This book follows Joshi's previous masterpiece, The Henna Artist and follows Malik's journey (who was not the focus of the first one). It's now 1969, and Lakshmi is married to Dr. Jay Kumar. Together they run a holistic medical practice in Shimla. Malik has completed his private school education and has just met a young woman named Nimmi before he goes to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace, where they've just built a state of the art theatre modeled after the Pantages. On opening night, the theatre collapses under suspicious circumstances and Malik sets out to uncover the truth.

She's done it again! I am usually hesitant on reading series because I find most of the time, I'm let down after a stellar start, but this one did not disappoint. The same vivid imagery that we all loved in the Henna Artist is back in this one, where you feel like you're there with the characters. I loved that it wasn't Malik's side of the story during the time frame we read about in The Henna Artist, but later on, so we also get an update on where the other characters are. Similar to the first, I could not put it down, and devoured every page. The same characters we loved and hated are developed further while reading an entirely new and unexpected storyline.

I highly highly recommend to anyone looking to read #ownvoices, or to anyone who loved The Henna Artist, or to anyone who feels like visiting Jaipur... so basically anyone really!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is a wonderful book that I could not put down. Alka Joshi does a wonderful job with this book.

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur was not my favorite title. The material was difficult to understand and follow as a book to read for pleasure.

Having met and enjoyed Lakshmi and her young protege Malik in <i>The Henna Artist</i> I was eager to read Alka Joshi's sequel <b>The Secret Keeper of Jaipur</b>.     The things I loved about the first book were once again evident; engaging storyline, a great setting and characters I thoroughly enjoyed.    Though it's a sequel I think it would work as a stand alone but I'd still urge you to start at the beginning of their story.

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is set approximately twelve years after The Henna Artist.  The chapters alternate between  Lakshmi and Malik two of my original favourites.    The prologue opens with Maliks perspective of the opening night disaster at the  Royal Jewel Cinema in Jaipur.     It then goes back by a couple of months and works forward from there.     

Lakshmi is now married and Malik is a young man making his way in the world.  Their home in Shimla is at the foot of the Himalayas and Malik has met and begun seeing Nimmi, a Himalayan tribeswoman, widow, and mother to two young children.     When Lakshmi decides to send Malik back to Jaipur to get some experience in the building trade she insists it's to keep Malik from getting into strife in Shimla where there's an emerging gold smuggling trade.    However Nimmi is resentful, believing she's trying to keep them apart, perhaps hoping Malik will meet someone better while he's away.

In Jaipur, Malik is working with many of the characters we knew from The Henna Artist and as the story unfolds we get a sense of how the disaster in the prologue might have eventuated.    Meanwhile back in Shimla, Lakshmi and Nimmi inadvertantly get caught up in the gold smuggling trade.  

Both threads of the story came together well and tied off all the loose ends in a satisfying manner but I have a hunch there's room for another book in this series.   Perhaps that's just wishful thinking on my part but I'll keep my eyes and ears open just in case there's another on the horizon.

My thanks to the author, to Harlequin Books and to NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

QUICK TAKE: I listened to both this book and THE HENNA ARTIST on audiobook, and I really enjoyed them both. This book takes place several years after the ending of THA, and follows Lakshmi in her new life working in the healing garden until she's pulled back into another Royal Palace controversy, this time involving her young protege, Malik, and a tragic accident. I really enjoyed the audio narration in this story and was captivated by the time and setting and characters. I would definitely read a 3rd book in this series (err..,listen to).

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur was the perfect follow up to Alka Joshi’s beautiful historical novel The Henna Artist. Full of a lush Indian setting and heartwarming new characters -with a few familiar faces- this novel is the perfect poolside read. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and romance!

A sequel to "The Henna Artist", we advance 12 years into the future to Simla, India. Although protagonist Lakshmi still plays an important role in this story, young Malik comes to the fore as another principal character, together with Nimmi, a tribal shepherd girl from the mountains. The author successfully weaved the three storylines together, along with characters from the previous novel.

