has immense potential, and being an admirer of thrillers I loved the plot, but:-
1) it could have been more properly developed (even if this increased the length of the book),
and
2) it should have been proofread, and checked for grammatical, and other errors, before being published.
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...
(It is a strictly 18+ read)
My Rating: 2/5
Pages: 164 (Paperback)
Date of Publication: 25 April, 2018
Synopsis:
The prologue starts by showing us the relationship between a father and his son, and a strange father-son bond appears throughout the story. And then, bang comes the killer, bringing with him a chill and creepiness that is in tandem with a serial killer on the scene. A killer, who takes grim pleasure in making the police department chase after him by performing theatrics, recording the process, and sending it to the concerned authorities.
The story follows Inspector Raunak Upadhyay as he chases down the leads to catch a serial killer, while grappling with his personal demons, questioning his twisted relations, and trying to one up the killer at his own game. He is sure that the killer is not the one he encountered years earlier – then, who is he? – a copycat, imitating the same pattern of the one now behind bars? Or is it the same one as before, pulling strings?
Review:
The story runs in the form of a parallel narrative, and for most of the part alternates between Inspector Raunak Upadhyay, and the serial killer, with a father-son narrative thrown in between which ups the mystery quotient. But the timeline of the story gets confusing which muddles up the character's ages in the eyes of the reader and certainly warrants more explanations.
The Coin is a book that the reader can devour in one sitting, and the story moves forward at the right pace. The story is gripping, and as I read it, I was constantly questioning the characters' choices, what drove them, where they were coming from, etc. It is not confined to a single genre either, rather has elements of all three – crime fiction, mystery, and thriller, with a bit of science fiction thrown in.
The Storyteller Murderer's stories about a nine-year old child just squeezed my heart (imagine the horrors of growing up like that!). And the abusive father-fearful son relation tore my heart out, such a vicious sadist the father was.
Also, the big reveal right in the middle of the story was totally out of the blue, and it gave the story a definite edge.
The build-up, the subtle tension keeps the reader hooked, and the mysterious aura surrounding the killer makes you suspect everyone.
Characters:
Readers can relate to characters more if they can imagine them in their mind's eye, and since there is no description in that area, it is difficult to engage with them.
There is not a single female character in this entire story, I think I can live with that, but it still bugs me.
The characters that started the story, I was expecting more of them but got disappointed when there was hardly any mention of them further down the line. It was a bit disappointing which led me to question as to what was their relevance to the story.
The antagonists; the inherently evil one, I get him, but the other antagonists' motivations are not that clear, and their back stories seem to be a bit fuzzy around the edges.
The protagonist, Raunak, is the most thought out character of the lot. His ingenuity, and the offbeat methods he uses, in his investigation work, makes him the best at what he does, and also a delight to read. Also, the place from where he comes, and the heights he has reached in spite of that, make him reverential in the eyes of the reader.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and there are countless errors throughout the text which made reading this no mean feat! And so, it needs heavy editing and proofreading, as is evident from the following:
The English used is crude:
- Raunak rushed near to them to hear the talks . [Pg. 153]
- Sun has already lowered down [Pg. 128]
- Raunak was building the aura . [Pg. 57]
Words have either been skipped or there are erroneous words:
- "No. I am trying to figure out why are saying lies to me," Raunak answered. [Pg. 141]
- Ramu fell down and scrolled on the floor [Pg. 106]
- Flood started flowing out, and after a few moments, a loud scream escaped from his prey's throat. [Pg. 31]
Tenses:
- He thought that he had control over everything but the moment he has stepped in the central jail, everything seems to have fallen apart. [Pg. 139]
- Raunak was all charged up, sitting in his cabin when he saw that Jasmit, the commissioner, has just arrived at the police station. [Pg. 57]
- The aura of the cabin naturally changed to its worst when the commissioner of police seems to be off mood. [Pg. 41]
Grammar:
We had one thing common . [Pg. 111]
He got benefited of the training [Pg. 103]
Raunak changed the topic and came on the point. [Pg. 24]
There are punctuation errors as well as incomplete sentences, and at some places, the sentences are choppy. All this has made the text quite incoherent sometimes.
There is a proverb: 'Do not judge a book by its cover.' But, all throughout the book, the coin mentioned was a half-burnt one. And though the book had its fair share of bloodshed, shouldn't there be fire instead of blood on the coin?
Overall the story has immense potential, and being an admirer of thrillers I loved the plot, but:-
1) it could have been more properly developed (even if this increased the length of the book),
and
2) it should have been proofread, and checked for grammatical, and other errors, before being published.
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...
September 9, 2022
The best part of this book is its plot. It is solid, concise and has just the right pacing. There are flashback scenes in the book that provides us with the back-story. The past and present sequences are arranged well which helps in building up the plot. So three solid stars for the plot.
There are dialogues in the book that I found really compelling. They're like hidden gems that one has to be on the look out for.
"... The definition of human is wrong. We are just animals with a higher intellect. There's no difference between the wilds who are wandering outside and the one who is wandering inside in all of us."
The significance of the burnt coin and how it links the three major characters; their back-story is another highlight. The accounts of the murders, the unique way the serial-killer kills, then the corrosive and ugly side of human beings, the stronghold a person of influence has on others; there are a many intriguing facets to this story. I seriously wished I could give it a higher rating.
The two points where this book loses its stars are the numerous syntax errors and the somewhat typified cast of characters. There are just so many mistakes in the writing. Tenses also keep changing. It got very distracting and rather annoying after a while. I really like the plots this author comes up with. They’re all atypical, slightly hatke is what I mean and I like that aspect. However, the poorly proofread book simply ruined my enjoyment this time. I would have made concession had this been a debut work but that is not so. Being that the author is not exactly new to writing, this indicated callousness. Even the book summary on the back cover has errors.
The persona of the MC (Raunak) initially seems like the stereotypical genius detective with enough quirks that make him seem odd to his colleagues. We don’t get enough of a picture until later in the book as his persona is revealed in bits and pieces throughout the story. Now, this is not necessarily a misstep but it resulted in a lack of empathy, in my case. I felt detached almost to the point of being indifferent, even during the more sensitive episodes narrated here.
The supporting cast is more or less overlooked; physical descriptions of most are (curiously) absent. The killer’s features are only described early on because it is essential for the plot.
Plot is really the back bone of Sandeep Sharma’s latest detective novel. With its fast pacing and intriguing reveals, it definitely showcases enough potential to keep one hooked.
My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There are dialogues in the book that I found really compelling. They're like hidden gems that one has to be on the look out for.
"... The definition of human is wrong. We are just animals with a higher intellect. There's no difference between the wilds who are wandering outside and the one who is wandering inside in all of us."
The significance of the burnt coin and how it links the three major characters; their back-story is another highlight. The accounts of the murders, the unique way the serial-killer kills, then the corrosive and ugly side of human beings, the stronghold a person of influence has on others; there are a many intriguing facets to this story. I seriously wished I could give it a higher rating.
The two points where this book loses its stars are the numerous syntax errors and the somewhat typified cast of characters. There are just so many mistakes in the writing. Tenses also keep changing. It got very distracting and rather annoying after a while. I really like the plots this author comes up with. They’re all atypical, slightly hatke is what I mean and I like that aspect. However, the poorly proofread book simply ruined my enjoyment this time. I would have made concession had this been a debut work but that is not so. Being that the author is not exactly new to writing, this indicated callousness. Even the book summary on the back cover has errors.
