The Secret-Keeper of Jaipur Paperback – 17 July 2021

Honestly, with all the hype around the first book, I was not too surprised to like it myself. But, I genuinely never expected for the second part to fare better than the first!Although I am a generous reviewer, I only give five stars to stories which tend to linger long after I'm done with them. This is definitely one of those! I'm so gonna be lost in this perfectly imperfect world created by the author - for a really, really long time, if I may!Unlike the first book - which was more descriptive of the setting, characters, environment, the art and the artists - this book is more progressive in terms of the plot and the turn of events. Also, loved to read the story from multiple POVs - which was again something different from the first book. Inevitably, I was engrossed from the get go.There were a lot (most) of things I loved about it. But, I really have a few complaints - and, not with the author, but with the characters, lol. There are so many amazing Hindi proverbial (translated in English) exchanges in the story - it's amazing. But, what was really disappointing was that this was something personal between Samir and Lakshmi. Couldn't Lakshmi just find some other game for Dr. Kumar and herself! (I know, that's not a real complaint, but I felt it, so!)Coming to Samir: idk what's it about him (or, rather the chemistry between him and Lakshmi) that I just have a smile plastered on my face when I'm reading his parts. There's something really mischievous and charming about him that keeps me wanting to read more of him (and, he's 52 - what's wrong with me, dayum!)To add to all this, both the places mentioned in the story - Rajasthan and Shimla - are really close to my heart. Rajasthan has my Alma Mater of three years, and Shimla - well, I have had the best workation there, while living the life as a local, going around The Mall Road, passing by Bishop Cotton and the amazing mountains, ha. If this was not enough to make me feel home while reading the book what could ever be?Overall, much recommended - no matter what genre fan you are, it's a world absolutely worth living!

It's been twelve years since Lakshmi's moved to Shimla leaving back her memories from Jaipur.Lakshmi Shastry is now Lakshmi Kumar.From a henna artist,she has evolved to become a medical advisor and practitioner at Shimla.Bold, stubborn and more intelligent than ever.Conspiracies around the royal palace in Jaipur has once again caught her attention.She has one again got into contact with the rich and royal families of Jaipur.So the protagonist Lakshmi has got a stronger and an attractive role now.Malik who was once a boy roaming around Lakshmi and the streets of Jaipur is now well educated and attracts audiences.I am truly mesmerized by the power Alka Joshi possesses over her words.The first book from the Jaipur trilogy,The Henna artist was much of a classic fiction,that revolved mostly around few marital relationships.This book,𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿 is a strong multi-genre fiction full of thrill, suspense, romance and a hue of many other genres.The way both books has been written,it is easy for the readers to imagine the characters.I don't feel good books should be adapted for entertainment,but these two books are something that can be adapted into a fine and perfect web series..Can't wait for the next in the trilogy!!

I read the Henna artist and truly loved the characters woven by the author . The sequel kept up to the expectations I had . Both books were an easy read. The story captivating and entertaining.

While it's important to see books in a series as an individual piece of work who share some characters and their pasts but have their own story, when one reads a sequel, it becomes inevitable to do the comparison. Sequel to The Henna Artist, this novel is as much different as it could be from its prequel. However, it continues to hold the strengths of The Henna Artist in terms of well-developed characters and story structure. In fact, the characters seemed to have matured and developed a lot in the sequel. I could clearly imagine Lakshmi as a strong, independent, and sophisticated woman. Malik, a playful, joyous yet very understanding and mature man. Jay Kumar, an understanding and caring husband to Lakshmi. Nimmi, a tribal woman with her insecurities, yet a strong-willed woman.While The Secret Keeper of Jaipur continues the story with the same set of characters from The Henna Artist, with the addition of only a couple of new characters, the plot has a mix of conspiracy, favors, and politics. Much different than its prequel, this novel jumps 12 yrs in the future from where the story in The Henna Artist ended and brings forward a grown-up Malik who has graduated from Bishop Cotton School in Shimla and is in love with a tribal widow with two kids. To learn the trade of Construction and accounting, Lakshmi sends Malik to Jaipur to work with Manu Agarwal in the Jaipur Palace. Ravi, who had impregnated Radha in the prequel, has returned to India, married Sheela, and has joined his father's construction business to work on his first independent project for the royalty to build a grand cinema hall laced with modern technologies of the time. However, the roots of an illegal smuggling business of gold find their way from Shimla to Jaipur under most unexpected circumstances when the cinema hall collapses on the day of its inauguration.While the novel is sufficiently engaging with a well-structured plot and mature characters, a little bit of work on the story to hold the suspense could have made wonders. Almost from the beginning, one could guess the story, the conspiracy behind the collapse of the cinema hall, and the real culprit behind it. I was hoping that the story would unravel some secrets which could not be guessed but they were all open secrets. However, I am still looking forward to the next book in this series to know more about the characters and to see how the overall story culminates.

Received in good condition