There comes a point when books not only adorn your shelf but also provide you with a way to articulate your feelings, build frameworks of understanding around them or help you in implementing changes in your daily routine.
So, we bring 13 selected books for the Indian reader to reset, recalibrate, evolve, heal and make better choices. If you are a student wanting to improve your habits, a founder chasing a big dream, a parent grappling with too much screen time, a manager trying to understand the human mind, or just someone who wishes to get peace in your noisy head, this curated list of books is based on real problems faced by readers.
For days where the aim isn’t to do more, but instead feel less, there are the books dedicated to calm and wellbeing. How to Let Things Go by Shunmyo Masuno is a zen mindfulness book and stress relief book, offering wisdom on letting go. Why Hasn’t Nobody Told Me This Before by Dr Julie Smith provides guidance on mental wellbeing and is a self-help book for people struggling with anxiety. It’s Not You by Dr Ramani offers insight into toxic relationships and healing from narcissistic abuse, and finally, Yoshuku by Azumi Uchitani is an introduction to the Japanese practice of manifestation based on gratitude, ritual and possibility.
Here is everything you need in your focus and habit change era. Atomic Habits Workbook offers the much-needed implementation techniques while Visualise by Maya Raichoora provides visualization techniques that can help you reach a level of confidence for peak performance. Throw in the powerful decision-making and mental model book called Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish and the list is complete for everyone who wants to think clearly, do better and execute.
For career-oriented individuals, businesses, or even second acts, the growth stack on business and founders is full of momentum. For business school thinkers who are looking for the best MBA books outside of the classroom, the Visual MBA is the perfect MBA in a book for newbies. On the topic of founder books, the Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett captures the founder mind and the 33 Laws of Business and Life. Lastly, What’s Your Dream? written by Simon Squibb is an inspiring life purpose book and a side hustle book all rolled into one.
However, some of the books worth reading are those that give insights into how we relate to other people. For instance, Surrounded by Idiots is a popular personality types book and a great communication skills book for when things become complicated at work, home or in our team settings. Additionally, Games People Play by Eric Berne is an evergreen transactional analysis book that delves into the dynamics of human relationships. The last book of interest here is Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation which is critical for educators and parents today.
Regardless of your needs at any given point of time, be it greater focus, better decision-making, improved relationships, career direction, calmness or an inspirational gift for someone else, we have the perfect book for each one of you.
New releases to add to your reading list this month
June brings a rich and varied harvest of new books — from political histories and spiritual journeys to business playbooks, wellness guides, and musical biographies. Here are the titles we’re most excited about this month.
Gurudev: On the Plateau of the Peak — Bhanumathi Narasimhan
Few books offer the kind of intimacy this one does. Written by a student who has spent decades in close proximity to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, this is a portrait of a spiritual teacher drawn not from the outside but from within — through lived experience, quiet observation, and deep devotion. For anyone curious about the inner life of a master, this is an essential read.
Gurudev || Bhanumathi Narasimhan
Chasing Like Dhoni — Aayush Puthran & Samod Sarngan
What makes a finisher? What does it take to chase, under pressure, with the game on the line? This book draws lessons from MS Dhoni’s legendary approach to high-stakes cricket and translates them into a framework for how we might handle pressure in our own lives. Brisk, entertaining, and surprisingly instructive.
Chasing Like Dhoni || Aayush Puthran, Samod
The Skincare Guide That Will Change Your Life — Deepali Bhardwaj
Dr. Deepali Bhardwaj, one of India’s most trusted dermatologists, cuts through the noise with a no-nonsense guide to understanding your skin. From ingredients to routines to myths, this is the book for anyone who wants to make sense of what actually works — and why.
The Skincare Guide That Will Change Your Life || Dr Deepali Bhardwaj
Swayamsewak: The Lives of Ten RSS Foot Soldiers—Malini Bhattacharjee
One of India’s most consequential organisations is often discussed at the level of ideology and leadership. This book does something rarer: it goes to the ground. Through ten ordinary lives, Malini Bhattacharjee examines what it means to be a swayamsewak — the motivations, the sacrifices, and the quiet conviction that drives those who keep the machinery running.
