What do you think?
Rate this book
Tears Of Fire: An Indian Mytho-Noir
A gruesome massacre in Mumbai that occurred two years ago has been giving sleepless nights to Inspector General of Police Anil Waghle and his protégé, Inspector Arindam Paswan - because the only son of a local political big-shot is one of the victims, and Alex Vargas leaves no chance to politicize the case. His son John Vargas, after being thrown out of the window of a five-star Mumbai hotel, is now stirring out of his coma. Being the sole survivor, he can help solve this cold case in which five of John’s friends had been brutally killed. The hotel CCTV cameras had picked up a fully-masked, latex-covered androgynous figure with superhuman strength, and nothing else! The chief suspect is Sasha Vargas, John’s twin sister, who has disappeared into thin air ever since that fateful night of the murders. Incidentally, these killings occur just a day before Sasha’s marriage.
Several hundred kilometers away and in the present time, Achalgadh Sub-District Magistrate Kanya Mitra and Inspector Sahil Afridi are investigating the mysterious abduction of a five-year-old boy from a local fair organized by the mighty Achaleshwari Amba Mata Mandir. What Sahil and his buddy Inspector Ajay Rathore don't know is that this case is a replica of an older abduction that occurred twenty-five years ago.
The seemingly disconnected cases are on a path of inevitable collision, as Kanya Mitra was the bosom friend of the missing Sasha Vargas, and an invitee to the marriage party. Only, Kanya has little or no memory of the fateful night. She fights chilling nightmares, blinding headaches, and inexplicable blackouts, and she often visits her psychotherapist. Besides, what is the role played by the blonde janeyu-wearing pro chef Kanishk Mukherjee and his troubled family members?
Will Arindam and Sahil, working disjointedly and disconnectedly on different cases and in different cities, be able to solve this tangled puzzle?
Complicated and layered, with a myriad of characters and suspects, the plot unfolds at an unhurried pace. Much unlike the current trend of telling fast-paced and abridged tales, Tears Of Fire lingers and smolders, coming to a boil slowly. Read this one if you enjoy the amalgamation of Indic mythology and noir.
Several hundred kilometers away and in the present time, Achalgadh Sub-District Magistrate Kanya Mitra and Inspector Sahil Afridi are investigating the mysterious abduction of a five-year-old boy from a local fair organized by the mighty Achaleshwari Amba Mata Mandir. What Sahil and his buddy Inspector Ajay Rathore don't know is that this case is a replica of an older abduction that occurred twenty-five years ago.
The seemingly disconnected cases are on a path of inevitable collision, as Kanya Mitra was the bosom friend of the missing Sasha Vargas, and an invitee to the marriage party. Only, Kanya has little or no memory of the fateful night. She fights chilling nightmares, blinding headaches, and inexplicable blackouts, and she often visits her psychotherapist. Besides, what is the role played by the blonde janeyu-wearing pro chef Kanishk Mukherjee and his troubled family members?
Will Arindam and Sahil, working disjointedly and disconnectedly on different cases and in different cities, be able to solve this tangled puzzle?
Complicated and layered, with a myriad of characters and suspects, the plot unfolds at an unhurried pace. Much unlike the current trend of telling fast-paced and abridged tales, Tears Of Fire lingers and smolders, coming to a boil slowly. Read this one if you enjoy the amalgamation of Indic mythology and noir.
555 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 21, 2025
1 person want to read
About the author
Deepti L. Sharma
17 books32 followersA closet writer until recently... A full-time environmental consultant...Running, or at least trying to run two start-ups and bringing up, or at least trying to bring up two kids and a hubby. As an author and a reader, I am perhaps similar to the butterfly, flitting from genre to genre and exploring all tastes.
I want to blend poetry with ecology, science with nature, psychology with illustration and fact with imagination. As a veridical writer, my challenge is to ensure that what is real becomes as entertaining as possible.
I want to blend poetry with ecology, science with nature, psychology with illustration and fact with imagination. As a veridical writer, my challenge is to ensure that what is real becomes as entertaining as possible.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 23, 2025
Deepti L. Sharma, in Tears of Fire, provides a complex braid of mythic echo with a hardcore crime thriller, creating a story that is equally about the dark side of human nature as it is about the divine one. The novel begins with a horrific and politically inflammatory massacre in Mumbai: the only son of an influential man was in a coma, his twin sister has disappeared, the only hint being a masked androgynous face shot on CCTV in latex and cut innocence. At the same time, a hundred miles away, a five-year-old boy is kidnapped at a fair in a field near an ancient temple, a resemblance to a loss decades earlier. These two apparently unrelated threads are interlaced with time, memory, and myth until the weaving becomes inevitable.
The characters Sharma creates have a richness to them: Inspector Arindam Paswan is caught up with the case, not only in his line of work but also in his personal life; SDM Kanya Mitra is powerless against the blackouts and nightmares and the feeling that something from the past has stirred in her. The writer uses them to examine power, identity, trauma, and the thin boundary between justice and revenge. The two inquiries, urban and rural, modern and archaic, and crime and ritual, make the book broad and heavy. The city of Mumbai and its hotel-window horrors, the distant sub-district and its temple customs, and the masked man and his superhuman strength—all these combine to create the sense, in the story, of being out of genre expectation and into something more ancient.
The pacing and tone are remarkable. The novel burns and smolders instead of rushing to its end. It has a ritualistic quality to the development—scenes accumulate gradually, atmospheres grow heavier, and the reader is invited to enjoy the fear, the symbolism, and the echoes. On the mythological front, Sharma does not merely overlay a god or goddess onto the scene; the myth flows through the characterizations, the environment, and the design of the crime. The existence of the temple, the goddess theme, and the twin demise all point to circular justice, dissimilar power, and that certain wrongs are too old and too profound to be addressed only by traditional policing.
Concerning about thematic richness: Tears of Fire is truly about memory and forgetting, power and its misuses, and the sacred and the profane. It poses the question: What is the outcome of a failure of the human justice system? And what have mouths when powerless suffer? And is myth, the tales we pass on through the generations, a sort of justice? The twin motif plays a major role: twin victims, twin investigations, and twin past-and-present threads. The prose of Sharma is cinematic, evocative, dark, and stylistic. It does not remain in the blazing realm of detective novels; it shifts to the twilight, ritual, memory-infested areas. The backgrounds, including luxurious hotel rooms, remote temple towns, and late-night visits to a psychotherapist, are selected and described effectively. It is highly emotional: trauma, guilt, longing, and rage all have their place.
In summary: Tears of Fire is not a mere page-turner but definitely has some of those types of chapters; it is a novel to be experienced, digested, and maybe even meditated on. This novel possesses a great deal of strengths: the sense of dread, ritual, and multi-layered memory; the narrative driven by the characters; the fact that myth and crime are not contrasted but fused; and the environment of the Indian culture, which makes the story very specific and highly resonant. It is a rich, stratified experience for those willing to read mythic noir, slow burns, and crime dressed in ritual and memory. In case you want pieces of thrillers and cool endings, you will need to lower your standards. But when you give the book its way and give its dark sides creep, then it pays.
The characters Sharma creates have a richness to them: Inspector Arindam Paswan is caught up with the case, not only in his line of work but also in his personal life; SDM Kanya Mitra is powerless against the blackouts and nightmares and the feeling that something from the past has stirred in her. The writer uses them to examine power, identity, trauma, and the thin boundary between justice and revenge. The two inquiries, urban and rural, modern and archaic, and crime and ritual, make the book broad and heavy. The city of Mumbai and its hotel-window horrors, the distant sub-district and its temple customs, and the masked man and his superhuman strength—all these combine to create the sense, in the story, of being out of genre expectation and into something more ancient.
The pacing and tone are remarkable. The novel burns and smolders instead of rushing to its end. It has a ritualistic quality to the development—scenes accumulate gradually, atmospheres grow heavier, and the reader is invited to enjoy the fear, the symbolism, and the echoes. On the mythological front, Sharma does not merely overlay a god or goddess onto the scene; the myth flows through the characterizations, the environment, and the design of the crime. The existence of the temple, the goddess theme, and the twin demise all point to circular justice, dissimilar power, and that certain wrongs are too old and too profound to be addressed only by traditional policing.
Concerning about thematic richness: Tears of Fire is truly about memory and forgetting, power and its misuses, and the sacred and the profane. It poses the question: What is the outcome of a failure of the human justice system? And what have mouths when powerless suffer? And is myth, the tales we pass on through the generations, a sort of justice? The twin motif plays a major role: twin victims, twin investigations, and twin past-and-present threads. The prose of Sharma is cinematic, evocative, dark, and stylistic. It does not remain in the blazing realm of detective novels; it shifts to the twilight, ritual, memory-infested areas. The backgrounds, including luxurious hotel rooms, remote temple towns, and late-night visits to a psychotherapist, are selected and described effectively. It is highly emotional: trauma, guilt, longing, and rage all have their place.
