400 Days (novel)
First edition | |
| Author | Chetan Bhagat |
|---|---|
| Language | Indian English |
| Genre | Mystery, Thriller |
| Set in | India |
| Publisher | Westland Publications[1] |
Publication date | 8 October 2021 |
| Publication place | India |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Pages | 352 [2] |
| ISBN | 978-1542094085 |
| Preceded by | One Arranged Murder |
400 Days is a 2021 mystery novel by Indian author Chetan Bhagat. It is Bhagat's tenth novel and the third installment in the Keshav-Saurabh series, following The Girl in Room 105 (2018)[3] and One Arranged Murder (2020).[4] The novel blends elements of mystery and romance, focusing on a detective case involving a missing child.
Plot
After the events of One Arranged Murder, Keshav Rajpurohit and his best friend Saurabh live in a gated community called Icon. Keshav, an aspiring IPS officer, is approached by his neighbor Alia Arora, a former model, who seeks his help in finding her missing 12-year-old daughter, Siya. The child disappeared nine months earlier, and despite police investigations, no substantial progress has been made. Initially hesitant, Keshav accepts the case due to his passion for detective work and the promise of a significant reward.
As Keshav delves into the investigation, he uncovers a complex web of secrets involving Alia’s family, her strained marriage, and the possibility of an internal abduction. With the help of Saurabh, he navigates conflicting clues and deceptive testimonies while developing a personal attachment to Alia. The case ultimately leads to a dramatic revelation about Siya’s whereabouts, exposing deeper issues within the family dynamic and the challenges of justice in contemporary society.
Characters
- Keshav Rajpurohit: A budding detective preparing for the Indian Police Service (IPS) under pressure from his parents. He had a brief affair with Alia Arora.
- Saurabh Maheshwari: An engineer, skilled hacker, and Keshav Rajpurohit's best friend.
- Alia Arora: Keshav Rajpurohit's and Saurabh Maheswari's client. An ex-model, Manish Arora's wife, Siya and Suhana Arora's mother. She had a brief affair with Keshav Rajpurohit and wanted to marry him, but he rejected her.
- Manish Arora: Alia Arora's husband and Siya and Suhana Arora's father. He is the owner of Nava jewellers.
- Siya Arora: The missing teenage daughter of Alia and Manish Arora and the older sister of Suhana.
- Suhana Arora: The younger daughter of Alia and Manish Arora, and the younger sister of Siya Arora.
Reception
- Sankalpita from Book Geeks gave it mediocre ratings, stating that its plot is not very unique, but that it is an easy read, especially for people with beginner level English.[5]
- Sahana Hegde from Scroll.in gave the book a mixed review, and said that "despite its clichéd ingredients, Chetan Bhagat’s new novel is his most readable yet".[6]
References
- ^ "Westland Publications announces the release of Chetan Bhagat's new book – 400 Days". 8 October 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Bhagat, Chetan (8 October 2021). 400 Days. Amazon Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5420-9408-5.
- ^ "Chetan Bhagat's latest book: Quiet release, cooler reception". The Week. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Saha, Shreshta (25 August 2020). "One Arranged Murder: Chetan Bhagat opens up about his 9th book". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ^ "400 Days | Chetan Bhagat | Book Review | A Dramatic Thriller". bookGeeks. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Hegde, Sahana (13 November 2021). "'400 Days': Despite its clichéd ingredients, Chetan Bhagat's new novel is his most readable yet". Scroll.in. Retrieved 24 December 2021.