Must-Read Authors List
Discover the literary voices shaping 2024 with our must-read authors list. From thought-provoking fiction to insightful non-fiction, and captivating poetry, these writers are capturing hearts and minds with their captivating storytelling and unique perspectives. Delve into their works to explore the forefront of the literary world.
Kochery C Shibu
Kochery C Shibu, the bestselling and award-winning author of ‘Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar’, and ‘Faith and the Beloved’, is a graduate of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.
He has served in the Indian Navy and commanded two warships. Post his retirement, he has executed hydro-electric projects in the Cauvery River basin in Karnataka, Beas River basin in Himachal and Teesta River basin in Sikkim.
He holds a postgraduate degree in Defence Studies from Chennai University, and an MA English Literature from Pune University. Shibu has changed tack from the snow-clad mountains to the blue oceans, and has been associated with the setting up of a shipping company in India.
‘Amongst the Believers’ , a suspense thriller, is his third book. A passionate and committed writer, Shibu creates a magical world of fiction built around a well-researched background.
Kochery C Shibu was born in Kochi, Kangarapady and now lives in Bangalore with his wife and daughter.
Amongst the Believers
Book by Kochery C Shibu
Amongst the Believers, another master piece from the Best-selling and Award -winning author of “Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar” and “Faith and the Beloved.”
The novel is a saga of love, set in the back drop of war-torn Afghanistan and Ukraine. Nanda is an accused in a murder case and the lives of his dear ones are in danger.
He is given an option to join RAW on a mysterious mission, and penetrate the elite society of Pakistan. A choice that forces him to create a family only to destroy it.
Khusru is a terrorist who has fallen out with his handlers, the ISI, and is on the run. Caught in the vicious gang wars of Karachi, he is to escort the warlord’s daughter Miriam, to Bosnia.
A journey that takes him to Iran, Armenia and to the prisons of Russia. Rekha has choreographed her life in the captivity of a terrorist as a dance drama.
Even after marriage and two children, her obsession with Khusru knows no bounds. She is kidnapped and ends up as a sex slave to the teenage terrorists in war-torn Afghanistan.
A ruse that lead America to invade Iraq and a mysterious video of an Army officer directing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that could change the course of history, is being chased by the ISI, Mossad, CIA , Russians and the RAW.
The lives of Nanda, Khusru and Rekha are entangled in this international web of espionage. A journey through the unknown, a saga of love, espionage and suspense that will keep you riveted.
Deepti Menon
Deepti Menon has always loved the written word. She began to write at the age of ten and was lucky enough to have travelled around the country, being an Army kid, and later an Army wife. Her experiences during those years helped hone her interest and her flair for writing. Meeting new people helped her to notice details and put them into her interesting characters. (In fact, her friends and family shy away from saying anything to her, for fear of seeing it in print the next time they open a magazine.)
Her first book, 'Arms and the Woman', published by Rupa Publishers in 2002, took a light-hearted look at the life of an Army wife. This book was written mainly to reveal the warmth and camaraderie within the great institution.
For Deepti, both teaching and writing were wonderful learning experiences in their own ways. Teaching brought out the extrovert in her that revelled in being with children, creating that much-needed rapport and opening their minds to not only academics, but also the little things like curiosity, fun and good humour. She loved the fact that she learnt much from her students as well. Today, she is the Executive Director of Hari Sri Vidya Nidhi School, a school in the town of Thrissur in Kerala.
2013 and 2014 were lucky for her, as many of her short stories were chosen for anthologies. She had a number of stories in the various ‘Chicken Soups’ as well. Short stories with deft twists and tongue-in-cheek articles that tickle the funny bone are her forte. One of her purple patches came when she won an I-Pad in a worldwide short story contest.
A book of her poems, dealing with life, love and loss, titled 'Deeparadhana of Poems', was lovingly compiled by her mother, herself a talented writer. ‘Shadow in the Mirror’, a psychological thriller published by Readomania in 2016, was well received by her readers. After that, she brought out two more anthologies of thriller short stories titled ‘Where Shadows Follow’ (2020) and ‘Shadows Never Lie’ (2021). Together the three books are now known as the Shadow Trilogy.
Deepti has also worked as a freelance journalist for over seven years and brought out humorous pieces, lifestyle articles and hard-hitting non-fiction in many publications.
In 2022, she was invited to be the Guest Editor for ‘The Abandoned House Horror’ brought out by Monalisa Joshi (Chrysanthemum Chronicles). 2023 was a year when two of her books were published – ‘Classic Tales from Shakespeare’ (Readomania) and ‘The Dance and the Trance’ (H&C Publishing).
January 1st, 2024 started the new year off with a bang as Deepti’s fourth book in the #shadowseries titled ‘The Web of Shadows’ was published, again by Readmania.
As she loves to say, “Writing runs in my blood, as teaching does, and I have been fortunate enough to be able to do both. I can never forget the thrill of seeing my name in print for the first time, a thrill that has only intensified over the years. Writing is an endless journey that I revel in, with all its winding twists and turns! Never a dull moment, never time to regret... life is truly worth living!”
The Web of Shadows
Book by Deepti Menon
What connection does the sudden death of a young girl in a dance bar have with an influential Tantric household in Kerala? As private investigator Akshata forces her way into the Mumbai-based dance bar headed by a formidable Madam and her trusted eunuch, the menacing Ahmad, she discovers a web of intrigue with its origins in a Kerala village dominated by a powerful Namboodrippad family of Tantrics. Can Akshata cut through the murky underbelly of the sinister world that threatens to devour the pawns, big and little? The Web of Shadows is an edge-of-the-seat thrilling ride.
Suprabha
Suprabha is an aspiring writer raised in the cusp of conventional - progressive household in India fuelling her need to question the façade and appreciate the duality. She loves being in the midst of fast-paced corporates and her experience with Human Resources contribute to her keen observation of human behaviour, conflicting personalities and changing mindsets.
Suprabha has been writing since her teens, but it took the loss of a loved one to bring it to life with this collection - a look back to seek love, seek life and seek herself. In her spare time, you will find her lost in a book, sipping a chilled one with waves at her feet.
A Nuanced Pause
Book by Suprabha
I believe not in black or white but in grey
For grey holds in it, the half-truths and the white lies
Lets you thrive until you are ready to accept the whole truth
Guards you until you are ready to see all the colors of the lie
A NUANCED PAUSE is a seeker’s attempt to lend words to her thought spectrum – Naïve, Brewing and Matured thoughts traversing along time. The debut book is a collection of poetry sectioned to reflect Childhood Innocence, Rebellious Youth, Views of the World, Experiments with Love and Experience with Life. The poems will take you on an inner journey to question, contemplate, accept and let go.