Rasandi Ranasinghe
12.12.12 by Manjula Senarathne: A Thriller That Keeps You Guessing
This was a Sinhala novel…. a refreshing break from my usual reading choices. Normally, the books I pick up are in English, and they range from crime thrillers to romance and the occasional self-help book. Sinhala novels? They don’t land in my hands often not because I avoid them, but because I don’t usually come across ones that immediately make me think, “Yes, this is exactly what I’m in the mood for.”
But 12.12.12 changed that.
How I Found the Book
Let’s rewind to just last year December, right after my A/L exams. I had nothing but free time, and me being me, I decided to organize it into a perfectly crafted timetable.
Yes, I actually scheduled my free time.
There was a time slot for reading, another for watching movies, a fixed time for writing and even one for aimless scrolling (because that’s a legitimate hobby).
And believe it or not, I stuck to it. No skipping, no “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Probably because everything on that list was something I truly enjoyed.
One day, after finishing a surprisingly uplifting self-help book, I found myself craving something darker…a crime thriller. I didn’t want to read it off a phone screen though. I wanted the weight of a real book in my hands, the sound of pages flipping, the smell of paper that tells you it has a story to tell.
So, I turned to my mother, the guardian of an impressive personal library.
I asked her to recommend something, and without hesitation, she handed me 12.12.12 by Manjula Senarathne. The funny part? She couldn’t actually remember the plot at first. She had to flip through a few pages, nod to herself like she had just unlocked a memory and finally said, “This one’s good. You’ll like it.”
And honestly, that was enough for me. If my mother says something is good, IT IS GOOD whether it’s a book, a recipe, or a human being.
First Impressions
The cover? I loved it. The title was short. The design was clean. It had that perfect balance of simplicity and intrigue, but with a magnetic “you have to read me” energy.
I didn’t go in with huge expectations, but I was definitely curious. And from the first few chapters, that curiosity just kept growing.
Story & Writing Style
If I had to rate the book right now, I’d give it an 8/10.
The beginning? Absolutely perfect. It pulled me in straight away. You know that feeling when a book sets the mood in the very first chapter so well that you just know you’re going to enjoy it? That’s exactly what happened here.
The ending? Also, perfect. Ended with a little emotional sting that stayed with me for days.
Now, the middle… that’s where my feelings get a bit mixed.
See, I have this thing with thrillers once the big reveal happens and we know who the culprit is, I like the story to sprint towards the finish. Fast, sharp, and intense.
But in 12.12.12, after the perpetrator is revealed, there’s still a long, step-by-step mission to catch them. It’s meticulous, detailed and I can see why some readers would love that. But for me, it slowed the pace too much. I wanted that electric race to the end, not a slow walk.
That said, the novel does take you through a whole rollercoaster of emotions. And the one that stood out the most for me? Anger. The good kind…. the kind where you’re so emotionally invested in the story that you find yourself muttering, “How dare they?” under your breath.
Language & Themes
The writing style was… interesting. Sometimes it irritated me, sometimes it completely satisfied me. You know that rare kind of writing where you roll your eyes and nod in appreciation within the same page? That was this book.
There were parts that at first felt completely unnecessary. For example, there’s a subplot about a news reporter being targeted for supposedly writing “lies” about a powerful family. At first, I was thinking, “Why is this here? What does it have to do with anything?”
But then I looked at it differently. It wasn’t just filler it was part of the bigger theme. It was about betrayal. About how even the people closest to you can turn against you when the stakes are high. And the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated how the author tied it all together.
The Emotional Core
At its heart, 12.12.12 is about more than solving a crime. It’s about family. Trust. Secrets. And the way love can twist into something darker when survival is at stake.
It follows a Sri Lankan family living in France, and it digs into the messy, complicated side of human relationships. The secrets people hide. The lies they tell. The ways they manipulate and betray.
What made it stand out for me was that the suspense wasn’t just about what was going to happen….it was also about why. The characters felt human, flawed, and painfully real. Even when I disliked them, I could understand their choices. And I think that’s what kept me turning the pages.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, I would.
If you enjoy thrillers with a slower burn, detailed investigations, and an emotional punch, you’ll probably love it.
If like me, you prefer thrillers that speed up after the big reveal, you might find yourself impatient in the middle. But even then, I think you’ll be glad you stuck around for the ending.
Because this isn’t just about catching a criminal it’s about understanding the crime, the people behind it, and the damage it leaves behind.
For me, this book is a solid 8/10. A fantastic start, a strong ending, and a middle that…. while a bit too slow for my taste, still held my attention.
And maybe the bigger win here is that I finally found a Sinhala novel that hooked me all the way through. That doesn’t happen often.
So, if you see 12.12.12 sitting on a shelf somewhere, don’t overthink it. Pick it up. Let it take you into its world of secrets, betrayals, and moral gray areas. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourself feeling the same righteous anger I did when you close the final chapter.