Set in Simla, northern India and Jaipur, Rajasthan, we are offered glimpses into the lifestyles of the fabulously wealthy, the royal family and its matriarchs and the nomadic shepherd families who have little idea of life outside their mountain home. The description of the palaces, the food and the Hindi words thrown in for flavour, transport us to India in the 60s where the movie industry, theatres and film stars were gaining popularity.

A suspenseful mystery, romance and satisfying conclusion make this the perfect summer read.

A beautifully descriptive and atmospheric follow-up to The Henna Artist. I will read anything this author writes.

*** ARC provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing through NetGalley ***

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi is the second in the trilogy that began with The Henna Artist.

The book continues the story of Lakshmi and her new life in Shimli and her work at the hospital and healing garden. Some of the characters introduced in The Henna Artist play more central roles in this second instalment. Malik is key to most of the story lines in The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and as he was one of my favourite characters in The Henna Artist, this really pleased me.

The story is set in 1969 and this is only apparent through the reminders on the italicized note at the top of some chapters. Otherwise, without personal or deeper insight into this time period in India, there is no real reference in the storylines of either book to historic events or the social context of that time. The date of the setting became an unanswered curiosity to this reader after finishing these two books. Perhaps the third book will give greater insight into the significance of this time period.

The book was a satisfying read and I look forward to the next and final instalment of this trilogy. My personal hope is that Radha will be key to the next book and we will learn more of her story and the adult relationship between her and Lakshmi.

Be sure to read through to the final pages where recipes, insight into the importance of gold and styles of jewelry, and other great content can be found.

#NetGalley #TheSecretKeeperofJaipur

I thought this was an enjoyable sequel to The Henna Artist. I liked the fact that it took place 15 years later so I could see how characters had learned, grown, and changed - or not. I enjoyed both the characters and the plot, and I'll be recommending it. I didn't realize this was going to be a trilogy, so now I'm anxiously awaiting the final installment.

“The Secret Keeper of Jaipur” by Alka Joshi
Review by Seana Zimmer, adult services library assistant at the Hillsborough branch

The second book in a trilogy by the new author Alka Joshi was a disappointment. The lyrical phrasing found in the first book, “The Henna Artist”, was missing from most of “The Secret Keeper of Jaipur”. The storyline was often interrupted with explanations of what happened in the first book. Some of that context was needed, but it became redundant, especially since the first book was just released six months ago. A prologue or other mechanism might have solved this problem.

If you are looking for a wonderfully told story which transports you to India in the 1950s, I still highly recommend book one of this series: “The Henna Artist”. If after reading that, you want to know what happens to Malik and a few other characters, then read this book. If you want to know more about Radha, stay tuned for the third book in the series. I will probably read book three out of curiosity, and with the hope that Alka Joshi returns to her delightful storytelling.

Alka Joshi once again has showcased her skills as a superb storytelling in the second book in The Jaipur Trilogy.

This book picks up twelve years (late 1960s) after The Henna Artist and the strong-willed Lakshmi is happily married and directs a healing center in Shimla in the Himalayan foothills while the resourceful Malik has completed his private school education and is currently working at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal House. Malik is torn between the opportunities offered to him in Jaipur and returning to Shimla where he has begun a relationship with Nimmi, a widow Himalayan tribeswoman with two young children. When a major palace project goes terribly awry, dynastic relationship may determine the truth. Meanwhile, Nimmi stumbles upon a situation which could put herself and her tribe in harm’s way. It will take a delicate strategy and finesse to survive the thorny complexities of the power hierarchies of Indian society.

The description of India’s landscape provides a strong sense of place, especially of the Himalayan foothills, expertly plotting, and historical and cultural details come together in a compelling narrative.

But it will be the wonderfully drawn characters in this emotional rich drama that will keep the reader turning the pages.

This immersive historical fiction moved me with deep insights into the meaning of family and belong on an individual’s own terms.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Alka Joshi's stunning sequel to The Henna Artist is rich in both dialogue and character development. Her sweeping descriptions of food are worth savouring and as are the depictions of the landscape. Malik is this novel's main character. It is 1969 and he is no longer Lashmi's shadow—he is an educated young man who becomes entangled in a smuggling scheme while apprenticing in Jaipur.