In summary: Tears of Fire is not a mere page-turner but definitely has some of those types of chapters; it is a novel to be experienced, digested, and maybe even meditated on. This novel possesses a great deal of strengths: the sense of dread, ritual, and multi-layered memory; the narrative driven by the characters; the fact that myth and crime are not contrasted but fused; and the environment of the Indian culture, which makes the story very specific and highly resonant. It is a rich, stratified experience for those willing to read mythic noir, slow burns, and crime dressed in ritual and memory. In case you want pieces of thrillers and cool endings, you will need to lower your standards. But when you give the book its way and give its dark sides creep, then it pays.
November 3, 2025
Deepti L. Sharma’s Tears of Fire offers a compelling fusion of mythological motifs and noir aesthetics, positioning itself as a significant contribution to the emerging genre of Indian mytho-noir. Through its narrative structure and thematic layering, the novel interrogates the intersections of memory, justice, and political power within a contemporary urban landscape.
Set against the backdrop of a gruesome unsolved massacre in Mumbai, the novel follows Inspector General Anil Waghle and Inspector Arindam Paswan as they navigate a case entangled in political manipulation and mythic resonance. The reawakening of John Vargas—the sole survivor of the crime and son of a political heavyweight—serves as both a narrative catalyst and a symbolic resurrection, echoing mythological tropes of rebirth and revelation. Sharma’s decision to embed mythic archetypes within a procedural thriller framework allows for a dual reading: one that engages with the immediacy of crime fiction, and another that invites reflection on the cyclical nature of violence and justice in Indian sociopolitical life.
From an academic standpoint, Tears of Fire can be read as a text that reclaims mythology not as static heritage but as a living, interpretive tool. The novel’s noir sensibility—marked by moral ambiguity, psychological depth, and atmospheric tension—complicates the often binary moral universe of traditional myth. Sharma’s prose is taut and cinematic, with a narrative rhythm that mirrors the investigative process: fragmented, recursive, and haunted by what remains unsaid. The interplay between myth and modernity, particularly in the characterization of law enforcement and political actors, offers fertile ground for discussions in postcolonial studies, genre theory, and cultural memory.
In sum, Tears of Fire is not merely a genre exercise but a layered narrative that uses the grammar of noir to reframe myth as a lens for contemporary critique. It is a valuable text for scholars interested in the evolving landscape of Indian speculative fiction, the politics of narrative form, and the cultural work of myth in the postcolonial present.
Set against the backdrop of a gruesome unsolved massacre in Mumbai, the novel follows Inspector General Anil Waghle and Inspector Arindam Paswan as they navigate a case entangled in political manipulation and mythic resonance. The reawakening of John Vargas—the sole survivor of the crime and son of a political heavyweight—serves as both a narrative catalyst and a symbolic resurrection, echoing mythological tropes of rebirth and revelation. Sharma’s decision to embed mythic archetypes within a procedural thriller framework allows for a dual reading: one that engages with the immediacy of crime fiction, and another that invites reflection on the cyclical nature of violence and justice in Indian sociopolitical life.
From an academic standpoint, Tears of Fire can be read as a text that reclaims mythology not as static heritage but as a living, interpretive tool. The novel’s noir sensibility—marked by moral ambiguity, psychological depth, and atmospheric tension—complicates the often binary moral universe of traditional myth. Sharma’s prose is taut and cinematic, with a narrative rhythm that mirrors the investigative process: fragmented, recursive, and haunted by what remains unsaid. The interplay between myth and modernity, particularly in the characterization of law enforcement and political actors, offers fertile ground for discussions in postcolonial studies, genre theory, and cultural memory.
In sum, Tears of Fire is not merely a genre exercise but a layered narrative that uses the grammar of noir to reframe myth as a lens for contemporary critique. It is a valuable text for scholars interested in the evolving landscape of Indian speculative fiction, the politics of narrative form, and the cultural work of myth in the postcolonial present.
December 22, 2025
tears of fire by deepti l. sharma
genre: mytho-noir psychological thriller
My 💭:
[22/12/25 12.12 AM]
I have been reading this book since yesterday non stop and finally, now, at the wee hours of the night, I finally finished it. My eyes are aching, but who cares! The ending was sooooo good and worth my whole weekend reading time investment.
So this book began with a tense suspense vibe, with many characters' pov. Initially I had thought that it is going to be a political thriller based on the initial few chapters. Then gradually I got to the part of the unresolved murder case where a few high profile youths get murdered ruthlessly and one landing himself in coma. When this person unexpectedly wakes up from the coma, the story finally shifts the gear. Parallely, in a different remote village area a child gets abducted and newly minted IAS officer Kanya is trying to make sense of the case, with the help of the local police officer, Sahil, despite facing multiple roadblocks from politicians and very unexpectedly a local temple. Even more unexpectedly, gradually we find out that there might be the link between these two seemingly different cases, while the local masses speak of a Devi avenging social crimes, especially the ones against women.
