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Lethal Spice
A hundred-year-old stage steeped in tradition. Six contestants with a world to gain and everything to lose. Three judges who stand between them and their dreams. It is October in Shimla. The air is crisp, the mist is rising and the stakes are sky-high as the finalists of India's No. 1 reality cooking show, Hot Chef, are pitted against each other in a live shoot at the historic Gaiety Theatre. The spices are ground, the fires are lit, the knives have been sharpened? Then things start to go horribly wrong. As she picks her way through a maze of testimonies and motives, Shimla's Superintendent of Police, Niki Marwah, is more determined than ever to get to the bottom of a perplexing mystery - a mystery that this time around is dangerously close to her heart.
- GenresIndian Literature
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2014
9 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Swati Kaushal
12 books50 followersSwati Kaushal is the bestselling author of A Few Good Friends, Lethal Spice, Drop Dead, A Girl Like Me and Piece of Cake.
She was born in New Delhi, India, in a time before computers, cell phones, or social media. Despite these devastating privations, she has only happy memories of her childhood; of playing with her friends, of ice cream carts and orange bars, and of reading, reading, reading, to her heart’s content.
For college, she headed to Lady Shriram College in New Delhi where she earned a BA in Economics and an honorary doctorate in samosas, chai and galpal bonding.
During a two-year stint at The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Swati pursued her interests in marketing and mishti and masti and friends, graduating with a degree in marketing and a plan to revolutionize the world, one limited time offer at a time.
After six years of selling milk powder, dessert mixes and health beverages at Nestle, and a year of selling mobile phones at Nokia, Swati decided life was too short to not indulge her fantasy of writing something that required no budget approvals and had not a chance in hell of selling.
Et Voila, Piece Of Cake, which was a hoot to write, and became an instant bestseller and continues to provoke, confound, infuriate and entertain.
Swati’s second novel, A Girl Like Me, is a tribute to her awkward teenage years, chronicling through her heroine Ani Rai, the hardships, heartbreaks and redeeming friendships that are such a bittersweet rite of passage of teenage life.
Swati worked off the premise “who says a cop can’t be a girl?” to create Niki Marwah, the iconic heroine of her third and fourth novels, Drop Dead and Lethal Spice. Tough on crime but soft at heart, Niki pursues bad guys and romance with equal gusto, and was an instant hit with readers and critics, helping Swati get nominated for the Femina L’Oreal 2013 Women of Worth award.
A Few Good Friends, Swati’s latest book, is about the magical time that is college, and all the bittersweet ups and downs that come after, and the inevitable reckoning that is a 20-year reunion, so you should put aside all other plans, buy it immediately, and start reading it right now!
She was born in New Delhi, India, in a time before computers, cell phones, or social media. Despite these devastating privations, she has only happy memories of her childhood; of playing with her friends, of ice cream carts and orange bars, and of reading, reading, reading, to her heart’s content.
For college, she headed to Lady Shriram College in New Delhi where she earned a BA in Economics and an honorary doctorate in samosas, chai and galpal bonding.
During a two-year stint at The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Swati pursued her interests in marketing and mishti and masti and friends, graduating with a degree in marketing and a plan to revolutionize the world, one limited time offer at a time.
After six years of selling milk powder, dessert mixes and health beverages at Nestle, and a year of selling mobile phones at Nokia, Swati decided life was too short to not indulge her fantasy of writing something that required no budget approvals and had not a chance in hell of selling.
Et Voila, Piece Of Cake, which was a hoot to write, and became an instant bestseller and continues to provoke, confound, infuriate and entertain.
Swati’s second novel, A Girl Like Me, is a tribute to her awkward teenage years, chronicling through her heroine Ani Rai, the hardships, heartbreaks and redeeming friendships that are such a bittersweet rite of passage of teenage life.
Swati worked off the premise “who says a cop can’t be a girl?” to create Niki Marwah, the iconic heroine of her third and fourth novels, Drop Dead and Lethal Spice. Tough on crime but soft at heart, Niki pursues bad guys and romance with equal gusto, and was an instant hit with readers and critics, helping Swati get nominated for the Femina L’Oreal 2013 Women of Worth award.
A Few Good Friends, Swati’s latest book, is about the magical time that is college, and all the bittersweet ups and downs that come after, and the inevitable reckoning that is a 20-year reunion, so you should put aside all other plans, buy it immediately, and start reading it right now!
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 8, 2014
Swati Kaushal's Lethal Spice
Traditional book-reviewing is not for me, considering the long hiatus I took from blogging about stuff, these past few months. So here's a non-boring (hopefully), non-conceited-sounding ,pseudo-intellectual review from a pseudo book lover who usually takes 2 months to complete a book, but completed this one in one weekend flat (truth!).
