The Spice Maker’s Secret

1939, India. Gently kissing her child, Bindu reaches into her pot of powder and touches her finger to the baby’s forehead. She tries to hide her tears behind her sari as she hands her daughter into a stranger’s arms, wondering if she will ever see her again…

Trapped in an unhappy marriage, Bindu is desperately lonely. Before her wedding, she was a highly sought-after cook and although she is not allowed into the kitchen in her new house, she can still taste chilli on her tongue and remember the feel of ground turmeric on her fingers. She finds solace in writing recipes and creating new spice mixes, hoping to pass them down to her unborn child. But when her jealous husband finds out, he confines Bindu to her room alone. As she goes into labour, Bindu is trapped and desperately afraid for her child’s life. Even a recipe cannot rescue her this time. Will she and her baby find a way to survive?

1990, London. Eve’s most treasured gift from her beloved adopted father was a hand-written Indian recipe book. Grieving his death, she begins to grind and mix the spices penned so carefully in the recipes. Do the crumbling pages hold the key to uncovering the secrets of her past?

Her father never spoke of her birth mother, finding it too painful to talk about his time in India. But now he’s gone, Eve is desperate to understand where she comes from. Will finding her birth family, lost for so long, help Eve to find her place in the world, or will it tear her apart?

The Spice Maker’s Secret is an utterly unforgettable and heartbreaking story about love, betrayal and one woman’s extraordinary sacrifice. Fans of The Henna Artist, The Beekeeper of Aleppo and The Storyteller’s Secret will be utterly hooked.

What readers are saying about The Spice Maker’s Secret:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Utterly unforgettable and heartbreaking… An absolutely gripping and totally addictive story that will keep you racing through the pages all night long.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘A feast for the senses… I adored this story since the very beginning until the last page. It kept me so hooked that I read It in one setting.’ Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Stunning!… Renita D’Silva’s writing is sublime; I could taste the chilli on my tongue and smell the cardamom in the air… Incredible… Inspired me with every page… An important story that embraced my heart.’ Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wonderful… Transported me… Fabulous… Fascinating… My heart broke.’ Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Both heartbreaking and warming… It will change you… Food for the soul.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Enjoyed it immensely and was hugely immersed… I flew through this book.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A joy… A wonderful, evocative read.’ Goodreads reviewer