The Seventh Swar (A Satyadarshi Mystery)-Natasha Sharma

Book: The Seventh Swar (A Satyadarshi Mystery)
Author: Natasha Sharma
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if crimes across the city were related to a secret steeped in history?

When an old woman is stabbed to death in her Mumbai apartment, ex-cop-turned-private-investigator Satyadarshi expects it to be a routine murder investigation. Well, as routine as murders ever get. But the deeper she digs, the more confounding the case appears. Clues hidden in classical music, an innocuous-looking wall hanging she keeps seeing everywhere and a tattered old book that seems abuzz with secrets rooted in ancient Indian history ... As she is vaulted back to King Ashoka’s times (yes, that Ashoka) by her unusual discoveries, she finds the threads of his legacy entangled with those of her own life in ways she is completely unprepared for. As she chases leads through Mumbai’s humid chaos, Satyadarshi also has to fend off her mother’s relentless matchmaking, investigate an overweight So-Bo dog and deal with an almost-date whose nerdy facts and unexpectedly muscular chest make her heart race. Not to mention the growing pile of bodies further ensnaring her in a conspiracy that spans across centuries and threatens to upend everything she knows to be true about her family and herself. Witty, pacy and dripping with Mumbai’s entropic charm, The Seventh Swar is a classic murder mystery with a rom-com twist.

The Seventh Swar is a wonderfully written thriller that introduces us to Satyadarshi and her crime investigation skills. The book starts off with a very Dan Brown and a Ashwin Sanghi vibe that kicks off from the past and you are suddenly catapulted to the present. The storytelling is quite gripping and you are invested in the story right from the very first page. Another thing that works in the books favour is that Natasha keeps a humour element going in the book and there are giggles and smiles hidden across the book that, otherwise, deals with a lot of gore. The author leaves crumbs for the reader to find as he is telling you the story, and there was an interesting element that she saves for the climax in a very lovely manner. The classic misdirects, which are the hallmark of a good thriller, works perfectly, and just like Satyadarshi, I was convinced at first about the identity of the killer based on the two deliberate clues she leaves. The Baby Bimbette arc was such a fresh aspect into the storytelling and an insight into the mind of Satyadarshi. The climax is nicely penned and I loved how Natasha brings the story right where it started. The only thing I missed was the secret and if a bit would have been revealed and what it held. That would truly have made it a complete thriller right up there with the masters.

Coming to the characters, Satyadarshi as a honest ex-cop-turned-sleuth is wonderfully created. I loved how she goes through the evidence and joins the dots. The character quirks of using pen to paper, and the quintessential love for food was something I really loved. Jai as a character was wholesome, and his chemistry with Satyadarshi was quite palpable. I loved how Natasha keeps the romance teasing and almost there which makes their romance something to look forward to in the upcoming books. Twarita was another interesting character that makes her presence felt across the story.  

Overall, The Seventh Swar hits all the right chords and scores a 4.94/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or a bookstore near you!

Heartbreak Unfiltered-Milan Vohra

Book: Heartbreak Unfiltered
Author: Milan Vohra
Publisher: Rupa Publications

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

True stories. Hard truths. And a gentle plan. Everything you need to get over that ex. No platitudes. No sugar-coating. Just the honest truth and understanding you need but were never given about the messy reality of heartbreak – the other side of love. Heartbreak touches us all, regardless of age, gender or geography. With her signature wit, warmth and grounded wisdom, Milan Vohra, India’s bestselling romance author, turns her gaze to what follows after love leaves. Heartbreak Unfiltered: Things nobody told you about love, loss and letting go helps you make sense of what happens when love doesn’t end happily. Through 20 raw, real, deeply moving and inclusive stories from around the world, Milan paints a vivid picture of heartbreak in its many forms – from betrayal and ghosting to gaslighting and the unravelling of once-beautiful relationships. Each story brings not just catharsis but also clarity. Beyond storytelling, the book helps you understand the psychology of heartbreak-attachment styles, red flags, love languages and why we’re hardwired to fall into love. And then, it offers a plan-firm yet gentle guidance. Heartbreak Unfiltered will challenge your perspective, shake you out of your apathy, push you to face your feelings, use your pain to do something constructive with it and help you laugh through your tears. Milan Vohra’s now-tender-now-tough love will hold your hand and kick your ass to get you through it.

When I read the blurb of Heartbreak Unfiltered, I thought that it would be a usual non-fiction self help book that gives you a lot of advice, without understanding the ground reality of what happens. When I started reading the book, I realised the depth of research that had gone into the book. The book not only talks about heartbreak and grief, it explores various facets of love and relationships. Milan starts off with the basic idea of heartbreak and she goes on to talk about how heartbreak can actually manifest physically and can literally cause a “heart break”. As we move on with the book, you feel like talking to a group of friends who are telling you their own stories, some very close to home and some across continents. What worked for me in the book was that Milan has kept the voices in the stories authentic and that is what keeps the storytelling alive in this book. Each of the 20 stories in the book is unique and it is not just heterosexual relationships that she has explored, but the book also explores heartbreak across genders and gender identities. Another aspect of the book that I really liked is that there is no judgement and the author understands the emotions that go through the mind of the people living those stories and presents them here. Even with one-sided relationships, Milan presents a structured manner of dealing with it.

There is a second aspect to the book, which are the exercises and the key messages that she wants to send across. Each section of the book gives you small exercises to deal with the situation you are in, and to walk away from something you were holding back with a positive mindset. The activities she proposes, and gives you the guide to, are easy to do, and quite helpful as well. Personally, I feel that the ideas can help you walk away from not just romantic relationships, but toxic workplaces and friends as well, adapting the concepts to your scenario. The sections where Milan is explaining the ideas, concepts and the exercises, you feel as if a friend is talking to you, comforting you and admonishing you. That, I believe, is one of the best aspects of this book. The writing is easy to understand, and while the book has psychological aspects, it is free from jargon and infact, uses quite a bit of slang and colloquial words to keep it relatable.

The last aspect I would like to highlight are the two playlists that Milan has added to the book. Both Side A and Side B have some wonderful selection of songs that would suit either mood you are in, and do refer to the author’s instructions for listening to them. I am sure you will find some old favorites, and some new ones to add to that never-ending playlist.

Overall, Heartbreak Unfiltered does not break by heart. The book scores a 5/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or at a bookstore near you.