5. Is this like one of those Flipkart's best sellers? No. To explain - as you can see, the cover is anything but revolutionary, though I have to admit that I liked the spice packet that came stuck with the book. Not that I am going to use it (who knows if it is really lethal or not? tee hee) The writing style is so refreshing - engaging, and interesting till the very end. The language is far from the grammar mistakes - ridden books that are mass-produced in Indian writing area right now.
4. What's the scene. For the uninitiated, this is the second book from the Niki Marwah mystery series by Swati Kaushal. Niki Marwah is the young, vivacious SP of the sleepy little town, Shimla. She is a no nonsense cop, who is sort of married to her job. Is she single? No. Does she seem needy? No. Is she indulging in carnal activities just to spice up the book? No. There? See, what I have been telling about how this is different from present Indian authors(most of them anyway)?
3. What about the characters? It's been two weeks since I read the book and I can tell everything about all the characters, not to mention my analysis. They are all so well-structured with proper motives, stories, little nuances and lives of their own, it's hard to forget a single character.
2. What works best? If you ask me, I would say Inspector Sahay's unique, wry wit. And Sharon's brazen confidence in her sexuality. The story of each Hot Chef competitor, each a motive in itself and then maybe, not. Not for all to decipher.
1. Ok, now the whodunit part of it! Complex motives of the cold mind of a killer? Check. Equally indomitable spirits of the victim(s). Check. Questionable standards of all the characters involved, slowly and very interestingly getting unveiled? Check
Do not miss this one - a good read, some great writing and the eye for detail that every crime-solver needs. This book has it all.
Traditional book-reviewing is not for me, considering the long hiatus I took from blogging about stuff, these past few months. So here's a non-boring (hopefully), non-conceited-sounding ,pseudo-intellectual review from a pseudo book lover who usually takes 2 months to complete a book, but completed this one in one weekend flat (truth!).
5. Is this like one of those Flipkart's best sellers? No. To explain - as you can see, the cover is anything but revolutionary, though I have to admit that I liked the spice packet that came stuck with the book. Not that I am going to use it (who knows if it is really lethal or not? tee hee) The writing style is so refreshing - engaging, and interesting till the very end. The language is far from the grammar mistakes - ridden books that are mass-produced in Indian writing area right now.
4. What's the scene. For the uninitiated, this is the second book from the Niki Marwah mystery series by Swati Kaushal. Niki Marwah is the young, vivacious SP of the sleepy little town, Shimla. She is a no nonsense cop, who is sort of married to her job. Is she single? No. Does she seem needy? No. Is she indulging in carnal activities just to spice up the book? No. There? See, what I have been telling about how this is different from present Indian authors(most of them anyway)?
3. What about the characters? It's been two weeks since I read the book and I can tell everything about all the characters, not to mention my analysis. They are all so well-structured with proper motives, stories, little nuances and lives of their own, it's hard to forget a single character.
2. What works best? If you ask me, I would say Inspector Sahay's unique, wry wit. And Sharon's brazen confidence in her sexuality. The story of each Hot Chef competitor, each a motive in itself and then maybe, not. Not for all to decipher.
1. Ok, now the whodunit part of it! Complex motives of the cold mind of a killer? Check. Equally indomitable spirits of the victim(s). Check. Questionable standards of all the characters involved, slowly and very interestingly getting unveiled? Check
Do not miss this one - a good read, some great writing and the eye for detail that every crime-solver needs. This book has it all.
December 27, 2017
This one definitely deserves a read!
Most of the India-based books written by the 'best-selling' authors either have countless grammatical errors or have a 'Hinglish' narration. And sometimes, they are stuffed with unnecessary and complicated English words that makes even the most avid readers to recoil from them. So, I was hesitant to read this book initially.
But, this book is one of the rare exceptions, as I found out later. The style of the author is unique and charming, and the reader falls in love with the narration. Set in the backdrop of Shimla, the story captivates the reader as the mystery unfolds. The characters of the 'Hot Chef' show- from the contestants to the anchor, from the judges to the crew members- are very cleverly sketched and unforgettable. The complex psychologies of the characters are highlighted by the continuous revelations about them, one after the other. The character of the female protagonist, SP Marwah, who is in charge of solving the murder (or suicide, maybe) mystery, is brilliantly portrayed.
