The Matsya Curse  (English, Paperback, Shweta Taneja)

�A remarkable tale�

� ANAND NEELAKANTAN

author of Asura and The Rise of Sivagami

Tantrik detective Anantya Tantrist is back, smart-ass comments, dark mantras and all

In Banaras, Bhairava, a black tantrik, sets out to win control of life through mass murder, aided by an army of pretas. In Delhi, a tribal supernatural melts to death in a five-star hotel on the same night that an ancient demonologist is murdered. All this while, the government and the Central Association of Tantriks choose to look the other way and gods, demi-gods, immortals and rakshasas all join Bhairava�s army.

All that stands between the murdering bosses and the hapless masses is unofficial detective Anantya Tantrist, armed with a boneblade, a tote of mandalas and a cocky attitude. Just as she begins to see a pattern between a goddess who is selling art, a miracle-producing minister, an undead mob attacking a rock concert and her immortal friend throwing a tantrum, Anantya faces her most personal hell: her ex-boyfriend Neel has come back from the dead and is trying to kill her. He�s not the only one, of course. A powerful rakshasi wants her head, a pair of demi-gods wants her blood and the trolls are trying to squash her to pulp.

She cannot even sleep off the exhaustion, because each time she drops off, Bhairava invades her mind, trying to consume it. Join Anantya as she faces her most formidable enemy yet in the ultimate battle for her mind and her city.

About the Author

Shweta Taneja Is a bestselling author based in Bangalore. She's been a Charles Wallace India Writing Fellow, a roadie for an amateur band, a volunteer for a tree festival, and a cashier at a play. Her ambition is to writes stories that challenge preconceived notions and prejudices. To attain it, she regularly drinks Makaibari tea, hogs on popular occult books and shows, and asks all sorts of unseemly questions to ghosts, half-dead plants and recently, drongos.

The Matsya Curse is the second of the Anantya Tantrist mysteries. The first one, Cult of Chaos (2014), has found a cult following owing to its name. Her other novels include How to Steal a Ghost @Manipal (2016), and The Ghost Hunters of Kurseong (2013). She has also written two graphic novels: The Skull Rosary (2013) which was shortlisted for Best Writer Award at Comic Con India and Krishna: Defender of Dharma (2012) which is part of CBSE's must-read list for a reason she can't fathom.