Strangers on the 16:02

Thrilling tale about love, chance and a big secret, from a skilled British Asian author - a violent incident on a train causes two strangers to come together...

Priya Basil was born in London in 1977 and grew up in Kenya. She now lives in London and Berlin and writes full time. Visit her at www.Priyabasil.com

It's a hot, crowded train. Helen Summers is on her way to see her sister Jill to tell her an awful secret. Another passenger, Kerm, is on his way back from his grandfather's funeral. 
 
They are strangers, jammed against each other in a crowded carriage. Noisy school kids fill the train - and three of them are about to cause a whole heap of trouble. In the chaos, Helen and Kerm are thrown together in a way they never expected. 
 
Catching a train? Read Strangers on the 16:02 and you'll never feel the same way about your fellow passengers again.

Ishq And Mushq

Sensuous generational novel about a Sikh mother whose secret past corrodes her life with tragic consequences for all - by a 29 year old first time author.

With a verve for the colour of life, this book . . . surprises with its underlying wisdom

An enticing debut novel by a much-vaunted young novelist

A brilliantly woven tale . . . clever and often funny

A dark meditation on escapism and reinvention

The product of a deft hand that mixes engrossing narrative with unexpected dashes of magical realism

Priya Basil was born in London in 1977. She spent her childhood in Kenya and now divides her time between London and Berlin. Ishq and Mushq is her first novel.

'Take off your clothes I want to see you' Karam said.Just a few words, spoken like a caress made Sarna start wondering. Where did he learn such new and passionate techniques? 
 
When Sarna Singh leaves the lustrous green hills of Uganda for England, streets of cramped old houses were not what she was expecting. Husband Karam has been seduced by the historical feel of the city of London. Sarna, however, is convinced they have moved to England so he can visit his secret London lady friends. Sarna has a secret of her own, but she is adept at hiding it. She impresses her English teacher with her attempt at a cutglass accent, and copious gifts of delicious food. With two children to educate, money is scarce, and soon, she is devising weekly shoplifting expeditions to the supermarket. 
 
But all the while, Sarna is tormented by a mistake she made as a young woman in India. To stifle unwanted memories, she cooks zealously, sweetening her thoughts with syrup, or suffocating them with the hottest spice she can find. But when she receives an unexpected letter from back home, her assumed equilibrium is shattered to the skies. It carries an ultimatum she cannot ignore ... 
 
Set on an epic backdrop from Partition, the Coronation and Churchill's funeral, to the present day, Priya Basil explores with compassion, the universal complexities of vanity and love. Her sensuous portrayal of the trials and tribulations of the Singh family carries universal truths for all of us.

Priya Basil

A rich saga of tangled relationships and strained loyalties... subtly played out; passionate and intelligent in scope

Priya has done a wonderful job of characterisation. Her description of the turmoil faced by people in love makes the book an interesting and satisfying read

A searing love story... burns and scorches with wry conviction about young love that refuses to say die

A brilliant second book and one that makes a stand to address the complex battle and struggle for identity and independence faced by the modern Asian woman

Montagues and Capulets are redrawn for the 21st century, and it's this utterly convincing conflict of family values that makes for such a compelling narrative

The book is beautiful and rich in prose, bold and deeply moving. The story is brilliantly narrated. It has characters that you will remember for days to come. A highly recommended book which you must pick up today, if you haven't already! This book has to be at the top of your to read list!

What makes Priya Basil's second novel so interesting is the complexity of the scenario it presents. One can imagine this kind of story being treated rather simplistically (as, for example, a tale of the heroic lovers striving to overcome all the obstacles life places in their way), but Basil doesn't do that - all her characters face difficult questions, and there are no easy answers... Adding a further layer to the novel is the way that events in its wider world interact with and reflect the personal stories of the protagonists... In all this, I haven't mentioned that Basil's novel is a good read purely in terms of its plot, as she manages several times to wrong-foot the reader over what will happen (or has happened). Yet there's so much more here besides, and it all makes The Obscure Logic of the Heart very satisfying to read.

What really sets this book apart from others is the beautiful prose used by the author. The descriptions that she uses are breathtaking and you really feel as though you are there with the characters, seeing everything that they are able to see... the ending was so powerful that it will remain with you long after you have finished

An epic Romeo and Juliet for the 21st century 
 
In a bustling London café, Anil, now a famous architect, sits waiting for Lina. It is years since he last laid eyes on her, the love of his life. 
 
Lina is running for the train - punctuality has never been her strength. After all this time she cannot be late to meet Anil. 
 
Together, they think back to tragedies both personal and political, betrayals large and small. A past played out across three continents that house their rival worlds: Sikh and Muslim, wealthy and modest, liberal and orthodox, corrupt and moral.... 
 
Lina has one more revelation that must be shared with Anil. Might it unite them once and for all, or has it come too late?

Priya Basil

Praise for The Obscure Logic of the Heart

A rich saga of tangled relationships and strained loyalties... subtly played out; passionate and intelligent in scope

Priya has done a wonderful job of characterisation. Her description of the turmoil faced by people in love makes the book an interesting and satisfying read

A searing love story... burns and scorches with wry conviction about young love that refuses to say die

A rich saga of tangled relationships and strained loyalties... subtly played out; passionate and intelligent in scope

Priya has done a wonderful job of characterisation. Her description of the turmoil faced by people in love makes the book an interesting and satisfying read

A searing love story... burns and scorches with wry conviction about young love that refuses to say die

A rich saga of tangled relationships and strained loyalties... subtly played out; passionate and intelligent in scope

Priya has done a wonderful job of characterisation. Her description of the turmoil faced by people in love makes the book an interesting and satisfying read

A searing love story... burns and scorches with wry conviction about young love that refuses to say die

Books by Priya Basil

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