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Drop Dead: A Niki Marwah Mystery
'I'm the Superintendent of Police, Shimla... And, with all due respect, sir, who the hell are you?'
When a body mysteriously appears at the bottom of the otherwise serene hills of Sonargam in peak tourist season, Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Niki Marwah, and her crack team of investigators must act quickly to find out how Rak Mehta, the hotshot President & CEO of a super-successful publishing company, landed there.
As they scour the grounds of the luxurious Lotus Resort, where Indigo's employees have checked in for their annual conference, the police team uncovers bitter rivalries, secret grudges and vicious lies – not to mention the victim's own sordid past that has made him more enemies than friends.
Lipstick stains, condoms, a notebook full of rambling code; bribery, mind games, broken promises - everything points to murder. And, with the list of suspects growing, it will take all of Niki’s ingenuity and skill to catch the killer before Sonargam's idyllic landscape is disrupted once again...
When a body mysteriously appears at the bottom of the otherwise serene hills of Sonargam in peak tourist season, Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Niki Marwah, and her crack team of investigators must act quickly to find out how Rak Mehta, the hotshot President & CEO of a super-successful publishing company, landed there.
As they scour the grounds of the luxurious Lotus Resort, where Indigo's employees have checked in for their annual conference, the police team uncovers bitter rivalries, secret grudges and vicious lies – not to mention the victim's own sordid past that has made him more enemies than friends.
Lipstick stains, condoms, a notebook full of rambling code; bribery, mind games, broken promises - everything points to murder. And, with the list of suspects growing, it will take all of Niki’s ingenuity and skill to catch the killer before Sonargam's idyllic landscape is disrupted once again...
328 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2012
6 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Swati Kaushal
12 books50 followersSwati Kaushal is the bestselling author of A Few Good Friends, Lethal Spice, Drop Dead, A Girl Like Me and Piece of Cake.
She was born in New Delhi, India, in a time before computers, cell phones, or social media. Despite these devastating privations, she has only happy memories of her childhood; of playing with her friends, of ice cream carts and orange bars, and of reading, reading, reading, to her heart’s content.
For college, she headed to Lady Shriram College in New Delhi where she earned a BA in Economics and an honorary doctorate in samosas, chai and galpal bonding.
During a two-year stint at The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Swati pursued her interests in marketing and mishti and masti and friends, graduating with a degree in marketing and a plan to revolutionize the world, one limited time offer at a time.
After six years of selling milk powder, dessert mixes and health beverages at Nestle, and a year of selling mobile phones at Nokia, Swati decided life was too short to not indulge her fantasy of writing something that required no budget approvals and had not a chance in hell of selling.
Et Voila, Piece Of Cake, which was a hoot to write, and became an instant bestseller and continues to provoke, confound, infuriate and entertain.
Swati’s second novel, A Girl Like Me, is a tribute to her awkward teenage years, chronicling through her heroine Ani Rai, the hardships, heartbreaks and redeeming friendships that are such a bittersweet rite of passage of teenage life.
Swati worked off the premise “who says a cop can’t be a girl?” to create Niki Marwah, the iconic heroine of her third and fourth novels, Drop Dead and Lethal Spice. Tough on crime but soft at heart, Niki pursues bad guys and romance with equal gusto, and was an instant hit with readers and critics, helping Swati get nominated for the Femina L’Oreal 2013 Women of Worth award.
A Few Good Friends, Swati’s latest book, is about the magical time that is college, and all the bittersweet ups and downs that come after, and the inevitable reckoning that is a 20-year reunion, so you should put aside all other plans, buy it immediately, and start reading it right now!
She was born in New Delhi, India, in a time before computers, cell phones, or social media. Despite these devastating privations, she has only happy memories of her childhood; of playing with her friends, of ice cream carts and orange bars, and of reading, reading, reading, to her heart’s content.
For college, she headed to Lady Shriram College in New Delhi where she earned a BA in Economics and an honorary doctorate in samosas, chai and galpal bonding.