I came up with multiple theories in the story, unexpectedly the real revelation turned out to be something very shocking. To be honest, at 600 pages long, I found the first two thirds of the book to be a bit detailed for my taste, many things could have been edited out. But once the pace picks up, wheww there was no stopping me. There are so many shocking twists in the tale and so much tense psychological thriller moments! I managed to suspect all of the people in the story 😁. The ending was really good and it was correctly shown in the story that money and power can save all, sadly.
I wish there was a real Devi in our real life to save us and lead us to our salvation 🙏🏻. And most importantly, protect us like a mother.
genre: mytho-noir psychological thriller
My 💭:
[22/12/25 12.12 AM]
I have been reading this book since yesterday non stop and finally, now, at the wee hours of the night, I finally finished it. My eyes are aching, but who cares! The ending was sooooo good and worth my whole weekend reading time investment.
So this book began with a tense suspense vibe, with many characters' pov. Initially I had thought that it is going to be a political thriller based on the initial few chapters. Then gradually I got to the part of the unresolved murder case where a few high profile youths get murdered ruthlessly and one landing himself in coma. When this person unexpectedly wakes up from the coma, the story finally shifts the gear. Parallely, in a different remote village area a child gets abducted and newly minted IAS officer Kanya is trying to make sense of the case, with the help of the local police officer, Sahil, despite facing multiple roadblocks from politicians and very unexpectedly a local temple. Even more unexpectedly, gradually we find out that there might be the link between these two seemingly different cases, while the local masses speak of a Devi avenging social crimes, especially the ones against women.
I came up with multiple theories in the story, unexpectedly the real revelation turned out to be something very shocking. To be honest, at 600 pages long, I found the first two thirds of the book to be a bit detailed for my taste, many things could have been edited out. But once the pace picks up, wheww there was no stopping me. There are so many shocking twists in the tale and so much tense psychological thriller moments! I managed to suspect all of the people in the story 😁. The ending was really good and it was correctly shown in the story that money and power can save all, sadly.
I wish there was a real Devi in our real life to save us and lead us to our salvation 🙏🏻. And most importantly, protect us like a mother.
October 6, 2025
Tears of Fire by Deepti L. Sharma is a masterclass in mytho-noir storytelling balanced like a tightrope, taut with emotional tension and narrative precision. It refuses to pander to genre expectations or lean on familiar tropes, instead carving out a space that feels both timeless and eerily contemporary. The story unfolds with ritualistic pacing, drawing readers into two parallel investigations—one in the urban sprawl of Mumbai, the other in the haunting quiet of Achalgadh.
Inspector Arindam Paswan and Sub-District Magistrate Kanya Mitra are not just protagonists; they are fractured vessels of memory and myth, each carrying the weight of a forgotten night and the burden of truths too dangerous to name. Sharma’s characters are deeply imagined, not merely sketched they bleed, remember, and resist categorization. Sasha Vargas, the missing twin, is a cipher wrapped in latex and legend, while Kanya’s blackouts and headaches become portals to something older and more terrifying.
The prose is cinematic yet restrained, evoking dread without spectacle and layering atmosphere like incense smoke slow, immersive, and unforgettable. Tears of Fire doesn’t just tell a story; it performs one. It’s a ritual of memory, a noir of myth, and a puzzle that refuses to be solved cleanly. For readers craving originality, emotional depth, and a narrative that lingers long after the final page, this book is a revelation.
Inspector Arindam Paswan and Sub-District Magistrate Kanya Mitra are not just protagonists; they are fractured vessels of memory and myth, each carrying the weight of a forgotten night and the burden of truths too dangerous to name. Sharma’s characters are deeply imagined, not merely sketched they bleed, remember, and resist categorization. Sasha Vargas, the missing twin, is a cipher wrapped in latex and legend, while Kanya’s blackouts and headaches become portals to something older and more terrifying.
The prose is cinematic yet restrained, evoking dread without spectacle and layering atmosphere like incense smoke slow, immersive, and unforgettable. Tears of Fire doesn’t just tell a story; it performs one. It’s a ritual of memory, a noir of myth, and a puzzle that refuses to be solved cleanly. For readers craving originality, emotional depth, and a narrative that lingers long after the final page, this book is a revelation.
December 27, 2025
Deepti L. Sharma’s Tears of Fire is a compelling blend of mythology and noir, marking a notable contribution to the emerging space of Indian mytho-noir fiction. Set in contemporary Mumbai, the novel revisits a brutal, unsolved massacre, drawing readers into a narrative shaped by memory, political power, and moral ambiguity.
