Six Days in Bombay

Set in 1930s Bombay (now Mumbai), the novel follows Sona, a young nurse of British-Indian heritage. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Mira Novak, a renowned and vivacious painter who is admitted to Wadia hospital after suffering a miscarriage.

Despite their shared half-Indian identity, the two women couldn't be more different. Sona is captivated by Mira's worldly stories of her travels across Europe and is shocked by accounts of Mira's numerous lovers. Over the course of a week, Mira befriends Sona, seeing potential for a bigger life beyond Sona's current existence with her mother.

When Mira is released from the hospital, she invites Sona to attend a lavish engagement party with Bombay's high society. However, the next day, Mira is readmitted to the hospital in worse condition than before and dies under mysterious circumstances. Sona, who falls under suspicion, is given a note Mira left for her, along with four of her favorite paintings - raising the question: how could Mira have known to leave a note if she didn't anticipate her death?

To clear her name and uncover the truth, Sona embarks on a journey across Europe, visiting Mira's former friends and lovers in cities like Prague, Florence, Paris, and London. This continent-spanning adventure not only helps Sona prove her innocence but also leads to a profound exploration of her own identity, all set against the backdrop of a Europe on the brink of World War II.

The novel is inspired in part by the life of Amrita Sher-Gil, a renowned Hungarian Jewish-Indian painter of the early 20th century

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