Twelve powerful people are kidnapped and imprisoned in an empty hotel.
Each one of them has three choices:Live out the rest of their days peacefully in the hotel,
Die by suicide so the rest of their companions can go free,
Or murder one of their companions so they alone can go free.
The Only Way Out is Death follows the story of these twelve people from the perspective of a young lawyer, Kiriaki, told as the events unfold. She has to forge messy alliances, navigate complex relationships and feuds, and, above all, try to stay alive. Meanwhile, the mastermind of this death game is lurking just out of view, watching them closely, making sure they are primed for murder.
Will Kiriaki find the mastermind before it's too late for her?
Will she outmaneouvre the cutthroats before they cut her throat.
There are twelve selfish lives in the hotel.
Will it end in twelve selfish deaths?
Book Links:
Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com
Interview with Varun Gwalani
How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
I’ve always loved murder mysteries of all kinds, and I’ve always written books with either a social conscience or personal growth. I took it upon myself as a challenge to write something that allowed to combine these, as well as to write an unorthodox murder mystery. The characters in this book are all terrible people, so it also lead to asking, How much would a reader sympathise with someone who has done something so horrid? All of these ideas culminated together in the book before you.
Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
I’ve been writing for a while now, and The Only Way Out is Death is my sixth book. I’ve found that as you grow as a writer, and start writing genres and themes that’s further away from where you originally started, you tend to put less and less of yourself into the book. That’s why my first three books still had a lot of me in them, from mannerisms to word choices to ways of speaking. But now, it’s reduced to the point that I can write characters who have beliefs and ideas completely the opposite of those I have.
What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
Find your own way. If you slavishly try to replicate what another writer is accomplishing, you have already lost the way to become a good writer yourself. Find what works for you, what is true for you, and follow that path.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Remember that selling a book and writing a book are two different things. Selling copies is going to be difficult no matter what you do, but if you hold on to the joy of writing the book, if you hold on to why you’re writing it and why you believe in it, then your desire to write and your love of it won’t be tied up in numbers beyond your control.
How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favourite place to go and unwind?
I have a lot of places I go to unwind, but a lot of them are beyond the stars, or fighting dragons, or solving mysteries. I love getting lost in a good book, or playing video games or board games, and immersing myself in those worlds is what fuels my storytelling.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
All of my books have been in different genres, and I intend to keep writing until I’ve written at least one book in each genre.
Tell us three fun facts about yourself.
I have been gaming since I was a child, and I have either owned or gamed on most gaming consoles.
I sneak Easter eggs and references to popular culture into all my work, especially character names.
I recently got married (yay!).
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
I love answering questions or discussing my books, and can be easily reached on social media. I have OCD and a lot of that struggle and emotional understanding is incorporated into my work. And, most importantly, I am an underrated author whose books you should absolutely, totally, please read.
About the Author:
Varun Gwalani is the author of three novels and multiple short story series, most of which will be featured on Saga! His work spans multiple genres and styles, sometimes in the same work itself, and focuses on mental health activism and awareness, particularly for OCD. He currently works as a teacher, enjoys reading fiction and gaming, and hates talking about himself in third person.
Varun Gwalani on the Web:
No comments:
Post a Comment