Author: Vish Dhamija

This is my second book by this author, and his brilliance in this genre surpasses others in the field. If you enjoy courtroom thrillers in the style of John Grisham, Vish Dhamija is the right author to explore from the perspective of the Indian legal system, which, as we know, is rife with its own share of courtroom drama.

Judge Shilpa Singh finds herself arrested, and circumstantial evidence points to her involvement in a first-degree homicide. She seeks the services of Akash Hingorani, a prominent defence advocate with whom she had a brief affair in the past, to represent her. The judge had been presiding over a case involving a corrupt politician, and it appears that this very politician might have trapped her.

The most significant piece missing from this puzzle is the identity of the deceased individual.

What follows is a roller coaster of emotions as the author takes us through the tumultuous journey of the lawyers’ efforts to secure Shilpa Singh’s acquittal.

The most astonishing revelation, however, occurs at the end, leaving the reader thoroughly astounded.

Overall, it is beautifully written with a superb narrative.

Author: Monica Singh

The pandemic ‘paused’ our lives and changed it for good. It gave us time to retrospect and introspect our lives bringing to the surface hidden emotions we never knew existed.

The book is a collection of 7 short stories based on actual life experiences, partly revolving around the pandemic. The author has done a great job of bringing out the raw emotional connection that binds the reader to the intricacies of each story. Every story makes the reader ‘pause’ and think… it feels like the reader is treading through some portion of his life through these.

The basic crux of the book is to show that one can rise above all, and face every curveball that life throws your way to rise from the ashes.

A couple of those stories have the potential to be expanded to full-length novels. Overall an intriguing and poignant read.

Author: Dinesh Prasad

To summarise the book in a single line: This book will consume you in its throes and you will be drowning in the ocean of brilliant literary play before you know it.

With a sheer dance of figures of speech garnishing the poetic flawless language and narrative the book captivates you from the go.

The narrative is in the form of second person POV throughout and that itself shows the author’s calibre. He hasn’t swayed away even once from the plot that could have happened in this form of narrative. The thirst protagonist Mahesh is the narrator. the story revolves around Frieda, Alfie and Mahesh and their interpersonal relationships spanning a lifetime…

Frieda is forced to marry Alfie after her beau leaves her stranded at the altar. Five years of loveless marital life is filled with despair for the couple. Frieda can’t give her heart to Alfie while Alfie can’t seem to forget how much he loves Frieda. Mahesh is Alfie’s close friend who storms into Frieda’s life one fine day and remains an integral part of her life. The myriad personalities of seven sons born to her from Mahesh have been artistically described and it throws light on Frieda’s relationship with her husband whom she never left and cared for till the end and her paramour. At a glance, one may judge and hate Frieda for the kind of woman she seemed especially having strayed in her marriage.

The author has painted Frieda’s character with a plethora of personality colours that leave the reader wondering till the end about her innermost desires. Yet she is worshipped, is looked upon with enigmatic views, with lust and with gay abandon.

That according to me is the book’s USP

There is a line towards the end of the book, “The seeds we sow do not bring life until the seeds die and are consumed…” This is profound and defines the crux of the narrative.

A well-recommended read for lovers of literature, drama and pathos.

Author: Vikkas Arun Pareek

What happens when a child grows up in a toxic environment where the mother hates the kid because she is born a girl? This is the first-generation to second-generation transition where Shakuntala is the mother and Janki, is her daughter. Shakuntala is married off very early and practically grows up along with her husband Shekhar who later goes into the Army. Through her letters to her mother, Shakuntala vents out her anguish when she speaks about her difficulties in a different household from her maternal home and later falling in love with her husband, not wanting a girl child and finally losing it all when she delivers a stillborn child. She brazenly admits to ill-treating her daughter who eventually revolts and grows up to hate her mother.

The other set of letters is from Janki to Shakuntala where she agonises over the lack of maternal love that she craved all her life and her mindset during crucial junctures of her life.

The story unravels the raw pain of each of the women, Shakuntala her daughter Janki and later Meera, Janki’s daughter. It speaks volumes about how a safe haven filled with love and acceptance is crucial for a child’s upbringing. Janki is a rebel who pays a heavy price later in life.

It’s only after Janki’s passing in the 9/11 incident that Meera inherits her letters and it takes over a decade for Meera to be able to read them and in turn, understand her mother and grandmother.

the first-person POV in the letters keeps the reader glued throughout as he navigates the emotional roller coaster.

