What do you think?
Rate this book
The Jaipur Trilogy #1-3
The Complete Jaipur Trilogy
THE NEW YORK TIMES BETSELLING TRILOGY
"Captivated me from the first chapter to the final page."�Reese Witherspoon
"Powerful and evocative.� �Kate Quinn
The Henna Artist
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened.
The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
It’s the spring of 1969 and Lakshmi now directs the Healing Garden in Shimla. Malik, her protégé, has finished his private school education, and at twenty, he leaves to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their latest project: a state-of-the-art cinema. Malik soon finds that power and money move seamlessly among the wealthy class, and favors flow from Jaipur’s Royal Palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth.
The Perfumist of Paris
Paris, 1974. Radha, Lakshmi's younger sister, is living in Paris with her husband and their two daughters, to whom she is devoted, when she finally discovers her passion—the treasure trove of scents.
She has an exciting and challenging position working for a master perfumer, helping to design completely new fragrances for clients and building her career one scent at a time. She only wishes Pierre could understand her need to work. She feels his frustration, but she can’t give up this thing that drives her. Tasked with her first major project, Radha travels to India, where she enlists the help of her sister, Lakshmi, and the courtesans of Agra—women who use the power of fragrance to seduce, tease and entice. She’s on the cusp of a breakthrough when she finds out a secret she's kept from her husband for years is about to be revealed, upending her carefully managed world and threatening to destroy a vulnerable marriage.
"Captivated me from the first chapter to the final page."�Reese Witherspoon
"Powerful and evocative.� �Kate Quinn
The Henna Artist
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened.
The Secret Keeper of Jaipur
It’s the spring of 1969 and Lakshmi now directs the Healing Garden in Shimla. Malik, her protégé, has finished his private school education, and at twenty, he leaves to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their latest project: a state-of-the-art cinema. Malik soon finds that power and money move seamlessly among the wealthy class, and favors flow from Jaipur’s Royal Palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth.
The Perfumist of Paris
Paris, 1974. Radha, Lakshmi's younger sister, is living in Paris with her husband and their two daughters, to whom she is devoted, when she finally discovers her passion—the treasure trove of scents.
She has an exciting and challenging position working for a master perfumer, helping to design completely new fragrances for clients and building her career one scent at a time. She only wishes Pierre could understand her need to work. She feels his frustration, but she can’t give up this thing that drives her. Tasked with her first major project, Radha travels to India, where she enlists the help of her sister, Lakshmi, and the courtesans of Agra—women who use the power of fragrance to seduce, tease and entice. She’s on the cusp of a breakthrough when she finds out a secret she's kept from her husband for years is about to be revealed, upending her carefully managed world and threatening to destroy a vulnerable marriage.
991 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2023
78 people are currently reading
787 people want to read
About the author
Alka Joshi
12books4,859followersThere comes a point in every daughter's life when she begins seeing her mother as a person separate from her family, someone who has an identity outside of motherhood. That was the moment I began re-imagining my mother's life, and that re-imagining became THE HENNA ARTIST. I was born in Rajasthan, India, and moved with my family to the U.S. when I was nine. Even after graduating from Stanford University, and working in advertising and marketing, I never considered becoming an author. But taking my mother to India in her later years changed all that. In 2011, I got my MFA in Creative Writing from the California College of Arts in San Francisco, California. It took 10 years, a lot of research, and many trips to India to complete my debut novel, and I'm thrilled to share my writing and publishing process on YouTube:
I live on the Monterey Peninsula with my husband and two misbehaving pups, so let me know if you're going to be in the neighborhood.
I live on the Monterey Peninsula with my husband and two misbehaving pups, so let me know if you're going to be in the neighborhood.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 9, 2025
Since I read this several years back I will need to come back and write a fuller review of this trilogy.
Absolutely loved falling in love with Joshi's homeland of India. After first reading The Henna Artist I went on to read several novels by other Indian authors. Then I watched a fabulously interesting author interview with Alka and went on to read the other two installments of her trilogy.
Although from the trilogy, The Henna Artist remains my favorite, I felt Joshi's writing getting stronger and richer with each novel.
Now I have the privilege to read her Six Days In Bombay in an advanced copy...I am floored at only 67% in.
