-
How to Get into IAS
Welcome to India’s biggest and arguably the toughest examination—the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Clearing the exam is a painful journey—a battle, some might say—that requires tenacity, discipline, dedication, unwavering self-confidence, and hard work. While all losing battles have many things in common, a winning one has one: sound guidance. All unsurmountable goals are possible with a perfect companion and guide.
-
Shared Roots
The Indosphere is a broad, expansive cultural and geographical category under the influence of ancient India. While India’s cultural reach beyond the subcontinent has a storied past, its relationship with Cambodia is all but forgotten. Shared Roots tries to plug that gap. Embark on a captivating odyssey through the vibrant currents that once flowed freely between India and Cambodia. Woven together by the threads of dharma, the Indosphere is a fascinating realm where kings exchanged not just spices but also ideas, where artists found inspiration in shared mythology and where spirituality transcended borders. In this collection, seven authors from diverse fields meticulously plot the textures of this bilateral history, revealing the profound connection that shaped both the nations. From the echoing verses of the Reamker to the breathtaking grandeur of Angkor Wat, each page unveils the enduring legacy of this ancient bond. But Shared Roots is more than just a historical journey. It is an invitation to rediscover the power and beauty of cultural exchange untainted by colonialism, a potent reminder that diversity is not just a feature but also an essential building block of a just society. Drawing upon meticulous research and captivating storytelling, this book ignites a conversation about civilizational revival, urging us to celebrate the past while embracing a future enriched by shared understanding. The book is a stunning exploration of cultural fusion, a testament to the enduring power of enlightened values, and a call to action for a more vibrant world.
-
Framed
A fundamental principle of the American legal system is a presumption of innocence, but once someone has been found guilty there is very little room to prove doubt. Framed shares ten true stories of men who were innocent but found guilty and forced to sacrifice friends, families, wives, and decades of their lives to prison while the guilty parties remained free. In each of the stories, John Grisham and Jim McCloskey recount the dramatic hard-fought battles for exoneration. They take a close look at what leads to wrongful convictions in the first place, and the racism, misconduct, flawed testimony, and the corrupt court system that can make them so hard to reverse. Told with page-turning suspense as only John Grisham can deliver, Framed is the story of overcoming adversity when the battle already seems lost, and the deck is stacked against you.
-
One of Us Is Dead
The latest race-against-time instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major ITV show. Hunting him would be murder . . . When James Taylor arrives late for a funeral, he has to stand at the back of the small church. But, as the service progresses, Taylor notices a man six rows in front of him. At first he thinks he must be mistaken, but the more he looks at the man, the more convinced Taylor becomes that this is his old schoolfriend Rufus Rorke. Except it couldn’t be him, could it? Because two years ago Taylor attended Rufus Rorke’s funeral. He even delivered Rufus’s eulogy. On the other side of Brighton, at Police HQ, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace has been alerted to a number of suspicious deaths that he can’t get out of his mind. But how are they linked? And how could they possibly be connected to Rufus Rorke? Roy Grace is about to find out just how dangerous a dead man can be. 'Peter James is one of the best British crime writers and therefore one of the best in the world' Lee Child 'Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business' Karin Slaughter 'One of the world’s most popular detective series' The Guardian
-
Stalled Wheels of Justice
‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ is a legal maxim that is often used to buttress the need for speedy justice. But what do we make of justice if it is served to a humble postman accused of stealing 57 rupees and 60 paise or a poor bus conductor charged with siphoning off 5 paise after legal battles that lasted for 29 years and 41 years, respectively? What do we make of justice if it costs so much that a retired senior bureaucrat and a senior Supreme Court judge say that they cannot afford the cost of litigation? What comes closest to this idea of manifest injustice is ‘justice delayed’ and ‘unequal access to justice’. There are various impediments and roadblocks to the dispensation of justice that can be termed as fair. Many of them are beyond the control of the judiciary itself. But a Bharat envisioning to become developed by 2047 needs to have a judiciary enabled by technology, guided by integrity, and motivated to provide quick relief. Piled-up case files, vacant judicial positions, and crumbling spaces cannot be the hallmark of a ‘nation on the move’. To clear these impediments, a concerted effort is required from all the stakeholders starting from government to litigants to the bar and the bench. The judiciary needs to be sophisticated and driven by the zeitgeist of high productivity, and judges need to have modern courtrooms so they can deliver justice swiftly. Stalled Wheels of Justice is not a commentary on law. That is something best left to jurists, lawyers, and constitutional experts. This is the story of law not being able to transform into justice. This is the story of denied insaaf and delayed nyaya. This is the story of a process that the author witnessed as a court reporter—a process that former chief justice of India N.V. Ramana equated with punishment. When the process itself becomes the punishment, poor justice-seekers become the first victims. Even when relief and judgments come forth, they are often empty of substance for they are pyrrhic victories. Much has been said and written from the points of view of persons in black robes, university professors, and intellectuals. But what about from men and women of the country who bore the heavy burden of injustice? This is the story of a faulty process, solvable unsolved problems, and, above all, of people at the end of the spectrum.