The ending could have been a bit different, yet the book makes for a very interesting read.

Author: Vish Dhamija

It’s a superbly spun plot. What began as an accidental death investigation years ago will soon emerge as a crucial piece of evidence and the unravelling of a crime that hits the nation. hard.
The story belongs to the protagonists Raaj Kumar and his svelte wife Serena the ultimate power couple. Raaj is found dead in an accidental fire in his plush residence. He is a financial advisor to high-net-worth individuals and though the inspector in charge Michael D’Cunha suspects foul-play, he can’t prove it. the case is closed and Seremna moves ahead in life.
However, the twist in the tale is unforeseen and I have to credit the author that the thriller writer in me didn’t expect this.
Enter SP Kabir Singh who is transferred to CBI to investigate a high-profile case that affected the nation years ago. As the mystery unravels, connections from the past emerge as D’Cunha and Kabir investigate stealthily.
What exactly happened that day when Raaj died? Was there anything amiss and what was the crucial link connecting the two cases years later?

A very intriguing unputdownable read!

Author: Kanchana Banerjee

A beautiful amalgamation of multiple tiny plots that blend into a super climax with an unexpected end.

The story begins with the discovery of a cut limb buried in a construction site. The inspectors in charge are not allowed to investigate further but Officer Virat decides to go about it stealthily. Mainly because he has doubts about whom the severed leg belongs to.

Jenny arrives in the sleepy town of Rajasthan after she sees the picture of a little boy in a magazine whom she suspects is the son of her dead close friend Rubina. Jenny who uses the name as an alias has a history of being abused at the hands of her mother who was a prostitute. She had a tough life and things went downhill when she was taken in by a self-proclaimed cult leader Vishesh. She escaped when taking a leaf out of the Peoples Temple mass suicide murder, the entire cult was erased from the phase of the earth.

Jenny’s past threatens to catch up with her particularly when she joins hands with Virat. As they unearth the layers of the crime and as the truth unfolds, the sinister plan underneath it all is revealed, leading to a diabolical climax.

Are the cases related? Does Jenny achieve what she has set to do?

This is a thriller with a twist in the end that was unexpected!

Author: Siddharth Maheshwari

This is a spectacular plot with a fast-paced narrative that will keep the reader on tenterhooks.

The central plot revolves around how India’s external intelligence agency R&AW unearths hints of a sinister stratagem while working on an investigation. The country’s top nuclear scientist Hamid Ansari is in possession of a unique nuclear fusion formula. However he gets kidnapped and to the utter chagrin of the R&AW, their plan to let him be to catch the larger fish in the pond backfires.

Meanwhile, the democratic government in Myanmar is toppled by a military coup and at the same time a technological marvel called Vita which is developed by the DRDO falls prey to a planned heist.

For R&AW’s top agents Vikram and Ranbir, it’s a race against time.

The story unravels across various geographical locales, right from Delhi to Kathmandu, chaotic Myanmar, Multan and also the lush coffee estates of South India. The action unfolds and the reader is taken through a roller-coaster ride of adrenaline rush and one cant guess what happens next.

Who is the mastermind behind all the plotting and killing in the garb of patriotism? How deep is the iceberg of conspiracies that threatens to destroy peace and order in a volatile political arena?

The author has got in many subplots to enhance the ideologies and towards the end converged them meticulously without leaving any loose ends.

A riveting read!

Authors: Aloke Lal and Maanas Lal

This is my second book from the author duo, and on hearing the title, my expectations skyrocketed. They didn’t disappoint. This book was unputdownable from the go. Every chapter is a thrilling tale from a posting of Aloke Lal sir who is a retired police officer
(Director General).  For instance the sinister plot in the garb of looters from Nepal or How a rottweiler ‘dug’ deep enough to expose the thief and got out more skeletons from his closet. My personal favourite was about the woman named Samundari and her character shaping out in particular. (no spoilers here!!)

While every story brings about the problem-solving parameters of the force, it also shows us the raw appeal of the Hindi heartland despite our reservations or prejudices. The ingenious heists conducted would give an intelligent professional a run for his money. The authors have given a picturesque touch to the book that takes the reader on a trip to all those crime scenes and one feels like he is a part of the problem-solving force!!

The language is filled with witty and humorous elements that have left me smiling long after I have finished the book. A very interesting read!