Conclave
by Robert Harris 
Price: Rs 638

The Pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and twenty Cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals. Over the next seventy-two hours one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on earth. In Conclave, the hero is Cardinal Lomeli, dean of the College of Cardinals and the man responsible for presiding over the conclave. Then there is Tedesco the traditionalist, Tremblay the ambitious North American, and Adeyemi the African with strong views on the role of women and gay marriage. Into this gathering there arrives a cardinal no one has heard of – Vincent Benítez, a cardinal in pectore, created by the pope in secret in order to protect his identity. The stage is thus set for a showdown.

The Mothers of Manipur
by Teresa Rehman 
Price: Rs 520

 
July 15, 2004, Imphal (Manipur): An amazing scene unfolds in front of Kangla Fort, the headquarters of the Assam Rifles, a unit of the Indian army. Soldiers and officers watch aghast as twelve women, all in their sixties and seventies, position themselves in front of the gates and then strip themselves naked. The imas, the mothers of Manipur, are in a cold fury, protesting the custodial rape and murder, by the army, of Thangjam Manorama, a 32-year-old woman suspected of being a militant. News of the protest goes viral. People around the country are shocked. In this unusual book, journalist Teresa Rehman tells the story of these twelve women, the momentous decision they took and how they carried it out with precision and care. In doing so she connects the reader to the broader history of conflict-torn Manipur and the courage and resistance of its people, in particular its women.

The Widow
by Fiona Barton 
Price: Rs 638

Fiona Barton, the writer, in her debut novel ‘The Window’ has garnered acclaim in the literary world. It has received favorable reviews from Stephen King and other crime fiction writers. This novel is a tale of how the reality behind a crime unravels after the death of the accused. The lead character of this book is Jean Taylor, a hairdresser who was the quiet wife of the prime accused (and now deceased) Glenn Taylor. A young girl has been kidnapped and killed. Jean’s husband is accused of the crime. He dies in an accident before the truth could come out. This psychological thriller is the story of his spouse and not the accused. The idea of exploring a spouse’s perspective is fresh and it takes the reader to climax in a sensational way. It is interesting to read about the coping mechanisms used by various people to handle long, torturous trials. 

 
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