The story follows Inspector General Anil Waghle and Inspector Arindam Paswan as they reopen the case, which gains renewed urgency when John Vargas the sole survivor and son of a powerful political figure awakens from a long coma. His return functions as both a narrative trigger and a symbolic act of rebirth, echoing mythological motifs of revelation and reckoning.
Sharma skillfully weaves mythic archetypes into a procedural thriller framework, allowing the novel to operate on dual levels: as an engaging crime narrative and as a commentary on the cyclical nature of violence and justice in India’s sociopolitical landscape. The noir sensibility defined by psychological depth, ethical uncertainty, and atmospheric tension complicates the clear moral binaries often associated with traditional myth.
Taut and cinematic in style, Tears of Fire reframes mythology as a living, interpretive force rather than a static inheritance. It is a layered, thought-provoking work that will appeal to readers and scholars interested in genre-blending, cultural memory, and contemporary Indian fiction.
The story follows Inspector General Anil Waghle and Inspector Arindam Paswan as they reopen the case, which gains renewed urgency when John Vargas the sole survivor and son of a powerful political figure awakens from a long coma. His return functions as both a narrative trigger and a symbolic act of rebirth, echoing mythological motifs of revelation and reckoning.
Sharma skillfully weaves mythic archetypes into a procedural thriller framework, allowing the novel to operate on dual levels: as an engaging crime narrative and as a commentary on the cyclical nature of violence and justice in India’s sociopolitical landscape. The noir sensibility defined by psychological depth, ethical uncertainty, and atmospheric tension complicates the clear moral binaries often associated with traditional myth.
Taut and cinematic in style, Tears of Fire reframes mythology as a living, interpretive force rather than a static inheritance. It is a layered, thought-provoking work that will appeal to readers and scholars interested in genre-blending, cultural memory, and contemporary Indian fiction.
December 31, 2025
Tears of Fire unfolds like a slow-burning fuse, drawing you into a world where memory, violence, and buried secrets refuse to stay hidden. What begins as two investigations separated by geography and time soon reveals itself as a single, tightly knotted mystery that grows more disturbing with every chapter.
The Mumbai massacre is brutal and politically charged, its horror amplified by the eerie image of a masked, latex-covered figure caught on CCTV. Inspectors Anil Waghle and Arindam Paswan carry the weight of a case that refuses to die especially when John Vargas, the sole survivor and son of a powerful political figure, begins to emerge from his coma. The absence of his twin sister Sasha, vanished on the eve of her wedding, hangs like a shadow over the narrative, blurring the line between suspect and victim.
In parallel, the Achalgadh storyline is deeply unsettling. The abduction of a five-year-old boy during a temple fair is disturbing on its own, but its eerie resemblance to a crime committed twenty-five years earlier makes it far more chilling. Kanya Mitra is a compelling presence—haunted by memory gaps, nightmares, and blackouts that give the story its psychological edge. Her personal connection to Sasha adds emotional complexity and raises unsettling questions about what the mind chooses to forget.
Tears of Fire is a gripping, psychologically layered thriller that lingers long after the final page dark, intelligent, and immensely satisfying.
The Mumbai massacre is brutal and politically charged, its horror amplified by the eerie image of a masked, latex-covered figure caught on CCTV. Inspectors Anil Waghle and Arindam Paswan carry the weight of a case that refuses to die especially when John Vargas, the sole survivor and son of a powerful political figure, begins to emerge from his coma. The absence of his twin sister Sasha, vanished on the eve of her wedding, hangs like a shadow over the narrative, blurring the line between suspect and victim.
In parallel, the Achalgadh storyline is deeply unsettling. The abduction of a five-year-old boy during a temple fair is disturbing on its own, but its eerie resemblance to a crime committed twenty-five years earlier makes it far more chilling. Kanya Mitra is a compelling presence—haunted by memory gaps, nightmares, and blackouts that give the story its psychological edge. Her personal connection to Sasha adds emotional complexity and raises unsettling questions about what the mind chooses to forget.
Tears of Fire is a gripping, psychologically layered thriller that lingers long after the final page dark, intelligent, and immensely satisfying.
December 6, 2025
Tears of Fire is a slow-burning, complex mystery that blends psychological suspense, and themes of Indic mythology into one compelling narrative.
The story begins with a brutal massacre in a five-star Mumbai hotel, a crime scene so bizarre that even after two years, it haunts Inspector General Anil Waghle and his trainer Arindam Paswan. Six youngsters one of whom is the son of a powerful politician were murdered, and the only survivor, John Vargas, lies in a coma. The CCTV shows a masked, latex-covered androgynous figure with superhuman strength. There is no name, no motive, no clues.
On the other side of the country, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kanya Mitra and Inspector Sahil Afridi are investigating the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy eerily similar to an abduction that happened twenty-five years ago. What starts as two separate cases slowly begins to overlap, revealing a web of secrets, lost memories, myths and psychological trauma.
The author masterfully blends multiple characters and timelines, creating an exciting narrative full with tension and twists. There are morally gray characters and cult-like depiction makes you keep turning pages.
Its gripping, thriller plot with depth and a chilling climax. If you enjoy crime fiction with depth, mythology, and psychological mystery, Tears of Fire deserves a spot on your shelf.
The story begins with a brutal massacre in a five-star Mumbai hotel, a crime scene so bizarre that even after two years, it haunts Inspector General Anil Waghle and his trainer Arindam Paswan. Six youngsters one of whom is the son of a powerful politician were murdered, and the only survivor, John Vargas, lies in a coma. The CCTV shows a masked, latex-covered androgynous figure with superhuman strength. There is no name, no motive, no clues.
On the other side of the country, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kanya Mitra and Inspector Sahil Afridi are investigating the kidnapping of a five-year-old boy eerily similar to an abduction that happened twenty-five years ago. What starts as two separate cases slowly begins to overlap, revealing a web of secrets, lost memories, myths and psychological trauma.
The author masterfully blends multiple characters and timelines, creating an exciting narrative full with tension and twists. There are morally gray characters and cult-like depiction makes you keep turning pages.
Its gripping, thriller plot with depth and a chilling climax. If you enjoy crime fiction with depth, mythology, and psychological mystery, Tears of Fire deserves a spot on your shelf.
December 29, 2025
1) I read some books like this but this book is something different which I personally felt as it mixes mystery, mythology & crime in unique way.It talk about pain,justice & power of divine.
The Story of this book begins with a few shocking crimes happening in two cities.Set between Mumbai and Achalgadh, the story follows Inspector Arindam Paswan and Magistrate Kanya Mitra, two fractured souls bound by memory, myth, and a night best forgotten. Sharma's writing is cinematic yet restrained, evoking dread without spectacle. Every character feels alive, every scene charged with ritualistic tension. This isn't just a story-it's a performance, a dark, unforgettable meditation on truth and identity.
What makes this story special is the presence of a goddesses a symbol of power & justice.
If we talk about Author Speciality :-
The book has written with lots depth along with emotion.
The words of Author is simply but very powerful.
You can actually feel sadness,anger & strength in the story.The mix of mythology & modern crime give this book special touch.
Book Reccomendation:-
Those Individual who enjoy stories that are deep ,emotional & connected with indian culture & mythology then tears of fire is definitely a best book.
Last but not least ,it doesn't just tell a story it compels you to feel ,question & reflect.Must read everyone frd.
The Story of this book begins with a few shocking crimes happening in two cities.Set between Mumbai and Achalgadh, the story follows Inspector Arindam Paswan and Magistrate Kanya Mitra, two fractured souls bound by memory, myth, and a night best forgotten. Sharma's writing is cinematic yet restrained, evoking dread without spectacle. Every character feels alive, every scene charged with ritualistic tension. This isn't just a story-it's a performance, a dark, unforgettable meditation on truth and identity.
What makes this story special is the presence of a goddesses a symbol of power & justice.
If we talk about Author Speciality :-
The book has written with lots depth along with emotion.
The words of Author is simply but very powerful.
You can actually feel sadness,anger & strength in the story.The mix of mythology & modern crime give this book special touch.
Book Reccomendation:-
Those Individual who enjoy stories that are deep ,emotional & connected with indian culture & mythology then tears of fire is definitely a best book.
Last but not least ,it doesn't just tell a story it compels you to feel ,question & reflect.Must read everyone frd.
October 27, 2025
Okay, stop scrolling—you NEED this book. I went in expecting a regular thriller and got absolutely wrecked by the emotional depth of Tears of Fire. This isn't about solving a crime; it's about watching brilliant, flawed people unravel. I was obsessed with Magistrate Kanya Mitra—her fight against amnesia and those haunting blackouts is the psychological core of the novel, making her a protagonist who’s literally at war with her own past. Then you have Inspector Paswan, stressed to the max in Mumbai, chasing a masked, superhuman killer and a disappeared twin sister (Sasha Vargas!). The way Sharma links their trauma and destiny, making the mythological elements feel deeply personal rather than just cool plot points, is genius. Every character feels so alive and troubled. If you want a book that grabs you by the throat, slows down just to intensify the dread, and leaves you thinking about fate and justice for weeks, pick this up. Seriously, it's a character study masquerading as a mytho-noir masterpiece.
January 2, 2026
There are few books that are so good in specific that you do not want to put it down, it is one of those books. As a lawyer reading something that revolves around crime always give me thrill.
This book is an amalgamation of crime, mystery and mythology. In a story there were series of murderer of some known names, story takes another turn when the sole survivor John Vargas come into senses after being in coma for a long duration as he was thrown out of the window of a 5 star hotel in a Mumbai.
The chief suspect Sasha Vargas also disappeared after fateful night when these murders took place.
In a parallel line investigation was going on of another case of abduction of five year old boy. This case is similar to the one that happened twenty five years ago.
The characters are so solidly portrayed and written that while reading one feel a sudden connection with them. The storyline underlines a lot about justice delivery system.
The storyline is full of layers and mysteries and the plot holds slow pace.
October 20, 2025
Tears of Fire is a strong and emotional story that mixes crime, mystery & mythology in a very unique way. It talks about pain, justice & the power of the divine. The story starts with a few shocking crimes happening in two cities. what makes this story special is the presence of a goddess a symbol of power and justice. The author beautifully connects the divine and the human world, making you question what’s right and what’s truly fair. Every chapter makes you think about how women suffer in silence and how divine power rises when injustice becomes too much. She has written this book with a lot of emotion and depth. Her words are simple but very powerful. You can actually feel the anger, sadness & strength in the story. The pace is fast & the visuals are cinematic. The mix of mythology and modern crime gives this book a very special touch. If you enjoy stories that are deep, emotional, and connected with Indian culture & mythology then Tears of Fire is a must read.
November 3, 2025
Imagine a thriller where the blood on the floor has the weight of mythology behind it.
That’s exactly this book...Tears of Fire.
The Author, not even for once, rushes you through murders and motives, instead...She makes you feel the ache behind every crime, every secret!!
That's how wonderful She's written every scene👏
Inspector Paswan’s chase, Kanya’s fragmented recollections and the eerie thread of the divine intertwine like a curse passed down generations... absolutely brilliant🌟
The writing has that rare cinematic texture that is smoky, melancholic and yet strangely spiritual.
It’s noir, yes, but it’s also deeply human about guilt, rebirth and the ghosts that follow us when we refuse to look away🤞
By the time the final revelation arrives, it doesn’t explode, rather it glows, slow and sacred, like a ritual heading completion.
Tears of Fire is that rare thriller that leaves your pulse racing and your heart heavy at once🙇♀️
That’s exactly this book...Tears of Fire.
The Author, not even for once, rushes you through murders and motives, instead...She makes you feel the ache behind every crime, every secret!!
That's how wonderful She's written every scene👏
Inspector Paswan’s chase, Kanya’s fragmented recollections and the eerie thread of the divine intertwine like a curse passed down generations... absolutely brilliant🌟
The writing has that rare cinematic texture that is smoky, melancholic and yet strangely spiritual.
It’s noir, yes, but it’s also deeply human about guilt, rebirth and the ghosts that follow us when we refuse to look away🤞
By the time the final revelation arrives, it doesn’t explode, rather it glows, slow and sacred, like a ritual heading completion.
Tears of Fire is that rare thriller that leaves your pulse racing and your heart heavy at once🙇♀️
December 29, 2025
This crime thriller masterfully weaves together Indic mythology and noir fiction, creating a slow-burning narrative that's both deeply unsettling and compelling.
The narrative begins with a gruesome massacre in Mumbai, which gradually gives way to a disturbing child-abduction case in a small town, with the two seemingly unrelated crimes eventually revealing a dark and sinister connection.
Why I liked this book:-
- Dark, intelligent writing that lingers long after the last page.
- Complex, well-researched plot that rewards patient readers.
- Psychologically layered characters with haunting pasts.
- A gripping fusion of crime noir and Indic mythology.
- Unconventional pacing that builds tension gradually.
- The plot doesn’t rush; instead, it simmers—allowing characters, trauma, and mystery to take center stage.
A dark, slow-burning thriller that masterfully blends crime noir with Indic mythology. This is best enjoyed by readers who love layered mysteries.
The narrative begins with a gruesome massacre in Mumbai, which gradually gives way to a disturbing child-abduction case in a small town, with the two seemingly unrelated crimes eventually revealing a dark and sinister connection.
Why I liked this book:-
- Dark, intelligent writing that lingers long after the last page.
- Complex, well-researched plot that rewards patient readers.
