Swallowed

by Nupur Anand

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2026

Reviews

[Bela✨]

Nupur Anand has built the mystery around Jennie’s vanishing but the real element of the novel was in how it expanded that initial uncertainty into a wider, unsettling pattern🙌
Inspector Intekhaab Abbas wasn't simply following clues from one crime scene to another but was trying to make sense of connections that seemed to keep away explanation. His personal history with Jennie...definitely added the needed emotional weight to the investigation, which made every discovery consequential rather than merely procedural🤞

What I particularly appreciate is that instead of overwhelming me with elaborate explanations or artificially dramatic twists, Ms. Anand allowed the unease to build gradually👌
Separate incidents began to acquire significance, ordinary looking details became suspicious and the investigation developed the uncomfortable quality of a puzzle in which the picture was really much darker...than expected!

The Mumbai setting definitely contributed beautifully to the whole atmosphere💯
The city felt all textured and menacing...yes and that surely gave the story another identity...like beyond its crime fiction framework!!

The novel’s suggestion...that danger isn't always loud for it reveals itself through obvious signs because sometimes it exists behind familiarity, appearances and the assumptions we make about people...sounded all fair, relevant and truly true!!
This actually made Swallowed more than just an entertaining mystery because it became an unsettling call on how easily the truth could remain hidden in plain sight🙃

[Priya Arun]

Swallowed by Nupur Anand is a fast-paced and gripping murder mystery that kept me hooked till the end. I loved how precise the storytelling was, without unnecessary dragging, and the suspense was maintained beautifully. The investigation surrounding Jeanie’s disappearance, Inspector Abbas, Sahasrabuddhe and the connected cases slowly unfolds with enough twists to keep you guessing.

What I enjoyed most was that the killer is revealed only towards the end. The story constantly reminds us that we cannot always believe what we see or hear, and that sometimes the truth is hidden in plain sight.

A well-written mystery with an intriguing investigation, unexpected turns and a satisfying suspense element. Definitely worth picking up if murder mysteries are your genre.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½/5

[Rahul Vishnoi]

-A Hair-Raising Investigation of a Missing Girl-
Review of Swallowed by Nupur Anand

Quote Alert
“𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞...” 𝐀𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐬’𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠.
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞?” 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦.
“𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞… 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬… 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞.”
𝐇𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐃𝐮𝐬𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧."

When I watched the Batman trilogy by Christopher Nolan, especially the third part, I noticed a recurring background score: it is not actually the theme music but it is used in crucial moments. It's like a slow siren which builds up slowly, gradually to a defening whistle kind of a music. It starts slow, like It's coming from afar but then, after 4 to 5 minutes, it is screeching inside your very head, your bones. This music gives the movie a feeling of impending doom, a feeling of urgency.
This impending doom like feeling is what swirled in my head while reading Swallowed.

Nupur Anand has written an immersive police procedural drama that steadily builds up to its culmination. So what's it about? The story starts with am intriguing prologue: a wife planning the murder of her philandering husband.
Have a look:
"The fifteen minutes from 5 am to 5:15 am were hers, where she allowed her heart to race like wildfire and dream uninhibited. These days, she woke up with the same thought every day: of killing her husband, just to break the monotony and routine of their lives."

But we don't stay for long with the characters of prologue and move to the others. Jennie, Inspector Abbas' ex girlfriend, goes missing. The story depicts a steady, sharp investigation that follows Inspector Abbas who's looking for Jennie at every nook and cranny. A passing glimpse in the video of a teenage influencer gives a hint and from here Abbas follows the thread. What happens then? What's the reason behind her disappearance? Well, I am not going to tell you everything here. Pick up the book and find out more.

The stories with mystry and thrill at their core must be wrapped up in a cozy blanket of emotions and humanity. And the author has successfully achieved a pulsing, throbbing veneer of raw, unfiltered emotions here. She hasn't let the story run dry. And it evokes a kind of preternatural fear.
Have a look:
"Every hour at least fifteen women and children go missing in India...They don’t come back to finish the night’s dinner and plan for tomorrow’s meeting. They don’t answer when their phones ring, they don’t yell at you over the loud television volume or about incomplete errands. What’s left is an empty couch and a cupboard full of belongings. Families are destroyed. Relationships lie waiting for closure, well knowing that it will not come. Everything is over without ever ending."

Inspector Abbas, the recurring character here, is already famous from Anand's award winning novel Mehboob Murderer. The first thing we know about him is through another character.
Have a look:
"It took a few minutes for Modak to wrap his head around the fact that Abbas could be in a romantic relationship with anyone. If the timing wasn’t odd, it would have been funny. The part that it was over made more sense to him."

Strong characters make for strong stories. If the characters are flaky or one dimensional, the joy of reading a book, even if the story is interesting, is rendered half. The characters of this story are unpredictable, impulsive, multi dimensional and drive the story forward. It's a delight to see a character-driven story because their actions are as interesting as the plot and the twists. This also makes up for layering of the characters, adding a touch of humanity to papery words and that's just delightful.
Have a look at Abbas when he is trying to do everything to find Jennie:
"His body and mind were in conflict. There was a strange calmness inside him. His mind was constantly giving him a signal that all his months of training to be a police officer and put duty above all had been for this very day. But his body refused to co-operate. Abbas realised that his right hand resting on the steering wheel was shaking. The ignition was off. With a swift movement, he withdrew his disobedient hand and hid it deep in his khaki trouser pockets."

Swallowed is an emotionally charged thriller that compromises on nothing- neither human drama nor the slick thrills it promises. The drama and the thrill move at the same pace and that's always good for a thriller.

Pick it up today.

[Sakshi]

If you’re a fan of fast-paced murder mysteries filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and secrets that slowly come to light, Swallowed is definitely a book to pick up.

“By the time the case was solved, there were three dead bodies.”

The story follows Jennie, who suddenly disappears without leaving behind any clear clues. Her disappearance is believed to be connected to something far more sinister, but the biggest mystery is that her body cannot be found. Her former lover, Intekhaab Abbas, a police officer, finds himself pulled into the case. What initially seems like a disappearance soon becomes much more complicated when another murder and a kidnapping enter the picture.

“The kidnapping was probably not done forcefully, or else there was a high chance someone might have noticed something”

What I enjoyed most about this book was how it keeps creating questions instead of giving you easy answers. There are no straightforward clues, and every new discovery seems to open another door to the mystery. As Abbas investigates further, the seemingly unrelated cases begin to connect in disturbing ways, making the story even more intriguing.

“The lifeless girl was dressed in a slightly oversized black gown, which looked as if it had been sewn by hand.”

The writing is dark, gripping, and fast-paced, which made it very easy to get absorbed into the story. The author does a great job of maintaining an unsettling atmosphere while gradually revealing pieces of the bigger picture.

And the biggest highlight for me was the twists. I genuinely found myself trying to figure out who could be behind everything, but the final revelations were not something I could easily predict. The mystery keeps you guessing until the very end, and that is exactly what I look for in a thriller.

Overall, Swallowed was an engaging murder mystery with disappearances, murders, kidnapping, secrets, and plenty of suspense. If you enjoy thrillers where you’re constantly questioning what is true and trying to uncover the truth alongside the investigator, this book is definitely worth reading. 🤎

[Neeti Bhatia]

🍀 Book - Swallowed
🍀 Author - Nupur Anand
🍀 Between the pages-
“The girl lay there, wrapped in a plastic body bag of sorts, unattended for hours, before the police could find a doctor who had time on his hands to state the obvious: the girl was dead. Only then could they shift her to the morgue, from where someone might collect her in the days to come.”

🍀 Plot-
Jenny, a young woman from Mumbai, suddenly goes missing without leaving behind a single clue. Inspector Abbas is assigned to investigate the case, but for him it is deeply personal because Jenny was once the love of his life.
As days pass, the police search hospitals, railway stations, CCTV footage, restaurants, and question everyone connected to her. Just when the investigation seems to reach a dead end, unexpected clues begin to emerge, revealing a mystery filled with hidden secrets, old cases, and shocking truths.

🍀Review -
This is much more than a missing-person thriller. Along with the investigation, the story beautifully explores Abbas and Jenny’s past relationship, making the case emotionally powerful. The author also highlights the mental and emotional burden carried by police officers who must continue working even when a case becomes deeply personal.

I also liked how the story touches on important social issues such as gender discrimination, the misuse of power, and how influential people often escape justice. The parallel investigations and past cases add depth to the story without making it confusing. The narration is smooth, and the transitions between the past and present are very easy to follow.

The suspense keeps building with every chapter, and the twists are well placed.
I was totally engrossed in the investigation process. Though at few places I felt too many characters disrupted the flow of the story.
The writing is simple, the pacing is fast, and the ending leaves a strong impact.

If you enjoy crime thrillers with emotional depth, realistic police investigations, and unexpected revelations, this is definitely a book worth picking up.

[Dipa]

Extracts from the book 📚

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲, 𝐭𝐨𝐨, 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬.

My Thoughts ✍🏻

The story begins with Jennie, a young woman from Mumbai, who suddenly disappears without a trace. The case becomes personal for Inspector Intekhaab Abbas, her former lover. As he investigates Jennie’s disappearance alongside other cases, each mystery challenges his way of thinking and slowly teaches him to look beyond the obvious to uncover the truth.

What I liked is that the book doesn’t focus on just one mystery, it takes us through different situations and shows how people can hide things even from those closest to them.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐞 - 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 -𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫.

Among all the cases, Khushi’s story shook me the most. The fact that the person who was supposed to be her biggest protector was the one who killed her was disturbing. And what made it even more heartbreaking was the reason behind it, an orthodox mindset and a baseless desire. It makes me think about how dangerous certain beliefs and obsessions can become when taken to an extreme.

"𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲," 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲.

The short chapters and crisp, to-the-point storytelling make the book even more engaging. It is a fast-paced story, but it never feels rushed. The narrative maintains a good rhythm and keeps you moving from one case to another. I also liked the way Abbas’s guilt and personal struggles were portrayed.

It is a murder mystery that goes beyond simply finding the culprit. It makes you look at familiar relationships from a completely different perspective and question how well we really know the people around us.

[Drashti Patel]

Swallowed by Nupur Anand is the kind of thriller that makes you suspicious of everyone, especially when the person you're trying to find seems to have disappeared without leaving the slightest trace.

What begins with Jennie's disappearance soon expands into a web of murder, kidnapping, hidden connections and uncomfortable truths. And with Inspector Intekhaab Abbas personally tied to the missing woman, the investigation carries a weight that goes beyond simply solving a case.

I liked how the book keeps the investigation moving while gradually revealing the people and stories connected to it. The multiple cases could easily have become messy, but the short chapters and crisp narration keep the pace steady. What also adds depth is Abbas himself, because his professional instincts are constantly complicated by his history with Jennie and the emotional burden of searching for someone he once loved.

🔍 A gripping missing-person mystery with interconnected cases
🖤 Personal stakes that make the investigation more compelling
⚡ Short chapters and a fast, steady pace
🚨 Explores power, gender, relationships and hidden motives

What stood out to me most was how the book keeps reminding us that appearances can be misleading. The investigation isn't only about finding clues and identifying a culprit, it’s also about understanding why people do the things they do and how much can remain hidden beneath ordinary relationships. Some of the cases are genuinely disturbing, particularly when trust and protection become excuses for control and violence.

I also appreciated that the story doesn't treat its mystery as the only thing worth exploring. Abbas's guilt and personal struggles give the investigation an emotional layer, while the social themes make several revelations harder to dismiss once the case is solved. There were moments when the number of characters and parallel threads made things slightly harder to follow, but the overall momentum kept me engaged.

[Abinaya Annadurai]

"It wasn't the first missing persons case where the family, mired in doubt and bound by hope, had reported the disappearance a day too late. Before this, Abba's instant reaction to such delays was a fly into a state of fury. But not today."

"In the case of missing persons, many were found to have deliberately left their homes. While adolescents often ran away due to problems at home or school, the elderly sometimes wandered off due to illness. Some desperately hoped to be reunited with their families, while others sought to start a new chapter. Everyone has their own reasons, each one not very different from the other."

"Abbas had this dreadful feeling that he wasn't doing anything. All the bottled emotions had formed an invisible wall around his faculties. The more he tried, the higher the wall went. He could see it, feel it, touch it, but could do nothing to demolish it."

Swallowed by Nupur Anand is an enthralling thriller which keeps the readers hooked till the end. The story revolves around Jenny's disappearance and Intekhaab Abbas, Bombay’s top cop investigating the case.

The story is intriguing with a fast-paced plot. The author's flawless narrative makes everything vivid. The writing style is unique and exquisite. The language used is lucid and easy to understand.

This haunting tale of the missing will keep us glued to the page. The twists and turns make it an unputdownable read. Such a well-written book with well-written characters. The short chapters and the multiple POVs make it more interesting to read. This engaging thriller will pull the readers in from the very first page. The characters are relatable. I loved how the investigation gradually connects to older cases, hidden secrets, and unexpected revelations. This book shows us the emotional burden carried by police officers when a case becomes personal. Overall, I loved this book and would strongly recommend it to all.

[dewscribes]

Swallowed has the kind of premise that immediately makes you want to know what happened. A woman disappears without leaving the usual trail of clues. When Inspector Intekhaab Abbas starts looking into it, the case becomes increasingly complicated by older crimes, personal history, and people with plenty to hide.

What I enjoyed most was the way the mystery unfolds gradually. Rather than throwing twists at the reader every few pages, Nupur Anand lets the investigation build, with seemingly separate incidents slowly beginning to make sense together. It creates that satisfying feeling of constantly revisiting what you thought you knew.

Abbas also makes for an interesting protagonist because this isn't just another case for him. His connection to Jennie adds an emotional layer to the investigation, and I liked seeing how that personal stake affects the way he approaches the case. There is also a darker side to the story, particularly in its treatment of power, privilege and the ways some people manage to stay protected while others pay the price.

The atmosphere stood out to me as well. There is something uneasy about the entire story—the missing-person mystery, the closed-off spaces, the old connections and the sense that the truth is sitting somewhere just out of sight. It gives the book a distinctly moody quality without slowing down the investigation.

The mystery kept me guessing for much of the book, and the connections between the different cases were handled well. By the end, *Swallowed* felt like more than just a whodunit; it was also about obsession, guilt, power and how far people can go to keep certain truths buried.

A solid choice for readers who enjoy Indian crime fiction with a police investigation at its centre and a darker, more atmospheric edge.

[Keerthy]

This one truly deserves a spot in the fast-paced thriller category 🫣🔥The story blends gripping thriller elements with a beautiful layer of emotions.
It revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a girl named Jennie, and the case lands in the hands of Inspector Intekhaab Abbas , who, interestingly, happens to be her ex-boyfriend. 👀.

This is where the book makes its uniqueness. A thriller holding so much of emotions and that emotions is what pulling the whole story.
What I loved most was how the investigation showcased not just brilliance and suspense, but also the emotions tangled within the case. Every chapter is short, crisp, and incredibly easy to fly through. ✨ You can have a bit of those emotions on these lines

🖊️"The girl lay there, wrapped in a plastic body bag of sorts, unattended for hours, before the police could find a doctor who had time on his hands to state the obvious: the girl was dead. Only then could they shift her to the morgue, from where someone might collect her in the days to come.
"Do you think someone will claim her?" Kale asked, resting his body weight on the baton"

🖊️Anurag couldn't shake the thought that the last words he'd said to her had been: "Go to hell"

🖊️ जो सोवत है, सो खोवत है; जो जागत है, सो पावत है" ("The one who sleeps loses; the one who stays awake gains") echoed through Himmat Mahal at 5 am every Sunday morning, accompanied by the sounds of a brass bell.

With multiple POVs, the author has beautifully connected each character and their situations, making the whole story feel even more engaging.
Various emotions of human race is being established by the author and the storyline is well established that the line

🖊️“She waited for you.”

Still echoing in my head. 🫣🫠

The pacing was SO good that those 250+ pages felt way too short! 🥹📖

[shwereads]

SwallowedNupur Anand
Another mystery read, and this one had me guessing for quite a while.
A girl goes missing, and Inspector Intekhaab Abbas ends up investigating the case, which becomes even more complicated because the missing woman happens to be his ex. At first, the situation looks like it could be a kidnapping or something far more sinister, but as Abbas digs deeper, things don't quite add up. There are no obvious signs of foul play, and the case slowly starts connecting with other disappearances and deaths.
What I liked most was how the investigation kept opening new questions. Abbas initially suspects that someone from his ex's past might be involved, but the truth goes in a completely different direction.
And honestly, the idea that stayed with me was how sometimes the people who seem the safest and most pleasant can be the ones nobody thinks to suspect. The culprit here was someone who could easily blend into the background, and the motive made the whole thing even more unsettling...JEALOUSY.
How easily crimes can go unnoticed when nobody has a reason to suspect the person behind them.
My only issue was the ending. It felt a little rushed to me, especially after the investigation had taken its time building everything up. I would've liked a more detailed and elaborated conclusion.
Overall, Swallowed was a good mystery with an interesting investigation, a disturbing reveal and a nice little lesson about how well we really know the people around us.

[Saumya Vasdev]

💭Do you prefer thrillers with multiple POVs or one narrator?

You know those thrillers where you tell yourself “I’ll just read one more chapter” and suddenly you’ve finished half the book? Swallowed by @_nupuranand was that kind of read for me.

The book is genuinely fast-paced, and the short chapters made it incredibly easy to fly through. The multiple POVs also worked really well for keeping the story moving because every time I thought I had figured something out, the perspective would shift and leave me with another question.

The story begins with Jennie’s disappearance, and what makes it so unsettling is the complete lack of answers. No witnesses. No obvious clues. No trail. She has simply vanished.

Her ex-boyfriend, Inspector Intekhaab Abbas, takes on the case, and this was one of the parts I enjoyed the most. We don’t just see him as a cop trying to solve a case, we also get to see the emotional baggage that comes with investigating the disappearance of someone he once loved. The glimpses into Abbas and Jennie’s past added another layer to the investigation and made me wonder how much their history actually mattered to the present-day mystery.

And then things get even more complicated when a murder and a kidnapping enter the picture. What starts as one missing-person case slowly begins to feel like something much bigger and much darker is happening underneath it all.

The writing also has this unsettling quality where even seemingly small moments can make you pause and think, “wait… should I be worried about this?” 😭

A few lines that really stood out to me:

“She could feel a strange thudding noise emanating from her heart... as an unknown fear arose from deep within her.”

“Blood came gushing out of it. What happened in the next few min was a bit fuzzy.”

[Rimii Ghosh]

Review :
"The fifteen minutes from 5 am to 5:15 am were hers, where she allowed her heart to race like wildfire and dream uninhibited. These days she woke up with the same thought every day: of killing her husband, just to break the monotony and routine of their lives."

These lines are taken from the very first chapter of the book and make me hooked to the story immediately.

"What about Jennie?" He tried to keep his voice calm. "She's gone missing, and considering you were... friends... and would probably know her best, I thought you should handle this case."