The persona of the MC (Raunak) initially seems like the stereotypical genius detective with enough quirks that make him seem odd to his colleagues. We don’t get enough of a picture until later in the book as his persona is revealed in bits and pieces throughout the story. Now, this is not necessarily a misstep but it resulted in a lack of empathy, in my case. I felt detached almost to the point of being indifferent, even during the more sensitive episodes narrated here.
The supporting cast is more or less overlooked; physical descriptions of most are (curiously) absent. The killer’s features are only described early on because it is essential for the plot.
Plot is really the back bone of Sandeep Sharma’s latest detective novel. With its fast pacing and intriguing reveals, it definitely showcases enough potential to keep one hooked.
My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2019
The coin is a mystery & crime novel. The story is about a serial killer who kills his prey in a unique style. His used to narrate a story to his prey before actually killing them.
This style of killing was a copy of another criminal named as the storyteller murderer. But that criminal is in jail. So it becomes a difficult task for inspector Raunank to find out the mystery behind all these.
This book gives a great thrilling story with amazing scientific imaginations. The narration is perfect for this gener.
This style of killing was a copy of another criminal named as the storyteller murderer. But that criminal is in jail. So it becomes a difficult task for inspector Raunank to find out the mystery behind all these.
This book gives a great thrilling story with amazing scientific imaginations. The narration is perfect for this gener.
June 3, 2018
http://pebbleinthestillwaters.com/the...
The Coin by Sandeep Sharma #BookReview Never Make A Plan
The Coin by Sandeep Sharma is an interesting and engrossing 160-page action thriller. The fiction story has 3 key characters and all three have a strong characterization and a huge impact on each other. In fact, this is a story of power, money, and politics. It shows how power can corrupt a mind and malign a character. It also reflects how childhood bullying and physical assaults create a long-lasting impact on the mind of the child. During an early age, a child has a higher level of belief on his close relations and lesser knowledge of differentiating between right and wrong. An unnatural torture in the name of making a kid stronger against the world is an absolute misdeed. But then that is what life is. You find all kind of people around.
Author Sandeep Sharma has a special art in his writing style that creates enough curiosity about the characters and the circumstances in which they evolve. It prompts you to think about it. In fact, you keep intriguing while reading it and asking yourself - what next?
The story of The Coin is about a politician who is one the richest person in the town and has enough power to manipulate things in his way. He adopts two boys in their early age but for a wrong purpose and his selfish motives. He also tries to manipulate them as the different sides of a coin. That is what the cover of the book says - 'There is no other side of the coin'.
There are a lot of spelling mistakes in The Coin. Brought becomes bought on page 13, 29, 88, and 97. Him becomes hin on page 15. Is becomes if on page 45. Hear becomes head on page 86. Now imagine you are reading such an interesting story and you get annoying disruptors like this so frequently. The good point is that despite such disruptors story compels you to carry on and focus on the sequences to follow.
The story of The Coin reflects a really sad part of our country. Every system, policy, rule, and government machinery has a 'screwdriver'. You only need to identify this screwdriver who knows exactly when and how to tighten the loose ends. As Babban tries to explain - "He knows everyone inside out. Regardless of his position in the organization, he can even bend the top officers according to his will." And, in fact, every such screwdriver has a fee that we call as a bribe. Another learning is about the plans we make. It's foolish to plan because if it fails, you have nothing left other than wait to face the consequences.
And the third important learning is as Chandan says, "I have seen in this world, there's no good. Everyone is pretending to be human, but actually, there's no one. The definition of human is wrong. We are just animals with a higher intellect. There's no difference between the wilds who are wandering outside and the one who is wandering inside in all of us."
Overall, The Coin is an interesting story of Dharmender, Chandan, and Raunak. Just read and try to match yourself with one of them. Or you also believe that there's no other side of a coin?
The Coin by Sandeep Sharma #BookReview Never Make A Plan
The Coin by Sandeep Sharma is an interesting and engrossing 160-page action thriller. The fiction story has 3 key characters and all three have a strong characterization and a huge impact on each other. In fact, this is a story of power, money, and politics. It shows how power can corrupt a mind and malign a character. It also reflects how childhood bullying and physical assaults create a long-lasting impact on the mind of the child. During an early age, a child has a higher level of belief on his close relations and lesser knowledge of differentiating between right and wrong. An unnatural torture in the name of making a kid stronger against the world is an absolute misdeed. But then that is what life is. You find all kind of people around.
Author Sandeep Sharma has a special art in his writing style that creates enough curiosity about the characters and the circumstances in which they evolve. It prompts you to think about it. In fact, you keep intriguing while reading it and asking yourself - what next?
The story of The Coin is about a politician who is one the richest person in the town and has enough power to manipulate things in his way. He adopts two boys in their early age but for a wrong purpose and his selfish motives. He also tries to manipulate them as the different sides of a coin. That is what the cover of the book says - 'There is no other side of the coin'.
There are a lot of spelling mistakes in The Coin. Brought becomes bought on page 13, 29, 88, and 97. Him becomes hin on page 15. Is becomes if on page 45. Hear becomes head on page 86. Now imagine you are reading such an interesting story and you get annoying disruptors like this so frequently. The good point is that despite such disruptors story compels you to carry on and focus on the sequences to follow.
The story of The Coin reflects a really sad part of our country. Every system, policy, rule, and government machinery has a 'screwdriver'. You only need to identify this screwdriver who knows exactly when and how to tighten the loose ends. As Babban tries to explain - "He knows everyone inside out. Regardless of his position in the organization, he can even bend the top officers according to his will." And, in fact, every such screwdriver has a fee that we call as a bribe. Another learning is about the plans we make. It's foolish to plan because if it fails, you have nothing left other than wait to face the consequences.
And the third important learning is as Chandan says, "I have seen in this world, there's no good. Everyone is pretending to be human, but actually, there's no one. The definition of human is wrong. We are just animals with a higher intellect. There's no difference between the wilds who are wandering outside and the one who is wandering inside in all of us."
Overall, The Coin is an interesting story of Dharmender, Chandan, and Raunak. Just read and try to match yourself with one of them. Or you also believe that there's no other side of a coin?
June 12, 2018
Sandeep Sharma is a master of thrillers. He knows how to lay a foundation of suspense and how to build up from there. Coin is yet another testimony of his talent.
Raunak Upadhyay, is challenged by a series murders which he finds similar to the one he had solved years back. While he indulges more into the investigation, he realises that the murdered is particularly trying to reach up to him through the videos in which he says a story to the victim before killing them. Raunak has his demons to fight for and the serial killer makes the wounds raw when he refreshes the memories.
Apart from the suspense behind the killer, the suspense about the past of Raunak has also been dealt with deftly. A communion of the two parallel plots make the book all more engaging. There are no larger than life action sequences. Nonetheless author has managed to give an adrenalin pump to the readers. Often murder murder mysteries would have an obvious ending or ends up in such a way that completely unrelated character suddenly appears. Here, the author has maneuvered the subplots and things fall into place in the end.
The turn of events in the climax lacked a background, though. This affects the overall mood of the book and makes the plot unbelievable in several levels. There were a few glitches in the grammar which could be damaging to the whole book.
Raunak Upadhyay, is challenged by a series murders which he finds similar to the one he had solved years back. While he indulges more into the investigation, he realises that the murdered is particularly trying to reach up to him through the videos in which he says a story to the victim before killing them. Raunak has his demons to fight for and the serial killer makes the wounds raw when he refreshes the memories.
Apart from the suspense behind the killer, the suspense about the past of Raunak has also been dealt with deftly. A communion of the two parallel plots make the book all more engaging. There are no larger than life action sequences. Nonetheless author has managed to give an adrenalin pump to the readers. Often murder murder mysteries would have an obvious ending or ends up in such a way that completely unrelated character suddenly appears. Here, the author has maneuvered the subplots and things fall into place in the end.
The turn of events in the climax lacked a background, though. This affects the overall mood of the book and makes the plot unbelievable in several levels. There were a few glitches in the grammar which could be damaging to the whole book.
June 25, 2018
A serial killer is on the loose. His modus operandi, he let's people bleed to death with an axe wound, and he does that after telling his victims a story and recording that. The recording is seet to the police as a sort of bread crumbs, daring them to catch.
Enter a brilliant but maverick police officer, Raunak, whose case solving skills are a matter of intrigue. He figures the serial killer is following the footsteps of an old case he has cracked,and his investigation opens up a traumatic memory of his young age, the demons of the past that he must face. Will he conquer the demons, or become one himself. That's the essence of the ending.
A good thriller that starts well and ends badly. Would not recommend to read with high expectations,is a below par book. With the kind of narrative built halfway, a great ending would have made this a far better book.
Enter a brilliant but maverick police officer, Raunak, whose case solving skills are a matter of intrigue. He figures the serial killer is following the footsteps of an old case he has cracked,and his investigation opens up a traumatic memory of his young age, the demons of the past that he must face. Will he conquer the demons, or become one himself. That's the essence of the ending.
A good thriller that starts well and ends badly. Would not recommend to read with high expectations,is a below par book. With the kind of narrative built halfway, a great ending would have made this a far better book.
June 4, 2018
The title has been chosen very wisely. A depth mind has been worked behind it. I liked the title very much. It relates to the content. The cover has been designed so well. It has been made by matching with the title of this book. In the cover, a one sided coin has been reflected and the half portion of the coin is blooded, some drops of blood from the coin’s body undergo to a grassy field. The cover is so attractive. It can catch reader’s attention easily. After that I read the blurb portion. It has been written very well. It is short and well enough to understand about the content.
After analysing the title, the cover and the blurb portion, readers can get an idea that the story is centred with a one sided coin and it is a crime thriller.
The story has been written very well by the author. I like the way how the author has described all scenes like an outstanding story-teller. I like the style how he has written the plots. Though there are some typing errors in this book. But it’s negligible. It is an amazing story what the author has penned down. I have read some crime thrilled books but this book carries an exceptional character from other books what takes it to a highest peak is it gives a message to the society. The message is what if you want to know then you have to read this book.
The characters that have been introduced by the author in this book have been plotted well. Author has done a great job by describing each character so nicely. Moreover, I would like to recommend this book to the film directors to have a look on it as it has all eligibilities to become a film.
After analysing the title, the cover and the blurb portion, readers can get an idea that the story is centred with a one sided coin and it is a crime thriller.
The story has been written very well by the author. I like the way how the author has described all scenes like an outstanding story-teller. I like the style how he has written the plots. Though there are some typing errors in this book. But it’s negligible. It is an amazing story what the author has penned down. I have read some crime thrilled books but this book carries an exceptional character from other books what takes it to a highest peak is it gives a message to the society. The message is what if you want to know then you have to read this book.
The characters that have been introduced by the author in this book have been plotted well. Author has done a great job by describing each character so nicely. Moreover, I would like to recommend this book to the film directors to have a look on it as it has all eligibilities to become a film.
May 15, 2018
Book Title : The Coin
Author: Sandeep Sharma
Book Title:
The book title 'The Coin' is novel and interesting.
Book Cover:
The book cover is very artistic, with a Indian Rupee coin with blood. But, an antique coin would have added more beauty to the image.
Plot:
The book starts with an interesting story in the prologue. A busy businessman, Avnish, who doesn't have enough time to spend with his kid takes a day time to spend with. A very unpleasant incident happens with the kid when he tries to play with his reflection in the nearby small lake. A dead body is found inside the lake and the incident is informed to the Police. Later, The Chief Investigating Officer, Raunak Upadhyay, who is the in-charge of the case meets Avnish to complete the formalities. The Officer's team starts to investigate whose body is it.
As this scene progresses, another story runs in parallel, where a lawyer is captivated by a man, who is a total stranger. The captive is tied on hands and legs onto a chair and is almost in a dark room. The man who abducted interacts with the captive in a very weird way by telling him a story of a small boy who has a bad childhood. The captive initially gets confused why is he told that story. And this story telling session continues every day. The unknown man takes care of his captive by providing food but also physically tortures him in a brutal manner.
The next day, a new murder is reported and this case is also given to Raunak as he loves handling such criminal cases. A parcel with a note and a CD is received by the Police. The CD is played and the police see a captivated man in on the screen and a voice narrating a story complicates the situation. However, Raunak keenly makes a note of the story and in a spat goes to the Record room and searches for an old case file.
Raunak, sometimes in sleep suffers from unclear and weird dreams. But he never tried to concetrate on them. But this does have a strong influence during his childhood and the same can be seen as the story goes on.
The old case file is the trigger point where the actual story starts. What is the old case? Who was involved in it? What is the common point that Raunak identified that also relates the two murders? Who is the man held as captive? Whose voice was heard in the video? What is the role of Raunak's childhood in the case? Who are all involved in the deaths? And many more loose threads make the book a worthy read.
What I liked:
1. The different story line
2. Interesting small plots inside the main story
3. The connection between various characters in the story
What I didn't like:
1. In the last chapters, story has fallen a little dull and predictable.
2. The most important crux of the story was introduced all of a sudden in the last chapters which could not carry much force.
Narration:
The narration is very gripping, fascinating and mind churning.
Characters:
All the characters are very well structured and written.
Language & Grammar:
A very clear, simple and good language is used.
My Verdict: A definite engaging and an interesting story.
Book Title: 4\5
Book Cover: 3\5
Plot: 4\5
Narration: 4\5
Characters: 4\5
Language & Grammar: 4\5
The final rating I give is 4\5.
Author: Sandeep Sharma
Book Title:
The book title 'The Coin' is novel and interesting.
Book Cover:
The book cover is very artistic, with a Indian Rupee coin with blood. But, an antique coin would have added more beauty to the image.
Plot:
The book starts with an interesting story in the prologue. A busy businessman, Avnish, who doesn't have enough time to spend with his kid takes a day time to spend with. A very unpleasant incident happens with the kid when he tries to play with his reflection in the nearby small lake. A dead body is found inside the lake and the incident is informed to the Police. Later, The Chief Investigating Officer, Raunak Upadhyay, who is the in-charge of the case meets Avnish to complete the formalities. The Officer's team starts to investigate whose body is it.
As this scene progresses, another story runs in parallel, where a lawyer is captivated by a man, who is a total stranger. The captive is tied on hands and legs onto a chair and is almost in a dark room. The man who abducted interacts with the captive in a very weird way by telling him a story of a small boy who has a bad childhood. The captive initially gets confused why is he told that story. And this story telling session continues every day. The unknown man takes care of his captive by providing food but also physically tortures him in a brutal manner.
The next day, a new murder is reported and this case is also given to Raunak as he loves handling such criminal cases. A parcel with a note and a CD is received by the Police. The CD is played and the police see a captivated man in on the screen and a voice narrating a story complicates the situation. However, Raunak keenly makes a note of the story and in a spat goes to the Record room and searches for an old case file.
Raunak, sometimes in sleep suffers from unclear and weird dreams. But he never tried to concetrate on them. But this does have a strong influence during his childhood and the same can be seen as the story goes on.
The old case file is the trigger point where the actual story starts. What is the old case? Who was involved in it? What is the common point that Raunak identified that also relates the two murders? Who is the man held as captive? Whose voice was heard in the video? What is the role of Raunak's childhood in the case? Who are all involved in the deaths? And many more loose threads make the book a worthy read.
What I liked:
1. The different story line
2. Interesting small plots inside the main story
3. The connection between various characters in the story
What I didn't like:
1. In the last chapters, story has fallen a little dull and predictable.
2. The most important crux of the story was introduced all of a sudden in the last chapters which could not carry much force.
Narration:
The narration is very gripping, fascinating and mind churning.
Characters:
All the characters are very well structured and written.
Language & Grammar:
A very clear, simple and good language is used.
My Verdict: A definite engaging and an interesting story.
Book Title: 4\5
Book Cover: 3\5
Plot: 4\5
Narration: 4\5
Characters: 4\5
Language & Grammar: 4\5
The final rating I give is 4\5.
June 1, 2018
I had received a free copy of this book for an honest review. And here it goes:
The Good:
(1) Narrative was very-very fast. It never slacked. And once the reader has been sucked into the vortex of the story, there was no respite until it was all over.
(2) The central conceit was intriguing and new in Indian crime writing.
The Not-so-Good:
[1] Language was pretty stilted. In a story dealing with all kinds of sadism and serial killing, a circumspect & discreet writing style would have been more effective.
[2] The set-up was highly improbable, and reeked of Arkham asylum scenarios instead of a plausible and identifiable backdrop.
The Bad:
1) There were numerous typos. One expects a superior level of proof- checking.
2) Instead of a nuanced and understated narrative, the author has made the story filmy.
Nevertheless, despite all its weaknesses, the story was a rapid read, and I devoured it. I hope, it would be appreciated by other readers as well.
The Good:
(1) Narrative was very-very fast. It never slacked. And once the reader has been sucked into the vortex of the story, there was no respite until it was all over.
(2) The central conceit was intriguing and new in Indian crime writing.
The Not-so-Good:
[1] Language was pretty stilted. In a story dealing with all kinds of sadism and serial killing, a circumspect & discreet writing style would have been more effective.
[2] The set-up was highly improbable, and reeked of Arkham asylum scenarios instead of a plausible and identifiable backdrop.
The Bad:
1) There were numerous typos. One expects a superior level of proof- checking.
2) Instead of a nuanced and understated narrative, the author has made the story filmy.
Nevertheless, despite all its weaknesses, the story was a rapid read, and I devoured it. I hope, it would be appreciated by other readers as well.
June 6, 2018
Title – The Coin
Author – Sandeep Sharma

Name of publisher - Redgrab Books & Anybook
Publication date - 25 Apr 2018
Language - English
Package Dimensions - 20.2 x 12.8 x 1.4 cm
Book length - 164
ISBN-10 9387390268
ISBN-13 978-9387390263
Best Sellers Rank - 1187
Blurb –
Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey. Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9 year old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps? Does the murderer want to convey something? Whose story is being recited? Why the murderer is taking personal interest in Raunak? Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same? Welcome to the Brutal world!
Review –
The book is thriller packed with mystery and suspense running throughout it. From the very beginning till the end, something new appears and gives a new edge to the story, maintaining thrill throughout the book. You can’t judge who is wrong and who is right until you reach the end of the book. Central characters are intertwined with each other with supporting characters coming at certain junctures and moving the story ahead. Like his previous works, author has so meticulously connected science with human behavior. That’s the bonus of reading books of Sandeep Sharma. You end up learning something new which I bet you didn’t know earlier. Maybe you start creating your own fantasies based on the phenomena used by author in the book. The book portrays how a person can be brainwashed and can be made prone to do something heinous. Unless the appropriate measures are taken at the right time. Here too, protagonists handled the negatives well and gave the book a justified ending. How the secrets unravel and how the positions of characters change from being protagonist to antagonist is the crux of the book.
My views –
On characters –
Name of only one character Raunak is mentioned in the blurb. While for me, Chandan was the show stealer of the book. If it weren’t for Chandan’s contribution Raunak would have been unable to achieve whatever the story demanded. I like the way the two brothers finally reunited. Both had a disturbed childhood with father brainwashing both of them and preparing them for some hypothetical mission. These are the three characters, one harming and hating another in the starting. The hostility finally changing into reunion at the end aftertraversing all the odds and filtering right out of wrong.
On plot-
The story is weaved keeping in mind the journey reader will be traversing while reading. Incidents are linked with each others to bring the truth out in the end. I imagine how much mental focus and calculation it would have demanded on the part of writer to create such a interwoven plot. To reach where writer wants you to reach you need to read the book very religiously. Charcters, events and statements are being inter-connected ultracarefully. To understand the plot you are supposed to read the book painstakingly and do justice to the energy which writer invested while crafting it.
On narration-
There were some loose ends with editing mistakes and grammatical errors. So unlike the works of Sandeep Sharma. Keeping this in bay, the narration is as wonderful as the plot. How otherwise the plot would have been so enthralling.
On blurb –
Blurb questions your psyche and makes you enthusiastic to read the book and decode the mystery. I would have liked it little more if there were mention of Chandan too.
On book cover-
The cover is the story in the whole. How the coin brings the climax of the story is aptly descripted in the cover. I would have liked it more though if figures of 3 characters were there too.
On book title –
Simply the best. The mystery throughout the book with simplest yet most justified title. Including the note. The centre of the book in just two words.
Ratings-
Title- 5/5
Cover- 4.5/5
Blurb-4 /5
Narration- 4/5
Plot- 5/5
Presentation- 4/5
Overall- 4/5
Review by - Ranu Sharma
Author – Sandeep Sharma

Name of publisher - Redgrab Books & Anybook
Publication date - 25 Apr 2018
Language - English
Package Dimensions - 20.2 x 12.8 x 1.4 cm
Book length - 164
ISBN-10 9387390268
ISBN-13 978-9387390263
Best Sellers Rank - 1187
Blurb –
Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey. Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9 year old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps? Does the murderer want to convey something? Whose story is being recited? Why the murderer is taking personal interest in Raunak? Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same? Welcome to the Brutal world!
Review –
The book is thriller packed with mystery and suspense running throughout it. From the very beginning till the end, something new appears and gives a new edge to the story, maintaining thrill throughout the book. You can’t judge who is wrong and who is right until you reach the end of the book. Central characters are intertwined with each other with supporting characters coming at certain junctures and moving the story ahead. Like his previous works, author has so meticulously connected science with human behavior. That’s the bonus of reading books of Sandeep Sharma. You end up learning something new which I bet you didn’t know earlier. Maybe you start creating your own fantasies based on the phenomena used by author in the book. The book portrays how a person can be brainwashed and can be made prone to do something heinous. Unless the appropriate measures are taken at the right time. Here too, protagonists handled the negatives well and gave the book a justified ending. How the secrets unravel and how the positions of characters change from being protagonist to antagonist is the crux of the book.
