Fiction Books By Indian Authors Releasing In October 2019

It’s hard to believe that we are entering the final quarter of the year. As you try to catch up on all the novels nominated for various awards, don’t forget to keep an eye out for exciting fiction by Indian authors releasing in October 2019. Explore women’s lives through a collection of Bangla and Urdu writings from the subcontinent; dive into Vineet Bajpai’s latest novel set against the backdrop of the 1857 uprising; read a gothic novel set in Goa; and follow the journey of six Muslim women as they rebel against patriarchy. If that isn’t enough, you also have two books with spine-chilling tales releasing just in time for Halloween.

01

The Aladia Sisters

Khalid Mohamed

Blending fact and fiction, The Aladia Sisters is the story of six sisters of a patriarchal Muslim family. The sisters run away from a Haryana village, in the mid-1920s, in a bid to live life on their own terms. As they carve out their own destinies, they play a game of may-the-best-sister-win. Their to-do lists consist of items like earning money, marrying the richest husband, and becoming an artist. As a young journalist, the grandson of one of the sisters, travels between Delhi, Ajmer, Mount Abu and London interviewing people to finally tell the story of six women who dared to break the rules. The novel spans almost a century as it takes us from the British Raj to the present-day and took Mohamed almost four years to write.

Releasing on October 07, 2019. Buy it here.

02

A Death In The Himalayas

Udayan Mukherjee

Clare Watson, a celebrity author-activist is found battered to death in a Himalayan forest in Birtola. The case makes headlines and India is once again deemed unsafe for women. Meanwhile, in Birtola, there are those who mourn Watson’s passing, while others believe that she was asking for trouble. Neville Wadia begins to investigate her murder only to discover that other lives are at stake. Was Watson the victim of a jealous lover, a politician or a local? Was it her husband who killed her or a land-grabber? In A Death In The Himalayas, Wadia must unpack the truth in this exciting mystery set in a village in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Releasing on October 07, 2019. Buy it here.

03

Kohinoor Express

Rensil D’Silva

It’s 1850 and Governor-General Dalhousie decides to commemorate his win in the Third Sikh War by gifting the Kohinoor to Queen Victoria. However, the jewel has to first make its way from Punjab to Bombay, and the route is filled with bandits. He entrusts the mission to Captain James Ramsay, who is accompanied by his Anglo-Indian mistress, Tara. Meanwhile, Indian revolutionaries plan to ambush the train but to do so they need the help of Ajmera, who is currently awaiting his hanging in prison. If Ajmera agrees, he must not only break out of prison but also face Ramsay, and Tara, with whom he has a history. Filled with mystery and intrigue, this book is sure to keep you hooked.  

Releasing on October 08, 2019. Buy it here.

04

A Window Lived In The Wall

Vinod Kumar Shukla, Satti Khanna (Tr.)

Originally published in Hindi as Deewar Mein Ek Khirki Rehti Thi, A Window Lived In The Wall is the story of Raghuvar Prasad, a maths teacher at a mofussil town college. Usually, he travels to work by jitney, but it so happens that on the day Sonsi, his newlywed bride, arrives, he comes home riding an elephant. His wife imagines that this is his regular lifestyle, only to later realise that they will be living in a one-room rental, which barely has enough space for their bed and utensils. However, there is a window in this room, and beyond this window is “a magical place that sustains Raghuvar Prasad and Sonsi’s spirit.” This translation of Shukla’s Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel explores how even the simplest and most ordinary things can bring us immense joy.

Releasing on October 15, 2019. Buy it here.

05

Mastaan

Vineet Bajpai

The East India Company is at its zenith and even Tipu Sultan has fallen on their sword. However, the oppression of the East India Company has given rise to rebellion. Set in Delhi against the backdrop of the Great Uprising of 1857, Mastaan is the love story of Mastaan and Fay. Filled with duels, mushairas, beautiful courtesans and bloody battles, Mastaan is a gripping tale from the author of the Harappa Series.

Releasing on October 16, 2019. Buy it here.

06

Women’s Writings From India, Pakistan And Bangladesh

Rakhshanda Jalil & Debjani Sengupta (Eds.)

This anthology collects women’s writings from Bangla and Urdu literature and highlights issues of language, identity, and feminism. Both Bangla and Urdu are spoken and read by people across different geographies as well as a large diaspora. Women’s Writings brings these languages together and shows us how they have shaped the creative lives of women. Edited by Rakhshanda Jalil and Debjani Sengupta, this is an essential read for anyone looking to explore women’s voices in Bangla and Urdu literature.