Swayamsevak || Malini
Unlocking Success — Manish Maheshwari
A former Twitter India MD and NewsLaundry co-founder, Manish Maheshwari has navigated some of the most turbulent corridors of India’s media and tech world. In this book, he distils his experience into an honest and accessible guide for those looking to carve their own path.
Unlocking Success || Manish Maheshwari
The Inspired Leader — Anil Sachdev
What separates a good manager from a truly inspired leader? Anil Sachdev, founder of SOIL Institute of Management, brings decades of learning to this question, offering a model of leadership grounded in purpose, empathy, and the courage to build cultures that actually work.
The Inspires Leader || Anil Sachdev
The Girl in Chains — Devashish Sardana
A gripping work of fiction that keeps you turning pages well past your bedtime. Sardana writes with urgency and precision, crafting a thriller that is as emotionally resonant as it is propulsive. Pick this one up only if you have nowhere to be the next morning.
The Girl in Chains || Devashish Sardana
Wealth Networks — Akshay Chavan
Personal finance with a twist — Chavan argues that wealth isn’t just about money, it’s about the networks you build. A fresh perspective on financial success that takes seriously the social and relational dimensions of how people actually grow prosperous.
The Wealth Networks
One Insane Idea: 15 Ideation Techniques to Spark Breakthrough Business Ideas — Apoorv Singhal
Every great business begins with a single strange idea. In this energetic and practical book, Singhal unpacks fifteen proven techniques for unlocking creative thinking — giving readers the tools to generate not just good ideas, but genuinely transformative ones.
One Insane Idea || Apoorv Singhal
Who Owns the Past?: How Historians Rewrote India’s Past & Present — Shaan Kashyap
History is never just about what happened — it’s about who gets to say what happened. Kashyap’s bold and meticulously researched book examines the ideological forces that have shaped the writing of Indian history, and asks what it means to reclaim a more honest understanding of the past.
Who Owns The Past || Shaan Kashyap
I Died Too Early — Sumitra Manda
Intimate, surprising, and quietly devastating. This work of literary fiction explores loss, time, and the unlived life with a sensitivity that lingers long after the final page. Sumitra Manda announces herself as a writer of genuine power.
I Died Too Early || Sumitra Manda
Strategy For Life — Surya Ramkumar
What if you applied the same rigor to your personal goals as a CEO applies to a business strategy? Ramkumar makes a compelling case that clarity, planning, and iteration are not just corporate tools — they’re the building blocks of a well-lived life.
Strategy for Life || Surya Ramkumar
Wisdom that Works — Madan Sundar Das
Drawing from ancient tradition and lived practice, Madan Sundar Das offers spiritual wisdom that is rooted, practical, and applicable to the everyday. For readers looking to bring more depth and meaning to their daily lives, this is a thoughtful companion.
Wisdom That Works || Madan Sundar Das
Made in Fire: A Playbook for Builders, Believers and Future Founders — Rajnish Kumar
From one of India’s most respected banking leaders, this is a book for those who build — and for those who dream of building. Rajnish Kumar shares the lessons, setbacks, and convictions that have shaped a remarkable career, offering a candid guide for the next generation of founders.
Made In Fire || Rajnish Kumar
Zubeen Garg: The Voice that Bridged Worlds — Prosenjit Nath
A deeply felt tribute to one of Assam’s most beloved musicians. Prosenjit Nath traces Zubeen Garg’s extraordinary journey — from the Brahmaputra Valley to the hearts of listeners across India and the diaspora — exploring the music, the man, and the bridges he built between worlds.
Zubeen Garg || Prosenjit Nath
All titles available at penguinbooksindia.com and leading bookstores from June 2026.
The days are longer, the afternoons languid, and the air hums with that particular restlessness that only summer brings. There is no better season to lose oneself between the pages of a great book — whether it’s the cool refuge of an air-conditioned corner or a breezy evening on the balcony with something tall and cold in hand.
This May, we’ve gathered a selection of reads that are as expansive and varied as the season itself. From sweeping narratives that demand your full, unhurried attention to stories that slip by like a perfect afternoon — there is something here for every kind of reader and every kind of summer day.
So set aside the to-do lists, let the hours stretch, and let these books take you somewhere new. Summer, after all, was made for reading.
Discovery of New India – Aakar Patel, PenPencil Draw
Discovery of New India maps a decade of political change with wit and clarity — nationalism, governance, and public policy unpacked through conversation, companionship, and a beautifully illustrated graphic format that makes the complex feel refreshingly human.
Discovery of New India || Aakar Patel, PenPencil Draw
Save Soil – Radhe Jaggi
One man, a motorcycle, and a mission to save the earth beneath our feet. Save Soil chronicles Sadhguru’s extraordinary 100-day, 30,000 km journey across the globe — a movement that rallied billions and placed soil health at the heart of the world’s conversation about our collective future.
Save Soil || Radhe Jaggi
Slow Burn – Amal Singh
A failed actor. A shattered mirror. A Mumbai where he’s a star. Slow Burn is a dazzling, disorienting journey into fame, illusion, and the life we think we want — until the glittering façade cracks and the real question surfaces: is failure truly worse than this?
Slow Burn || Amal Singh
India’s Most Dangerous Serial Killer – Rakesh Goswami
India’s Most Dangerous Serial Killer reconstructs the chilling true story of Shankariya Kanpatimar — drawn from police files and firsthand reportage — probing how a petty thief became a predator, and what his crimes reveal about the society that quietly enabled them.
India’s Most Dangerous Serial Killer || Rakesh Goswami
Creator to Crorepati – Aaditya Iyengar
Going viral is just the beginning. Creator to Crorepati cuts through the noise with a clear, practical framework for building a content career that actually pays — because monetising your creativity isn’t a matter of luck. It’s a skill, and this book shows you exactly how to learn it.
Creator to Crorepati || Aaditya Iyengar
The Girls Are Not Fine – Harnidh Kaur
Harnidh Kaur’s part-confession, part-critique gives language to what so many carry in silence — and that, finally, is where it all begins. The Girls Are Not Fine names the invisible labour, the emotional mathematics, and the quiet shrinking that women navigate every day.
The Girls Are Not Fine || Harnidh Kaur
Out of the Nest – Ambika Agarwal
Every parent is trying. But trying isn’t always enough — awareness is. Out of the Nest is a warm, honest guide that invites parents to examine how they were shaped, how they love, and how, with gentleness and intention, they can choose to do both a little better each day.
Out of the Nest || Ambika Agarwal
Memories on a Platter – Rohini Rana
From a colonial-era kitchen to a Nepali Rana household to tables across the world, Memories on a Platter is a cookbook steeped in heritage and travel. Rohini Rana revives lost recipes and weaves them into something entirely her own — food as memory, identity, and living, breathing craft.
Memories on a Platter || Rohini Rana
Rootless and Restless – Shivya Nath
From the Arctic to Uzbekistan, Iran to the Pacific, Rootless and Restless follows Shivya Nath into the world’s most quietly extraordinary corners. A journey far beyond destinations — this is travel as transformation, a search for stories, traditions, and ways of life that remind us how vast the world truly is.
Rootless and Restless || Shivya Nath
Root Leaf Fire – Luke Coutinho, Sheeba de Souza
Food as nourishment, medicine, and art. Root Leaf Fire blends Luke Coutinho’s wellness philosophy with Sheeba de Souza’s gift for beautiful, mindful cooking — a guide that returns eating to its truest purpose, weaving simple recipes into joyful, restorative rituals for a healthier, more present everyday life.
Root Leaf Fire || Sheeba de Souza, Luke Coutinho
Your Body, Your Gym – Namrata Purohit
Your Body, Your Gym by Namrata Purohit is a straightforward, empowering guide to using bodyweight training to build strength, reduce stress, and feel genuinely well — proving that the most powerful fitness machine you’ll ever need is the one you already have.
Your Body Your Gym || Namrata Purohit
The Wanderer Who Owns the World – Sri Yogi
What does it mean to truly own the world? The Wanderer Who Owns the World draws from ancient Indian philosophy to explore a quietly radical answer — that real freedom comes not from grasping, but from letting go. A profound, gentle guide for anyone seeking meaning beneath the noise of living.
The Wanderer Who Owns The World
Be Better Live Better – Dr Hansaji Yogendra
Change begins within. Be Better, Live Better distils wisdom from ancient texts and global thought leaders into 21 accessible practices for a more mindful, fulfilled life. Dr Hansaji Yogendra offers not just guidance, but a gentle invitation to reconnect with who you truly are beneath the pace of modern living.
Be Better Live Better | Dr Hansaji Yogendra
The Founder Manual – Utsav Somani
No pitch decks, no mythology — just the unfiltered truth of building a business that sustains. The Founder Manual draws from 100+ hours of conversations with India’s most compelling founders to deliver the brutally honest, emotionally real field guide that every entrepreneur wishes had existed on Day 1.
The Founder Manual || Utsav Somani
Open Intelligence – Saikat Majumdar
As AI reshapes learning, what does it mean to truly educate? Open Intelligence by Saikat Majumdar navigates the critical intersection of human potential and artificial intelligence — a timely, research-grounded exploration of how education must evolve to remain genuinely human in an increasingly artificial world.
Open Intelligence || Saikat Majumdar
MicroStimuli – Biju Dominic
In the final millisecond before a decision, behaviour can be shaped. MicroStimuli introduces a groundbreaking framework drawing on neuroscience, AI, and design to craft precision interventions that influence human action — a transformative read for anyone whose competitive edge depends on truly understanding what drives people to act.
MicroStimuli || Biju Dominic
From graphic novels unpacking a decade of political change to cookbooks steeped in memory and heritage, from serial killer true crime to the quiet philosophy of letting go; May’s reading list refuses to stay in one lane, and that’s exactly the point. There is something here for the summer afternoon you want to lose yourself in, and something for the one that makes you think a little harder about the world you’re living in.
Pick up one. Pick up several. The best thing about a good reading list is that it has no rules.
Some months arrive with a book or two worth talking about. April arrived with fourteen. This month’s new releases span centuries and continents, moving between Maratha battlefields and Mumbai’s marathon roads, between Everest base camps and the boardrooms of Hindustan Unilever — and somehow, every single one of them has something urgent to say.
Gangrene – Akshaya Kumar, Navdeep Singh
Akshaya Kumar & Navdeep Singh Rot beneath the surface makes for the most arresting literature. This anthology excavates Punjabi Dalit life with unflinching honesty — stories where caste wounds fester quietly and explode loudly. Searing, essential, and long overdue, Gangrene is the anthology that refuses to let comfortable readers stay comfortable.
Gangrene || Akshaya Kumar, Navdeep Singh
A CEO’s Brew Stirred with Passion, Purpose and Humbition – Sanjiv Mehta
Sanjiv Mehta Twenty-one years, five continents, sixty billion dollars — and Sanjiv Mehta still believes humility is a superpower. Part memoir, part masterclass, this is the story of how a man with ‘Humbition’ turned Hindustan Unilever into a global gold standard. Served strong, no sugar-coating required.
A CEO’s Brew || Sanjiv Mehta
The Star from Calcutta – Sujata Massey
Bombay, 1922: a movie censor is murdered, a leading lady vanishes, and India’s first female lawyer Perveen Mistry has front-row seats to early Bollywood’s darkest drama. Glamour, intrigue, and a courtroom mind — Massey’s fifth Perveen Mistry mystery is a blockbuster in every sense.
The Star from Calcutta || Sujata Massey
A Fire over Mount Everest – Siddharth Kak
Siddharth Kak Everest doesn’t care about your ambitions. It chooses who climbs it. Documentary filmmaker Siddharth Kak embedded with an expedition and returned with a story no camera could fully capture — of triumph, obsession, rivalry, and a mountain that humbles even the best-prepared humans.
A Fire over Mount Everest || Siddharth Kak
India’s Forests: Revisiting Nature and History -Arupjyoti Saikia, Mahesh Rangarajan
Trees have long memories. This richly researched volume recasts India’s forests not merely as ecology but as history — arenas of colonial ambition, peasant resistance, and ecological reckoning. A book for anyone who thought the jungle was just scenery.
Before he became the most controversial mystic of the 20th century, Osho was a magnificently rebellious small boy in Madhya Pradesh. This memoir of his early years is funny, irreverent, and surprisingly tender — the origin story of a man who never once obeyed an instruction he hadn’t interrogated first.
Glimpses of A Golden Childhood || Osho
Mumbai Marathon – Aarambh M. Singh
42.195 kilometres. One impossibly chaotic city. Millions of stories pounding the pavement. Filmmaker-turned-author Aarambhh M Singh captures the Mumbai Marathon as only a storyteller can — not just as a race, but as a mirror of the city’s relentless, breathless, magnificent spirit.
Mumbai Marathon || Aarambh M. Singh
Building India’s Upstarts – Narasimhan Raghavan
No VC money. No safety net. Just grit, jugaad, and a refusal to quit. Drawing on India’s most resourceful founders, this playbook is for entrepreneurs who’d rather build something real than pitch decks endlessly. Practical, honest, and proudly bootstrapped in spirit.
Building India’s Upstarts | R. Narasimhan
From Mundane to Meaningful – Nasir Zaidi
Twenty-eight years in banking taught Nasir Zaidi that the extraordinary is hiding inside the ordinary — you just need the right lens. Part self-help, part memoir, this book coaches professionals to stop sleepwalking through their careers and start crafting lives worth actually living.
From Mundane to Meaningful || Nasir Zaidi
Queen Tara – Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran
Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran From the ashes of defeat, a warrior is forged. Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran brings us another blazing chapter of Maratha history through a woman who chose to fight when surrender would have been easier. Vivid, immersive, and resolutely feminist — Queen Tara earns its throne.
Queen Tara || Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran
Almost Sixteen – Arsh Verma
A serving IPS officer writes about the treacherous terrain of being almost — but not quite — sixteen. Part coming-of-age, part dark comedy, Arsh Verma turns the universal awkwardness of adolescence into something unexpectedly luminous. A page-turner that remembers exactly how strange youth feels.
Almost Sixteen || Arsh Verma
From Guerrilla Fighter to Chief Minister: A Memoir – Zoramthanga
From armed insurgency to the Chief Minister’s chair — Zoramthanga’s life is one of India’s most remarkable political transformations. This memoir charts Mizoram’s journey from conflict to peace with rare candour, and reminds us that conviction, not compromise, is what endures.
From Guerrilla Fighter to Chief Minister || Zoramthanga
Hawk’s Quest – Deepa Agarwal
NCERT award-winning author Deepa Agarwal takes young readers on an adventure as swift and sharp-eyed as a hawk in flight. A quest story that soars across landscape and legend, reminding readers of all ages that courage is simply curiosity that refused to turn back.
The Hawk’s Quest || Deepa Agarwal
Upanishads and J Krishnamurti – Sri M
What happens when ancient Vedic wisdom meets the most rebellious philosopher of the 20th century? Sri M — yogi, Padma Bhushan laureate, and personal acquaintance of Krishnamurti — finds surprising harmony between tradition and transcendence. Quietly radical, deeply thought-provoking.
Upanishads and J Krishnamurti || Sri M
At Penguin India, we believe reading is never just an escape. It’s a way of paying attention. And this April, we’ve given you fourteen new ways to do exactly that.