My views –
On characters –
Name of only one character Raunak is mentioned in the blurb. While for me, Chandan was the show stealer of the book. If it weren’t for Chandan’s contribution Raunak would have been unable to achieve whatever the story demanded. I like the way the two brothers finally reunited. Both had a disturbed childhood with father brainwashing both of them and preparing them for some hypothetical mission. These are the three characters, one harming and hating another in the starting. The hostility finally changing into reunion at the end aftertraversing all the odds and filtering right out of wrong.
On plot-
The story is weaved keeping in mind the journey reader will be traversing while reading. Incidents are linked with each others to bring the truth out in the end. I imagine how much mental focus and calculation it would have demanded on the part of writer to create such a interwoven plot. To reach where writer wants you to reach you need to read the book very religiously. Charcters, events and statements are being inter-connected ultracarefully. To understand the plot you are supposed to read the book painstakingly and do justice to the energy which writer invested while crafting it.
On narration-
There were some loose ends with editing mistakes and grammatical errors. So unlike the works of Sandeep Sharma. Keeping this in bay, the narration is as wonderful as the plot. How otherwise the plot would have been so enthralling.
On blurb –
Blurb questions your psyche and makes you enthusiastic to read the book and decode the mystery. I would have liked it little more if there were mention of Chandan too.
On book cover-
The cover is the story in the whole. How the coin brings the climax of the story is aptly descripted in the cover. I would have liked it more though if figures of 3 characters were there too.
On book title –
Simply the best. The mystery throughout the book with simplest yet most justified title. Including the note. The centre of the book in just two words.
Ratings-
Title- 5/5
Cover- 4.5/5
Blurb-4 /5
Narration- 4/5
Plot- 5/5
Presentation- 4/5
Overall- 4/5
Review by - Ranu Sharma
June 16, 2018
This is one of the most engaging thrillers by Sandeep Sharma though initially the story is a bit ambiguous but on hitting to the notch of the storyline, you will find it great. The narration is beautiful along with the accommodation of plots and sub-plots.
Born to two different women but were adopted and brought up by a Politician, The Coin brings you the tale of two so called brothers, Raunak and Chandan. Raunak hates Chandan but the love for Raunak in Chandan's heart knows no bound. Being a victim of a burnt coin, the brothers write their fate with questions whose answers they still haunt for. Raunak, an intelligent police officer who loves to be challenged by the most mind boggling cases in his department.
“Who likes Sudden death?” The only question he used to ask before killing his prey. Random people from Delhi were being abducted and are being killed mercilessly. In the quest of searching the ''The Storyteller Killer'', little did Raunak know, the passion for his job and bygones of the burnt coin would trap him into an abyss which would result as a threat upon his life. Will he able to save himself ? If not he, who would be the one to save him ? Most importantly who is the culprit behind the trap and how does it connects to the trap ?
However, there I find an issue in the climax of the story which is not upto my expectations. Besides, there were grammatical and punctuation errors which states they the book is not proofread with vigilance. Had it been done, the language would have been superb. Even, the cover and title acts very apt to the story.
My overall rating is 3.4 🌟🌟🌟.
Born to two different women but were adopted and brought up by a Politician, The Coin brings you the tale of two so called brothers, Raunak and Chandan. Raunak hates Chandan but the love for Raunak in Chandan's heart knows no bound. Being a victim of a burnt coin, the brothers write their fate with questions whose answers they still haunt for. Raunak, an intelligent police officer who loves to be challenged by the most mind boggling cases in his department.
“Who likes Sudden death?” The only question he used to ask before killing his prey. Random people from Delhi were being abducted and are being killed mercilessly. In the quest of searching the ''The Storyteller Killer'', little did Raunak know, the passion for his job and bygones of the burnt coin would trap him into an abyss which would result as a threat upon his life. Will he able to save himself ? If not he, who would be the one to save him ? Most importantly who is the culprit behind the trap and how does it connects to the trap ?
However, there I find an issue in the climax of the story which is not upto my expectations. Besides, there were grammatical and punctuation errors which states they the book is not proofread with vigilance. Had it been done, the language would have been superb. Even, the cover and title acts very apt to the story.
My overall rating is 3.4 🌟🌟🌟.
June 26, 2018
Blurb of the book:
“Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey.
Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9-year-old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps? Does the murderer want to convey something?
Whose story is being recited? Why is the murderer taking personal interest in Raunak?
Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same?
Welcome to the Brutal world!
Review:
“Silence of the lambs” inspired many books and movies. Serial killer stories enraptures us all. This is one such story. This is told in past and present which is shown as normal and italic fonts.
Raunak is an upright, intelligent and fearless police officer. There is a mad serial killer loose in the city which is killing people without any rhyme and reasons and making videos of that. He sends the videos to police. It is upto Raunak to catch him and stop the killings. But he himself becomes a victim.
The story is interesting and pacing in good. The suspense is tight and capturing of Raunak adds too much tension. Raunak has a coin which has its own story. Its mystery is revealed in the end. There are many typo errors and tighter editing would have helped. 3/5 stars.
“Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey.
Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9-year-old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps? Does the murderer want to convey something?
Whose story is being recited? Why is the murderer taking personal interest in Raunak?
Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same?
Welcome to the Brutal world!
Review:
“Silence of the lambs” inspired many books and movies. Serial killer stories enraptures us all. This is one such story. This is told in past and present which is shown as normal and italic fonts.
Raunak is an upright, intelligent and fearless police officer. There is a mad serial killer loose in the city which is killing people without any rhyme and reasons and making videos of that. He sends the videos to police. It is upto Raunak to catch him and stop the killings. But he himself becomes a victim.
The story is interesting and pacing in good. The suspense is tight and capturing of Raunak adds too much tension. Raunak has a coin which has its own story. Its mystery is revealed in the end. There are many typo errors and tighter editing would have helped. 3/5 stars.
July 30, 2019
"Who likes Sudden death?"
📄
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 🔻
The Coin - by Sandeep Sharma
📄
The cover of the book is very good impressive and eye catchy, personally i like the cover very much. The best thing about the book is it's length and that is about 160 pages. Believe me one can easily finish it in a day as i did so.
▪️
The plot is very unique and interesting, while it is not about romance and love story but it is very thrilling. The story revolves around murders, mystery and thrill. Here you can see how one's past affect there present and future. Sandeep has shown many aspects, from politics to police, from rape to murders.
▪️
It started with a boy who was going to a picnic with his father and found a dead body in the river and they call the police. During the investigation of the same, the murderer send a video clip to the police and narrates before killing his target. There is a boy of 9 year old who's links were connected with the inspector 'Raunak Upadhyay' who was handling the case of these muders. For more you have to pick and read the book.
▪️
The writing style of the book is brilliantly done by one of my favourite authors, Sandeep Sharma. The characterization are well developed and beautifully presented without any confusions at all. Believe me you'll love the book as i do if you read it.
▪️
𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅? Yeah definitely recommended to thriller lover (readers) and everyone who is reading this review.
📄
𝑴𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 - 5/5 🌟
📄
𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 🔻
The Coin - by Sandeep Sharma
📄
The cover of the book is very good impressive and eye catchy, personally i like the cover very much. The best thing about the book is it's length and that is about 160 pages. Believe me one can easily finish it in a day as i did so.