Releasing on October 18, 2019. Buy it here.

07

Whisper In The Wind

Venita Coelho

Jamshed Fali Irani, the young scion of a business empire in Bombay, is in Goa to write.  One day, as he is struggling to write, he hears the cries of a little girl, Alice. Alice is trying to find her sister, Sara, who has been missing for years. When Jamshed reluctantly promises to help her, he finds himself tangled in a dark web of loyalty, deceit and murder. With the help of his new friend, Tania, Jamshed tries to solve the mystery of the missing Sara in this Gothic tale that brings pre-Independence Goa to life.

Releasing on October 19, 2019. Buy it here.

08

Not Just Another Story

Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey

In 2009, a journalist was asked to track down Lakshmi, a young girl from Sonagachi, Kolkata’s red-light district. Lakshmi had earlier been part of an award-winning documentary about sex workers and their children. When the journalist found Lakshmi, she was shocked to discover that Lakshmi was not Anjali, a high-class escort. As she became acquainted with Lakshmi, she learnt the story of three generations of sex workers – Lakshmi, her mother and her grandmother. Not Just Another Story takes us from a village in Bangladesh to a refugee camp to Sonagachi, and finally to Salt Lake in Kolkata, and highlights Lakshmi’s struggle to escape the life in Sonagachi’s brothels. 

Releasing on October 20, 2019. Buy it here.

09

Gunboat Jack

Timeri N. Murari

Set soon after India gained Independence, Gunboat Jack is the story of a competition between two boxers – an Indian and a Brit. The Indian boxer is Nicky, the young Prince of Tandhapur, caught between his Western education and his role as an Indian aristocrat. When his father hands over the palace to his English advisor and mistress, Miss Hobbs, Nicky tries to get his inheritance back by fighting Miss Hobbs’ son. His only ally is Gunboat Jack, an American boxer, who agrees to coach him against the stronger, more experienced Englishman. Originally published in the 1980s as Field Of Honour, Gunboat Jack is a magical novel about the clash of ancient India and the West.

Releasing on October 20. Buy it here.

10

The Greatest Folk Tales Of Bihar

Nalin Verma

In The Greatest Folk Tales Of Bihar, Nalin Verma reiterates the tales he heard growing up in the village of Daraily Mathia in the Siwan district of Bihar. These tales feature animals and humans and are firmly rooted in village life. There are tales where human skulls speak to men; one where a jackal pretends to be a priest; another where a donkey goes beyond the call of duty. The Greatest Folk Tales Of Bihar collects stories that have been passed down for generations, and along the way, catalogues centuries of oral wisdom. This book is bound to enchant you.

Releasing on October 20, 2019. Buy it here.

11

The Markandeya Purana

Bibek Debroy (Tr.)

Author of countless books on Indian mythology, Bibek Debroy is back with a translation of The Markandeya Purana, a luminous text that explores Hindu philosophy, mythology and metaphysics. Debroy’s translation unfolds as a series of conversations with sage Markandeya on some of the deeper questions raised by The Mahabharata. There is a brilliant explication of yoga and several other tales including those of Queen Madalasa. Debroy’s translation makes The Markandeya Purana accessible and is perfect for anyone looking to dive into the text.

Releasing on October 24, 2019. Buy it here.

12

India’s Most Haunted Tales Of Terrifying Places

K. Hari Kumar

In India’s Most Haunted Tales Of Terrifying Places, K. Hari Kumar collects tales from some of India’s most haunted places. The stories feature the cursed queen of Bhangarh Fort, the restless spirits of the Tower of Silence in Malabar Hill, and the Khooni Nala in Jammu & Kashmir, where mysterious accidents take place. Be warned, these spine-chilling tales are likely to haunt you long after you’ve finished reading the book.

Releasing on October 25, 2019. 

13

Darkness

Ratnakar Matkari, Vikrant Pande (Tr.)

Ratnakar Matkari is known for having pioneered the tales of the macabre in Marathi. In these stories, translated into English for the first time, you’ll find a boy who can prophesise the exact date of a person’s death; an old woman who learns to cheat death; a child with an invisible but dangerous friend; and a ghost who relives his suicide repeatedly. These dark and macabre tales will have you constantly looking over your shoulder.

Releasing on October 25, 2019. 

Disclaimer: Some of these books were previously available on Kindle or as international editions which were available for import. This list features Indian editions of these books, which tend to be more affordable. The information featured here is accurate as of September 19, 2019.