★ ★ ★ ½
Alka Joshi’s Six Days in Bombay kicks off with a bang—a famous painter dies under suspicious circumstances, and Sona, a young Anglo-Indian nurse, is suddenly the prime suspect. What follows is a globe-trotting journey from Bombay to Europe as Sona tries to clear her name and untangle the truth about Mira Novak, the enigmatic artist who changed her life in just six days.
The setup is rich, and the premise has real intrigue. Joshi brings exotic locations to life with her usual flair. But where The Henna Artist and The Secret Keeper of Jaipur gripped me from the start, this one took a while to warm up. The first third drags, bogged down by overlong descriptions and a slower pace than the mystery deserves.
That said, once Sona hits the road—armed with Mira’s note and a few cryptic paintings—the novel finds its rhythm. The twisty backstories and emotional reveals add depth, and Sona’s growth is satisfying. Still, I wished the plot had more urgency and fewer travelogue-style detours. The narrator did a wonderful job, though.
Fans of art, secrets, and strong female leads will enjoy this one—but it’s not Joshi’s strongest work.
** Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Harlequin Audio for comps of the eBook and audiobook. The opinions are my own.