-
The Promise
The Promise charts the crash and burn of a white South African family, living on a farm outside Pretoria. The Swarts are gathering for Ma's funeral. The younger generation, Anton and Amor, detest everything the family stand for - not least the failed promise to the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. After years of service, Salome was promised her own house, her own land... yet somehow, as each decade passes, that promise remains unfulfilled. The narrator's eye shifts and blinks: moving fluidly between characters, flying into their dreams; deliciously lethal in its observation. And as the country moves from old deep divisions to its new so-called fairer society, the lost promise of more than just one family hovers behind the novel's title. In this story of a diminished family, sharp and tender emotional truths hit home. Confident, deft and quietly powerful, The Promise is literary fiction at its finest.
-
Dance of Shiva and Other Divine Tales
The stories that await you are an exhilarating mix of devotion, history and myths! Dance of Shiva & Other Divine Tales explores the mysteries that lie behind some of our most ancient and revered temples—from Kanyakumari to Kanchipuram. Revealing the legends behind the origins of these temples and the wonders associated with them, these stories will delight anyone fascinated by Indian folklore. These timeless and enchanting stories narrate the triumph of good over evil; they portray god’s compassion towards man; they reveal the miracles worked by devotion. Immensely engaging and magical, the action in these narratives ranges over heaven and earth: Indra is punished for lusting after a sage’s wife; Narada uses his tricks to stop Shiva’s marriage to Parvati; Kannagi’s curse reduces Madurai to ashes; Vishnu saves Gajendran, the elephant, from the crocodile’s clutches … and much more. A collection that is in equal parts enlightening and enthralling. Read less
-
I Came Upon a Lighthouse
An endearing portrait of an Indian legend I told him that when I write a book, I would write about another side of him and not just historic events or business milestones. I would write about us and our adventures together, and how I saw him, colours and shades of him unknown to the world. Life beyond the great steel wall of 'industry doyen'. He agreed. 'There cannot be one book that captures everything ... So you do your thing, give your perspective.' It was their shared empathy for homeless dogs that sparked an unlikely friendship. In 2014, Shantanu Naidu, an automobile design engineer in his early twenties, developed an innovation to save the local strays from being run over by speeding cars. Ratan Tata, himself known for his compassion for stray dogs, took note. Impressed, he not only decided to invest in the venture, but over the years became a mentor, boss and an unexpectedly dear friend to Shantanu. I Came Upon a Lighthouse is an honest, light-hearted telling of this uncommon bond between a millennial and an octogenarian that gives glimpses of a beloved Indian icon in a warm light.
-
Fly Away Home
Sometimes all you can do is fly away home . . . When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At fifty-seven, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator. Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at twenty-four a recovering addict, whose mantra HALT (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) helps her keep her life under control. Still, trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achieve—a husband, a young son, the perfect home—and yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. With temptation waiting in one of the ER’s exam rooms, she finds herself craving more. After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be. Written with an irresistible blend of heartbreak and hilarity, Fly Away Home is an unforgettable story of a mother and two daughters who after a lifetime of distance finally learn to find refuge in one another.
-
Neighbours
Sometimes a crisis can bring people together . . . Meredith White was one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces. But a personal tragedy cut her career short and alienated her from her family. For the last fifteen years, Meredith has shut herself away from the world, living in her San Francisco mansion. Then, on a late summer day, a devastating earthquake strikes, plunging the city into chaos. Without hesitation, Meredith invites her now homeless neighbours into her largely undamaged house as the recovery begins. From the respected doctor, to the beautiful young woman whose boyfriend views her as a rich man’s toy, to the brilliant concert pianist in his eighties, each has a story and a closely guarded secret that will slowly be revealed. Strangers become friends and relationships are forged as they support each other through not just the aftermath of the earthquake, but their own personal crises. As Meredith finds herself venturing back into the world she suddenly sees her isolation, her estranged family and even her career in a whole new light. And thanks to the suspicions of one of her new acquaintances, a shocking truth in her own life is exposed. Neighbours, by the world’s favourite storyteller Danielle Steel, is a novel of friendship, support, trust and love, and what it takes to bring people together.
