Published: 31/03/2022
A reliable blackmail formula mixes with the unpredictability of life in this brilliantly thought-provoking satirical thriller that shrewdly and riotously dissects the huge inequalities of Indian society.
Waterstones Thriller of the Month for April 2022
Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2022
If you're fat and Indian, you're rich; if you're fat and poor, you're lying. It's only the West where the rich are thin and vegan and moral...
Ramesh Kumar grew up deprived and unloved, working on his father's tea stall in the Old City of Delhi. Now, brilliant but poor, he makes a lucrative living taking tests for the sons of India's elite. When one of his clients, the sweet but hapless eighteen-year-old Rudi Saxena, places first in the All Indias, the national university entrance exams, Ramesh sees an unmissable opportunity.
Cashing in on Rudi's newfound celebrity, all goes well for both boys for a while. But Rudi's role on a game show leads to unexpected love, blackmail and, finally, a dangerous kidnapping.
As Ramesh leads Rudi through a maze of crimes both large and small, their dizzying journey reveals an India in all its complexity, beauty, and squalor, moving from the bottom rungs to the circles inhabited by the ultra-rich and everywhere in between.
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
ISBN: 9780349144375
Number of pages: 304
Weight: 240 g
Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 26 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Intelligent, witty and sublime. I'm hooked. Remember the name. You'll be hearing more of it in future' - Abir Mukherjee
'Brutally funny and fast-paced, this debut from Rahul Raina proves he is a star in the making' - Nikesh Shukla
'How To Kidnap the Rich roars with brilliance, freshness and so much heart' - Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians
'Rahul Raina's How to Kidnap the Rich has already been optioned by HBO: a Delhi-set, reality TV-based literary crime crossover, it will appeal to fans of Parasite and Crazy Rich Asians' - The Daily Mail
'A satire, a love story and a thriller, How To Kidnap The Rich by Rahul Raina has shades of The Talented Mr Ripley that also casts an unerring eye over the huge disparity in Indian society. A rollercoaster of a read, this is going to be big' - Stylist
'Fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, Parasite and Crazy Rich Asians will be enthralled by this riotous tale from the very first line... A hugely entertaining and unique debut that satirically dissects India's inequalities' - Cosmopolitan
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