I apologise for not posting this sooner, but better late than never, eh!
I’m bringing to you a book with a psychological thriller twist, all with a sprinkling of Indian Masala!
Rupa Mahadevan has written a brilliant book, Nine Dolls, which I was honoured to read.
The Blurb
When a group of friends reunite to celebrate the Hindu Dolls festival 
in a Scottish manor 
in Oban, they’re hit by more than just the storm. Dolls move, and secrets are revealed. But which secret is worth killing for?
Nine nights.
Nine secrets.
And one unforgettable name…
NINE DOLLS – an award-winning psychological thriller – is almost here.
Dark. Addictive. Chilling to the core.
Every day unveils another secret.
Every lie pulls you deeper into the nightmare.
Every doll hides a truth you’re not ready to face…
Nine days that will change everything.
Nine Dolls.
I asked Rupa about the inspiration for her fantastic debut, and this is what she told me:
Golu (which translates to “display”), the dolls we set up during Navaratri, have always been a big part of my childhood. Navaratri is my favourite festival, even more than Diwali, which is far more popular. There’s something so visual and colourful about it—a way of storytelling that really captured my imagination. Growing up, my sister and I used to compete over whose side of the dolls told a better story.
Thinking back, that is where my love of stories started. I’ve always been passionate about crime stories. I practically grew up with Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie, as well as legendary writers in Tamil (my mother tongue) like Kalki. You’d think it would be a no-brainer to combine the two. The nine nights of Navaratri, with its theme of good versus evil, naturally lend themselves to the structure of a crime thriller.
But it wasn’t until a writer friend, Angela Nurse, asked if I’d ever thought of weaving it into a story that the idea truly clicked. The rest, as they say, is history!
Purchase links
Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/nine-dolls/rupa-mahadevan/9781805732327
My Review
Nine Dolls by Rupa Mahadevan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, so I have just finished this, Nine Dolls by Rupa Mahadevan and OMG, what a ride!
I’m all for any books with anything Southeast Asian within the covers, and Nine Dolls has that in spades, as well as being a compelling psychological thriller.
Ten people, some friends and some new to the group, end up in a house in Oban on a holiday that coincides with the Hindu festival of Navratri. Leela, wife of one of the original friend group members, is newly married and also religious, so she wishes to observe the holy festival while they are away. Part of this involves displaying nine dolls in a particular manner to honour different goddesses.
The dolls on display are a little different to the traditional ones; however, once everyone has consented to take part, she happily sets up her display and makes plans for the nine-day festival.
However, things go awry when she discovers that her display has been tampered with, and in the following days, more and more strange things happen to the dolls, as equally strange things occur in the house to different people, all while the Beast from the East takes effect.
I was hooked on this book from the start, and it had so many twists and turns, with the reader trying to work out what was going on and who was responsible for all these awful things…
Fantastic read!
About The Author
Rupa Mahadevan is a passionate story-teller of character led and page turning thrillers that keeps you guessing till the last chapter. Her books aims to be an alluring mixture crime and culture.
Social Media Links
https://linktr.ee/rupa_mahadevan
Website –https://rupamahadevan.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rupa_mahadevan
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rupa.mahadevan.2024
Twitter – https://x.com/chith84
But I Smile Anyway... 
Oct 23, 2025 @ 14:51:34
dolls terrify me, so I think I would love this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oct 23, 2025 @ 15:30:41
It was cleverly written, with the cultural aspect too!
LikeLiked by 1 person