Absolutely loved falling in love with Joshi's homeland of India. After first reading The Henna Artist I went on to read several novels by other Indian authors. Then I watched a fabulously interesting author interview with Alka and went on to read the other two installments of her trilogy.
Although from the trilogy, The Henna Artist remains my favorite, I felt Joshi's writing getting stronger and richer with each novel.
Now I have the privilege to read her Six Days In Bombay in an advanced copy...I am floored at only 67% in.
May 23, 2024
The Complete Jaipur Trilogy is a sensory delight, spanning decades and continents. Alka Joshi’s ability to evoke the essence of henna, textiles, and fragrances is remarkable. Each book stands alone, yet together they create a captivating saga that lingers in the reader’s heart.
If you’re drawn to lush historical fiction, strong female protagonists, and evocative settings, this trilogy is a must-read.
If you’re drawn to lush historical fiction, strong female protagonists, and evocative settings, this trilogy is a must-read.
October 6, 2024
Fasinating journey...
July 21, 2024
HENNA ARTIST (The Jaipur Trilogy #1)
Author: Alka Joshi
Genre: Historical Fiction
Moods: Hopeful
Pace: Medium
Overview:
Henna Artist" is the first book in The Complete Jaipur Trilogy by Alka Joshi. In her debut novel, Joshi brings to life post-independence India of the 1950s, immersing readers in the vibrant atmosphere of Jaipur, the Pink City.
The story follows seventeen-year-old Lakshmi, who escapes an abusive marriage and carves out a new life for herself in Jaipur. There, she becomes the most sought-after henna artist and confidante to the upper-class women. Trusted with their secrets, Lakshmi must keep her own past hidden.
The narrative explores how Lakshmi’s perfectly planned life gets shattered by the unexpected turn of events and the hurdles she faces while she tries to overcome them.
Observation:
Joshi's writing is impeccable, with vivid and palpable characters that bring the story to life.
The scenes are richly atmospheric. The author has soaked in all the hues of the pink city to illustrate a beautiful portrait with it.
The book conveys an important message by discussing on the troubles a single woman faces and the price she has to pay for the choices she makes. However, the predictable storyline left me somewhat underwhelmed.
Despite my dissatisfaction, I am not ready to dismiss the trilogy and look forward to the next installment, hoping for a more complex and engaging narrative.
My Rating: 3.5/5
THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR (The Jaipur Trilogy #2)
Overview:
It's the spring of 1969 and Lakshmi is now married to Dr. Kumar in Shimla and directs a healing garden. Abbas Malik did his schooling from Bishop Cotton house and now a young man who is working on Cinema Theatre project in Jaipur.
Disaster strikes when the cinema collapses on it's inaugural day and the blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth.
Observation:
Same as the first instalment, writing here is vivid and picturesque. However, the storyline remains weak.
I had hoped this book would address the flaws of 'The Henna Artist,' but the latter proved to be a better work.
Additionally, in an effort to make this book a standalone, many episodes from the first book are repeated, which felt redundant and exasperating.
Despite these issues, Alka Joshi's enchanting writing style compels me to continue with the trilogy.
At this stage, I am ready to believe that there is a little pixie dust sprinkled all over this author's writing that we get entrapped in her prose and gets consumed by whole even without an interesting storyline.
Will I read the next book? Yes!
Am I expecting an engaging storyline? Unfortunately, no!!
My Rating: 3/5
THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS (The Jaipur Trilogy #3)
Overview:
In 1974 Paris, Radha lives with her husband Pierre and their daughters.
Despite still mourning the son she gave up as a young girl, Radha finds fulfillment in motherhood and her career in perfumery.
Working for a master perfumer, she designs new fragrances and navigates challenges, though her husband struggles to support her career ambitions.
When Radha travels to India for a significant project, seeking her sister's help and drawing inspiration from courtesans, her world is shaken by news that her long-lost son is coming to Paris, endangering her marriage and stability.
My Experience:
I found this book to be disappointing and felt it should have concluded with the second part of the trilogy.
The final installment is centered on Radha, who despite the author's efforts to deepen her character, remains the least engaging protagonist of the series.
Despite being 32 and achieving various milestones, Radha’s behavior still reflects a level of immaturity and pugnaciousness that has been consistent throughout.
Radha’s passion for fragrances was not explored in the first book, especially when it turns out as a major part of who she is in the final one. So her obsession with fragrance in the later part of life didn’t sit well with me.
