“Arthreya is a fine detective with a curious mind.”—Sarah Lyall, The New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice) "A modern-day take on the classic locked-room murder mystery, transported to a remote mansion high in the hills of southern India."—The New York Times “Reminiscent of Agatha Christie mysteries, this first in the Harith Athreya series is a sure hit for readers who love a taste of foreign intrigue and a solid whodunit. Fans of Ngaio Marsh’s A MAN LAY DEAD and Patricia Moyes’s DEAD MEN DON'T SKI will also enjoy.”—Library Journal "A WILL TO KILL is a slice of sheer pleasure. Bravo."—The Guardian "A deftly executed country house mystery... Raman weaves in a believable and well-thought-out plot that stays faithful to the mood of a country house murder. The ghost-ridden misty landscape of the Nilgiris is an ideal setting for a cosy winter afternoon read."—Open, The Magazine "Channeling Agatha Christie isn't a bad way for a writer to spend his time, not if he does it well. Raman does it splendidly...{he} delivers a full-blast Christie mystery set in India but full of classic Christie tropes."—Booklist "In this kickoff to a new series, Raman brilliantly evokes Agatha Christie’s classic country estate mysteries for modern-day India. It’s an ingenious plot, and Raman takes obvious delight in teasing out the suspense to great effect."—CrimeReads (named one of the 13 Novels You Should Read in October) "Intriguing contemporary whodunit and series launch...fans of golden age mysteries will look forward to the sequel."—Publishers Weekly "... the influence of Agatha Christie on the author's writing is unmissable. Enjoy a nostalgic trip back to your teenage years when crisp crime thrillers kept us awake for long nights." —The Telegraph "The influence of Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr on the narrative is compelling ... The narrative style also shows influences of author Ngaio Marsh. Like Marsh, Raman's prose is what really makes him stand out. It is subtle, clear, ironic, but always elegant and peppered with witty liners; his characters sharply, sometimes hilariously, drawn." —Orissa Post "Red herrings galore, there is never a dull moment in the book. The writing is crisp and self-assured and the author's confidence shows in the way the story unfolds and in the way the motives and secrets of characters are revealed. The cliffhanger chapter-ends and solutions have readers slapping their foreheads. The denouement is crisp and impactful and doesn't draw out over pages."—Orissa Post

“Arthreya is a fine detective with a curious mind.”—Sarah Lyall, The New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice) "A modern-day take on the classic locked-room murder mystery, transported to a remote mansion high in the hills of southern India."—The New York Times “Reminiscent of Agatha Christie mysteries, this first in the Harith Athreya series is a sure hit for readers who love a taste of foreign intrigue and a solid whodunit. Fans of Ngaio Marsh’s A MAN LAY DEAD and Patricia Moyes’s DEAD MEN DON'T SKI will also enjoy.”—Library Journal "A WILL TO KILL is a slice of sheer pleasure. Bravo."—The Guardian "A deftly executed country house mystery... Raman weaves in a believable and well-thought-out plot that stays faithful to the mood of a country house murder. The ghost-ridden misty landscape of the Nilgiris is an ideal setting for a cosy winter afternoon read."—Open, The Magazine "Channeling Agatha Christie isn't a bad way for a writer to spend his time, not if he does it well. Raman does it splendidly...{he} delivers a full-blast Christie mystery set in India but full of classic Christie tropes."—Booklist "In this kickoff to a new series, Raman brilliantly evokes Agatha Christie’s classic country estate mysteries for modern-day India. It’s an ingenious plot, and Raman takes obvious delight in teasing out the suspense to great effect."—CrimeReads (named one of the 13 Novels You Should Read in October) "Intriguing contemporary whodunit and series launch...fans of golden age mysteries will look forward to the sequel."—Publishers Weekly "... the influence of Agatha Christie on the author's writing is unmissable. Enjoy a nostalgic trip back to your teenage years when crisp crime thrillers kept us awake for long nights." —The Telegraph "The influence of Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr on the narrative is compelling ... The narrative style also shows influences of author Ngaio Marsh. Like Marsh, Raman's prose is what really makes him stand out. It is subtle, clear, ironic, but always elegant and peppered with witty liners; his characters sharply, sometimes hilariously, drawn." —Orissa Post "Red herrings galore, there is never a dull moment in the book. The writing is crisp and self-assured and the author's confidence shows in the way the story unfolds and in the way the motives and secrets of characters are revealed. The cliffhanger chapter-ends and solutions have readers slapping their foreheads. The denouement is crisp and impactful and doesn't draw out over pages."—Orissa Post

RV Raman is the author of the Inspector Ranade and Inspector Dhruvi thrillers, published in India, which are loosely based on his corporate career spanning three decades and four continents. His latest book, published by Agora Books in October 2020, A WILL TO KILL, is the first in the Harith Athreya series, and is an Agatha Christie-esque whodunit, set in India. In addition to writing, he teaches business strategy at the Indian Institute of Management. Find him at www.rvraman.com and on Twitter @RVRaman_