History Unpacked: The Why, When and What of Ancient India
Forget dusty dates and yawning over dynasties. This witty guide unpacks Ancient India—from the Stone Age to the Golden Age—through hilarious stories, quirky maps, and baffling connections. History finally makes sense (and stays fun) for curious minds aged ten-plus.
History Unpacked: The Why, When and What of Ancient India || Saisudha Acharya
The Padmas
From the football field to the laboratory, these fifty illustrated biographies celebrate seven decades of India’s highest civilian honors. A stirring collection of grit and greatness, it proves that perseverance turns ordinary dreams into extraordinary legacies for readers aged eight-plus.
The Padmas | Neha J. Hiranandani
The People of the Indus
Unravel the enigma of the Indus through this meticulously researched graphic narrative. From 3200 BCE to its mysterious decline, experience a visually stunning journey that replaces dull dates with the vibrant, everyday lives of a civilization that reshaped human history.
The People of the Indus | Nikhil Gulati, Jonathan Mark Kenoyer
The Incredible History of India’s Geography
From ostriches roaming the plains to being related to a blond Lithuanian, this trivia-packed journey explores the “unbelievable” in India’s geography. Full of quirky illustrations, it turns complex history into a fantastic, fact-filled adventure for curious minds aged twelve-plus.
The Incredible History of India’s Geography | Sanjeev Sanyal
A Children’s History of India in 100 Objects
From prehistoric hand axes to the iconic HMT watch, discover the vibrant pulse of India through 100 extraordinary objects. This colorfully illustrated journey captures the voices of both rulers and commoners, weaving a rich tapestry of history, identity, and culture for young readers.
A Children’s History of India in 100 Objects | Devika Cariapa
The Constitution of India for Children
From the colorful Republic Day parade to the seventeen-day countdown of its creation, this essential handbook brings India’s foundational document to life. Packed with cheerful illustrations and surprising facts, it transforms legal complexity into an engaging, witty guide for every young citizen.
The Constitution of India for Children | Subhadra Sen Gupta
Whether you’re tracing the Indus or discovering why your ancestors might be Lithuanian, these stories prove that the past is anything but boring. Dive into these essential reads to see India’s legacy in a whole new light—because understanding where we came from is the ultimate adventure.
Read an exclusive excerpt from Why The Constitution Matters.
Feminist Lawyering and Feminist Judging
Q1: What, if anything, does feminism add to the task of judging?
What feminism adds to the task of judging is an acknowledgement of the value of the female experience, which facilitates inquiry and reflection. It is an intervention into the legal space that seeks to challenge the ongoing exclusion of women from legal subjectivity, ‘whether as the authors of legal decisions and doctrine, or as the subjects upon whose knowledge, experience, activities and concerns law is founded’.
It has been argued by feminist scholars that ‘law does not simply operate on pre-existing gendered realities, but contributes to the construction of those realities, often in a constraining or damaging way’. A feminist perspective on the laws essentially aims to disrupt this process of gender construction and to introduce different accounts of gender that might be less limiting for women.
Feminist judgments provide additional ‘social framework’ material that places the particular facts of the case and/or the legal issues involved in a broader context. In The Gender of Judgments, Reg Graycar has questioned the sources of judges’ knowledge of the world and suggested that such knowledge is ‘(masculine) gendered’.
Feminist judgments are an endeavour to correct this imbalance. It represents an attempt to tackle the power and authority of the law and its impact on the lives of women, not from the distance of academic critique but on its own ground through an alternative judgment method.
One of the most important contributions of feminist thought to the process of judging is the form of addition of fresh perspectives. The Importance of Diversity: Erika Rackley, a legal scholar, whose research focuses on judicial diversity, explains that diversity ‘acts as a catalyst for disruption; impacting upon the legal monotony, destabilising its taken-for-granted assumptions and uncovering alternative ways of seeing, understanding, and judging’. In this way, sex is only one point of difference, as women judicial officers often bring a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives to the role as compared to their ‘benchmark’ male counterparts. In addition to the laws, judicial decisions are inevitably influenced by the judges’ personal values and perspectives. A rich body of feminist scholarship, including feminist theories and methods, has helped shape the feminist approach to judging.
Feminist literature does not dictate specific results but rather provides valuable procedural suggestions on how feminist judging can take place in practice. Though the substantive decision reached depends largely on the meaning of the term ‘feminism’ to the particular judge, there are various methods adopted by judges to promote the substantive goal of feminism—the achievement of equality in society. These include:
a) Challenging the gender bias in legal doctrine, which includes taking efforts to identify and overcome gender bias in legal principles. It also involves recognizing that the law is an inherently gendered framework. Correcting this imbalance involves questioning the current legal construction of the term ‘woman’, and intervening to challenge and confront sexism, racism and gender bias.
b) Asking the woman question(s), which involves identifying the gender implications of rules which appear to be neutral. Asking this question also leads to discussion about other forms of exclusion (based on religion, race, etc.) that may be operating in a particular case. (Such intersectionality in India, for example, would mean a Dalit woman or a Muslim woman.)
c) Contextualization, which involves an exercise in feminist practical reasoning, which entails a reasoning from context that focuses on a woman’s lived experience. This aids a judge in making an individualized rather than an abstract decision.
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Get your copy of Why The Constitution Matters on Amazon or wherever books are sold.
We’ve curated a collection of high-potential titles that already possess what matters most: strong content and deeply relevant themes. These aren’t just books—they’re blueprints for navigating modern life’s most pressing challenges. From cultivating self-love to mastering the art of rest, from finding courage to rewriting your reality through manifestation, each title offers readers a genuine pathway to transformation.
Our mission is simple yet ambitious: to position these books as modern essentials—the kind of reads people press into friends’ hands, quote on social media, and return to again and again.
In a world saturated with content, certain books stand apart—not because they shout the loudest, but because they speak directly to what we need most.
Why Richard Osman Is Everyone’s Favourite Detective Writer (Who’s Not Actually a Detective)
What do you get when you mix laugh-out-loud humour, deeply human characters, and fiendishly clever mysteries? You get Richard Osman—bestselling author, TV presenter, and the man who turned cozy crime into a global phenomenon.
He first captured the world with The Thursday Murder Club—a retirement village crime-solving squad so lovable they’ve sold millions of copies and landed their own Netflix movie. Now, Osman’s back with a brand-new series, We Solve Murders—a globe-trotting adventure with a sharp new detective team and plenty of danger.
Whether you’re new to Osman or looking to dive deeper into his worlds, here’s your essential reading guide.
The Thursday Murder Club Series
It all began in Cooper’s Chase, a quiet English retirement village with four very un-quiet residents. Every Thursday, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron meet to pore over cold cases—until a real murder lands on their doorstep.
Over four books, the Thursday Murder Club take on spies, stolen diamonds, TV scandals, and some of the most emotional cases of their lives. Osman balances humor, warmth, and sharp detective work in a way that makes the series utterly addictive.
The books in order:
The Thursday Murder Club
The Man Who Died Twice
The Bullet That Missed
The Last Devil to Die
We Solve Murders
After conquering retirement villages, Osman turns up the dial with a brand-new detective duo.
Meet Steve Wheeler: a retired investigator who would rather stick to pub quizzes and his cat, Trouble.
Meet Amy Wheeler: his daughter-in-law, whose day job protecting billionaires comes with a serious adrenaline rush.
When Amy’s latest assignment—guarding a world-famous author—spirals into a murder, a bag of money, and a deadly chase, Steve is reluctantly pulled back into the game. What follows is a race around the world, where family ties prove just as important as detective skills.
Osman calls it crime fiction with a wink: thrilling, funny, and heartfelt.
Upcoming Events
Big things are on the horizon! We have tied up with book clubs to bring to you a 7-city events tour.