The author’s affinity towards detailing the Indian food and describing the fragrance notes made me nauseous here.
Half of the book is gratuitous and poorly executed. However, the story reaches a full circle towards the end after the initial meanderings.
My Rating: 2.5/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Major Themes Covered in the Trilogy:
- Women empowerment
- Relevance of education
- Importance of financial independence and self-sustainability
- Family & Friends - Its the family you choose that counts.
- Equal job opportunities for all castes -creed- gender
- Empowering sex workers through social enterprises
Author: Alka Joshi
Genre: Historical Fiction
Moods: Hopeful
Pace: Medium
Overview:
Henna Artist" is the first book in The Complete Jaipur Trilogy by Alka Joshi. In her debut novel, Joshi brings to life post-independence India of the 1950s, immersing readers in the vibrant atmosphere of Jaipur, the Pink City.
The story follows seventeen-year-old Lakshmi, who escapes an abusive marriage and carves out a new life for herself in Jaipur. There, she becomes the most sought-after henna artist and confidante to the upper-class women. Trusted with their secrets, Lakshmi must keep her own past hidden.
The narrative explores how Lakshmi’s perfectly planned life gets shattered by the unexpected turn of events and the hurdles she faces while she tries to overcome them.
Observation:
Joshi's writing is impeccable, with vivid and palpable characters that bring the story to life.
The scenes are richly atmospheric. The author has soaked in all the hues of the pink city to illustrate a beautiful portrait with it.
The book conveys an important message by discussing on the troubles a single woman faces and the price she has to pay for the choices she makes. However, the predictable storyline left me somewhat underwhelmed.
Despite my dissatisfaction, I am not ready to dismiss the trilogy and look forward to the next installment, hoping for a more complex and engaging narrative.
My Rating: 3.5/5
THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR (The Jaipur Trilogy #2)
Overview:
It's the spring of 1969 and Lakshmi is now married to Dr. Kumar in Shimla and directs a healing garden. Abbas Malik did his schooling from Bishop Cotton house and now a young man who is working on Cinema Theatre project in Jaipur.
Disaster strikes when the cinema collapses on it's inaugural day and the blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth.
Observation:
Same as the first instalment, writing here is vivid and picturesque. However, the storyline remains weak.
I had hoped this book would address the flaws of 'The Henna Artist,' but the latter proved to be a better work.
Additionally, in an effort to make this book a standalone, many episodes from the first book are repeated, which felt redundant and exasperating.
Despite these issues, Alka Joshi's enchanting writing style compels me to continue with the trilogy.
At this stage, I am ready to believe that there is a little pixie dust sprinkled all over this author's writing that we get entrapped in her prose and gets consumed by whole even without an interesting storyline.
Will I read the next book? Yes!
Am I expecting an engaging storyline? Unfortunately, no!!
My Rating: 3/5
THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS (The Jaipur Trilogy #3)
Overview:
In 1974 Paris, Radha lives with her husband Pierre and their daughters.
Despite still mourning the son she gave up as a young girl, Radha finds fulfillment in motherhood and her career in perfumery.
Working for a master perfumer, she designs new fragrances and navigates challenges, though her husband struggles to support her career ambitions.
When Radha travels to India for a significant project, seeking her sister's help and drawing inspiration from courtesans, her world is shaken by news that her long-lost son is coming to Paris, endangering her marriage and stability.
My Experience:
I found this book to be disappointing and felt it should have concluded with the second part of the trilogy.
The final installment is centered on Radha, who despite the author's efforts to deepen her character, remains the least engaging protagonist of the series.
Despite being 32 and achieving various milestones, Radha’s behavior still reflects a level of immaturity and pugnaciousness that has been consistent throughout.
Radha’s passion for fragrances was not explored in the first book, especially when it turns out as a major part of who she is in the final one. So her obsession with fragrance in the later part of life didn’t sit well with me.
The author’s affinity towards detailing the Indian food and describing the fragrance notes made me nauseous here.
Half of the book is gratuitous and poorly executed. However, the story reaches a full circle towards the end after the initial meanderings.
My Rating: 2.5/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Major Themes Covered in the Trilogy:
- Women empowerment
- Relevance of education
- Importance of financial independence and self-sustainability
- Family & Friends - Its the family you choose that counts.
