Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
If you love a good whodunit but flinch at excessive gore, The Seventh Swar is for you. Natasha Sharma blends murder mystery, rom-com, and historical intrigue into a racy, crisp, witty and sensorially rich novel set in Mumbai, a city that breathes, hums, and occasionally overwhelms alongside the story.
At the heart of the novel is Satyadarshi, an ex-cop turned private investigator who is refreshingly human. She is intelligent but imperfect, sharp yet emotionally messy, and instantly relatable. Natasha resists the temptation of turning her protagonist into a super-detective. Instead, Satyadarshi’s flaws, her self-doubt, her complicated personal life, her affection for canines (including her own crooked one), make her endearing and real. Even the author’s dog Biscuit makes a cameo, adding a delightful personal touch.
The plot kicks off with what appears to be a routine murder. An elderly woman stabbed to death in her Mumbai apartment. But routine, as Satyadarshi soon discovers, is a myth. As she digs deeper, the investigation spirals into something far stranger and sonorous. Clues, embedded in classical music, a seemingly harmless wall hanging appearing with suspicious frequency, and a tattered old book opening doors to secrets rooted in ancient Indian history, set this book apart from the rest of its kind. King Ashoka’s era enters the narrative, and surprisingly, it works, reminiscent of Dan Brown’s obsession with Freemasons and the Opus Dei.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its sensory storytelling. Natasha uses smells, sounds, tastes, and textures to immerse the reader in Mumbai’s humid chaos. You don’t just read about the city; you feel it clinging to you. The writing is vivid without being indulgent, sassy and humorous without trying too hard.
Alongside the mystery runs a charming rom-com thread, an almost-date with an overload of nerdy facts, an unexpectedly muscular chest, and that familiar push-pull of attraction and resistance. Add to this an intrusive matchmaking mother, an overweight SoBo dog under investigation, a supportive assistant and an increasing body count, and you have a narrative that is both playful and gripping.
Fast-paced and layered with cultural and historical intrigue, The Seventh Swar is a classic murder mystery with a rom-com twist. It’s smart, humane, and thoroughly entertaining. Proof that a whodunit can thrill without bloodshed and still leave you humming classical tunes long after the last page.
