Draft:Ram Murali

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Ram Murali is a French-American novelist and lawyer of Indian origin. He is best known for his debut novel Death in the Air (2024)[1] published by HarperCollins. The book was named one of the five best murder mysteries of all time by Number One bestselling author Lucy Foley.[2] It was also featured in Vogue and the Financial Times as one of the best books of the year.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Murali was born in New York City[5] and was educated at the Horace Mann School. He received an undergraduate degree in German and French literature from Dartmouth College, followed by a master's degree from the London School of Economics.[6] He studied law at the Sorbonne, at Columbia Law School, where he was an editor of the Columbia Law Review,[7] and at Queens' College, Cambridge, from which he received an LL.M.[8] with First Class Honours. Murali has described his upbringing and education as formative to his interest in literature, culture, and global affairs.[9]

Career

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Murali began his career in private legal practice in London and Paris[8] , focusing on cross-border litigation and commercial matters. He later pursued coursework toward an MFA in Filmmaking at New York University Tisch School of the Arts[10] and subsequently worked in the entertainment industry in film development, production, and distribution.[11]

Literary career

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Murali's debut novel, Death in the Air, was released in 2024[12] by Harper (HarperCollins) in the United States[1] Atlantic Books in the United Kingdom,[12] and Penguin in India.[13] Set at a Himalayan retreat, the novel follows a murder investigation among wealthy guests[1]. Prior to publication, it received endorsements from writers including Chris Whitaker, Kevin Kwan, Lucy Foley, and A.J. Finn.[14] The book was reviewed in outlets such as Rolling Stone,[15] The Guardian,[16] the Daily Mail,[17] the Christian Science Monitor,[18]the Sydney Morning Herald,[19] CrimeReads,[20] and Readings.[21]

Murali was interviewed on Monocle's Meet the Writers podcast in February 2025.[22]

Awards and recognition

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In 2024, Death in the Air received the Eastern Eye Award for Best Crime Novel.[23] Murali has also been recognised within the Indian diaspora literary community[24] for his contribution to crime fiction.

Personal life

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Murali holds both U.S. and French citizenship and resides in London[9]. He has travelled to over one hundred countries and has established the Murali Travel Award[25] grant for students at Queen's College, Cambridge.

Published works

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Novels

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  • Death in the Air (2024)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Death in the Air". HarperCollins. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  2. ^ Bonet, Anna (2025-06-21). "The five best murder mystery novels of all time, according to Lucy Foley". The i Paper. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  3. ^ Schama, Chloe (2024-01-12). "The Best Books of 2024". Vogue. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  4. ^ "Client Challenge". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  5. ^ "Ram Murali". HarperCollins. Archived from the original on 2025-02-09. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  6. ^ Inc, Justia (2005). "Ram Murali". lawyers.justia.com. Retrieved 2025-10-15. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ Murali, Ram (15, October, 2025). "Columbia Law Review" (PDF). Columbia Law Review. 104 (1). {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ a b "Ram Murali". Atlantic Books. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  9. ^ a b Roy, Amit. "Ram Murali channels Agatha Christie in debut murder mystery novel | EasternEye". www.easterneye.biz. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  10. ^ "Ram Murali Audiobooks | Download Instantly Today! | AudiobookStore.com". audiobookstore.com. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  11. ^ Forrest, Jamie (2022-10-14). "Joanna Lee acquires debut Death in the Air by Ram Murali at competitive auction". Atlantic Books. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  12. ^ a b "Death in the Air". Atlantic Books. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  13. ^ "Death in the Air". Penguin Random House India. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  14. ^ "Death in the Air". HarperCollins. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  15. ^ Stone, Rolling (2024-06-29). "The Rolling Stone Guide to Summer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  16. ^ Wilson, Laura (2024-06-14). "The best recent crime and thrillers – review roundup". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  17. ^ "Death in the Air by Ram Murali | Waterstones". www.waterstones.com. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  18. ^ "Five mysteries to savor, from Kate Atkinson to Richard Osman". Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  19. ^ Carroll, Cameron Woodhead and Steven (2024-07-17). "Murder mystery and wartime survival: Eight books to read this weekend". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  20. ^ Odintz, Molly (2024-06-25). "7 Great Debut Novels Out This Month: June 2024". CrimeReads. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  21. ^ ORR, AURELIA (15 October, 2025). "Death in the Air by Ram Murali". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Godwin, Georgina (15 October, 2025). "Meet the Writers, episode 511". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Ashok, Nayana. "Ram Murali's Award-Winning Crime Fiction at ACTAs 2025 | EasternEye". www.easterneye.biz. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  24. ^ Basu, Lopamudra (2024-08-23). "Death In The Air - A Murder Mystery That Asks Philosophical Questions". India Currents. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  25. ^ "Financial support for current students - Queens' College". Queens' College -. 2025-02-15. Retrieved 2025-10-15.