▪️
The plot is very unique and interesting, while it is not about romance and love story but it is very thrilling. The story revolves around murders, mystery and thrill. Here you can see how one's past affect there present and future. Sandeep has shown many aspects, from politics to police, from rape to murders.
▪️
It started with a boy who was going to a picnic with his father and found a dead body in the river and they call the police. During the investigation of the same, the murderer send a video clip to the police and narrates before killing his target. There is a boy of 9 year old who's links were connected with the inspector 'Raunak Upadhyay' who was handling the case of these muders. For more you have to pick and read the book.
▪️
The writing style of the book is brilliantly done by one of my favourite authors, Sandeep Sharma. The characterization are well developed and beautifully presented without any confusions at all. Believe me you'll love the book as i do if you read it.
▪️
𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅? Yeah definitely recommended to thriller lover (readers) and everyone who is reading this review.
📄
𝑴𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 - 5/5 🌟
October 19, 2018
A series of murders- a serial killer on the loose, walking on the footsteps of another serial killer- an intelligent investigator in whom the killer seems interested.
Is there any connection between past and present, between the killer and the investigator? A chilling experience with varied emotions, a rollercoaster ride of crime and justice, of childhood and youth, of madness and Fame, of the brutal world and human vulnerability- this is an unputdownable thriller. Read my full review of my blog. Link is in the bio.
Is there any connection between past and present, between the killer and the investigator? A chilling experience with varied emotions, a rollercoaster ride of crime and justice, of childhood and youth, of madness and Fame, of the brutal world and human vulnerability- this is an unputdownable thriller. Read my full review of my blog. Link is in the bio.
May 18, 2020
The only highlight of the book is its plot! It's a fast-paced book and one can finish the book in just one sitting. However, the narration is very poor. The story moves in two-time frames and the transisition between the two time zones is very rough and confusing. There are a lot of spelling and grammar errors.
February 11, 2019
Exciting and gripping. Narration could have been better as it gets boring in the first few pages....
May 26, 2018
Starting from the cover of the book showing a coin in between and blood is flowing from it. Title of the book is perfect after reading the book.
This is a father-son's story, a brutal crime scene and a police investigation. The plot is unique; the storyline is gripping as well as intriguing and the narrative takes the story forward flawlessly. Guess, guess, guess….. only to realize in the end that all your calculations were wrong and the master plotter and his/ her motive was something you had not foreseen. Cleverly crafted, ‘The Coin’ is a murder mystery thriller and science fiction that engulfs you making it literally impossible for you to put it down till you read the last line. The murder, the motive, the suspects, efforts to unravel the mystery and the final truth make for an engrossing read.
The characters are well developed with all their imperfections. One can actually relate to their strengths, weaknesses, actions and reactions. This in itself speaks highly of the observation skills and story-telling ability of the author.
Language is simple, crisp and lucid. The author has been able use imagery to create an air of suspense. Words flow smoothly and emotions find expression thus making the book a veritable treat. The pace is perfect, neither slow nor too fast. It is steady and smooth. The book is a bag of emotions. There is hate, deceit, fear, determination, hope and much more. A few typographical errors here and there need to be rectified.
Suffering is life and suffering is the only thing that keeps us moving. We suffer and in hope of getting it eradicated from our lives, we run, we run places just to find the peace but what we get, is more suffering. That's what life is...
A nail-biting thriller with a twist that will leave you shaking your head in disbelief ( not because it’s unrealistic but because you’d have hardly ever thought on those lines.
Highly Recommend To All Readers
This is a father-son's story, a brutal crime scene and a police investigation. The plot is unique; the storyline is gripping as well as intriguing and the narrative takes the story forward flawlessly. Guess, guess, guess….. only to realize in the end that all your calculations were wrong and the master plotter and his/ her motive was something you had not foreseen. Cleverly crafted, ‘The Coin’ is a murder mystery thriller and science fiction that engulfs you making it literally impossible for you to put it down till you read the last line. The murder, the motive, the suspects, efforts to unravel the mystery and the final truth make for an engrossing read.
The characters are well developed with all their imperfections. One can actually relate to their strengths, weaknesses, actions and reactions. This in itself speaks highly of the observation skills and story-telling ability of the author.
Language is simple, crisp and lucid. The author has been able use imagery to create an air of suspense. Words flow smoothly and emotions find expression thus making the book a veritable treat. The pace is perfect, neither slow nor too fast. It is steady and smooth. The book is a bag of emotions. There is hate, deceit, fear, determination, hope and much more. A few typographical errors here and there need to be rectified.
Suffering is life and suffering is the only thing that keeps us moving. We suffer and in hope of getting it eradicated from our lives, we run, we run places just to find the peace but what we get, is more suffering. That's what life is...
A nail-biting thriller with a twist that will leave you shaking your head in disbelief ( not because it’s unrealistic but because you’d have hardly ever thought on those lines.
Highly Recommend To All Readers
June 5, 2018
book-the coin
author -sandeep sharma
page -164
format -paperback
the title of the book is very wisely choosen.it relates with the content . the cover is very interesting amd match with the title.. that blood shown in the coin is indicate the brutal world . the cover can easily attract the reader . the story written very well by sandeep sharma. the story of two brother is portrayed very well who suffer in their childhood coz of his father's lust.
its a neil biting thrilled story and the reality of the brutal world clearly shown here.
again sandeep sharma springs his magic.
author -sandeep sharma
page -164
format -paperback
the title of the book is very wisely choosen.it relates with the content . the cover is very interesting amd match with the title.. that blood shown in the coin is indicate the brutal world . the cover can easily attract the reader . the story written very well by sandeep sharma. the story of two brother is portrayed very well who suffer in their childhood coz of his father's lust.
its a neil biting thrilled story and the reality of the brutal world clearly shown here.
again sandeep sharma springs his magic.
May 30, 2018
Some books do bring out the best in you, whereas, some on the contrary, bring out the worse in you.
I had high expectations for this one as the cover seemed surreal, white background with a touch of effervescence & the murderous portrait gave away a lot of action & sequence that was supposed to take place in the book.
Title was well selected, but, however, the monotonous story totally pissed me off.
I regret my decision of buying this book. It was overhyped, so I went along with the flow.
The following points if it was followed successfully, could have made the book a lot more useful, easier, pleasant to read & better than others in the market.
However, unfortunately it let me down.
1. Language was way below average. The plot seems to be over exaggerated, monotonous & kept on prolonging most of the time.
2. Off-balance of suspense with mystery caused the book to be a total disaster, the book needs a lot of research before it has to be procrastinated.
I had high expectations for this one as the cover seemed surreal, white background with a touch of effervescence & the murderous portrait gave away a lot of action & sequence that was supposed to take place in the book.
Title was well selected, but, however, the monotonous story totally pissed me off.
I regret my decision of buying this book. It was overhyped, so I went along with the flow.
The following points if it was followed successfully, could have made the book a lot more useful, easier, pleasant to read & better than others in the market.
However, unfortunately it let me down.
1. Language was way below average. The plot seems to be over exaggerated, monotonous & kept on prolonging most of the time.
2. Off-balance of suspense with mystery caused the book to be a total disaster, the book needs a lot of research before it has to be procrastinated.
