The Only Way Out is Death | Varun Gwalani | Book Review

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Saga Fiction (15 April 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages

When 12 influential people of the world assemble in an abandoned (but fairly luxurious) hotel after being kidnapped, they are left with mere 3 choices:

Live out the rest of their days peacefully in the hotel,
Die by suicide so the rest of their companions can go free,
Or murder one of their companions so they alone can go free.

Packed with action layers after layers, The Only Way Out is Death is a nail-biting and unputdownable read. I have read something like this after a long time where I was constantly on the edges in the anticipation of what was to come next!

The twelve humans have their backstories, nasty and grim. They are cruel humans and this is precisely why they are put here while the outside world believes they are dead. There is a mastermind behind their abrupt imprisonment whose voice introduces itself every now and then.

The 12 live in dread as one after another dies under mysterious circumstances. Yes, there is a murderer behind each death that reveals itself in the due course of time. Who are they? What are their intentions? Why are these 12 people chosen to die each day until they close their eyes finally? Will they make it to another side safely?

The narrator is Kiriaki, one of the 12 humans, who owns a law firm in the outside world. This murder mystery gets better as we pass through the initial pages after we know who all are going to keep us hooked and baffled. The writing is taut and each character sketch is made with utmost finesse.

Layers are peeled, selfish motives are unveiled, crimes are committed in cold blood, and gruesome sites are revealed. Pandemic didn’t do well to the world but there are a few who milked the situation to make profits. The Only Way Out is Death brings forth a few such evil intentions that landed up all in misery.

The narrative is so well drawn that there is hardly a thing to miss. All the pieces are put together to bring us a not-so-regular murder mystery that has some memorable twists and a fantastic climax! Though I do feel that some parts could have been trimmed to make the text shorter.

Nonetheless, if you are looking for a well-structured thriller, pick up this book. You’ll love it.