Location elsewhere: This October, buckle up for mysteries that are wild rides 


October carries a hint of magic. Light grows softer, evenings loom closer, and we instinctively turn towards all things cosy. There’s also an indefinable longing that calls for a good mystery—a book that pulls you in, envelops you in atmosphere, and keeps you up long past midnight. Whether you’d like to uncover centuries-old secrets in Prague, feel an air of unease in a luxurious spa resort on an isolated Swedish island, travel back in time to ancient, enchanting India, or experience the fever dream of lush Sri Lanka—we’ve handpicked the perfect ensemble of thrillers for you. These are stories threaded with secrets and suspense, and mirror the season’s own sense of wonder and unease. These novels promise not just puzzles to solve, but atmospheres to inhabit—windswept villas, candlelit parlours, faraway landscapes that feel alive with possibility.

The Secret Of Secrets by Dan Brown
(Doubleday, Penguin Randomhouse)

Everyone’s favourite symbologist, Robert Langdon, is back! Dan Brown returns to the literary table eight years later to bring us the latest instalment in Langdon’s adventures that blend history with mystery. In The Secret Of Secrets he accompanies celebrated academic, Katherine Solomon, to Prague. Her sudden disappearance prompts him to embark on a rather perilous journey, for Prague is an old and dangerous city, steeped in folklore and mystery. The tides of history have washed back and forth over it for over two thousand years, leaving behind long-lasting echoes. Little can Langdon know that he is being stalked by a spectre from that dark past. Against an intriguing backdrop of vast castles and towering spires, he must use all of his arcane knowledge to decipher the world around him, rescue his lady, and save the fate of humanity. Read if you like exquisite locations, cinematic pacing, and nostalgic revisits.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
(Pamela Dorman, Penguin Randomhouse) 
 

For the faithful followers of the popular Thursday Murder Club series, the fifth instalment has arrived. “The Impossible Fortune” is set about a year after the group solved its last mystery, and we’re quickly brought up to speed with what each is doing: Joyce is busy with table plans and first dances. Elizabeth is grieving. Ron is dealing with family troubles, and Ibrahim is still providing therapy to his favourite criminal. But when Elizabeth meets a wedding guest who’s in trouble, mystery is hot on the heels of our Cooper Chase residents once more. Join them as they embark on a journey to best a villain who wants access to an uncrackable code. 

The Chola Tigers: Avengers of Somnath by Amish Tripathi
(Harper-Collins India) 

There are certain things you can expect from an Amish Tripathi book. History, mythology, fantasy and action are reimagined into a story that feels almost like a movie with its visual prowess. The Chola Tigers: Avengers of Somnath delivers on all these parameters. The premise: by attacking one of India’s holiest temples—Somnath—Mahmud of Ghazni believes he has crushed India’s spirit. But amongst the ashes of destruction, an oath for retribution is taken. Five avengers: a warrior, a merchant, a devotee, a scholar, and a king, set out on a dangerous quest with a single-minded focus towards destroying the enemy and his kingdom. Read the book to explore how grief and fury can be channelled into a righteous fight to restore honour and vanquish evil.

Katabasis by R F Kuang
(Harper-Collins India)

Taking “location: elsewhere” to a literally different level is Katabasis. Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own. Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity—to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world. Then, he dies in a magical accident that could be her fault. For the sake of his recommendation and her future, Alice is determined not to let death interrupt her dreams, and alongside rival Peter Murdoch, she makes the descent into Hell. If the idea of dark academia meeting fantasy interests you, then give this book a read.

A Hiding To Nothing by Chhimi Tenduf-La
(Hachette)

The story opens with a missing child. Devon Pinto, the son of an elite family, is kidnapped, but there’s no ransom demand. There are also no clues, and with a society where appearances are everything, the police cannot be involved. The story moves through different timelines and cities, from Colombo to Durham, offering layered perspectives along the way. In A Hiding To Nothing, the author masterfully describes the gilded, claustrophobic circles of Sri Lanka's elite. It’s a suspenseful tale where the truth is elusive, and the emotional chaos is quietly intense.

Be Mine by Lizzy Barber
(The Bombay Circle Press)

In this gripping, psychological thriller, a new mother is haunted by her past in a sinister wellness cult. Once, Beth was a different person, convinced she was living her dream life with the enigmatic wellness group, Elixir. But when that dream became a nightmare, she had no choice but to run. Ten years later, exhausted and struggling with the pressures of motherhood, she receives a mysterious letter bearing only the infinity symbol, and knows immediately it is from them. The past she’d run from has finally caught up with her, and the secrets she’s tried so hard to hide seem like they’ll be uncovered. Alternating between sunny San Francisco and moody London, “Be Mine” is a chilling exploration of identity, belonging, and the dark side of self-improvement. Read to discover a tale of how far people will go to feel whole. 

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
(Minotaur, Pan Macmillan)

On a remote, craggy island nestled off the coast of Sweden, four friends—Tilly, Anna, Linnea, and Evelina—meet every year to have a night of reckless fun and secret-sharing, and then they return to their normal lives. Ten years later, Tessa Nilsson has been consumed by the story of these four friends who disappeared on their annual trip. Her true crime fervour turned into a wildly popular podcast, but she couldn’t discover answers. Now, Anneliese (Tessa’s best friend) wants to have a bachelorette party at The Baltic Vinyasa. It’s a sleek, sophisticated yoga retreat—on that same island. While the idea is to do sunrise yoga, drink cava and bond with the bride, it’s also Tessa’s chance to find out what happened to the four women, once and for all. But could it also be someone else’s opportunity to cause trouble? Read The Bachelorette Party in all its eerie suspense to find out.

Make Me Famous by Maud Ventura
(Harper-Collins)

Ever since she was a child, Cléo, the French-American daughter of two academics, has had only one true dream: to become a famous singer. She overcomes every obstacle and becomes a global superstar with millions of dollars, countless awards, and several Los Angeles villas to her name. Now thirty-three years old, Cléo is taking her first real vacation in years on a remote island. The idea is to work on her fourth album in peace, but with so much time to think, she can’t help but ruminate on her complicated past—including how, just six months earlier, things started to go very, very wrong. Flitting between New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and the South Pacific, Make Me Famous offers an intoxicating insight into the machinations of one woman’s possibly unhinged mind and her relentless pursuit of fame.

Lead image: Getty Images

All covers: Amazon.in
 

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