BOOKS WE RECOMMEND THIS WEEK

From a book of mythological fiction, to a crime thriller encompassing high-tech forensic investigations, our book picks this week, curated by Chirdeep Malhotra

MYTHOLOGICAL FICTION

“Kaikeyi: The Warrior Queen of Koshala” by Jai Shukla

This is a mythological fiction, and tells the story of Kaikeyi, and also the story of the Aryan conquest of South India. The atrocities of the Rakshasas are on the rise and Raavan is rapidly expanding his empire beyond the southern peninsula into the northern plains, the epicentre of the Aryan culture. The great seers of Jambudweep come together to counter this offensive and the Princess of Kaikeya is espoused to play a pivotal role into their scheme of things. What sacrifices Kaikeyi must endure for her dream of an Akhand Bharat – a unified Jambudweep with Aryan dominance – to come true? Read this book to find out.



SELF-HELP/ BUSINESS STRATEGY

“The Art of Business Wars” by David Brown

This book is based on the chart-topping ‘Business Wars’ podcast re-imagined using Sun Tzu's “The Art of War” as a guide, and features stories and lessons from history's greatest business rivalries revealing why some companies triumph while others crumble. The book compiles powerful insights uncovered over hundreds of podcast episodes and more than a year of in-depth research, and presents stories that will inspire you, and the lessons you can draw from them – about determination, ingenuity, patience, grit, subtlety, and other traits that contribute to a victorious enterprise – are invaluable, whether you're a creative freelancer or the CEO of a multinational manufacturer.



TRAVELOGUE/ MEMOIR

“Time to say Goodbye: A Magical Journey of Friendship” by Barbara Carmichael

This book tells the story of an Australian artist’s journey through India and her discovery of its culture and people, and is also a tale of an unlikely friendship, love and loss. For Barbara, an Australian artist and writer, Rajasthan proves to be a welcome breeze, and what connects her to this world is an unlikely friendship with Tarun—an Indian man and his family. This is a narrative of this journey of friendship, where Barbara travels back and forth to Udaipur over a decade and slowly makes it her second home.



CRIME THRILLER

“Murdrum: The Probe Begins” by Dr. Sohil Makwana

This is a forensic crime thriller, and also amalgamates elements of medical fiction and criminal psychology in its narrative. When smart and vigilant forensic expert Komal Rathod, who is working as a CBI intern, is assigned the task of solving a considerable number of cold murder cases, she digs out the rort of a cold-blooded serial killer. A cat and mouse game ensues, as high-tech forensic investigations are stacked against a tech-savvy killer who knows his job inside-out. Would these efforts be enough to catch the killer? Or is there something special in store? Readers can read this gripping book, which features intriguing suspense and prodigious storytelling, to find out.