Books
SOFT KILL By SHUBHRA KRISHAN
Written by acclaimed journalist and editor Shubhra Krishan, this gripping debut proves that the most devastating crimes are often committed behind closed doors.
‘A razor-sharp whodunnit with a devastating final turn.’
Shakun Batra, director (Gehraiyaan, Kapoor & Sons)
‘In her distinct writing style, Shubhra had me turning the pages incessantly!’
Meghna Gulzar, filmmaker
Penguin India presents Soft Kill, a razor-sharp, slow-burn whodunnit that peels back the veneer of privilege, marriage, and moral decay in pre-liberalisation Delhi. Written by acclaimed journalist and editor Shubhra Krishan, this gripping debut proves that the most devastating crimes are often committed behind closed doors.
Inspector Vijay has seen death before, but never like this. Andy Asthana, a powerful man with a shadowed past, is found dead in his bed, stripped of dignity and mercy. The crime scene offers no struggle. No clue. No mercy.
The suspects are intimate. Dangerous. Plausible.
A young wife trapped in a marriage ruled by fear.
A reckless lover with everything to lose.
An old friend turned confidant who knows too much.
Every motive fits.
Every trail ends.
The case is closed.
Until it isn’t.
With the precision of a classic noir and the emotional intelligence of literary fiction, Soft Kill examines how power corrodes relationships, and how silence can be as violent as a weapon. As the narrative tightens, the novel delivers a final turn that lingers long after the last page.
What makes Soft Kill the next captivating thriller book:
· A smart, atmospheric Indian crime novel set in 1990s Delhi
· A female debut voice bringing emotional depth to the whodunnit genre
· Strong themes of power, marriage, silence, and moral reckoning
· A twist that rewards close reading and invites conversation
About the Author
Shubhra Krishan is a writer and journalist, a Delhi University topper in English Literature, and the author of five acclaimed books on food and well-being. A former senior editor with Cosmopolitan and Femina, she later launched her own magazine, Travel Secrets. Somewhere between deadlines and dinner, a crime plot took hold and refused to let go. Soft Kill marks her compelling debut in crime fiction.