- Psychologically layered characters with haunting pasts.
- A gripping fusion of crime noir and Indic mythology.
- Unconventional pacing that builds tension gradually.
- The plot doesn’t rush; instead, it simmers—allowing characters, trauma, and mystery to take center stage.
A dark, slow-burning thriller that masterfully blends crime noir with Indic mythology. This is best enjoyed by readers who love layered mysteries.
December 30, 2025
Mythonoir grit meets psychological thriller suspense in this pulse-pounding tale of crime, mystery, and divine retribution.In gritty Mumbai, a man awakens from a 5-year coma, his shattered memories unlocking a savage unsolved murder with his own sister as the prime suspect. Hundreds of km away, a 5 year old boy vanishes from a vibrant fair honoring a fierce deity. Two worlds collide in a quirky twist of fate.What links a comatose witness to a child's abduction? Dive into India's ritual-soaked underbelly, where complex souls wrestle guilt, buried secrets, and moral gray zones. Past and present blur, fate tangles with free will, building to an emotional gut-punch climax.No flashy spectacle just raw unraveling of identity, pain, and cosmic justice that haunts long after the final page. Perfect for fans of dark thrillers with cultural depth. Confront the uncomfortable truths in humanity's flawed dance with the divine.
October 27, 2025
Honestly, Tears of Fire isn't your average whodunit—it’s something genuinely special, blending the grit of classic noir with the majesty of Indic mythology for a completely unique "Mytho-Noir" experience. Forget the quick-paced mysteries; this is a beautiful, slow-burn deep dive where two seemingly disconnected investigations—a gruesome Mumbai cold case and a terrifying Achalgadh abduction—are clearly on a collision course, hinting at ancient grudges and fate itself. What truly sets it apart is the emotional gravity, especially through characters like Magistrate Kanya Mitra, who is fighting amnesia and nightmares while carrying the cost of this mythological conflict. It’s a sophisticated, atmosphere-heavy read that lingers and rewards your patience with an unforgettable meditation on duty and destiny.
November 3, 2025
Generally, stories are read, but at times it happens, that the stories you read...consume you. "Tears of Fire" belongs to the latter category.
Ms. Sharma has crafted an unforgettable labyrinth of memory, myth and madness.
The pacing may seem slow, but that’s what makes it burn deeper, just like an ember that refuses to die.
Kanya Mitra, caught between her fractured mind and a world ruled by shadows, is one of the most haunting protagonists I’ve read in recent times.
What started as a crime investigation soon turned into a pilgrimage through trauma and divine retribution. The way the narrative sliped between the sacred and the psychological was pure brilliance. Every scene felt heavy with meaning and every silence felt hiding a scream.
"Tears of Fire" didn't just tell a story...it asked what justice costs when the Gods themselves might be watching🤞
Ms. Sharma has crafted an unforgettable labyrinth of memory, myth and madness.
The pacing may seem slow, but that’s what makes it burn deeper, just like an ember that refuses to die.
Kanya Mitra, caught between her fractured mind and a world ruled by shadows, is one of the most haunting protagonists I’ve read in recent times.
What started as a crime investigation soon turned into a pilgrimage through trauma and divine retribution. The way the narrative sliped between the sacred and the psychological was pure brilliance. Every scene felt heavy with meaning and every silence felt hiding a scream.
"Tears of Fire" didn't just tell a story...it asked what justice costs when the Gods themselves might be watching🤞
January 1, 2026
A Crime Thriller with a mythic touch
Unraveling baffling mysteries
Set across multiple timelines and geographies
What really sets this book apart is the Humanity behind the scenes. The police are generally seen as some heartless creatures but in this book we see personal stories and struggles of different characters who are these unsung heroes of the police- Kanya, Arindam , Waghle, Sahil each character enrich the narrative, giving depth to the characters
Not just the investigation part, the book also plays with emotional grounding, lost love dynamics as well. If that is not enough there is a psychological layer as well in the book, with one of the officers having an alter ego. The author takes time unfolding the connections and the payoff is rewarding
Unraveling baffling mysteries
Set across multiple timelines and geographies
What really sets this book apart is the Humanity behind the scenes. The police are generally seen as some heartless creatures but in this book we see personal stories and struggles of different characters who are these unsung heroes of the police- Kanya, Arindam , Waghle, Sahil each character enrich the narrative, giving depth to the characters
Not just the investigation part, the book also plays with emotional grounding, lost love dynamics as well. If that is not enough there is a psychological layer as well in the book, with one of the officers having an alter ego. The author takes time unfolding the connections and the payoff is rewarding
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews