Incidentals

A Novel

De: Sheila Yasmin Marikar

A couple’s luxury vacation in the Maldives takes a sinister turn when they’re befriended by two strangers in a twisty and darkly comic novel by the author of Friends in Napa.

Sarah and Sam have lost the very spark that brought them together. In an effort to save their marriage, they embark on an anniversary trip to the Maldives where a week at a luxury resort might remind them of why they fell in love. On the plane, they meet Krista and Kevin, a happy older, exceptionally generous couple headed to the same destination and eager to make vacation friends. They could be just the marriage mentors Sarah and Sam need.

But when a dead body is pulled from the crystalline waters only days into the vacation, a dark pall is cast over the sunny coral isles. The official story is a tragic accident. But that doesn’t sit right with Sarah, who senses something off. What could these very wealthy, too-fast friends possibly want from a modest couple like them?

The answers could destroy what’s left of her marriage. Then again, a murder in the Maldives might be the best thing that ever happened to it.

©2026 by Sheila Yasmin Marikar. (P)2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Incidentals is a deeply nuanced, heartfelt, and hilarious portrait of a marriage—disguised as a delicious true crime story and set against the shimmering backdrop of the kind of Maldivian resort we all fantasize about escaping to. Sheila Yasmin Marikar writes with such wit and empathy, you don’t know whether to laugh, gasp, or highlight every line. I didn’t want this novel to end.”—Amy Chozick, New York Times bestselling author of Chasing Hillary

“Incidentals filled the White Lotus-shaped hole in my heart. With an exotic setting in the Maldives, the most luxurious amenities you can imagine, and drama for days, it is truly the perfect escape (minus the murder, of course). Clever, snarky, and edge-of-your-seat entertaining, Incidentals is one of those books that I didn’t want to end! I can’t wait to see what Marikar does next.”—Sara Ochs, author of The Resort

“A one-way ticket to the Maldives, full of vacation fizz and irresistible views, plus marital struggles and a mysterious death. Break out the minibar popcorn—no one does rich people behaving badly with as much intelligence, wit, and heart as Sheila Yasmin Marikar.”—Avery Carpenter Forrey, author of Social Engagement