May 30, 2018
The coin. I have no words to describe. the book starting with a serial killer who kills people after narrating a story to them. a story which was completely not making sense one according to the victims and the police at the begging. Inspector Raunak who has solved many cases with less effort was appointed in this case to solve the mystery. The serial killer after every murder use to send a video clip to the police in which he was seen narrating the story to the victims before murder. The case was too complicated and has less loop holes to reach the killer. Raunak had a special and interesting style of investigation. What was the mystery? Why were there random people killed? Why Was The killer challenging the inspector? To know all these you have to read the book. It won't disappoint you.
The way book goes, it won't take much time for you to get into the book world. The language was simple. The narration was brilliant. Overall loved the book.
The way book goes, it won't take much time for you to get into the book world. The language was simple. The narration was brilliant. Overall loved the book.
Read
June 5, 2018Good book.
It is a good book to read but the end could have been even more better than the original one.
It is a good book to read but the end could have been even more better than the original one.
May 23, 2018
Every coin has 2 sides that are unique. But what happens when these sides forget their identity and try to be like the other. That's when the coin loses its charm and value. The Coin is a serial murder mystery. A serial killer on the prowl sought by the intelligent cop- a standard murder mystery. The killer teases the cops by sending them gruesome videos of his acts and the cops find clues in those videos to find the killer. Though there is nothing new in the story, the author does make up by keeping it fast paced- a page turner sort of. The plot begins very interestingly and looks promising. However, there are a lot of characters (some of them didnt seem to add value to the plot) at every point in the story. The poor editing and glaring grammatical mistakes are a major let down. I liked the cover page though.
Disclaimer:- I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
Disclaimer:- I received a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
May 27, 2018
The Coin written by Sandeep Sharma is a murder mystery cum science fiction thriller. The story of the book is weaved in this way that it kept me hooked to it at every page. The story revolves around A killer who make people to listen his story and then kill them. Inspector Raunak Upadhyay was deputed to solve the case as some years back same killing incident were accuring in the city and Raunak get the killer behind the bar. Now who is this new killer who is following his track? Will Raunak be able to crack the case ? Read this fast paced crime thriller which will make you glued and keep guessing till end.
Title of the book is well opted with the story and cover has designed well which grab reader's attention. The book is nice one time read for mystery and thriller lovers.
Title of the book is well opted with the story and cover has designed well which grab reader's attention. The book is nice one time read for mystery and thriller lovers.
May 27, 2018
Amazing work by the author. All the characters are connected to each other which is a great thing. This is a perfect murder mystery. I felt depressed while reading this book, I slept late at night while reading this book and saw bad dreams continued for two nights. That's a plus for the author as he is able to create that kind of murder scenes that my brain got carried away with it.
This book tells dream simulator but this book itself is a mind simulator.
Reading this book was like watching the best of Crime Petrol episode.
This book tells dream simulator but this book itself is a mind simulator.
Reading this book was like watching the best of Crime Petrol episode.
May 6, 2018
"A mix bag of thrill,crime,mystery,brutality and sci-fi, which will entertain you surely."
Detail Review: https://bodhisattwapalreview.blogspot...
Review: Well, THE COIN is basically a crime thriller with a touch of mystery and sci-fi (surprisingly). In every chapter 3 stories are told in a parallel way, A father-son's story, a brutal crime scene and a police investigation. Slowly the 3 story progress and finally meet in a point where the mystery is unfolded.
With an uneasy start, the story peeked it's speed. Despite of a complex plot, the author quite skillfully described the storyline and made it easy. The story is really gripping till the last page and you can't put it down. The story progression make you tensed. Sandeep Sharma created the brutal and mysterious world finely.
But there are several problem with the novel. Firstly there are a lot of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Lack of good editing is clear.
Apart from this we can see an instability in the characters' motive. The transformation of 'Chandan' is perfectly described but there are no description of how 'Raunak' became a great mastermind police maker after that childhood happening. And after commuting the 2 murders, what happened with Chandan at last? I mean Dharmendra and Ramu got punishment but not Chandan. I love sci-fi but the last part seems to be little forceful. Also the story lacks logic in some parts.
But still with a thrilling plot and fine storytelling, Sandeep Sharma successfully made it a decent read. He terrifically created those psycho characters and unique world. A better editing can make it better.
Still a fine thriller for a quick read that will entertain you for sure.
Overall Book Rating: 3.5/5
Thanks to the author for the review copy.
Thanks for reading.
Detail Review: https://bodhisattwapalreview.blogspot...
Review: Well, THE COIN is basically a crime thriller with a touch of mystery and sci-fi (surprisingly). In every chapter 3 stories are told in a parallel way, A father-son's story, a brutal crime scene and a police investigation. Slowly the 3 story progress and finally meet in a point where the mystery is unfolded.
With an uneasy start, the story peeked it's speed. Despite of a complex plot, the author quite skillfully described the storyline and made it easy. The story is really gripping till the last page and you can't put it down. The story progression make you tensed. Sandeep Sharma created the brutal and mysterious world finely.
But there are several problem with the novel. Firstly there are a lot of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Lack of good editing is clear.
Apart from this we can see an instability in the characters' motive. The transformation of 'Chandan' is perfectly described but there are no description of how 'Raunak' became a great mastermind police maker after that childhood happening. And after commuting the 2 murders, what happened with Chandan at last? I mean Dharmendra and Ramu got punishment but not Chandan. I love sci-fi but the last part seems to be little forceful. Also the story lacks logic in some parts.
But still with a thrilling plot and fine storytelling, Sandeep Sharma successfully made it a decent read. He terrifically created those psycho characters and unique world. A better editing can make it better.
Still a fine thriller for a quick read that will entertain you for sure.
Overall Book Rating: 3.5/5
Thanks to the author for the review copy.
Thanks for reading.
May 20, 2018
I received this book to give a honest review.
the book is thriller. series of murders happening. the method of killing is similar to the murders happened some years back. the inspector who caught the serial killer investigating this killings now.
they already caught the killer. now who is the copycat killer? what's his intension?
all these murders have to do anything with inspector's past?
read this and find out.
simple language.
short book (164 pages)
the book is thriller. series of murders happening. the method of killing is similar to the murders happened some years back. the inspector who caught the serial killer investigating this killings now.
they already caught the killer. now who is the copycat killer? what's his intension?
all these murders have to do anything with inspector's past?
read this and find out.
simple language.
short book (164 pages)
May 10, 2018
A story which has been written really well from the beginning but would have made it a real good one had it ended well. Yes. Honestly I did not liked the climax. I wouldn't say it would be the same when you finish reading it. Perceptions may differ. You might like the way the story ends.
I wasn't happy about the editing bit. If the edit was done properly, the story would have sounded much much better. I have read few of Sandeep's books and I am sure he would take this as a constructive criticism to come out with stories which would make the readers go gaga about it.
The story begins with a murder and the murderer rather than being cautious, sends a video to the cops direct thereby provoking them to try and find out as to who he is. Ronak Upadhyay, the cop who has handled a case similar to this in his career springs into action and starts digging into it and stumbles upon few evidences. While the previous convict was still behind the bars, the murder continues.
Who does this?
How was he/she being caught?
Read the story to find out more as to how these murders were done and who was behind it and the motive for these gruesome murders.
I wasn't happy about the editing bit. If the edit was done properly, the story would have sounded much much better. I have read few of Sandeep's books and I am sure he would take this as a constructive criticism to come out with stories which would make the readers go gaga about it.