Once again, Joshi showcases her gift of telling rich stories that transport her reader to a different cultural experience and time period, but with universal themes. Alive and well are class struggles, poverty, and corruption.

Although Lakshmi is not front and centre, readers will be delighted to read about her married life as well as her care of a new character—and love interest for Malik—a young widow, Nimmi. There are other cameos from the first book which hopefully will continue with the third book which is Radha’s story as a perfumer living in France confronted by the baby she gave up for adoption 18 years prior. (And there's also Miramax TV series starring Freida Pinto.)

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is beautiful, lush, and enchanting.

I love books that are not-quite sequels but are set in the same worlds and revisit characters. The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is this to The Henna Artist. It is a wonderful book that allows you to travel through time & space to 1969 India. If you like The Henna Artist, you will love this. If you haven’t ready The Henna Artist yet, go & do so, then come back for this book!

Wow! Alka Joshi has done it again. This book hooked me in right away with the big event that is introduced in the first little bit and I loved a) the new characters b) the focus on Malik and c) revisiting Lakshmi and Jay and Kanta etc etc. Her writing is exquisite, her storytelling is so unique, and I just can't get enough of these characters!! If you loved The Henna Artist, you need to read this sequel and if you haven't yet read The Henna Artist, what are you waiting for?!

This was excellent on audio (I alternated). A richly told story about an event in Jaipur and so fascinating to "solve the mystery" of all the interconnected elements of this story.

Lakshmi still as engaging!

The Henna Artist grabbed my attention from the get-go. Diving back into that world with the Secret Keeper did exactly the same thing but in an entirely different way. The tone has shifted, but the drama is just as heightened. We are treated to the ongoing lives of people met in Lakshmi’s story, including her former ward Malik, who is now a man.
Lakshmi Kumar now lives in Shimla in the State of Himachal Pradesh, a northern state in the Himalayas and is married to Dr. Jay Kumar, a physician at the Lady Reading Hospital and director of the Community Clinic. She is director of the Lady Reading Healing Garden, a herbal garden designed to collect and use indigenous healing plants the people of the region are able to identify with as a valid medicinal source and to serve as a bridge to further treatments the people might be suspicious of.
The story opens with a heart stopping tragedy in Lakshmi’s former home of Jaipur that effects many of Lakshmi’s close friends, including her sister’s son’s adoptive family (important secret!) and her ward Malik. As we are treated to the back story of events prior to this tragedy we become part of Malik’s journey to the now.
He has moved to Jaipur apprenticed to the Facilities Office of the Palace working on a huge cinema has been with This includes the young hill’s widow (not that the Himalayas are mere hills!) Nimmi and her two children.
There’s the fascinating and dangerous encounter with gold smugglers operating in the mountains and the implications of this, including the method of transport.
Lakshmi ends up back in Jaipur and her past relationship with the maharanis becomes important. After all she was custodian of secrets as the Henna Artist.
A satisfying read putting us in touch with the growth and development of these old friends
There are just so many threads drawing me on. I was fully present!

A Harlequin Trade ARC via NetGalley

A stunning sequel to the Henna Artist. I loved that the characters' stories continue and yet Joshi builds upon characters who have matured. Beautiful writing and descriptions. I enjoyed the narrative and pacing as well.

Just like the Henna Artist, I was drawn in by the characters, the culture, and all the juicy drama. Alka Joshi has done it again! This book was spectacular

I so enjoyed learning about henna in The Henna Artist. In this next book in the series, we follow Lakshmi and Malik’s lives 12 years later. They are living in another town and Lakshmi is married to Dr
Jay. She assists in the clinic and has an herbal garden where she grows and makes herbal remedies for the local women. She has improved her life and social status and is still very involved with Malik who is now an educated,respectable young man of 20. New experiences await both of them in this story

I enjoyed the previous book, The Henna Artist, more, but that's totally personal preference. Both of these books have gorgeous covers, and it was fun to revisit Lakshmi, Malik, and the rest and get immersed in this culture once again. I especially loved seeing Lakshmi and her husband - I would have liked to see more Dr Kumar. The Secret Keeper ends very happily, and it'll be interesting to see what Joshi comes up with next. Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.