Kannur, a sleepy coastal district in the scenic south Indian state of Kerala, has metamorphosed into a hotbed of political bloodshed in the past few decades. Even as India heaves into the age of technology and economic growth, the town has been making it to the national news for horrific crimes and brutal murders with sickening regularity. What makes this area so vulnerable to such lethal violence and political vengeance? How is it an anomaly in Kerala, the Indian state with the highest standards for social development? Author Ullekh N.P., who was born and raised in Kannur amid some of the state's tallest political figures, reflects on his own experiences while creating a contemporary graph that details the causes, driving forces, and local legends behind the unrest. He examines the data that reveals the reality hidden in the hoopla, researches the region's political and cultural history, and meets with the primary players and victims. He creates a compelling story about the continuous carnage and the misconceptions surrounding it using his years of on-the-ground reporting experience and journalistic talents. Ullekh's investigations and interviews reveal a bigger game at work involving players who will stop at nothing to win.