- Equal job opportunities for all castes -creed- gender
- Empowering sex workers through social enterprises
January 18, 2024
Book recommendation📚 : The Jaipur Trilogy
#thehennaartistbyalkajoshi #thesecretkeeperofjaipur
#theperfumistofparis
Author ✍️: @thealkajoshi
How I love to live in a world whose people I absolutely love 💞💕. #thejaipurtrilogy is one such world for me.
The saga starts right at the onset of independence of India and continues for a good number of decades, giving us a beautiful opportunity to live those years with these characters. 🌝🌝🌝
We live through the cities of Jaipur, Shimla and Paris that too in a bygone era which adds to the charm of these already stunning cities.🇮🇳....🇫🇷....
A glimpse of some beautiful people that we meet in this journey..😀😀
❣️Lakshmi Shastri: She builds her beautiful world from scratch with no facility. She only had kindness and smartness and the inherent skill to know when to put her which of her strength to use. We saw her working hard towards her dream. We saw her at the rock bottom. We saw her bounce back with love and care. We saw her take control of her life back and build true and honest relations. She leads an admirable life.
❣️Radha Shashi: The less fortunate and rebel sister of Lakshmi Shastri. She had Lakshmi's beauty and talent but never got a chance at love and care. Not having the life experience of Lakshmi, she could never really save herself from some of the toughest predicaments that she had to face. Yet with time, and with Radha's love, she too learned her way to navigate through the world of heartbreak and betrayal. Only with her talent does she come out glorious with victory.
❣️Malik: Lakshmi's charming self appointed assistant. Radha's first friend and the brother of both the girls needed in their lives. Malik was the joy in Lakshmi and Radha's arduous lives. And he continued to be with till the end. Amidst all these he also built a beautiful secure life for himself. He is someone who pulled himself out of the streets and yet never let go off his streetsmartness.
We see them build their world and witness their world crumbling down. We find joy in their resurgence story and how they themselves write that story with their inner strength, smartness, kindness and beauty. 💪
#thehennaartistbyalkajoshi #thesecretkeeperofjaipur
#theperfumistofparis
Author ✍️: @thealkajoshi
How I love to live in a world whose people I absolutely love 💞💕. #thejaipurtrilogy is one such world for me.
The saga starts right at the onset of independence of India and continues for a good number of decades, giving us a beautiful opportunity to live those years with these characters. 🌝🌝🌝
We live through the cities of Jaipur, Shimla and Paris that too in a bygone era which adds to the charm of these already stunning cities.🇮🇳....🇫🇷....
A glimpse of some beautiful people that we meet in this journey..😀😀
❣️Lakshmi Shastri: She builds her beautiful world from scratch with no facility. She only had kindness and smartness and the inherent skill to know when to put her which of her strength to use. We saw her working hard towards her dream. We saw her at the rock bottom. We saw her bounce back with love and care. We saw her take control of her life back and build true and honest relations. She leads an admirable life.
❣️Radha Shashi: The less fortunate and rebel sister of Lakshmi Shastri. She had Lakshmi's beauty and talent but never got a chance at love and care. Not having the life experience of Lakshmi, she could never really save herself from some of the toughest predicaments that she had to face. Yet with time, and with Radha's love, she too learned her way to navigate through the world of heartbreak and betrayal. Only with her talent does she come out glorious with victory.
❣️Malik: Lakshmi's charming self appointed assistant. Radha's first friend and the brother of both the girls needed in their lives. Malik was the joy in Lakshmi and Radha's arduous lives. And he continued to be with till the end. Amidst all these he also built a beautiful secure life for himself. He is someone who pulled himself out of the streets and yet never let go off his streetsmartness.
We see them build their world and witness their world crumbling down. We find joy in their resurgence story and how they themselves write that story with their inner strength, smartness, kindness and beauty. 💪
April 21, 2025
I did enjoy the characters of these 3 books. Still reading the last of the trilogy. The sights, scents of India has always been a thrilling to me. I especially liked the pov of the courtesans very interesting. Yet, I find the modern movement of the woman literally becoming a man to survive rather disturbing. I would not have seen this before, had I read such a story 5 years ago. However, being a mother myself, I found Radha's narcissistic like fixation on herself very disturbing. Her utter disregard to the child she gave up, supposedly she loved, very concerning.
