Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

The friends he had lost on the battlefield. The lives he had taken. The stinking government secrets he harbored. All for what? The medals he had earned that gave him the title “The most decorated soldier alive in India”? All of these ate into Major Aaditya Sen’s conscience, leaving him to lead what he called a guilt-ridden and meaningless life. However, his exceptional performance and experience in combat made him indispensable to the Indian Police Force. Following the release of intel about a possible terror attack during the US President’s imminent visit to India, Major Sen is assigned to a joint task force consisting of American Secret Service agents and Indian special agents to investigate and eliminate the threat. It is then that he meets agent Amy, with whom he falls head over heels in love. After narrowly escaping death at the hands of alleged Jihadists, Major Sen manages to get a lead for the investigation. Find out how it all goes down in Mainak Dhar’s The 1st Assassin: A Unit 22 Thriller.

Grab a bag of popcorn because you won’t stop flipping through the pages of Mainak Dhar’s The 1st Assassin. His creative capacity had me wrapped up in a world of imagination. If you are looking for a gripping, action-packed thriller laced with a spicy romantic flavor, this is a must-read. Dhar exhibits a great sense of humor through his conversational style of writing which features intense sentences. I particularly found agent Salil a rib cracker. There are impressively vivid and picturesque depictions of the scenes. Coupled with a knack for painting a perfect setting, the author made me feel as if I was in the middle of all the action. He forges the most intriguing plot, imbuing it with ingenious and mind-blowing twists. Dhar incorporates a remarkably sentimental depth in his narration. This made me empathize and connect with the well-developed characters. There is action, thrills, suspense, and so much more in this magnificent piece of work.