Much has been learnt from Western thrillers, but not much else. It's a page-turner but not much else. The historical perspective has been thrown in to add another dimension but it doesn't quite add to the whole - stays apart and comes together with the plot in a oblique, disjointed way. Hailing oneself (or was it the publisher's doing?) as "finally an Indian thriller writer" is a tad presumtuous. It's an attempt, a good one, but not stellar stuff.