The Secret Keeper of Jaipur

A Novel

By: Alka Joshi

Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Ariyan Kassam, Deepa Samuel

Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Good Morning America’s “27 Books for June"

PopSugar’s Best Summer Reads of 2021

A new novel by the author of The Henna Artist, a Reese's Book Club Pick

In New York Times best-selling author Alka Joshi’s intriguing new novel, henna artist Lakshmi arranges for her protégé, Malik, to intern at the Jaipur Palace in this tale rich in character, atmosphere, and lavish storytelling.

It’s the spring of 1969, and Lakshmi, now married to Dr. Jay Kumar, directs the Healing Garden in Shimla. Malik has finished his private school education. At 20, he has just met a young woman named Nimmi when he leaves to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their latest project: a state-of-the-art cinema.

Malik soon finds that not much has changed as he navigates the Pink City of his childhood. Power and money still move seamlessly among the wealthy class, and favors flow from Jaipur’s Royal Palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth. As a former street child, he always knew to keep his own counsel; it’s a lesson that will serve him as he untangles a web of lies.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Alka Joshi (P)2021 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

A well written book

It’s a well researched book with a good story line. However the performances of mallick and nimmi “s characters is not up to the mark. Works are mis-pronounced, the diction is incorrect. The American accent is too heavy. All this takes away from the story
The performance of the first book- the Henna Artist was so beautiful that it created visuals of the characters.

Story telling at its finest

This is an awesome part 2 to the story...cannot wait to read the next one

I hope there’s a third book

Loves this series and hope there is a third. The voices made it extra special. Takes you too India and now I want to travel.

Book Two / Henna Artist

I really loved The Henna Artist and this follow up book did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this story and hated for the book to end. Easy listening. Great narration.

Ethereal, vivid, authentic

To all the negative reviews that said that the second book was boring and repetitive, I could never understand why. Of course memories had to be repeated by the author about the lives of the characters 12 years ago. It blends both books together. I love how the various authors bring to life the characters of Lakshmi, Malik and Nimmi especially the voice of Sneha Mathan. Beautiful and calm. I love how i’m transported to Jaipur India the moment I start listening to the audiobook when I begin my long drive to work and how I look forward to driving back from work to be transported back to Jaipur again. I really enjoyed these two books and am looking forward to more books from Alka Joshi. And Jaipur is beautiful. I was there in 2006. Well done!

A intense story into the beauty and exotic life of Jaipur

The secret keeper of Jaipur, is a fascinating story inside the different layers of Jaipur’s society, the ins and outs, the love and revenge, herbs and fascinating architecture. The book takes the reader into a different perspective if indian traditions, the medicinal herbs remedies and food for health and soul are fascinating.

Not as good as first, but a nice story

I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Henna Artist but I’m still glad to have read it. Everyone was complaining about the voice actor for Nimmi but I really don’t think it was that bad. I mean, nobody can beat the Lakshmi actor, but it wasn’t annoying to me. I loved how the stories connected across the locales and the happy ending. Overall, I’m glad I read it.

I could not put it down!

Like the Henna Artist, a gripping tale so rich with Indian culture and the complexity of being human. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the narration is perfect!

Enjoyable

I enjoyed the audio book . I read a few review and they seemed to experience this book very much like the first one. It has been maybe a year since I listened to the first one and found this fresh but with familiar characters in their changed life and grown up.
I don’t see how u could regret a listen. However it might be wise to wait some time before launching into this second book.

Narration, plot, this one is on par with The Henna Artist

I so enjoy the stories and the narration is just lovely. The voices the emotion, it just makes for a wonderful listen. The Henna Artist, the first book, had me completely enthralled. I knew so very little about divorced Indian women . I suppose the story line crosses cultures in so many ways. In this book, Lakshmi is settled in her new life, Malik is grown, and everything gets disrupted. In some ways, I wanted the second book to pick up right where the last one ended like the Gabaldon Outlander series. But the history gets filled, although Malik needs more character development. I could see the plot coming more so than in the first book but it didn’t matter because I was enjoying the book so much.