But the main part of the story is Jennie, Inspector Abbas' ex-girlfriend, who is missing, and our hero, Inspector Abbas, with his team, goes on a full-on emergency inspection mode to find her as soon as possible. But to know if it is a normal missing story or there's more to it, you have to read the book yourself. And trust me, you won't be disappointed.

The story is full of mystery, twists and turns. You cannot predict the story at all. The characters are messy, relatable, strong, and interesting to read. Each character has something to offer to the story; you would like to know them more. My favourite among them is definitely Abbas and Jennie. There are so many layers to them. Also, their complicated relationship is another highlight of the story.

"Unsteadily, he walked in the direction of Jennie's grave, stopping now and then to lean against walls, catching his breath, his mind heavy with the weight of everything that had unfolded. Diane's voice echoed in his ears. 'She waited for you'."

So, if you are looking for a psychological thriller with a good, thrilling plot and some great characterization, then pick this book up immediately.

[Kia Ladnom]

Swallowed is a captivating murder mystery that embroils you into disappearances, secrets and disturbing connections. The plot commences with the disappearance of a young girl, Jenny, living in Mumbai who leaves not even a thread. To Inspector Intekhaab Abbas, the case is not a run-of-the-mill one; rather, it is deeply personal as Jenny was a love of his life. At first, it seems to be a missing-person investigation, but a murder and a kidnapping complicate matters soon enough. As Abbas literally follows clues through police searches, CCTV footage, railway stations, restaurants and old cases, increasingly bizarre but unrelated incidents begin to connect. I specifically appreciated how a new discovery raises a new question and not a new answer.
In my view, atmosphere was the strongest element of the book. The sense of dread looms throughout the narrative and the writer does not go for a more action-packed approach, but rather reveals some of the darker layers gradually while the mystery still stays alive. The placement of the twists is superb and the investigation keeps you in suspense as to whom to trust. Besides suspense, Swallowed addresses issues of sexual discrimination, abuse of power, envy and how the powerful often dodge accountability for their wrongdoings. Abbas and Jenny’s emotional attachment has made the case more personal and less of a police case to investigate. The narrative is simple, the pacing fast and it is easy to get absorbed in the story. Swallowed has everything you would want. If you enjoy emotionally stimulating exciting thrillers with policemen, revelations, and surprises, this is a good pick.

[Arushaa Ali]

Some mysteries are about finding a killer. Others are about uncovering the layers of secrets, relationships and buried truths that make a crime possible. Swallowed belongs firmly to the latter category.

Nupur Anand’s latest mystery takes readers into a dark, atmospheric Mumbai where a young woman’s disappearance gradually develops into a much more complicated investigation. Inspector Intekhaab Abbas finds himself at the centre of the case, made all the more personal by his connection with the missing woman. What initially appears to be a straightforward missing-person case slowly opens the door to older cases, unexplained deaths and connections that are anything but accidental.

What works particularly well is the investigative approach. Anand doesn't rely solely on dramatic twists or constant action. Instead, she allows clues to surface gradually, giving the reader enough time to form theories, question suspects and reconsider assumptions. The different threads eventually begin to come together, creating a satisfying sense of discovery.

Inspector Abbas is an engaging protagonist because the investigation is not merely professional for him. His personal connection adds an emotional dimension to the story, while his experiences as a police officer make the investigation feel grounded and credible.

The Mumbai setting is another strong element. The city and its darker corners contribute considerably to the mood, giving the novel a gritty, almost neo-noir quality. There is a persistent sense of unease beneath the surface, even during the quieter portions of the investigation.

[Ruksana]

Woww this book was so great. I genuinely enjoyed reading this one. This was fast paced thriller book. And each and every character played really well. And I wasn't able to figure out the killer till the last pages.

This book kept me questioning who is the killer ? And why? What is their motive? Like this questions where keep on going on my head. And the pain Abbas carried was heart breaking.

So this story is about Abbas trying to solve the missing case of his Ex - girlfriend Jennie. Jennie goes missing and her friends file her case and it is directed to Abbas to investigate his own Ex missing case. While investigating all leads to go an blocked end. He is devasted. And I like the company of Sahasrabuddhe with Abbas.

The pain he felt was so breaking. And from there it kept on giving many twists and turn over. I wasn't waiting for such a end. And I like the company of Sahasrabuddhe with Abbas. It was so painful. And the 5 month old baby case broke my heart a lot. How could......

Some lines from the book✨️

✨️ She lay curled up on the sofa as Meghna's tantrums dragged on, unable to say much, but quiethy wishing Meghna would someday be a mother herself and understand the ungratefulness she was showing.

✨️ The kidnapping was probably not done forcefully, or else there was a high chance someone might have noticed something.

✨️ By the time the case was solved, there were three dead bodies.

Read this guys it will break you and keep on guessing. Such an amazing work.