-
The Demolition And The Verdict
The Ram temple issue has been at the epicentre of Indian politics since the mid 1980s. The question–‘mandir or masjid’– dominated political discourse without an apparent resolution – until the Supreme Court delivered its judgement on 9 November 2019. The 5-member bench in a unanimous verdict gave the ownership of the 2.77 acres of disputed land to the Ram Janmabhoomi trust, and ordered it to build a temple on the site. Though an alternative five acres of land was awarded to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board to build a mosque to replace the demolished masjid, the scales were clearly tilted in favour of the Hindu petitioners, and as many commentators noted, the judges had in effect legitimized what they themselves had called a ‘criminal act’. . This unprecedented, comprehensive book looks at the key moments in the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation, from the events of 1949, Rajiv Gandhi’s ‘unlocking of the gates’ in 1986, L K Advani’s Rath Yatra in 1990, the demolition of the masjid in 1992, culminating in an in-depth analysis of the 9 November judgement. It gives an objective analysis of the core issue: was the mosque actually built by Babur, and did there exist a Ram temple? . More importantly, the book examines how the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation propelled the BJP from being a marginal political party into becoming the dominant political force today. Mukhopadhyay analyses how politics over the Ram temple secured support for the militant Hindu nationalistic idea and assesses the road ahead for India and the long-term implications of the imminent construction of the Ram temple.
-
Fear No Evil
Alex Cross ventures into the rugged Montana wilderness - where he will be the prey. He's not on the job, but on a personal mission. Until he's attacked by two rival teams of assassins, controlled by the same mastermind who has stalked Alex and his family for years. Darkness falls. The river churns into rapids. Shots ring out through the forest. No backup. No way out. Fear no evil.
-
The Dark Hours
On New Year's Eve at the end of one of the hardest years in history, hundreds of revellers shoot their guns into the air in time-honoured LA tradition. But as the rain of lead comes down, a man is shot dead in the middle of a crowded street party. Detective Renée Ballard soon connects the bullet to an unsolved cold case last worked by legendary ex-LAPD detective Harry Bosch. As they investigate where the old and new cases connect, a new crime shatters the night shift. The Midnight Men are a pair of violent predators who stalk the city during the dark hours, and will kill to keep their identities secret. In a police department shaken to the core by pandemic and protests, both cases have the power to save Ballard's belief in the job - or take everything from her...
-
Mahayoddha Kalki Sword of Shiva-3
Kalki Hari arrives at Indragarh to find out that his brother has been taken prisoner, his beloved is about to be butchered, and the city is embroiled in a ghastly war with the Naga queen and Dakshini king. Armed with a mighty sword forged by a god, he fights to take the city back from his nemesis, the evil Kali. But the Avatar of Vishnu is at a crossroads. It is his destiny to fight the last battle with Adharm and obliterate evil from this world. However, he has stumbled upon a terrible truth over the course of his journey . . . a truth that may change everything. Will Kalki be able to win against Adharm and fulfil his destiny? Or will the world lose its greatest hero and head towards destruction? Find out in the explosive last book of the Kalki trilogy. ?A young fantastical fictioneer? ? The Hindu
-
Satyayoddha Kalki Eye Of Bramha
After a defeat at the hands of Lord Kali, Kalki Hari must journey towards the Mahendragiri mountains with his companions to finally become the avatar he is destined to be. But the road ahead is not without peril . . . Not only is he trapped by the cannibalistic armies of the Pisach, he is also embroiled in the civil war of the Vanars. And in midst of all this, he meets a face from the legends. Meanwhile, Manasa, the sister of the late Vasuki, plots to overthrow Lord Kali by bringing a massive war to his kingdom. But Naagpuri, her homeland, has been infiltrated by their sworn enemy, the Suparns. Not only does she need to protect her kingdom from the Suparns, she must also protect her close ones from the league of conspirators at her own home. Who can she really trust? And will she be able to put an end to Lord Kali?s rule? As the plot thickens and Lord Kali sees his ambition crushed right before his eyes, he comes to know about his race and its history that threatens to destroy the very fabric of this world?s reality. Kalyug has begun. Can Kalki become the avatar in time before it finally unfolds? Will Manasa fight through the internal politics to bring an invasion against Lord Kali? Can the secret that changes everything change Lord Kali as a person too?
-
Dharmayoddha Kalki Avatar of Vishnu
Born in the quiet village of Shambala, Kalki Hari, son of Vishnuyath and Sumati, has no idea about his heritage until he is pitted against tragedies and battles. Whisked into the province of Keekatpur, which is under the fist of Lord Kali, Kalki sees the ignominy of death trumping life all around him. He learns that he has been born to cleanse the world he lives in, for which he must journey to the North and learn the ways of Lord Vishnu’s Avatar; from an immortal who wields an axe. But trapped in the midst of betrayals, political intrigue and forces that seek to decimate him, will he be able to follow his destiny before the Kaliyug begins?
-
Whisper to Me Your Lies
Ekantika Pakrashi has just lost the love of her life. Preliminary reports suggest it was no accident. Her boyfriend was murdered in cold blood and the modus operandi resembles that of India's most notorious serial killer of the 1990s: the Cellotape Killer. He was never caught, and if this indeed was him, then he had resurfaced after twenty-one years. Ekantika swears to find the killer and get an emotional closure, but what she doesn't know is that in the process she may end up wounding herself irreversibly. Follow this exciting chase as the dark alley turns out to be a twisted labyrinth and it seems the killer is actually coming for . . . her. Whisper To Me Your Lies is a fast-paced, chilling crime thriller and a poignant tale of a girl's single-minded obsession to find out who altered her life. And why.
-
Writing for My Life
If only the world had no boundaries and we could move about without having to produce passports and documents everywhere, it really would be 'a great wide beautiful, wonderful world', says Ruskin Bond. From his most loved stories to poems, memoirs and essays, Writing for My Life opens a window to the myriad worlds of Ruskin Bond, India's most loved author. Capturing dreams of childhood, anecdotes of Rusty and his friends, the Ripley-Bean mysteries, accounts of his life with his father and his adventures in Jersey and London among others, this book is full of beauty and joy-two things Ruskin's writing is mostly known for. With a comprehensive introduction, this is the perfect gift to all the ardent readers and lovers of Ruskin's effervescent writing. A wide collection of carefully curated and beautifully designed stories, this book is a collector's edition.
-
Happily Never After
What would you do if the person you love doesn’t love you back? Would you surrender anything and everything to prove your love? But what if they love someone else? Shy, reserved Juhi has never been one for romances. Until she meets Abhay. From the minute he walks into her office, she is smitten. The only problem: he is in love with someone else. Someone she thinks is completely wrong for Abhay. Juhi’s feelings lead her to do things that are completely out of character, till she reaches a point where she must either lose herself completely, or pick herself up and find her own true centre. Which path will she choose? And what will she find at the end of it? Happily Never After is compelling new book on holding on and letting go from bestselling author Sudeep Nagarkar.
-
Never
Bold in scale and meticulously researched' - Sunday Times 'A stunning thriller and one of the most compelling reads of the year' – Daily Express Expertly researched, visionary in scale and the first contemporary novel in over a decade from international number one bestseller Ken Follett, Never is more than a thriller. It imagines a scenario we all hope never comes true, one which will keep you transfixed until the final page . . . A stolen US army drone. A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert. A secret stash of deadly chemicals. Each is a threat to the stability of the world but individually are problems that can be overcome. In the diplomatic arena though, everyone will have a different way of dealing with such a threat. And when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, it will kick off an international chain reaction with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war . . . Now three people must work tirelessly and with the utmost skill to stop that from happening: A spy working undercover with jihadists. A brilliant Chinese spymaster. A US president beleaguered by a populist rival for the next election. The only question is, in a game of brinksmanship can the inevitable ever be stopped? 'A compelling story, and only too realistic' – Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary
-
Mercy
THE HUNT IS FINALLY OVER. FBI agent Atlee Pine is at the end of her long journey to discover what happened to her twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when the girls were just six years old – an incident which destroyed her family and left Atlee physically and mentally scarred. She knew her sister and parents were out there somewhere. And she had to find them. Dead or alive. Atlee and her assistant, Carol Blum, discover the truth. But the truth hurts. And hurt makes you tough. So how tough do you have to be to forgive? As they uncover a shocking trail of lies, greed, fear and revenge, they must face one final challenge. A challenge more deadly and dangerous than they could ever have imagined.
-
The Judge's List
THE SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH*** Nonstop suspense from the Sunday Times bestselling author: Investigator Lacy Stoltz follows the trail of a serial killer, and closes in on a shocking suspect - a sitting judge. In The Whistler, Lacy Stoltz investigated a corrupt judge who was taking millions in bribes from a crime syndicate. She put the criminals away, but only after being attacked and nearly killed. Three years later, and approaching forty, she is tired of her work for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct and ready for a change. Then she meets a mysterious woman who is so frightened she uses a number of aliases. Jeri Crosby's father was murdered twenty years earlier in a case that remains unsolved and that has grown stone cold. But Jeri has a suspect whom she has become obsessed with and has stalked for two decades. Along the way, she has discovered other victims. Suspicions are easy enough, but proof seems impossible. The man is brilliant, patient, and always one step ahead of law enforcement. He is the most cunning of all serial killers. He knows forensics, police procedure, and most important: he knows the law. He is a judge, in Florida - under Lacy's jurisdiction. He has a list, with the names of his victims and targets, all unsuspecting people unlucky enough to have crossed his path and wronged him in some way. How can Lacy pursue him, without becoming the next name on his list? The Judge's List is by any measure John Grisham's most surprising, chilling novel yet. PRAISE FOR JOHN GRISHAM 'When Grisham gets in the courtroom he lets rip, drawing scenes so real they're not just alive, they're pulsating' Mirror 'A superb, instinctive storyteller' The Times 'Storytelling genius . . . he is in a league of his own' Daily Record 350+ million copies, 45 languages, 9 blockbuster films: NO ONE WRITES DRAMA LIKE JOHN GRISHAM
-
Better Off Dead
Reacher never backs down from a problem. And he's about to find a big one, on a deserted Arizona road, where a Jeep has crashed into the only tree for miles around. Under the merciless desert sun, nothing is as it seems. Minutes later Reacher is heading into the nearby border town, a backwater that has seen better days. Next to him is Michaela Fenton, an army veteran turned FBI agent, who is trying to find her twin brother. He might have got mixed up with some dangerous people. And Reacher might just need to pay them a visit. Their leader has burrowed his influence deep into the town. Just to get in and meet the mysterious Dendoncker, Reacher is going to have to achieve the impossible. To get answers will be even harder. There are people in this hostile, empty place who would rather die than reveal their secrets. But then, if Reacher is coming after you, you might be better off dead. *** 'Jack Reacher is today's James Bond, a thriller hero we can't get enough of.' Ken Follett 'If you haven't read any Jack Reacher, you have a treat in store . . . a hitchhiker without a phone, a one-man force for good.' The Times 'A contemporary version of the knight in shining armour . . . Reacher is a mythic figure.' Literary Review 'Jack Reacher is a wonderfully epic hero; tough, taciturn, yet vulnerable... Irresistible.' People 'Jack Reacher has long since earned his prominent place in the pantheon of cool, smart-talking American heroes.' New York Times