During a two-year stint at The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Swati pursued her interests in marketing and mishti and masti and friends, graduating with a degree in marketing and a plan to revolutionize the world, one limited time offer at a time.
After six years of selling milk powder, dessert mixes and health beverages at Nestle, and a year of selling mobile phones at Nokia, Swati decided life was too short to not indulge her fantasy of writing something that required no budget approvals and had not a chance in hell of selling.
Et Voila, Piece Of Cake, which was a hoot to write, and became an instant bestseller and continues to provoke, confound, infuriate and entertain.
Swati’s second novel, A Girl Like Me, is a tribute to her awkward teenage years, chronicling through her heroine Ani Rai, the hardships, heartbreaks and redeeming friendships that are such a bittersweet rite of passage of teenage life.
Swati worked off the premise “who says a cop can’t be a girl?” to create Niki Marwah, the iconic heroine of her third and fourth novels, Drop Dead and Lethal Spice. Tough on crime but soft at heart, Niki pursues bad guys and romance with equal gusto, and was an instant hit with readers and critics, helping Swati get nominated for the Femina L’Oreal 2013 Women of Worth award.
A Few Good Friends, Swati’s latest book, is about the magical time that is college, and all the bittersweet ups and downs that come after, and the inevitable reckoning that is a 20-year reunion, so you should put aside all other plans, buy it immediately, and start reading it right now!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 15, 2012
Contemporary themes and relatable heroines might have been the intention but unfortunately the author gives both a miss.
It’s been long since I laid my hands on a chick-lit so keeping all my prejudices aside I ventured to read Swati Kaushal’s latest book Drop Dead which comes after Piece Of Cake and A Girl Like Me. Seems like Swati is a big fan of Priyanka Chopra, I counted more than two references to the Bollywood actor and if that is not enough, she gives these ridiculous nicknames to almost all her characters in her book like Kam, Rak for Rakesh and Faz for Faraz.
Enough of the grumbling, now let’s get down to business. The story is set in the slopes of Shimla in a fictional village with a fictional waterfall called Jharna Point. All the events in the story revolve around Jharna Point, the Lotus Resort and the surroundings. A famous publication company is on a team outing at this resort, their boss Rakesh Mehta is introduced to us as the scum of the Earth, ruthless, evil and basically he hits at anything that walks on two legs. All of his colleagues seem to have a bone to pick with him. A day into their arrival, Rak is found dead, smashing to smithereens at the bottom of a cliff. The death it seems happened due to a fall from the cable cars.
Enter our heroine SP Niki Marwah and her efficient team. Niki is this daring, no-nonsense duty-only cop, who will not rest until the culprits are found. She also believes she has to act like a man to survive in a man’s world. Then there is also her loud Punjabi family in the background references which pops up now and then. Also it’s difficult to not notice, what is a common theme in almost all books of this kind — the rebellious young girl of marriageable age whose family is hell bent on finding her a husband. Unfortunately for me, all the characters in the book are forgettable, save this mysterious woman with the red lipstick. Once the mystery woman is revealed, one’s interest in the story dies a natural death. The investigation moves around in circles and by the end it seems Swati is in a hurry to finish off her story, so then you have it — the end.
Swati’s story structure looks weak and wanting for a lot of pizzazz. Editing could have been much tighter and many irrelevant details could have been removed. All in all, it’s one of those books which you might not want to be picking up for a comfortable read.
It’s been long since I laid my hands on a chick-lit so keeping all my prejudices aside I ventured to read Swati Kaushal’s latest book Drop Dead which comes after Piece Of Cake and A Girl Like Me. Seems like Swati is a big fan of Priyanka Chopra, I counted more than two references to the Bollywood actor and if that is not enough, she gives these ridiculous nicknames to almost all her characters in her book like Kam, Rak for Rakesh and Faz for Faraz.