The story begins with a murder and the murderer rather than being cautious, sends a video to the cops direct thereby provoking them to try and find out as to who he is. Ronak Upadhyay, the cop who has handled a case similar to this in his career springs into action and starts digging into it and stumbles upon few evidences. While the previous convict was still behind the bars, the murder continues.
Who does this?
How was he/she being caught?
Read the story to find out more as to how these murders were done and who was behind it and the motive for these gruesome murders.
May 13, 2018
I loved the plot. The book is well written. good book for a weekend. Story will captivate your interest. Author has surprised you in every chapter.
December 18, 2019
The second half is bland. The thrill will be snatched in the second part.
July 2, 2018
Title- The Coin
Author- Sandeep Sharma
Genre- Fiction
Sub-Genre- Crime/Mystery/Thriller
Publisher- Redgrab Books & Anybook
Publication date- 25 April 2018
Language- English
Pages- 164
Format- Paperback
Blurb-
Okay. Coming to this blurb or description of the book will make you know the brutal side of this world.
“Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey. Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9 year old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps? Does the murderer want to convey something? Whose story is being recited? Why the murderer is taking personal interest in Raunak? Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same? Welcome to the Brutal world!
Review-
This is a fiction book which has mystery and thriller story.
The cover of the book is apt and it has a picture of burned coin with blood on it and title goes along with it. Beginning of the book is somewhat indeterminate but while reading through I found it interesting.
The story includes murders of some random people where the murderer narrates a story to the one before killing and records it in the tapes and sends it to the police. The tapes are recorded such that the face of the murderer is hidden in the video. Here, Raunak is the best cop among the department to solve the cases. But this is the case which is something different for him. Will he and his teammates will be able to solve the mystery behind this case?
Will they be able to catch the culprit?
The cop named Raunak is brother from another mother with Chandan. Raunak hates his brother Chandan. What are reasons behind hating Chandan? Raunak always carries a coin which is burnt from both the sides. Who gave him the burnt coin? What is the story behind this coin?
The characters, plot, grammar, writing and presentation all were good.
This book will keep you hooked up until you finish it because it keeps you engaged to find what happens next. To find all answers to mysterious questions above you should grab this book. It will never let you down.
Points I liked-
The narration of the story and simple language which kept me engaged in the book. some interesting quotes written by author were apt.
Points of improvement-
Some words were there which can be corrected like shut to be corrected to shoot. And line like why are saying lies.
Favourite lines from the book-
1. Suffering is life and suffering is the only thing that keeps us moving. We suffer and in hope of getting it eradicated from our life, we run, we run places just to find the peace but what we get, is more suffering. That’s what life is!
2. Your answers lie in your acts.
3. We are born same but the rules of game for everyone of us were different. For some the struggles were in finding the food, for others, struggles were related to how to excel and for some there were no struggles at all.
About the Author-
Sandeep Sharma (25) has written four novels, titled ‘Hey Dad! Meet my mom’, ‘Algorithm of the future’, ‘Let The Game Begin’ and ‘Just A Few Lies’. He is currently working on his start-up venture named ‘Author Paradise’ that works for the benefit of Authors to provide them well-organized online & offline publicity. By education, he is a civil engineer who graduated from JSS Academy of Technical Education, Noida. He is very passionate about writing and has been writing short stories for his personal blog since 8 years. Some of those short stories, also are being adopted in conversion as short movies. He is an avid reader and loves to review books on his blog. He is a well-known reviewer in the literary world and has reviewed more than 300 books.
My final verdict-
Readers who are new to thriller reading must read this book.
Ratings-
Title- 4/5 stars
Cover- 4/5 stars
Blurb- 4.5/5 stars
Plot- 4/5 stars
Writing and presentation- 4.5/5 stars
Overall rating- 4.5/5 stars
Reviewed By- Sudarshan Jagtap
Author- Sandeep Sharma
Genre- Fiction
Sub-Genre- Crime/Mystery/Thriller
Publisher- Redgrab Books & Anybook
Publication date- 25 April 2018
Language- English
Pages- 164
Format- Paperback
Blurb-
Okay. Coming to this blurb or description of the book will make you know the brutal side of this world.
“Who likes Sudden death?” That's the only question he used to ask before killing his prey. Random people are being abducted from the capital city, Delhi and are being killed mercilessly. Before killing, the murderer is reciting them a story, a story about a 9 year old child who saw the brutal side of the world at a very young age. All the stories are being recorded for the Police department to see. Raunak Upadhyay, the Police inspector who is handling the case, links the style of serial killing to the case he solved years ago. But the murderer of that case is in jail then who is following the footsteps? Does the murderer want to convey something? Whose story is being recited? Why the murderer is taking personal interest in Raunak? Is there any other side of this coin or both the faces are just the same? Welcome to the Brutal world!
Review-
This is a fiction book which has mystery and thriller story.
The cover of the book is apt and it has a picture of burned coin with blood on it and title goes along with it. Beginning of the book is somewhat indeterminate but while reading through I found it interesting.
The story includes murders of some random people where the murderer narrates a story to the one before killing and records it in the tapes and sends it to the police. The tapes are recorded such that the face of the murderer is hidden in the video. Here, Raunak is the best cop among the department to solve the cases. But this is the case which is something different for him. Will he and his teammates will be able to solve the mystery behind this case?
Will they be able to catch the culprit?
The cop named Raunak is brother from another mother with Chandan. Raunak hates his brother Chandan. What are reasons behind hating Chandan? Raunak always carries a coin which is burnt from both the sides. Who gave him the burnt coin? What is the story behind this coin?
The characters, plot, grammar, writing and presentation all were good.
This book will keep you hooked up until you finish it because it keeps you engaged to find what happens next. To find all answers to mysterious questions above you should grab this book. It will never let you down.
Points I liked-
The narration of the story and simple language which kept me engaged in the book. some interesting quotes written by author were apt.
Points of improvement-
Some words were there which can be corrected like shut to be corrected to shoot. And line like why are saying lies.
Favourite lines from the book-
1. Suffering is life and suffering is the only thing that keeps us moving. We suffer and in hope of getting it eradicated from our life, we run, we run places just to find the peace but what we get, is more suffering. That’s what life is!
2. Your answers lie in your acts.
3. We are born same but the rules of game for everyone of us were different. For some the struggles were in finding the food, for others, struggles were related to how to excel and for some there were no struggles at all.
About the Author-
Sandeep Sharma (25) has written four novels, titled ‘Hey Dad! Meet my mom’, ‘Algorithm of the future’, ‘Let The Game Begin’ and ‘Just A Few Lies’. He is currently working on his start-up venture named ‘Author Paradise’ that works for the benefit of Authors to provide them well-organized online & offline publicity. By education, he is a civil engineer who graduated from JSS Academy of Technical Education, Noida. He is very passionate about writing and has been writing short stories for his personal blog since 8 years. Some of those short stories, also are being adopted in conversion as short movies. He is an avid reader and loves to review books on his blog. He is a well-known reviewer in the literary world and has reviewed more than 300 books.
My final verdict-
Readers who are new to thriller reading must read this book.
Ratings-
Title- 4/5 stars
Cover- 4/5 stars
Blurb- 4.5/5 stars
Plot- 4/5 stars
Writing and presentation- 4.5/5 stars
Overall rating- 4.5/5 stars
Reviewed By- Sudarshan Jagtap
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