Book Review : No Safe Zone by Adite Banerjie

Published on : May, 2016

Publisher : Harlequin

Pages : 200

Source : Review copy received from the author

Format : Paperback

Rating : 3.5 / 5

To buy the book visit Amazon

Synopsis : London-based activist Qiara Rana is devastated when investigations begin against Sameera Khan, her upright mentor at Girls Rock!, a small but reputed not-for-profit organization. She will do anything to save them from ruin. Even if it means visiting the city that still makes her heart bleed. But within a few hours of landing in New Delhi, she is being chased by a gunman and is a suspect in the murder of a high-profile businessman. The only person she can turn to for help is the man who stood her up ten years ago.

On a mission to bust an international women’s trafficking ring, Intelligence Bureau Officer Kabir Shorey runs slam bang into the girl who has tormented his dreams. He is determined to protect her, but can he save himself from the all-consuming passion that flares up between them all over again?

As the past and present collide, old secrets are ripped away. Treading the fine lines between safety and danger, truth and lies, love and betrayal, Qiara and Kabir discover that in life there is no safe zone.

My view : To be honest, when I began reading the book it did not captivate me but as I slowly turned each page and by the time I was done with about 20 pages I was drawn towards the capability of Adite Banerjie’s storytelling. Dealing with a serious issue of women trafficking, ‘No Safe Zone’ is one of those romantic thrillers that are anything but ordinary.

The story begins with a serious investigation into the monetary dealings of the non-profit organization Girls Rock! One of their sponsors has been accused of money laundering and NCA suspects Girls Rock! might be a part of it. Qiara Rana, an honest worker of the organization travels to New Delhi to get to the roots of this scam and instead gets entangled in a serious case of murder. Kabir Shorey, an efficient officer of Intelligence Bureau with a messy past connected to Qiara is the only one who can help her out.

When Qiara and Kabir are on a run to find out the hidden truth and rescue the girls from the trafficking ring, they find that no place is safe. There are enemies and secrets latent in every corner and none who pose as friends are real. Hence the title of the story is apt. The question lies in every page, will they find a place which is safe for them? Will they be able to solve the mystery and fight back the threats?

The mutual attraction between both the protagonists is high and tense. With both having a terrible history of heartbreak, their desire for each other’s company cannot keep them apart. We can see both Qiara and Kabir fighting with their instincts yet when they are together they can barely stay afar. Both of these characters need each other to progress and unravel the racket and there lies the strength of their relationship.

As for the thriller part, the book is a beautiful sequence of mesmerizing events. It is a sure page turner and I couldn’t put the book down till the end. The description of different locations of Rajasthan is enchanting and makes a wanderlust like me want to visit them.

There were a few typing and spelling errors that could not be overlooked. A proper editing and a thorough proof reading would have sorted that out. Moreover, the cover of the book was not completely suggestive of the plot. Although both Qiara and Kabir travel throughout Rajasthan in a motorcycle, yet it would have been a better cover page if it gave an impression of the women trafficking or the exciting mystery within those pages.

The best part of this novel is Adite Banerjie’s style of writing. It is fluent and lucid and allures the readers. Such storytelling potential is something we don’t generally come across in the recent Indian authors. Throughout the book I have been delighted by her words and have been hoping that I could read more of her. She is one of the best storytellers among her contemporaries and I couldn’t stop suggesting this book to my friends.

Happy Reading!

*Is there any other romantic thriller that you have read and would like to suggest to me?*

Advertisement