Enough of the grumbling, now let’s get down to business. The story is set in the slopes of Shimla in a fictional village with a fictional waterfall called Jharna Point. All the events in the story revolve around Jharna Point, the Lotus Resort and the surroundings. A famous publication company is on a team outing at this resort, their boss Rakesh Mehta is introduced to us as the scum of the Earth, ruthless, evil and basically he hits at anything that walks on two legs. All of his colleagues seem to have a bone to pick with him. A day into their arrival, Rak is found dead, smashing to smithereens at the bottom of a cliff. The death it seems happened due to a fall from the cable cars.
Enter our heroine SP Niki Marwah and her efficient team. Niki is this daring, no-nonsense duty-only cop, who will not rest until the culprits are found. She also believes she has to act like a man to survive in a man’s world. Then there is also her loud Punjabi family in the background references which pops up now and then. Also it’s difficult to not notice, what is a common theme in almost all books of this kind — the rebellious young girl of marriageable age whose family is hell bent on finding her a husband. Unfortunately for me, all the characters in the book are forgettable, save this mysterious woman with the red lipstick. Once the mystery woman is revealed, one’s interest in the story dies a natural death. The investigation moves around in circles and by the end it seems Swati is in a hurry to finish off her story, so then you have it — the end.
Swati’s story structure looks weak and wanting for a lot of pizzazz. Editing could have been much tighter and many irrelevant details could have been removed. All in all, it’s one of those books which you might not want to be picking up for a comfortable read.
March 4, 2016
"I'm the Superindent of Police, Shimla....And with all due respect, sir, who the hell are you?"- S. P. Niki Marwah
Murder mystery novels can be very intriguing to read. If you start reading a murder mystery novel, you will not keep it down unless you reach the last page.
In my room, there is a carton filled with books. Some books I brought around two or three years back. As I finished Nicholas Sparks' "Three Weeks with my brother", I thought of hunting down for a book in that carton. I started picking a book after another and as I saw "Drop Dead", I thought let us read this as it is a murder mystery. But, I never had a courage to read a book by a new author as it can come bad and I will waste my time reading this.
I opened the book and read the first few pages. It was quite boring. But when it reached that particular point, where the murder takes place and as the secrets were revealed slowly, I did not want to put the book down. It became more interesting.
Though the book was great, there were some confusions when it came to writing as there were some punctuation errors. Also, the book is not divided into chapters. If you start reading, then you will never be able to put the book down.
It is common when the author wants to describe about the actions taken by the culprit, they will not refer to his name rather they will refer him by "he" or "she" and they will reveal about him in the climax. That has been done neatly by the author but there can be certain confusion about that.
Murder mystery novels can be very intriguing to read. If you start reading a murder mystery novel, you will not keep it down unless you reach the last page.
In my room, there is a carton filled with books. Some books I brought around two or three years back. As I finished Nicholas Sparks' "Three Weeks with my brother", I thought of hunting down for a book in that carton. I started picking a book after another and as I saw "Drop Dead", I thought let us read this as it is a murder mystery. But, I never had a courage to read a book by a new author as it can come bad and I will waste my time reading this.
I opened the book and read the first few pages. It was quite boring. But when it reached that particular point, where the murder takes place and as the secrets were revealed slowly, I did not want to put the book down. It became more interesting.
Though the book was great, there were some confusions when it came to writing as there were some punctuation errors. Also, the book is not divided into chapters. If you start reading, then you will never be able to put the book down.
It is common when the author wants to describe about the actions taken by the culprit, they will not refer to his name rather they will refer him by "he" or "she" and they will reveal about him in the climax. That has been done neatly by the author but there can be certain confusion about that.
November 24, 2012
Niki Marwah, the Supritendent of Police, Shimla is gearing up to attend the birthday functions of her indomitable grandmother when she gets the news of mysterious dead body.
A little investigation later they realise that they have a big case in their hands. The body is of none other than Rak Mehta, President & CEO of a super-successful publishing company Indigo. What they discover at the Lotus resort where the Indigo team was putting up for their conference, they realise that nothing is as simple as it looks.
