The Blind Lady’s Descendants & The Portrait of a Secret: A Novel Inspired by True Events (Set of 2 books)

This combo product is bundled in India but the publishing origin of this title may vary.Publication date of this bundle is the creation date of this bundle; the actual publication date of child items may vary.What can a patriot do when he has to make the choice between self-preservation and love for his country? As India’s Chief of Intelligence Amitabh has spent a career battling India’s enemies domestic and foreign. Now in the winter of his illustrious career he is faced with his most daunting challenge yet - averting a nuclear strike against his homeland that he knows very little about - except that it is coming. As Indian intelligence works feverishly to uncover the truth Amitabh’s path crosses Kamal’s a senior IAS officer who is investigating the theft of two priceless paintings from India. Even as they work together to accomplish their missions the paintings reveal a secret thought to have been lost in the fires of partition. The discovery unleashes a global battle between the RAW the ISI and the CIA as each scrambles for control over a secret that would permanently swing global geopolitical power towards them. Innocent lives and intelligence assets built over decades are ruthlessly sacrificed for something far more valuable - control over the Indian sub-continent. Everything is at stake till one man is forced to make an impossible choice - one that will decide the fate of the world.Born to silently warring parents Amar Hamsa grows up in a crumbling house called the Bungalow anticipating tragedies and ignominies. True to his dark premonitions bad luck soon starts cascading into his life. At twenty-six he decides to narrate his story to an imaginary audience and skeletons tumble out of every cupboard in the Bungalow. The Blind Lady’s Descendants is an utterly compelling and haunting family saga brimming with intense heartache and wry humour confirming Anees Salim’s reputation as one of our most outstanding storytellers. The Blind Lady’s Descendants is an utterly compelling and haunting family saga brimming with intense heartache and wry humour that confirms Anees Salim as one of our most outstanding storytellers. About the Author Anees Salim is an advertising professional employed with FCB-ULKA. His published works include The Vicks Mango Tree Tales from a Vending Machine Vanity Bagh (winner of The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction 2013) and The Blind Lady’s Descendants (winner of the Crossword Prize for Fiction 2014). He lives in Kochi with his wife and two children Omar and Adah.