-
Padma Bharatis
Padma Bharatis: Ordinary Indians, Extraordinary Triumphs India, or Bharat, is a land of unparalleled diversity, a true chitraayana where the tapestry of life is woven with vibrant maanyata (respect) and maryaada (dignity). This nation, with its timeless unity in multiplexity, is a testament to a culture of cultures bonded by a rich tradition of creativity and ingenuity. Padma Bharatis captures this essence through a collection of essays that spotlight the remarkable achievements of ordinary Indians. Over recent years, public recognition of these unsung heroes has witnessed a paradigm shift with Padma awardees increasingly representing the true diversity of the nation. The stories within this book highlight the strength and resilience of people who bring sustainable change while honouring their cultural traditions and experiential knowledge passed down through generations. They are earthy, real, and often from rustic or small- town backgrounds, embodying the core values of a civilization on its path to a sustainable and aspirational future. Padma Bharatis is a celebration of these incredible souls.
-
Never Too Late
An act of terror. A summer of change . . . Never Too Late is a stirring drama about the power of human connection and embracing brave change, from the billion-copy bestseller Danielle Steel. Following the death of her beloved husband, Kezia Cooper Hobson decides to leave her home in San Francisco and move to a luxury penthouse in Manhattan, where she’ll be closer to her two adult daughters. As she watches the Fourth of July firework display from her terrace, Kezia is shocked to see smoke and flames pouring from famous landmarks across New York City. Her neighbour, the movie star Sam Stewart, is also aware of the crisis and watches in horror as the terrifying drama unfolds. Determined to offer their assistance, Kezia and Sam hasten to the site and swiftly become involved in the rescue effort. Traumatized by the events they experience, Kezia and Sam bond in the days and weeks that unfold after one of the worst nights the country has ever known. What ensues is a summer of healing and change – and the discovery that it's never too late for dreams to be born again . . .
-
ADIDEVA
ADIDEVA: 25 Legends Behind his 25 Names (A Yatra Through Puranas, Sthala Puranas and Itihasas) Shiva kathas are strewn like bright gems across the antiquated treasure chests of the Vedas, Itihasas, Maha Puranas, Sthala Puranas, and folklore. Adideva: 25 Legends behind His 25 Names is a collection of twenty- five enchanting legends about Shiva retold in opulent detail keeping true to the original texts and temple lore. Each tale is supplemented by captivating verses of many saint-poets and photos of intricate sculptures and art, illuminating the adoration of our ancestors for each of the divine manifestations of Adideva. From the well-known stories of Neelakantha, Uma Maheshwara, and Rameshwara, the riveting narratives of Tripurantaka, Sharabeshwara, and Kirata, the poignant accounts of Grishneshwara, Mrtyunjaya, and Matrubhuteshwara to the profound contemplations of Dakshinamurti and Arunachala, the chosen stories are filled with navarasas, and evoke wonder and adoration for Mahadeva. Embedded within these narratives are subtle teachings of dharma and adhyatma—inspiring a journey towards self- discovery. Most importantly, they are the easiest and sweetest ways to cultivate Shiva bhakti, which is the immediate cure for samsara.
-
A Baby On Her Christmas List
Nurse Georgie Taylor has just one thing on her Christmas list: a baby! But she never expected her best friend, Dr Liam MacAllister, to offer to be the father. Liam keeps his heart strictly off-limits, but seeing Georgie pregnant ignites feelings he just can’t ignore… feelings that could destroy a beautiful friendship
-
Reckless** Book 4
He's scorching-hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he's looking at her like she might be his next meal. Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies' man. Winter Hamilton knows exactly what it means when he eyes her like that. But she's almost free of her toxic marriage and has sworn off men entirely. So all she sees when she looks back at Theo is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust―but, it turns out, even harder to resist. Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard Winter tries to freeze him out, he melts her icy exterior and pulls apart all her defenses. Over a drink in a small-town bar, she finds herself blurting out her deepest, darkest secrets. Then, she spends the singular hottest night of her life with the man she never thought she'd say yes to. He worships her body. He makes her blush. She comes alive beneath his hands. Then she tells him to forget it ever happened. She wants simple, and with him it all feels complicated. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret. But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.