[_bookbrew_]

Some mysteries are about finding a missing person. Others are about discovering how much darkness can hide behind the most ordinary faces. Swallowed falls somewhere in between, and that is what makes it so unsettling.

Nupur Anand brings Inspector Intekhaab Abbas back into a case that begins with the disappearance of his former lover, Jennie. There is no obvious clue, no clear suspect, and no easy explanation. What starts as one missing person slowly opens the door to a much larger and more disturbing mystery, connecting a murder, a kidnapping, and secrets that were never meant to surface.

What I really enjoyed was the atmosphere. The story has this constant feeling that something is wrong, even when nothing seems to be happening. Bombay feels less like a backdrop and more like a character itself, full of shadows, secrets and places where people can disappear without leaving much behind.

Abbas is also an interesting protagonist because he is not simply chasing answers. His own connection to Jennie makes the investigation deeply personal, and you can feel the weight of every discovery as he gets closer to the truth.

The writing keeps the tension alive without giving everything away too soon. Just when you think you have understood where the story is heading, another thread appears.

Dark, atmospheric and quietly disturbing, Swallowed is the kind of mystery that stays in your head even after you close the book.

[Hetanshi]

Swallowed follows Jenny, a young woman who suddenly disappears, leaving almost nothing behind. The case is given to Inspector Intekhaab Abbas, but this investigation is not easy for him because Jenny was once an important part of his life. As he tries to understand what happened to her, he comes across other disturbing cases that slowly begin to feel connected. What starts as a search for one missing woman gradually turns into something much darker, and the more Abbas discovers, the harder it becomes to know who can actually be trusted.

What I enjoyed most was the way the mystery kept changing shape. I liked Abbas as a character because his personal connection to the case makes his investigation feel more emotional than a usual police case. The story has a dark atmosphere, but the writing is easy to follow and the suspense keeps moving without feeling forced.

Overall, Swallowed was an engaging and unsettling mystery that keeps you curious until the end. I liked how the different pieces of the story slowly came together. The book also leaves you thinking about how little we may know about the people around us and what they might be hiding.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys crime stories with secrets, unexpected turns, missing-person cases and a mystery that makes you question your own guesses. If you like books that keep you turning pages, this one is definitely worth picking up.

[Khushi Khandelwal]

As a lover of murder mysteries, Swallowed felt like the kind of thriller I naturally gravitate towards. The mystery surrounding Jennie’s disappearance immediately caught my attention, especially because there seems to be no clear explanation or obvious trail to follow.

I really enjoyed following Inspector Intekhaab Abbas as he tries to make sense of a case that becomes increasingly complicated. What kept me invested was the way the mystery gradually expands, connecting different incidents and making me constantly rethink what I thought I knew. I found myself looking for hidden connections and wondering which details might eventually become important.

The personal connection between Abbas and Jennie also adds an interesting emotional layer to the investigation. This isn’t simply about solving another case for him, and that made his search feel more meaningful to me.

I also liked how the story combines a missing-person mystery with murder and kidnapping, creating several threads to follow. Each revelation adds another question, which made me want to keep turning the pages and find out where everything was heading.

For me, Swallowed was an engaging crime mystery with an intriguing central investigation and plenty of unanswered questions. If you enjoy stories involving disappearances, interconnected crimes, detectives, hidden secrets and mysteries that slowly come together, this is definitely a book that can keep your curiosity alive.

[Shivani]

If you're someone who loves murder mysteries where every new clue changes your opinion, Swallowed is definitely worth picking up.
What I enjoyed the most was that I genuinely couldn't guess the killer until the very end. Every time I thought I'd figured it out, the story introduced another clue or suspect that completely changed my perspective.
The plot is simple, yet engaging. Instead of relying on unnecessary twists or complicated storytelling, the author gradually reveals how multiple murders are connected, making the investigation more intriguing with every chapter. The story unfolds at a steady pace, and watching all the pieces come together is satisfying. The novel is built around a police investigation that slowly uncovers links between disappearances, deaths, and hidden secrets, which keeps the suspense alive throughout.
Another thing I appreciated was the writing style. It's easy to follow, the narration isn't confusing, and the investigation is presented in a way that even readers who are new to the murder mystery genre can enjoy.
Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced, easy-to-read murder mystery with interconnected crimes, plenty of suspects, and an ending that's genuinely difficult to predict, I'd definitely recommend giving Swallowed a try.
Swallowed by Nupur Anand.

[Soumya Sarkar]

Swallowed* is an intriguing crime mystery that draws you into an investigation filled with questions, secrets, and complicated human motives. What I enjoyed most was the investigative side of the story and the way Inspector Intekhaab Abbas approaches the case. Rather than making the mystery only about finding the culprit, the story gives attention to the people and circumstances surrounding the crime.

The narrative has a strong investigative atmosphere, and the gradual uncovering of information keeps the curiosity alive. I liked how the characters bring different motivations and layers to the story, making it difficult to look at the case from just one perspective. The mystery becomes more interesting as the investigation moves deeper into the lives connected to it.

The writing is accessible and the story is easy to follow, making it a good choice for readers who enjoy Indian crime fiction and police investigations. I also appreciated that the book focuses on the process of uncovering the truth rather than depending entirely on constant action.

Overall, *Swallowed* is a compelling choice for readers who enjoy murder mysteries, investigative fiction, and stories driven by secrets and human motives. If you like crime novels where the investigation gradually reveals what lies beneath the surface, this one is worth adding to your reading list.

[Bhavi Nagda]

Swallowed is such an engaging and gripping crime thriller that pulls you in from the very first page.

The story revolves around the disappearance of Jenny and Inspector Abbas who is assigned to find her. What starts as a straightforward missing-person investigation slowly turns into something much deeper and more layered. I loved how the investigation unfolds - it keeps peeling back hidden layers, connecting dots to the past and bringing in secrets you don't see coming, but without ever making the plot feel messy or confusing.

The parallel investigations add a nice edge to the storytelling and keep the suspense building throughout.

The strongest part for me was the characters, especially Inspector Abbas. He is written as a very real, grounded person, not just a typical cop. His personal connection to the case adds a strong emotional depth to the whole narrative and you can feel the weight of what officers go through when a case gets personal.

Beyond the mystery, the book also subtly touches upon important themes like gender bias, abuse of power, and how influence can bend justice, which makes the story feel very relevant and real.

The writing is simple, fast-paced and very easy to read. It's the kind of thriller that keeps you hooked till the end without dragging. If you love crime thrillers with good investigation and emotional depth, you will enjoy this one.

[Meghna]

This is the second book in the crime investigation series of Inspector Intekhaab Abbas, but can also be read as a standalone.

When Abbas's ex-girlfriend Jennie goes missing, he is desperate to find her admist having himself dealing with other kidnappings and murder cases. As they slowly start connecting to each other, the investigation becomes much more emotional and thrilling for the readers.

There were many cases and loose threads, I kept wondering how everything would eventually connect and who could possibly be behind it all. When I finished the book, initially, I wasn't very happy with the climax because I was expecting something else. But, on second thoughts, the ending seemed more realistic. People do commit crimes for reasons mentioned in the book.

Though too many characters made it a little difficult for me to keep track of but there were some emotional moments where I genuinely got sad.

These lines from Abbas really hit me hard:

❝No one else cares about their deaths, and that's all the more reason for us to do so.❞

I had absolutely no idea who the killer could be until the reveal, which definitely kept the mystery going.

❝Rules are designed by men, for men. Women are often left out of the spotlight or treated as an afterthought.❞

These lines kind of sums up the whole book.



·

[Srishti Jha]

Okay, this book is NOT here to play nice! 😳 From the moment I picked up SWALLOWED , I knew I was stepping into something dark, disturbing, and seriously addictive. The cover itself gives you that unsettling feeling, but trust me, the story goes much deeper into the darkness.

Set around Inspector Intekhab Abbas and a murder mystery that refuses to be straightforward, the book keeps throwing questions at you. Who is the killer? What really happened? And how many secrets are hiding beneath what initially looks like a simple crime? Just when you think you’ve figured something out, the story pulls the rug out from under you.

What I particularly enjoyed was the atmosphere. There is this constant feeling of uneasiness, almost like you KNOW something terrible is about to happen, but you can’t look away. The mystery keeps the curiosity alive, while the darker elements add an intense psychological edge.

Nupur Anand has created a gripping crime thriller that feels cinematic and wonderfully creepy at times. If you enjoy murder mysteries with suspense, twists, morally grey characters, and an eerie atmosphere, add this one to your TBR immediately!

Because honestly… SWALLOWED may sound harmless, but this little mystery is anything but. 🔪📖

[Sakshi Agarwal]

Swallowed by Nupur Anand explores the mystery surrounding Jennie, a woman whose lover Abbas, a cop, is leading her missing-person case after her friend reports her disappearance. At the same time, the police are already investigating the disturbing case of the Kulkarni family, where the wife killed her husband and her so-called sister before poisoning herself.

One thing I absolutely loved about this book was the writing style. The chapters are extremely short, averaging around three pages, which makes the book fast-paced and very easy to read. The language and writing are, in my opinion, unbeatable. However, it was the plot that did not completely work for me.

Usually, a mystery makes you follow clues, form theories, and eventually discover the killer. Swallowed takes a slightly different route. It moves away from the filmy idea that the hero will magically find every clue and save his princess. Instead, it shows a cop who keeps his grief aside, seeks help from others, draws inspiration from the cases he has previously worked on, and patiently pieces everything together to reach the killer.

One line from Chapter 97, “She was waiting for you,” stayed with me because of how much emotion it carries despite being so simple. It adds another layer to the relationships and the emotions underlying the mystery.

Overall, I would recommend Swallowed to anyone looking to begin reading mystery and murder thrillers. It may not be the most gripping mystery I have read, but its writing, short chapters, and grounded approach make it a good starting point.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5

[Yamini]

Really short chapters in a fast-paced thriller are almost always a win for me, and this one uses them well. Before you know it, you have already gone through a few chapters and are trying to figure out where exactly everything is heading.

The Mumbai life is depicted to its core. From the locals and food to the lifestyles and everyday chaos, every scene feels like it is hovering beneath Mumbai's grey skies. As someone familiar with the city, I could easily picture these moments playing out.

The criminal investigation angle is a slightly tough nut to crack, but if you follow the clues, you can probably start guessing the direction the story is taking. Instead of following just one event, we are actually moving through different tracks, which adds a little complexity and keeps things interesting.

Experts from the book:

"Grief makes you behave strangely"

"He gulped down the water, and suddenly, a tingling sensation ran along his fingertips, as if someone had flipped a switch and he was slowly coming to life, He yelped. His first instinct was to call his parents, but he decided against it."

"She gripped the steel rod tighter now while standing at the edge of the train, still learning to find her footing on the bustling Mumbai locals."

[Khushi Sharma]

Swallowed is a gripping investigative thriller that combines a missing-person mystery with emotional depth and social commentary. The story follows Inspector Abbas as he investigates Jenny's disappearance a case that becomes deeply personal because of their past relationship.
What I enjoyed most was how the investigation gradually connects to older cases, hidden secrets, and unexpected revelations. The suspense keeps building, while the parallel investigations add another layer to the mystery without making the story confusing.
The characters, especially Abbas, feel realistic, and I liked how the book explores the emotional burden carried by police officers when a case becomes personal. It also touches on issues like gender discrimination, misuse of power, and influential people escaping justice.
The writing is simple and fast-paced, making it an easy thriller to get through. Although I wanted a little more from the climax, the overall mystery and investigation kept me hooked.
If you enjoy crime thrillers, police investigations, emotional mysteries, and unexpected revelations, Swallowed is definitely worth picking up.

[Rudrashree Makwana]

This book kept me engaged till the end. Author has created suspense and intrigue from the very beginning. The narrative is powerful and gripping.

If you are someone who loves fast paced thrillers, this book is right up your alley. A cop was investigating a mysterious case. But with each discovery, something new unveiled and one mystery took him to another mystery. More threads begin to unveil and they added more suspense, twists and mystery. This story began with a sudden disappearance of woman, but it turns into something more complex and sinister. There were infinite possibilities and each discovery took him close to the truth. It all felt like a tangled mystery and clues were seldomly dropped. The longer he stayed in this, the more this mystery pulled him.

Questions like What is going to happen next? and how everything is connected? kept me going. Like an unsolved puzzle, author kept giving clues instead of answers. This is truly a gem of a book because it kept me intrigued and on the edge. The dark world, author has created immediately pulled me in. I didn’t see the twists coming. I highly recommend this book.

[Ritika Shinde]

Swallowed was my second book by Nupur Anand after Mehboob Murderer, and it was honestly a refreshing read after a long time. The story follows Inspector Intekhaab Abbas as he investigates the sudden disappearance of his former lover, Jennie. What begins as a personal search soon turns into a much bigger investigation when he discovers links to other disturbing cases.
I really enjoyed how the mystery slowly unfolded and kept me curious about what was actually going on. Abbas was my favourite character, and I also liked the supporting characters and the way they added to the investigation.
The Mumbai setting worked really well too, giving the story a dark and atmospheric feel. The writing was smooth and easy to follow, which made the book quite a quick read.
My only disappointment was the ending. After all the build up, I felt the climax could have been explored a little more and given us better closure. Still, I really enjoyed the mystery, the unexpected connections and the overall investigation. If you enjoy crime mysteries, police investigations and thrillers that keep you guessing, I would definitely recommend giving this one a read.

[Soumya]

Swallowed by Nupur Anand is a crime mystery that keeps the focus on Inspector Intekhaab Abbas and the disappearance of Jennie, his former lover.

What I liked most was how the story starts with a personal case and slowly opens into something much bigger. The different incidents and moments start connecting in the cases when you progeress through the story, it is very interesting, and that made me keep guessing about where the investigation was heading.

My favourite part was the thread around Jennie’s disappearance because there are few clear answers in the beginning. There is always the feeling that something is being hidden behind ordinary events and that worked really well for me. I also liked how the story brings the events together instead of treating them as unrelated incidents.

The flow is one of the strongest parts of the book. The chapters move at a steady pace and the investigation does not feel dragged. The Mumbai setting gives the mystery a familiar Indian atmosphere.

Overall, the story is an engaging read for anyone who enjoys police investigations, missing person mysteries and crime stories with multiple threads.