#Review: A Gathering of Crows by Suparna Chatterjee

A Gathering of Crows
Author: Suparna Chatterjee
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Rating: 4/5

There is something quietly unsettling about A Gathering of Crows from the very beginning. Not just because of the murder, but because everything feels so familiar. The apartment complex, the gossip, the watchful neighbours. It almost reads like a place you have lived in or at least visited often enough to recognise.

What I particularly enjoyed was the narrative voice, especially through Abhi. There is a sharpness there, a self-awareness that adds both humour and depth. Lines like “When you’ve read as many detective novels as I have, it’s easy enough to predict the end” set the tone for a story that knows its genre and still manages to play with it. The writing feels conversational without losing its grip on suspense.

What adds an interesting layer, and something I found myself noticing more as the story progressed, is how the women in the narrative are written. They are not just background figures in a crime story. They observe, influence, and at times quietly shift the direction of events. In that sense, the title A Gathering of Crows almost takes on a symbolic meaning. It is not just about death or mystery, but also about watchfulness, survival, and collective presence. There is a subtle commentary on how women, much like crows, are often underestimated but rarely unaware.

That said, the pacing dips slightly in the middle, and a few threads could have been tightened to maintain momentum. Still, it works well.

Overall, it is an engaging, character-driven mystery that feels both familiar and fresh.

Find the book here.