-
Powerless Book 3
Two childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That's all this was supposed to be. To Jasper Gervais's fans, he's the handsome, talented hockey heartthrob on TV. But to Sloane, he'll always be the lost boy with the sad eyes and a heart of gold. The man she's loved in secret all her life. So when her life falls apart on the day she's supposed to marry someone else, it only makes sense that he's the one to swoop in and save her. And when his world comes crashing down around him, she's there to return the favor. But the more time they spend alone, the more Jasper isn't looking at her like a friend anymore. He isn't touching her like one, either. And after all these years, he's still everything she's ever wanted, everything she thought she could never have. Their feelings aren't straightforward, though. They twist and turn around the pain of Jasper's past and the reality of Sloane's present. Jasper Gervais might act like he wants her. But after years of turning her away, he's going to need to prove it.
-
Heartless Book 2
Working as a nanny for the world's grumpiest single dad should be simple…except she can't keep her eyes off him. And he can't keep his hands off her. Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than Willa Grant, and he barely looks her way, even though she's living in his house for the summer. That is, until she gets him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then, all bets are off―and so are their clothes. Cade is gruff, a little rough around the edges, but broad-shouldered ranchers with calloused hands and filthy mouths are this city girl's kryptonite. So who is she to resist? But it's in their quietest moments together that he softens. It's in the unexpected way he takes care of Willa that she realizes his hardened exterior is just a façade. And it's when she watches him go all sweet with his little boy that she starts to fall for him, whatever the consequences. Someone once convinced Cade that his best wasn't good enough. But Willa has never felt more cherished than she does in his arms. Her contract says this arrangement is only for two months. But her heart says this is forever.
-
Flawless Book 1
The rules were simple. Keep my hands off his daughter and stay out of trouble.But now I’m stuck with her. There’s only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken.I’m the face of professional bull riding—the golden boy. Or at least I was, until it all blew up in my face. Now my agent says I have to clean up my image, so I’m stuck with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as my “full-time supervision.”But I don’t need a goddamn babysitter, especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can’t stop running.A mouth I can’t stop thinking about.Because Summer isn’t just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn’t run—she pulls me closer, even when she shouldn’t.She says this means nothing.I say this means everything.She says there are boundaries we shouldn’t cross. That my reputation can’t take any more hits—and neither can her damaged heart.I say I’m going to steal it anyway.
-
The Naga Warriors Battle of Gokul Vol 1
To prepare for the future, our ancestors created the Naga sadhus―a clan of warriors for the protection of Dharma, as proclaimed by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in the eighth century. This sect of Shiva devotees has stood firm, living selflessly and fighting fearlessly. For centuries, they have died the death of heroes, serving and saving Dharma and the temples. In the year 1757, 111 Naga sadhus borrowed the majestic weapons of the idols of their gods. Fueled by their belief in Lord Shiva, they gathered an invincible courage to protect the temples of Gokul. They stood as an indestructible wall, led by Ajaa, a fearless Naga warrior, against the Afghan army of 4000 men, a cavalry of 200 horses and 100 camels, and 20 cannons. The brutal Afghan army was led by Sardar Khan, the most ruthless commander of Emperor Ahmed Shah Abdali, ill-famed for the demolition of temples and building a history of genocide in Bharat. The fight continues. This is the Naga warrior’s commitment to courage and determination. This is the clash of Shiva devotees against the devils that lie under men’s skin. This is the Battle of Gokul.
-
Holmes Margaret & Poe
Best-selling author James Patterson populates his murder-mystery novels with cold-blooded killers and smart detectives” (USA Today). In Holmes is Missing, PI Brendan Holmes has committed the perfect crime—he’s made himself disappear. Success has come quickly to Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. The New York City agency led by three detectives—Brendan Holmes, “the brain,” Margaret Marple, “the eyes,” and Auguste Poe, the “muscle”—with famous names and mysterious pasts is one major case away from cementing its professional reputation. But as a series of child abductions tests the PIs’ legendary skills, the cerebral Holmes’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the agency roster. Only by closing ranks and solving the mystery within can they recover all that’s been lost.
-
Cross Hairs
Turn. Up. The. Heat” (New York Times) with this psychological thriller. New York City detective Michael Bennett faces his most terrifying killer ever. It could be anyone. They could be anywhere. A killer uses fearsome precision to take out impossible targets. Detective Michael Bennett teams with a shooting expert—a former Army Ranger and sniper with NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit. But Officer Rob Trilling seems more comfortable with rifles than he is with people. When his new partner begins to log unexplained absences from duty, only Bennett can prove whether the decorated officer is a lonely hunter or a hardened assassin.
-
Confessions of the Dead
The dead tell no tales…unless they swam in Cemetery Lake. Hollows Bend, New Hampshire, is a picture-perfect New England town where weekend tourists flock to see fall leaves and eat breakfast at the Stairway Diner. The crime rate—zero--is a point of pride for Sheriff Ellie Pritchett. The day the stranger shows up is when the trouble starts. The sheriff and her deputy investigate the mysterious teenage girl. None of the locals can place her. She can’t—or won’t answer any questions. She won’t even tell them her name. While the girl is in protective custody, the officers are called to multiple crime scenes leading them closer and closer to a lake outside of town that doesn’t appear on any map…
-
How to Kill Your Family
Outrageously funny, compulsively readable, and subversive, How to Kill Your Family is a wickedly dark romp about class, family, love . . . and murder. Coming soon as an 8-episode series on Netflix, executive produced and starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Bella Mackie’s debut novel is driven by a captivating first-person narrator who talks of self-care and social media while calmly walking the reader through her increasingly baroque acts of murder. But then, Grace is imprisoned for a murder she didn’t commit.... When Grace Bernard discovers her absentee millionaire father has rejected her dying mother’s pleas for help, she vows revenge and coldly sets out to get her retribution—by killing them all, one by one. This darkly humorous debut novel follows a cunning antihero as she gets her revenge. “Funny, sharp, dark, and twisted.” —Jojo Moyes When I think about what I actually did, I feel somewhat sad that nobody will ever know about the complex operation that I undertook. Getting away with it is highly preferable, of course, but perhaps when I’m long gone, someone will open an old safe and find this confession. The public would reel. After all, almost nobody else in the world can possibly understand how someone, by the tender age of twenty-eight, can have calmly killed six members of her family. And then happily got on with the rest of her life, never to regret a thing.
-
The Stationery Shop of Tehran
A poignant, heartfelt new novel by the award-nominated author of Together Tea—extolled by the Wall Street Journal as a “moving tale of lost love” and by Shelf Awareness as “a powerful, heartbreaking story”—explores loss, reconciliation, and the quirks of fate. Roya, a dreamy, idealistic teenager living amid the political upheaval of 1953 Tehran, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s neighborhood stationery shop, stocked with books and pens and bottles of jewel-colored ink. Then Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer—handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi’s poetry—and she loses her heart at once. Their romance blossoms, and the little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran. A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square when violence erupts—a result of the coup d’etat that forever changes their country’s future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she moves on—to college in California, to another man, to a life in New England—until, more than sixty years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did you leave? Where did you go? How is it that you were able to forget me?
-
The Lost Bookshop
Pre-order Evie Wood’s stunning new book The Story Collector now! The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets. ‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’ On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found… For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems. Readers have fallen in love with The Lost Bookshop: ‘Beautifully written and captures the wonder and awe that a story can bring to its reader…a delightful story for any book lover…an ode to storytelling and the connections that books can make!’
-
Counting Miracles
1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed author of The Longest Ride and The Notebook comes an emotional, powerful novel about wondering if we can change—or even make our peace with—the path we’ve taken. “Sparks is superb at what he does. The setting is postcard perfect. The characters are immensely likable. . . . This is a tidy miracle you can count on.”—The Washington Post Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where to find him. Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. To Kaitlyn, Tanner is mysterious, exciting—and possibly leaving in just a few weeks. Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog, Arlo, for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers. As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.
-
Holly
Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a midwestern town. “Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” — BILL HODGES Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries. When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down. Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless. Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.
-
50 Worlds Greatest Stories
A collection of classic stories by literary titans, 50 World’s Greatest Stories is likely to be a treasure. Here you can find Anton Chekhov’s superb brevity, the emotional insights of Kate Chopin, and the creative wonders of Hans Christian Andersen. Indulge in the biting remarks of Guy de Maupassant, the sardonic humour of Saki, and the wit and sarcasm of O. Henry. Indulge also in the intrepid energy of Mark Twain, the eerie brilliance of Edgar Allan Poe, and the heartwarming stories of William Mackay. This extraordinary collection is completed with the profound contemplations of Ivan Turgenev and the intricate narratives of Katherine Mansfield. An indispensable component of every library's literature collection, 50 World’s Greatest Stories provides a fresh perspective on the human experience through each of its stories.
-
The Strengths Book
Do you ever feel unsure of which direction to take, a lack of confidence in yourself or like a ‘square peg in a round hole’ in your work? Or would you like to take more control of your life and career by understanding what makes you happy and where you make your best contribution? If so, this is the book for you. Overwhelming evidence shows that understanding and using our strengths gives us confidence and helps overcome imposter syndrome. This succinct and practical little book will help you identify your strengths and apply them through a series of simple exercises and tips, so you can find fulfilment in your life and work.