New on Shelves: ‘Games Hospitals Play’, ‘Mafia Queens of India’ and more

‘206 Bones’

Inspector Saralkar is back. In the sixth book in the series featuring the redoubtable investigator, author Salil Desai weaves a dense net of intrigue around an exhumed skeleton from the lawns of a Pune villa and a failed attempt at a murder-suicide to create a mystery that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. A perfect distraction for a lazy winter’s weekend.

‘206 Bones’, by Salil Desai, Westland, 366 pages, ₹499.

‘Games Hospitals Play’

India’s private healthcare providers do not enjoy the best reputation for transparency and service. In her new book, journalist and public policy professional Abantika Ghosh reveals the depths of corruption in the system. From surge pricing for surgeries to exorbitant markups and selling luxury experiential packages, hospitals are focused on a single-point agenda: maximising profit on people’s pain.

‘Games Hospitals Play’, by Abantika Ghosh, Bloomsbury India, 204 pages, ₹699.

‘The Great Sanctions Hack’

From Donald Trump’s tariffs to the sanctions imposed by nations on each other, economic pressure has been long deployed as a tool for setting diplomatic relations. In his new book, the former RBI governor makes a case for rethinking the concept of sanctions. He examines the extent to which the measures are still effective, and also explains their unintended consequences on third parties.

The Great Sanctions Hack’, by Urjit Patel, Rupa, 160 pages, ₹495.

‘Mafia Queens of India’

In the latest instalment of the Mafia Queens series, S. Hussain Zaidi and Velly Thevar take the reader from the ravines of Chambal to the alleys of G.B. Road, Delhi’s red light district. On this journey, we meet drug traffickers, gambling queens, scam artists and other women, who move heaven and earth to get ahead in a man’s world and avenge personal grievances.

‘Mafia Queens of India’, by S. Hussain Zaidi and Velly Thevar, Simon & Schuster India, 236 pages, ₹499.