Books of the week: From A Dream in the Himalayas to Sir Elton John’s autobiography, our picks

We love stories, and even in the age of Netflix-and-chill, there’s nothing like a good book that promises a couple of hours of absorption — whether curled up in bed, in your favourite coffeehouse, or that long (and tiresome) commute to work. Every Sunday, we’ll have a succinct pick of books, across diverse genres, that have been newly made available for your reading pleasure. Get them wherever you get your books — the friendly neighbourhood bookseller, e-retail website, chain store — and in whatever form you prefer. Happy reading! For more of our weekly book recommendations, click here . ***

– FICTION The Guardians By John Grisham Hachette India | Rs 399 | 384 pages Best-selling author John Grisham’s latest novel The Guardians tells the story of Quincy Miller, who has been on death row for 22 years. He was accused, without any witness or motive, of killing a lawyer named Keith Russo. The only evidence was a bloody torch in his car, that he claims was planted, and which too disappears before his trial. Irrespective, Miller is the only African-American in a town full of white residents, and considered guilty by the law. Now after 22 years, innocence lawyer Cullen Post takes his case, alerting the powerful people behind Russo’s murder; people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill another lawyer. Read more about the book here. Ninth House By Leigh Bardugo Hachette India | Rs 699 | 480 pages Bestselling fantasy fiction author Leigh Bardugo debut adult novel Ninth House follows Galaxy ‘Alex’ Stern, a student of a Yale freshman class. She drops out of school and enters the world of drug dealing boyfriends and dead-end jobs. And by the age of twenty, she’s the sole survivor of an unsolved multiple homicide. On the hospital bed, she’s offered a second chance: to attend an elite university, funded by mysterious benefactors. Upon arrival, she’s tasked with keeping track of the activities of Yale’s secret societies. This secret world that unravels in front of her reveals occult activities more deadly than she had imagined, and she embarks on this journey, still wondering why she was selected and by whom. Read more about the book here. A Death in the Himalayas: A Neville Wadia Mystery By Udayan Mukherjee Pan Macmillan India | Rs 499 | 280 pages The second novel by television anchor Udayan Mukherjee, A Death in the Himalayas follows Neville Wadia as he makes his way through the mystery surrounding the murder of Clare Watson. When her body is found battered in a quiet neighbourhood at the foothills of the Himalayas, India makes international headlines for being unsafe for women. At the village, residents are divided between those who mourn her death and those who blame her, believing that she was looking for trouble. As Wadia wades through the mystery looking for the murderer, he realises that more lives are at stake. Read more about the book here. – AUTOBIOGRAPHY Me: The Autobiography By Elton John Pan Macmillan India | Rs 999 | 352 pages A behemoth of the entertainment industry, Sir Elton John is a multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. In his official autobiography, he details his life, starting from his days as a shy young boy growing up in a London suburb dreaming of being a pop star. In incredible superstar fashion, events in his life range from trying to drown himself in his Los Angeles swimming pool to disco-dancing with Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana and from friendships with John Lennon and Freddie Mercury to setting up his AIDS Foundation. He also talks of tackling a drug addiction for over a decade, getting clean, and redefining his life, and the effects of becoming a father. In Me, Elton John shares his passion for music, relationships with people around him, and the mistakes and lessons of his life. Read more about the book here. – NON-FICTION Truck de India! A htichhiker’s guide to Hindustan By Rajat Ubhaykar Simon & Schuster India | Rs 450 | 240 pages Truck de India is writer and traveller Rajat Ubhaykar’s travelogue as he embarked on a 10,000 kilometre-long, unplanned trip, hitchhiking with truckers across India. He learns about their lives on the road, makes unexpected friendships, listens to highway ghost stories, documents Punjab’s truck art, travels with Kashmir’s nomadic shepherds, repeatedly faces corruption, and is greeted with kindness and companionship by strangers everywhere. Read more about the book here. – YOUNG READERS Budgie, Bridge and Big Djinn By Ranjit Lal HarperCollins India | Rs 299 | 244 pages Journalist and children’s author Ranjit Lal’s latest book follows teenagers Budgie and Bridge and their dog Big Djinn, a Tibetan Mastiff-German Shepherd mix breed. Together, they challenge bird-watching bullies and set off on an adventure when faced with a life-threatening situation which endangers the existence of their home on the mountain. An adventure story that calls on the trio to find the courage within them, the book also highlights the dangers of environmental degradation. Read more about the book here. The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology By Sudha Murty Penguin Random House India | Rs 250 | 192 pages Padma Shri awardee and chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, Sudha Murty is also a best-selling writer of children’s books. In The Daughter from a Wishing Tree, Murty focuses on the women in Indian mythology, detailing their stories and strengths. From slaying demons to protecting their devotees and managing their families, stories range from that of Parvati to Bhamati and from Ashokasundari to Mandodari, as a celebration of the powerful, influential women also in one’s own life. Read more about the book here.