A provocative, pacy murder mystery for the modern reader

A murder, a millionaire, and a woman half his age: author Jayanti Ranganathan's latest Hindi novel Sugar Daddy opens with all the makings of a sensational crime story.

- Kriti Kambiri

But beneath its page-turning surface, it is also a sly, unsettling look at the power equations that shape love, lust, and ambition in the modern world.

The plot kicks off when wealthy businessman Shyam Rajgir is found dead at a hill-station resort and his much younger companion, 19-year-old Mayra Vishwas, becomes the prime suspect. But surely enough, there's more than meets the eye. As a curt investigation officer peels back layers of deceit and desire, new characters in the form of former wives and estranged relatives emerge with varied motives, ranging from greed and jealousy to revenge and loneliness.