The Henna Artist * Alka Joshi * Jaipur Trilogy #1

Escaping an abusive arranged marriage in 1950s India, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant pink city of Jaipur, where she builds an independent life as the most sought-after henna artist and confidante to wealthy upper-class women until her estranged husband arrives years later with a younger sister she never knew existed.

The Story. Written by New York Times bestselling author Alka Joshi, this launches the beloved Jaipur Trilogy and was selected as a Reese's Book Club Pick. Known throughout Jaipur for her original botanical designs, herbal remedies, and discreet counsel, Lakshmi carefully guards her own past to protect her hard-won reputation and dream of owning her own home. When her husband tracks her down alongside spirited thirteen-year-old Radha, Lakshmi's quiet balance between tradition and modernity is upended sparking a deeply moving journey of family responsibility, resilience, and self-discovery.

Perfect For. Book clubs and historical fiction readers who enjoy sensory, character-driven stories about women's resilience and family bonds alongside Alka Joshi's The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, The Perfumist of Paris, and Six Days in Bombay, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Mistress of Spices, Lisa See's The Island of Sea Women, or Sujata Massey's The Widows of Malabar Hill.

First published 2020; this edition 2021 by MIRA Books.

Historical & Literary Fiction / 1950s India Historical Fiction / Women's Independence & Sisterhood / Family Secrets & Class Dynamics / Post-Colonial Cultural Fiction / Book Club Favorites

The Jaipur Trilogy:

Book 1: The Henna Artist

Book 2: The Secret Keeper of Jaipur

Book 3: The Perfumist of Paris