PLAY TO KILL

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗼 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹
𝗕𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗷𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗲𝗲 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿: 𝗦𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗶 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿
𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝟐𝟏𝟔
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱: 𝟏𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿, 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿: 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓








ACP Karan Singh Shekhawat and his elite Urban Crimes unit find themselves confronted with a disturbing pattern sweeping through the city—victims who are mysteriously drugged, stripped of their memories, and left with no trace of what transpired. Each new case is more unsettling than the last, and the absence of clear leads pushes the investigation into uncharted territory.
Meanwhile, TV producer Anya Aulakh is living a perfectly ordinary life—until a single moment shatters that illusion. Without warning, she becomes entangled in a dangerous digital maze: a clandestine online game where unsuspecting college students turn into pawns, manipulated for the entertainment and gain of unseen puppeteers. At the centre of this malevolent network is the enigmatic Mataji—a shadowy mastermind who offers to “fix” people’s troubles, only to trap them in far darker consequences.
Set against the backdrop of Delhi—a city where every digital footprint leaves a trail and every connection may conceal a danger—Karan and Anya must navigate a world filled with lies, power, and fear. Their pursuit leads them from influential boardrooms to the shadowy corners of the internet, revealing a web of corruption and deceit that runs deeper than they ever imagined. But when the sinister game shifts its focus onto them, the stakes escalate from investigative to personal. Both Karan and Anya quickly learn that in this deadly contest, the players aren’t just deceitful—they’re willing to kill.

Now, coming to the writing style, the language is simple and accessible, and the narration flows smoothly. The plot itself is quite engaging and feels very relevant to the world we live in today. At first glance, the story appears to revolve around an online gaming platform, at least from the players’ perspective. However, as the layers unfold, we discover that this “game” is actually a sophisticated tool to help clients locate individuals, with unsuspecting players carrying out real-world tasks under the impression that they are merely completing game challenges, much like a modern treasure hunt. It’s certainly an intriguing and timely concept, making it a fitting choice for thriller enthusiasts.
The Urban Crimes team’s mission—to uncover the mastermind behind this dangerous online network—adds to the excitement, especially as the young players involved are unaware of what they are committing.

Now, you may wonder: if the plot is compelling and the language is easy to follow, why did I rate it 3.5 stars? While I genuinely appreciated the originality of the premise, I did feel a few gaps along the way. Although the narration is good, there are some slightly dull moments around chapters 14–15 (out of 19). At this point, the story felt a bit stretched. The suspense was definitely building, but I felt that revealing small bits of information earlier would have maintained the momentum more effectively. Keeping most of the major revelations for the end slowed the pace for me, and my interest dipped around those chapters.
Another aspect that felt slightly off was the investigation's focus. While the crime unit appears to be handling multiple cases, the narrative remains heavily concentrated on Anya’s case, which at times makes the progression feel repetitive. Additionally, the portrayal of the police team seemed a touch inexperienced. Perhaps this was intentional to prolong the investigation. However, for experienced thriller readers, it may come across as unrealistic, especially if readers are familiar with how police procedures typically unfold in such stories.
Another point that didn’t quite work for me was the prolonged secrecy around Anya’s DNI. As a result, concealing it for so long diluted its impact.
Furthermore, these motives were portrayed with much more intensity than they actually held. Throughout the narrative, the victims demonstrate extraordinary efforts to escape or stay safe, which naturally raise the reader’s expectations. However, when the true motives come out, they seem comparatively weak, making the buildup feel a little disproportionate.

That said, the book offers a gripping premise and remains engaging for much of the narrative. I recommend it to thriller lovers and to new readers who prefer simple, clear language. Avid thriller readers may still enjoy the fresh, contemporary plot, though they might wish to skim the review before deciding.

My Rating:

3.5/5

NOTE:   In this blog, the CONTENT and PICTURES are owned by Samayra Singh and may not be used or distributed without permission. Strict legal action will be taken against any infringement.