Motherhood is painted as a burden, not a privilege, getting in the way of a career loving woman. Yet, this is indeed the portrayal of the real world. The MeToo movement. I'd love to see women writers honor the sacredness of motherhood, reclaiming our true feminine not joining the patriarchy to gain power. The trend towards becoming more masculine to occupy male spaces, and yet be mentally and spiritually be pulled in different directions has not served the feminine spirit. It has made many women exhausted. They are dying of fatigue. I'd like to see more of the slowing down to reclaim our birthright as women, the balancing sprit taking our place beside the Divine Masculine, not the victim looking outward to the world to get something from it, but offering the Grace of her inner wisdom as power to the world.
Motherhood is painted as a burden, not a privilege, getting in the way of a career loving woman. Yet, this is indeed the portrayal of the real world. The MeToo movement. I'd love to see women writers honor the sacredness of motherhood, reclaiming our true feminine not joining the patriarchy to gain power. The trend towards becoming more masculine to occupy male spaces, and yet be mentally and spiritually be pulled in different directions has not served the feminine spirit. It has made many women exhausted. They are dying of fatigue. I'd like to see more of the slowing down to reclaim our birthright as women, the balancing sprit taking our place beside the Divine Masculine, not the victim looking outward to the world to get something from it, but offering the Grace of her inner wisdom as power to the world.
Read
December 30, 2024I fell in love with the Henna Artist when I read it in October 2024, and was super excited to see that I didn't have to say goodbye to the characters.
I fell in love with the main characters-and my favourite was book 3, probably because I visited perfumeries in France and noticed the deep level of knowledge the author did research on before telling this story.
I loved how book 3, 2 and 1 tied neatly together.
I fell in love with the main characters-and my favourite was book 3, probably because I visited perfumeries in France and noticed the deep level of knowledge the author did research on before telling this story.
I loved how book 3, 2 and 1 tied neatly together.
November 19, 2024
This is such an incredible series, I’m in love with all three books, the third really wrapping up what started in book one, I’m so grateful to this author for creating such an enchanting series that makes me want to order from a chai- walla and inhale the scents of India, thank you so much Alka Joshi
April 20, 2025
Highly recommended.
Fantastic journey from India to Paris and back to India, from the poor to the wealthy, to empowering women. I fell in love with all the characters in the 3 books.
I’m so grateful to this author for creating such an enchanting series that makes me want to order from a chai- to inhale the scents of India to the cooking smells of France.
Just Brillant.
Fantastic journey from India to Paris and back to India, from the poor to the wealthy, to empowering women. I fell in love with all the characters in the 3 books.
I’m so grateful to this author for creating such an enchanting series that makes me want to order from a chai- to inhale the scents of India to the cooking smells of France.
Just Brillant.
August 4, 2024
It took me a bit longer than usually but O M G. It's interesting and amazing and I Encourage you to read it even if it's your Cupa tea!
No revealing of plot or characters i dislike when people do. Just Try it - you'll the color and smells HAHAHAHAHAHA
No revealing of plot or characters i dislike when people do. Just Try it - you'll the color and smells HAHAHAHAHAHA
August 13, 2024
This was a well crafted story, rich in culture. The storyline was beautiful and complex, explicitly depicting the medicinal treatment of Indian women by a woman and the disproportionate expectations between castes. It was lovely to read a story about a strong woman who is not a white protagonist.
Read
November 1, 2023Cultural Heritage, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Miniseries
The Jaipur Trilogy
Miniseries
The Jaipur Trilogy
November 11, 2024
I really loved this series!
November 29, 2024
Mildly entertaining but a really irritating character in all 3 books.
December 28, 2024
Loved this series. Can’t wait for her new Bombay in six days launch.
March 4, 2025
So incredibly well done. I love these characters so much.
March 13, 2025
Loved this trilogy! So beautifully written. These books captivated me from the start. Warm and truthful. Highly recommend!
April 13, 2025
takes me straight to the settings - I really loved this story and my investment in the characters lived through each book! vetiver everywhere 🌱
April 27, 2025
Really enjoyed this trilogy, too read for the year and each book seamlessly rolled into each. Recommend reading this if you have time.
Read
May 1, 2025The last one was my least favorite but overall great series.
February 29, 2024
Loved this trilogy. The author creates such vivid images of the stories. The characters are so well developed. Hated to end the story.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.