Besides the office politics there are grudges, rivalries, lies and the fact that Rak was one of the most hated people in company complicates the matter further. There are several suspects, each have solid reasons to murder Rak.
Niki and her super-efficient team get on with the task catch the killer before Sonargam's idyllic landscape is disrupted once again.
My Verdict
I have kept the story description at bare minimum because a good thriller is best read. Did I say good? Yes! I meant it. Set in a fictional town of Himachal Pradesh this books works for me at many counts
It has smart lines & smart writing
The characters are well etched, they are sharp and say all the right things and for me that is a major plus. I have always fallen over heels for smart talkers and the book won over me on that count. I especially liked the character of Niki’s assistant, the internet savy Inspector Sahay!
The police for a change is not our stereotype police. Not that the ones described in this book are easy to find but then ultimately you can think good at least in fiction ;-)
The setting of the book is beautiful
Signs of a good mystery for me are when I am unable to guess the culprit correctly & when it skips all stereotypes and the book works on both the counts. For a change I was wrong as far as who-dun-it was concerned
The book is fast paced & doesn’t give you much to think about.
Some little things that I didn’t like about the book were, the authors attempt to make Niki’s character a little on the lines of our usual chick lit protagonist. I mean ok
But all that does not take away the fact that the book is entertaining, fast paced and a good thriller. Waiting for more in the series to come :-)
A little investigation later they realise that they have a big case in their hands. The body is of none other than Rak Mehta, President & CEO of a super-successful publishing company Indigo. What they discover at the Lotus resort where the Indigo team was putting up for their conference, they realise that nothing is as simple as it looks.
Besides the office politics there are grudges, rivalries, lies and the fact that Rak was one of the most hated people in company complicates the matter further. There are several suspects, each have solid reasons to murder Rak.
Niki and her super-efficient team get on with the task catch the killer before Sonargam's idyllic landscape is disrupted once again.
My Verdict
I have kept the story description at bare minimum because a good thriller is best read. Did I say good? Yes! I meant it. Set in a fictional town of Himachal Pradesh this books works for me at many counts
It has smart lines & smart writing
The characters are well etched, they are sharp and say all the right things and for me that is a major plus. I have always fallen over heels for smart talkers and the book won over me on that count. I especially liked the character of Niki’s assistant, the internet savy Inspector Sahay!
The police for a change is not our stereotype police. Not that the ones described in this book are easy to find but then ultimately you can think good at least in fiction ;-)
The setting of the book is beautiful
Signs of a good mystery for me are when I am unable to guess the culprit correctly & when it skips all stereotypes and the book works on both the counts. For a change I was wrong as far as who-dun-it was concerned
The book is fast paced & doesn’t give you much to think about.
Some little things that I didn’t like about the book were, the authors attempt to make Niki’s character a little on the lines of our usual chick lit protagonist. I mean ok
But all that does not take away the fact that the book is entertaining, fast paced and a good thriller. Waiting for more in the series to come :-)
Read
October 11, 2015Have been a fan of Swati Kaushal from the time I read - a girl like me. Drop dead is an engaging read with an interesting plot to solve . The book gives quite a visionary of hills , hamlets, resorts and the beauty of it and how even a beautiful spot can become an eerie crime scene! S.P.Marwah did remind me of Priyanka Chopra and captain mathur hence effortlessly became srk to me ;) :p I am longing for a trip to hills now. The various characters of indigo team are nicely sketched ! Guessing the killer was easy to me and only fault is that few scenes and descriptions felt redundant. Nevertheless makes a good read :)
January 13, 2020
Great book, great setting Delhi ( especially as I have been in India for 3 weeks and about to go to Delhi, fun likeable characters, good story.
January 31, 2024
This book gives you a very bollywood filmy vibes. However, after reading it I won’t say it’s a best murder mystery, the story is slow and dull.
Lot of unnecessary details about the surrounding, hotels, rooms and weather, it’s too much to handle and goes beyond your imagination and they don’t make any contribution to the story.
Using short forms for character only in some places makes it hard to remember the reference especially when there are multiple characters juggling in the story.
For me the story took pace after reading 250 pages, and right before climax is gonna arrive there is another episode where the super women of the story goes to her home to meet her daadi, which completely throws you away from the storyline and you loose the interest.
Then comes the heroic climax, and once you know the killers motive, it doesn’t surprises you as it is almost expected.
The only good thing about this book is, you keep guessing the killer till the very end.
Lot of unnecessary details about the surrounding, hotels, rooms and weather, it’s too much to handle and goes beyond your imagination and they don’t make any contribution to the story.
Using short forms for character only in some places makes it hard to remember the reference especially when there are multiple characters juggling in the story.
For me the story took pace after reading 250 pages, and right before climax is gonna arrive there is another episode where the super women of the story goes to her home to meet her daadi, which completely throws you away from the storyline and you loose the interest.
Then comes the heroic climax, and once you know the killers motive, it doesn’t surprises you as it is almost expected.
The only good thing about this book is, you keep guessing the killer till the very end.
May 17, 2014
This book was the perfect choice as I tore between the two weddings I was helping organize for next month (that SERIOUSLY impeded my ability to read). The actual reading was light, but the characters were endearing enough that I was able to keep track of them without needing to re-read or draw charts. And the mystery itself twisted and turned enough that I was neither frustrated nor disappointed when I reached the end. In fact, the author successfully had me sure of the wrong culprit's guilt several times, which just doesn't happen that often anymore in my procedural filled life.
I particularly enjoyed Niki Marwah. I'll definitely be looking for more books featuring her (though I may shelve them with my guilty pleasures).
I particularly enjoyed Niki Marwah. I'll definitely be looking for more books featuring her (though I may shelve them with my guilty pleasures).
July 9, 2014
After reading Swati Kaushal’s 'Drop Dead', I am forced to ask:
1. Have the publishers Hachette done a hatchet job?
(or)
2. Has the editor dropped dead?
Observe the plethora of errors:
"buiness" on P.80
Abdullah described as "infertile" on P.189 and "impotent" on P.190. There is a difference and he is actually sterile. Had he been impotent, he would not be seducing ladies left and right.
"unobtrusive corner" as opposed to...?
Ashtrays provided in a no smoking hotel...
Missing spaces...
Missing quotation marks...
British spelling used but US sentence construction (e.g. went out the door)...
1. Have the publishers Hachette done a hatchet job?
(or)
2. Has the editor dropped dead?
Observe the plethora of errors:
"buiness" on P.80
Abdullah described as "infertile" on P.189 and "impotent" on P.190. There is a difference and he is actually sterile. Had he been impotent, he would not be seducing ladies left and right.
"unobtrusive corner" as opposed to...?
Ashtrays provided in a no smoking hotel...
Missing spaces...
Missing quotation marks...
British spelling used but US sentence construction (e.g. went out the door)...
July 6, 2015
A good one time read for those who are interested in whodunit kinda stuff. The language is simple with occasional usage of Hindi words and also some cuss words. The plot is neatly woven and you keep guessing till the very end of the book. The locations showcased are also fresh. The protagonist is a lady cop and her assistants form a good team and crack the case. None of the characters shown are clean and many have shady pasts and all are capable committing the murder as all have motives and grudge against the deceased.
But who is the actual killer and what was the motive forms the crux of the story.
Final Verdict: A One time Read.
But who is the actual killer and what was the motive forms the crux of the story.
Final Verdict: A One time Read.
October 15, 2012
If you're looking for a chick-lit novel that's a little more than chick-lit, this is it!
Niki Marwah, tough and stylish cop is quite an interesting character; and the mystery really works its way into your thoughts for as long as you're reading the book!
I got the book on Friday, and before my weekend ended; I was done reading it!
What works - Niki's banter with Kam, Niki's awesome Dadi, sauve but cheeky ASP Sahay, the fact that I kept guessing and couldn't predict the end!
