{"product_id":"how-to-kidnap-the-rich-a-novel-isbn-9780063028784","title":"How to Kidnap the Rich: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“A raucous novel, narrated in deadpan voice-over by Ramesh, a self-described ‘lower lower middle class’ 24-year-old scammer. . . . His perspective is a delight. . . . a tartly entertaining novel, a potential summer blockbuster.” —\u003cem\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA fresh look at modern-day India hailed as \"a monstrously funny and unpredictable wild ride\" by Kevin Kwan, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe first kidnapping wasn’t my fault. The others—those were definitely me.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrilliant yet poor, Ramesh Kumar grew up working at his father’s tea stall in the Old City of Delhi. Now, he makes a lucrative living taking tests for the sons of India's elite—a situation that becomes complicated 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, thanks to him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRamesh sees an opportunity—perhaps even an obligation—to cash in on Rudi’s newfound celebrity, not knowing that Rudi’s role on a game show will lead to unexpected love, followed by wild trouble when both young men are kidnapped. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Ramesh outwits the criminals who’ve abducted them, turning the tables and becoming a kidnapper himself. As he 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA caper, social satire, and love story rolled into one, \u003cem\u003eHow to Kidnap the Rich\u003c\/em\u003e is a wild ride told by a mesmerizing new talent with an electric voice.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“Rahul Raina’s voice crackles with wit and the affecting exuberance of youth. His ripping good story grabs you on page one and doesn’t let go, taking you on a monstrously funny and unpredictable wild ride through a thousand different Delhis at top speed. \u003cem\u003eHow To Kidnap the Rich \u003c\/em\u003eroars with brilliance, freshness and so much heart.”   - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKevin Kwan, New York Times bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy and Sex and Vanity\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Unflinching.\"  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiksha Basu, author of Destination Wedding and The Windfall\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I can't remember the last time I read such an assured debut. Raina writes like he's been doing this all his life. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to welcome a new star to the world of international crime fiction.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAbir Mukherjee, author of A Rising Man\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Brutally funny and fast-paced, this debut from Rahul Raina proves he is a star in the making.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNikesh Shukla, author of Coconut Unlimited\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fans of \u003cem\u003eMy Sister the Serial Killer\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eParasite\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCrazy Rich Asians \u003c\/em\u003ewill be enthralled by this riotous tale from the very first line. . . . A hugely entertaining and unique debut.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCosmopolitan UK\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eWhite Tiger\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eCaddyshack\u003c\/em\u003e the movie in Raina’s lively novel, brimming with rat-a-tat-tat wit, breezy prose and a keen observation of colorism, casteism and social inequity. Unputdownable!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Unlike his enterprising protagonist, Rahul Raina takes no prisoners. . . . A bold, lively, and scathing satire that refuses to flinch.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDaniel Nieh, author of Beijing Payback\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A rollicking urban adventure and a biting satire of inequality. . . . a highly entertaining first novel from a writer to watch.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Economist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Wildly entertaining. . . . the story of a poor, young protagonist who makes a lucrative business out of taking academic exams for the sons of India’s elite, then finds himself in the middle of a kaleidoscopic, LOL-funny caper.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eReal Simple\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A sparkling debut about a crooked college consultant and his inadvertent role in the making of a celebrity. . . . Readers will enjoy the ride.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Rahul Raina’s debut could easily be called \u003cem\u003eHow to Kidnap the Reader\u003c\/em\u003e, because he entraps you from the first page, and skillfully maintains his hold on you with a story that is equal parts hypnotizing, harrowing, and hilarious in the way it lays bare the costs that many have to pay in order to succeed. From the privileged to the impoverished, Raina renders his world’s nuances, complexities, and evident truths with surgical precision and so much damn heart.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author of Black Buck\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Raina’s debut novel lives up to its billing as a fun caper and social satire thanks to strong characterization, a fast-paced plot, and an eye for the ridiculous. His delicious skewering of the social mores of Delhi’s über-rich and clear-eyed rendering of India’s social hierarchy propel sheer entertainment into striking elucidation in the mode of Aravind Adiga.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Rahul Raina’s roistering, whip-smart and deliciously fun Delhi-set crime caper, \u003cem\u003eHow to Kidnap the Rich\u003c\/em\u003e, is the first great state-of-the-subcontinent novel of the 21st century.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Bookseller (UK)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A lively first novel . . . . Genuine feeling flows beneath the potty-mouthed satire. . . .Raina suggests life may be ‘a relentless parade of fear,’ but it is far better to laugh than cry.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTimes (UK), \"This Month's Best Crime Novels\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A satirical state-of-the-nation debut, which slices into the soul of contemporary Indian society. . . . This is a cinematic caper—HBO already holds film rights—and though Raina is highlighting expired dreams and inequality, he is always perceptive and playful. . . . Social commentary meets standup comedy, as with a biting wit reminiscent of Binyavanga Wainaina’s essay “How to Write About Africa” or Paul Beatty’s Booker-winner \u003cem\u003eThe Sellout,\u003c\/em\u003e Raina stretches stereotype and cliche into incisive satire.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper Perennial","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44889493930213,"sku":"NP9780063028784","price":17.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780063028784.jpg?v=1730231372","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/how-to-kidnap-the-rich-a-novel-isbn-9780063028784","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}