One more aspect that makes me love this book is the way it describes the contrasting feelings simultaneously- the wit and sarcasm (Inspector Sahay) with the depression (Mala), the spoilt-child ways (Pallavi Anand) with the hard-working dedication (Leena), the coolness (Shaq) with the boldness (Sharon 'InSen').
In between, the book conveys some social messages indirectly. The corruption in the system and lack of sensitiveness in the higher authorities in the various departments is also reflected.
I started and finished this book the same day, and that shows how spellbinding and engrossing the book is. I would recommend it to everyone.
Most of the India-based books written by the 'best-selling' authors either have countless grammatical errors or have a 'Hinglish' narration. And sometimes, they are stuffed with unnecessary and complicated English words that makes even the most avid readers to recoil from them. So, I was hesitant to read this book initially.
But, this book is one of the rare exceptions, as I found out later. The style of the author is unique and charming, and the reader falls in love with the narration. Set in the backdrop of Shimla, the story captivates the reader as the mystery unfolds. The characters of the 'Hot Chef' show- from the contestants to the anchor, from the judges to the crew members- are very cleverly sketched and unforgettable. The complex psychologies of the characters are highlighted by the continuous revelations about them, one after the other. The character of the female protagonist, SP Marwah, who is in charge of solving the murder (or suicide, maybe) mystery, is brilliantly portrayed.
One more aspect that makes me love this book is the way it describes the contrasting feelings simultaneously- the wit and sarcasm (Inspector Sahay) with the depression (Mala), the spoilt-child ways (Pallavi Anand) with the hard-working dedication (Leena), the coolness (Shaq) with the boldness (Sharon 'InSen').
In between, the book conveys some social messages indirectly. The corruption in the system and lack of sensitiveness in the higher authorities in the various departments is also reflected.
I started and finished this book the same day, and that shows how spellbinding and engrossing the book is. I would recommend it to everyone.
March 4, 2017
To be frank, I had very little expectation from this book. Afterall, I have read very few ‘Good’ Mystery/Thriller produced by IWE Authors. But I picked this one up with hopes of it turning out to be time-pass read as it is set in Shimla. Having grown up in hill stations myself, and now being caught up in the concrete jungle of a metropolitan city, I was hoping for an escape into the mountains for a while. But this books has not only exceeded my expectations but has also made the list of favourites this year.
The stage is set by India’s No.1 Reality TV show… Hot Chef. Six contestants battle it out by producing awesome dishes and three judges do their best to select the best. That would have been simple enough, but there is something sinister going on behind the sets. A killer is on the loose and it is upto Shimla's Superintendent of Police, Niki Marwah, to get to the bottomline of the case before it is too late. The stakes are high and nerves are running high too… Will Niki be able to solve the delicious mystery?
First of all, it was good to see a female protagonist who is a competent officer of the law and in an important position. As a female reader, I enjoyed rooting for Niki as she handled things professionally and with finesse. The Whodunnit aspect of the plot is also intriguing and it wasn’t easy for a mystery buff like me to pick out the culprit as the stage was set and facts revealed in such a manner that it forced me to consider each character as the culprit atleast once. The author’s narration style is refreshing and engaging, keeping the readers glued to its pages until the very end.
I also loved the marketing strategy, wherein a small pouch of spice is put in the first page of the book with a tagline ‘A pinch full of this can be lethal.’ If I had seen this in a bookstore I would have surely been tempted to buy the book.
Overall, a great mystery with all its elements in the right places.
http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/06/Let...
The stage is set by India’s No.1 Reality TV show… Hot Chef. Six contestants battle it out by producing awesome dishes and three judges do their best to select the best. That would have been simple enough, but there is something sinister going on behind the sets. A killer is on the loose and it is upto Shimla's Superintendent of Police, Niki Marwah, to get to the bottomline of the case before it is too late. The stakes are high and nerves are running high too… Will Niki be able to solve the delicious mystery?
First of all, it was good to see a female protagonist who is a competent officer of the law and in an important position. As a female reader, I enjoyed rooting for Niki as she handled things professionally and with finesse. The Whodunnit aspect of the plot is also intriguing and it wasn’t easy for a mystery buff like me to pick out the culprit as the stage was set and facts revealed in such a manner that it forced me to consider each character as the culprit atleast once. The author’s narration style is refreshing and engaging, keeping the readers glued to its pages until the very end.
I also loved the marketing strategy, wherein a small pouch of spice is put in the first page of the book with a tagline ‘A pinch full of this can be lethal.’ If I had seen this in a bookstore I would have surely been tempted to buy the book.
Overall, a great mystery with all its elements in the right places.
http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/06/Let...
June 26, 2014
Six contestants, a show, a grand stage and a murder. What happens when SP Marwah is summoned unceremoniously when one of the star attractions of the how dies of poisoning and nothing adds up. So will she be able to solve the crime? Will the show see through it's end or there will be more hiccups? What is going to be the end of this brutal murder mystery? That's what the story is all about.
Lots of suspense, pent up drama and emotions and uncharacteristic setup for the story to revolve around. Twisted with severe of doses of surprises and the grit of SP Marwah. The action never dull and the length and breadth it travels to bind the characters and the entire drama. The turn of events at times mind boggling and predictability at a minimum. The narration simple yet fluent.
The downside of the book is less leverage to SP Marwah and not giving her character a befitting due. Some events in the book written in haste and looking too random and sudden. The antagonist described briefly not leaving much of space for him in the book.
All in all the murder mystery has it's spills and thrills. The book manages to hold the attention of the readers though becoming melodramatic at ends but keeping all the characters busy and uptight. The story has been knitted with panache and the ease with which it unfolds points towards the creativity of the author. The book with loads of spices and some to savour while some unforgettable.
Lots of suspense, pent up drama and emotions and uncharacteristic setup for the story to revolve around. Twisted with severe of doses of surprises and the grit of SP Marwah. The action never dull and the length and breadth it travels to bind the characters and the entire drama. The turn of events at times mind boggling and predictability at a minimum. The narration simple yet fluent.
The downside of the book is less leverage to SP Marwah and not giving her character a befitting due. Some events in the book written in haste and looking too random and sudden. The antagonist described briefly not leaving much of space for him in the book.
All in all the murder mystery has it's spills and thrills. The book manages to hold the attention of the readers though becoming melodramatic at ends but keeping all the characters busy and uptight. The story has been knitted with panache and the ease with which it unfolds points towards the creativity of the author. The book with loads of spices and some to savour while some unforgettable.
July 12, 2014
Tandoori Trials
Quite a transition, from Swati’s first book, A Piece of Cake, set in the world of Delhi yuppiedom to Lethal Spice, tackling a venomous murderer criss crossing the country from Simla to nature reserves to the beaches of Goa.The protagonists also have changed, with Lethal Spice marking the 2nd outing of Niki Marwah, a Superintendent of Police based in Shimla. With Top Chef, Swati adroitly latches on to the popularity of cooking shows like Master Chef Australia, and gives it some Big Boss like tadka. Starting with the tragic death of Mala Joseph, we plunge into the Chef eat Chef world of reality cooking, where a salt cellar could just as easily contain strychnine. We’re also in Kemaal’s world, India’s best known chain of Kebab joints, kind of like a criss cross between Sanjeev Kapoor and Tunde Mian. Unfortunately for Nikki, this time around she’s without her beau Ram, himself no mean cook, who’s been despatched by Swati to an Italian cooking course in Florence. This leaves Niki to sort out the contestants of Top Chef herself, from spoilt heiress Pallavi, to girl next door Leena, to Viki, the boy who likes to play with fire, Shaq the pro chef and Sharon the sexpot. We’re thrown deep into their world, as we match wits with Niki trying to figure out whodunit.
If you’re looking for a gripping detective novel, with the added advantage of it being set close to home, you can’t go wrong with Lethal Spice. For me, I’m looking forward to Niki’s next outing.
Quite a transition, from Swati’s first book, A Piece of Cake, set in the world of Delhi yuppiedom to Lethal Spice, tackling a venomous murderer criss crossing the country from Simla to nature reserves to the beaches of Goa.The protagonists also have changed, with Lethal Spice marking the 2nd outing of Niki Marwah, a Superintendent of Police based in Shimla. With Top Chef, Swati adroitly latches on to the popularity of cooking shows like Master Chef Australia, and gives it some Big Boss like tadka. Starting with the tragic death of Mala Joseph, we plunge into the Chef eat Chef world of reality cooking, where a salt cellar could just as easily contain strychnine. We’re also in Kemaal’s world, India’s best known chain of Kebab joints, kind of like a criss cross between Sanjeev Kapoor and Tunde Mian. Unfortunately for Nikki, this time around she’s without her beau Ram, himself no mean cook, who’s been despatched by Swati to an Italian cooking course in Florence. This leaves Niki to sort out the contestants of Top Chef herself, from spoilt heiress Pallavi, to girl next door Leena, to Viki, the boy who likes to play with fire, Shaq the pro chef and Sharon the sexpot. We’re thrown deep into their world, as we match wits with Niki trying to figure out whodunit.
If you’re looking for a gripping detective novel, with the added advantage of it being set close to home, you can’t go wrong with Lethal Spice. For me, I’m looking forward to Niki’s next outing.
June 2, 2014
Murder mysteries and food - my two favorite things rolled into an amazing novel…Swati Kaushal has followed up her first Niki Marwah book with another that takes things to a whole new level. The novel is set in a "Hot Chef" TV competition (which makes for a really compelling cast of characters), and it starts in the historic Gaiety Theatre in Shimla, where last 6 contestants have gathered for their next duel. As they prepare one amazing dish after another, something more sinister is in progress…I won't spoil your fun, but from that point on, the investigation begins, with Niki's team working every angle to figure out what happened. But the (Hot Chef) show must go on, and it goes to amazing locations, with one twist after another.
What kept me hooked was the creative plot and the novel's pace - but what makes this one of the more satisfying mystery novels I have read in a long time is the very fresh setting and the characters, whose ambitions, talent, and flaws we can all relate to. Just a great read!
What kept me hooked was the creative plot and the novel's pace - but what makes this one of the more satisfying mystery novels I have read in a long time is the very fresh setting and the characters, whose ambitions, talent, and flaws we can all relate to. Just a great read!
June 7, 2014
Another wonderful outing for Superintendent Niki Marwah... the plot is superb, the characters are brilliant and unforgettable and the story sets up a crackling pace. It is easy for a character like the protagonist to become either a superhero or fall flat with the spectre of unfulfilled promise but is all credit to Ms Kaushal that she keeps the good super utterly and plausibly believable. The premise of a reality show with one of the participants harbouring murderous designs is brilliantly conceived and executed and though the denouement is a little easily achieved, the atmosphere of menace and uncertainty never flags... More power to Ms Marwah and Ms Kaushal with the third installment portending to pit our heroine against entrenched bureaucratic and political interests in the law and order establishment.... Looking forward to it
June 3, 2014
You just can't put this one down. A whodunnit in the best of traditions - red herrings, interesting characters, twists and turns, the plot has it all. Swati's fluent writing style makes for an effortless read. At times you want to stop and enjoy the writing but the plot is so compelling that you just keep turning the pages. Have promised myself will read it one more time just to enjoy the writing.
June 6, 2014
Such a perfect mystery book to curl up with, and to read in one sitting! The different personalities among the contestants of Hot Chef, the judges, and the supporting cast are etched out really well. Have always admired the author's use of dialogue and pace of narrative - from her first book Piece of Cake onwards - and her style suits this crime novel to a T.
July 12, 2014
A nice little murder mystery involving the death of one of the judges of the reality cooking show, Top Chef, due to cyanide, whiled judging a round of the Show, in Shimla.
The SP of Shimla, ms Niki Marwah is ion the trail of a meticulous murderer who has other people on target as well.
A good read, while the story unfolds in an interesting way, to reveal the deadly plot.
The SP of Shimla, ms Niki Marwah is ion the trail of a meticulous murderer who has other people on target as well.
A good read, while the story unfolds in an interesting way, to reveal the deadly plot.
March 12, 2015
Well this was as good as the earlier one.I think Swati Kaushal totally nailed it.The book kept me hooked me till I was done reading the entire 530 pages.Its like reading Robert Ludlum,Lee Child or James Patterson in an Indian context.Lets see what Niki Marwah as in store for her once she reaches Delhi.
June 23, 2020
I loved reading this book. The title was interesting, and the gimmick of spices (in the review copy I received) was nice too. It has excellent characters, be it the detective, the victim or others. I thought it had the perfect pace of narration that kept me engaged from start to finish as well.
June 5, 2014
Crackling new book by Swati Kaushal. Fast - paced, intriguing characters, a racy plot and a surprise denouement. ..All the makings of a super mystery. Swati has outdone her last book with this one...can't wait for the next
July 3, 2014
Engaging plot twists, colorful characters with exotic settings keeping the readers drooling and at the edge of their seat all the way to the end. Nikki Marwah is ideal and real, beautiful and smart, leader and woman, sharp-edged and soft.
January 5, 2015
A book I picked on a whim, turned out to be a good fast paced read
Want to read
July 9, 2014Seems interesting.
August 18, 2014
A Gripping contemporary thriller..
March 9, 2016
Too many descriptions too few surprises
April 10, 2016
Amazing writing..a very good story telling...she keeps the reader glued and the mystery interesting till the end..special mention on the 'hot chef' settings & grandeur..totally wow!
June 5, 2016
Although the book had a few highs and moments. But it failed to impress in the end.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews