The Sane Psychopath

Are some crimes unpardonable? A young lawyer is about to find out. It was just another day in Pune. Just another morning. Until a man decided otherwise. And left an entire city horrified . . . scared . . . angry . . . baying for blood. This is the story of Shanker Lande, driver of a state transport bus, who goes on a bone-chilling hour-long rampage on the streets of Punekilling 10, maiming 70, and damaging over 100 vehicles, before he is captured. In this case of Shanker Lande vs the city of Pune, the difference between the criminal and the victims is clear as night and day. But a young idealistic lawyer, Varun Gupte, a Punekar, still decides to defend Lande. And in the process seeks help from a psychiatrist, a man who lost his son to the same incident. Caught in the pincer grip of their dilemmas, do the two men crumble? Do they unearth the truth? And does the truth absolve Lande? Inspired by a real incident, The Sane Psychopath is a fictional exploration of a frightening murderous phenomenon of our times.

Salil Desai is an author, columnist, and film-maker based in Pune. He is best known for his much-acclaimed Inspector Saralkar Mystery Series which includes 3 and a Half Murders (2017), The Murder of Sonia Raikkonen (2015), and Killing Ashish Karve (2014). His other popular books are Murder on a Side Street (2011) as well as a collection of short stories, Lost Libido and Other Gulp Fiction (2012). The Sane Psychopath (2018) is his sixth book. An alumnus of Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Salils dramatized management training videos (www.relivingindia.com) are much appreciated in the corporate world. He also conducts intensive workshops in creative fiction writing, story and scenario design, screenplay writing and film-making. Salil was also one of the four international authors worldwide selected for the HALD International Writers Residency in Denmark, hosted by the Danish Centre for Writers & Translators in June 2016.