Collaborations & Goodies
We have teamed up with Frankly Wearing, a brand that blends fashion with literary wit. At our upcoming sessions, readers can take part in fun games and activities—winners will walk away with exclusive Osman-themed merchandise. Explore the collection here.
So, Where Will You Begin?
Will it be the cozy charm and razor-sharp wit of The Thursday Murder Club, where retirees solve crimes between cups of tea? Or the adrenaline-fueled, globe-trotting adventure of We Solve Murders, where family ties are tested against ruthless killers?
Whichever series you choose, Richard Osman promises clever mysteries, unforgettable characters, and plenty of laughter along the way.
A new month brings new adventures, and this September, young readers have a treasure trove of stories waiting for them. From fierce queens and powerful empresses to tales of technology and the fight for our planet, these August releases are brimming with inspiration, courage, and curiosity. Here are four books that promise to brighten your child’s reading list this month:
Queen of Water by Devika Rangachari
Step into the grandeur of the Chola dynasty with the story of Kundavai Pirattiyar, a princess who refused to be confined by tradition. In Queen of Water, acclaimed historian Devika Rangachari brings to life the little-known tale of a remarkable woman who became advisor to two mighty monarchs. Perfect for young history buffs, this novel explores power, loyalty, and the strength it takes to stand up for one’s legacy.
Queen of Water || Devika Rangachari
Tiger Slayer: The Extraordinary Story of Nur Jahan, Empress of India by Ruby Lal
Four centuries ago, a Muslim woman ruled one of the greatest empires in the world. Nur Jahan was no ordinary queen—she led armies, hunted tigers, designed buildings, and even issued royal decrees in her own name. Historian Ruby Lal and artist Molly Crabapple capture Nur’s dazzling story with rich narrative and stunning illustrations. A must-read for teens, Tiger Slayer brings Mughal India alive while celebrating one of history’s most daring women.
Tiger Slayer: The Extraordinary Story of Nur Jahan, Empress of India || Ruby Lal
Uncoded: A Technological History of Independent India by Meghaa Gupta
How did a newly independent nation, riddled with challenges, transform into a global technology powerhouse? Uncodedtraces India’s fascinating technological journey—from the early days of nation-building to the rise of space missions and software giants. Packed with illustrations, trivia, memes, and timelines, this isn’t just history—it’s an engaging look at how technology shapes our lives. Perfect for young readers who are curious about science, innovation, and the future.
Uncoded: A Technological History of Independent India || Meghaa Gupta
The Sunshine Project by Uma Krishnaswami
Climate change meets courage in this thoughtful tale for younger readers. When Anil discovers that a new solar factory threatens his city’s mangrove forests and the fisherfolk who depend on them, he must learn to speak up—even when it feels hard. With warmth, friendship, and environmental awareness at its heart, The Sunshine Project empowers children to think critically about the world around them and the role they can play in protecting it.
The Sunshine Project || Uma Krishnaswami
Why These Reads?
Together, these four books spark imagination and inquiry—whether it’s through history, science, or the pressing issues of our time. They invite children to question, to dream, and to believe that their voices matter. This September, let young readers step into stories that expand their minds and strengthen their hearts.
The Battle for Baramulla by Mallika Ravikumar
In 1947 Kashmir, young Zooni and Maqbool Sherwani stand their ground as invaders approach. A gripping tale of courage, friendship, and resistance in the face of war.
The Battle for Baramulla || Mallika Ravikumar
The Great Indian Safari by Arefa Tehsin
A wild ride through India’s forests with tigers, whales, and strange creatures galore. Tehsin’s safari teaches kids to love and protect the wild.
The Great Indian Safari || Arefa Tehsin
A Girl, A Tiger and a Very Strange Story by Paro Anand
Junglee finds a tiger cub in a storm-struck forest and chooses empathy over fear. A magical tale of survival, courage, and unlikely friendships.
A Girl, A Tiger and a Very Strange Story || Paro Anand
What Could It Be? by Bharti Singh
A playful guessing game wrapped in rhymes and surprises. This interactive book sparks imagination with every turn of the page.
