11th April 2025, National – Context, an imprint of Westland Books, officially launched its latest title, The Beast Within, at Kunzum Bookstore, GK II, Delhi. Authored by acclaimed journalist and writer Rudraneil Sengupta, the book was unveiled in the presence of an engaged audience of literary enthusiasts and distinguished guests, including Neeraj Kumar, former Commissioner of Delhi Police; renowned author Madhulika Liddle; and Monika Bhardwaj, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), who graced the occasion as a special guest.
Following the unveiling, author Rudraneil Sengupta, acclaimed writer Madhulika Liddle, and Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Monika Bhardwaj engaged in an insightful discussion on the book’s central themes—ranging from the gritty realities of crime in Delhi and the nuances of investigative work to deeper explorations of morality and the criminal psyche.
Speaking at the launch, author Rudraneil Sengupta said, “I have been interested in stories of crime from a young age. Once I started working as a journalist, I got the opportunity to witness real life cases closely- which led me to write my first crime fiction book. I took the factual stories and weaved them into fictional stories.”
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On reading the book, author Madhulika Liddle, said, “What I truly appreciated was how the story brings familiar stereotypes to the surface—only to thoughtfully challenge them through the characters of Sophia and Meera, the two female cops.”
Additional Commissioner of Police, Monika Bhardwaj added, “The Beast Within has all the elements of a compelling film—and I’ve already told Rudraneil that it’s only a matter of time before it becomes one. What stood out to me most about the book is that the central characters are two strong women who boldly challenge conventional notions and stereotypes.”
About the Book
A GRITTY, BREATHTAKING READ THAT REALLY GETS UNDER THE SKIN OF DELHI AND ANNOUNCES AN EXCITING NEW VOICE IN CRIME WRITING.
When a young girl falls to a gory death from the terrace of a plush mansion, an overworked Delhi Police sees an open-and-shut case of accident or suicide. But sent down to cool off after an outer district gangland arrest is the newly arrived Crime Branch unit led by Inspector Kumar. Squeezing himself into a case no one wants to chase, the self-doubting inspector, parent to a dead daughter himself, is convinced that all is not sparkling clean in the astringent interiors of the house where the minor girl was a full-time domestic worker.
Minutely plotted and sharply written, this dark tale of everyday violence twists and turns, plunging through layers of Delhi society and unifying its vast geography in a terrifying investigation.
About the Author
Between 2016 and 2018 Rudraneil Sengupta embedded with the Delhi Police for a series of investigative reports for a national broadsheet. This is his first fiction novel. He is also the author of Enter the Dangal: Travels through India’s Wrestling Landscape.
About Westland Books
Westland Books is an award-winning Indian publisher with a diverse and exciting range of books from popular and literary fiction to business, politics, biography, spirituality, popular science, health, and self-help. Its key publishing imprints include Context, which publishes award-winning literary fiction and non-fiction; Ekadā, which publishes the best of contemporary writing in Indian languages and in translation; Tranquebar, home to the best new fiction from the Indian subcontinent; the eponymous Westland Sport, Westland Business, Westland Non-Fiction, and Red Panda, which publishes a range of books for children of different ages. Indie Press, a self-publishing imprint was added in 2023 which now is a home to varied and exciting new and old voices. In 2024, it also launched IF, the list for speculative fiction. Westland also collaborated with Pratilipi Comics to bring compelling graphic stories to its readers.
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