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!

Author: Nilanjana S Roy

This has been the best book I have read this year—a sheer piece of literary brilliance.

In a fictitious sleepy village called Teetarpur lives a humble farmer Chand whose sole reason for survival is his little daughter Munia. However, everything is shattered when Munia is found hanging from the jamun tree. Chand’s world collapses around him even as the author delves into his past in Delhi on the banks of the Yamuna where he lived his past as a squatter.

Parallely, Sub-Inspector Onbir Singh from the lone police thana takes it upon himself to solve the heinous crime despite the numerous setbacks. A local wanderer who belongs to another community (religion ) is blamed for the murder of the little girl.

The author beautifully weaves the plots which appear totally different from each other but the reader is provided a literary treat as she joins the dots and brings the story to a climax. The issues of the case and religious divide seen even today are brought out sensitively. The tough lives of squatters and the poorest of the poor amidst the backdrop of political circus in the garb of religion are brought out superbly by the author.

The reader is taken through a roller coaster of emotions where the lives of the lower socio-economic starts individuals seem to hold barely any value. The gutwrenching reality of the situation in the lesser-known pockets of the country has been vividly put forth. Despite politics of religion threatening to play havoc and destroy their lives, two of Chand’s friends for years, Badshah Miyan and Rabia, stand by him through his sorrow. The book is fast-paced and through police procedurals, it’s a relentless quest for ‘justice’

This book is literary fiction at its best and a treat for literature lovers!

Author: Nithya Sashi

The story is filled with two main parallel tracks. One belongs to a senior journalist of TNN network, Koena, and another to her husband Shom, a celebrity chef.

On the surface, they seem to be a regular career-driven family and active socialites. However, the plot unravels with a blast at the Delhi CM’s bungalow that shakes the foundation of Law and order in the Capital. Especially when the blast suspects are the Naxalites. Koena is touted to cover the story and each layer of the report gives way to another lying underneath. All are pointing to something deep-rooted that questions Koena’s very existence.

The quest for truth takes Koena on a sojourn into the dark lives of the coal-mine workers and to her shock she unearths her connection to that life.

there are many sub-plots where she also realizes her husband isn’t someone she has known in the past two decades.

The author has intricately weaved the plots and with a fast-paced narrative has managed to bind them all together in the end. A very exciting edge-of-the-seat read.

Author: Karan Bhatia

Do you believe in life after death? How does Karma play a role in it all? What exactly determines the inevitable journey in the cycle of life and death? These questions are hard-hitting but the author in this piece of fiction has demonstrated the sojourn heavily basing it on science and conviction.

Roy has been through a lot… he was not even 13 when he lost his only confidante, his older brother in a drowning accident for which he has blamed himself all his life. He thought his Army man father was indifferent to him, eventually losing him in the Kargil war. To escape from it all he ran away figuratively and literally. Parallely, Allison, a UK-based activist comes to India, and Roy and Allison become housemates in Bangalore. Allison carries personal baggage from back home and is seeking answers too…

There is a thread that binds them all. Roy, after many years, confronts reality back home and discovers the truth about his deceased brother and father. Engulfed by guilt, he decides to commemorate his father by penning a memoir. But disaster strikes yet again and Roy finds himself in another realm…

Does this process help him discover the ultimate truth? Can he finish his pending karma? How does his soul eventually attain salvation, which we mortals often speak about?

The author has made a brilliant attempt to explain the entire process in a light-hearted manner. The book gives us food for thought and makes us ponder!