What doesn't work - Captain Ram and that entire angle, I wish Niki's character was brought out a little more
Niki Marwah, tough and stylish cop is quite an interesting character; and the mystery really works its way into your thoughts for as long as you're reading the book!
I got the book on Friday, and before my weekend ended; I was done reading it!
What works - Niki's banter with Kam, Niki's awesome Dadi, sauve but cheeky ASP Sahay, the fact that I kept guessing and couldn't predict the end!
What doesn't work - Captain Ram and that entire angle, I wish Niki's character was brought out a little more
October 17, 2012
A crackling new murder mystery. I picked it up for a plane ride and just couldn't put it down, was reading it while waiting for my bags...once the pages start turning, you're going to be in for quite a ride. The central character, SP Niki Marwah is contemporary, edgy and intriguing, and her supporting team is quite a cast as well. The novel is set in a fictional town in the hills, and Niki's team is racing to solve the murder of a very important but also very nasty corporate CEO. With lots of enemies, it makes for a tangled web, but Swati untangles it skilfully...kept me guessing. Enjoy!
November 24, 2012
I need more time to actually formulate my thoughts on this. In short, the review will take up an entire blog post.
But I can say that
1. Niki Marwah is a strong, determined woman and the character is etched so well that she stays with you..be it her work-ethics or her terrific fashion sense - she is a treat!
2. The book is a mystery and the suspense is tight till the end. Never bored me.
.
.
.
and
anyone who compares this with the crappy chick-lit bestsellers needs to be hit on the head with the nearest hard-bound book.
But I can say that
1. Niki Marwah is a strong, determined woman and the character is etched so well that she stays with you..be it her work-ethics or her terrific fashion sense - she is a treat!
2. The book is a mystery and the suspense is tight till the end. Never bored me.
.
.
.
and
anyone who compares this with the crappy chick-lit bestsellers needs to be hit on the head with the nearest hard-bound book.
October 15, 2012
A fun, fast paced murder mystery. Characters, storyline and situations are well developed and highly believable. Loved the setting in Shimla too. Clearly Kaushal has done her research well, which is what makes the book so real and interesting to read. A must read for mystery lovers, and also recommended for all those who just like a well written book.
October 19, 2012
Wow! a brilliant murder mystery set in and around the hills of Shimla. An excellent and intricately woven plot, fast paced and with characters you can relate to. The description of the locations is so vivid and attractive that you want to book your next holiday there!
Can't wait to read what Niki Marwah is upto in her next case.
Can't wait to read what Niki Marwah is upto in her next case.
December 16, 2012
was a bit skeptical about the book as havent heard 'bot the author i was thinking it could nothr one of dose amateurish trysts of Indian writers which has taken the market by storm..
bt finding quite the opposite. the writing language is good and easy, and the writer has spun a good web which keeps the readers engrossed.
bt finding quite the opposite. the writing language is good and easy, and the writer has spun a good web which keeps the readers engrossed.
January 3, 2013
after a long time I read an amazing mystery novel which kept me hooked till the end. The suspense is too good. The characters are well written and the climax is spine chilling.It definitely leaves it's mark on the reader.I would definitely recommend it as a sure read if you are into reading mystery.
November 4, 2013
My read in between two serious books and worked wonderfully well! For once, an Indian author didn't use sex and protagonists obsessed with sex to sell the book. Simple mystery done well. Creates the scene pretty well.
Only wish all our police force behaved like Niki Marwah's troop! :)
Only wish all our police force behaved like Niki Marwah's troop! :)
October 19, 2012
A good mystery story to curl up with on a rainy day. Well written with a good plot. Niki Marwah has instincts that cannot be matched. Has interesting characters who are up to date.
March 17, 2013
Well written. Publishers dying left and right - good, wholesome entertainment.
April 13, 2013
Time pass
October 19, 2013
So I liked Niki Marwah. Sue me.
September 22, 2013
Good story. Presentation OK. Language OK. The plot and narration could have been better.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews