The PuppetMaster

On a blistering East Indian afternoon two unlikely companions enter a cave on the outskirts of Varanasi, one of the oldest cities on earth. What the revered Sanskrit pundit and the novice American linguist discover inside could alter the lives of millions. But will they be able to present their finding to the world before Sutradharak, The PuppetMaster, terrorizes the region again?

Martin Scott has fled to India, leaving behind an agonizing past, and for three years has led a life of scholastic monasticism. His simple existence is radically changed when he enters the narrow crevice and two days later meets the beautiful and intriguing, Uliana Hadersen, of Denmark, a woman with her own mysterious past. The two tentatively rediscover love as they are ensnared in a web of religious riots, black-marketeering, murder, and terrorist plots in the maze of the ancient city. With each step they unravel more of the long-held secrets of the cave and subsequently, the ominous motives of the brutal Sutradharak. And with each step they also move closer to either their own atonement or their own encounter with death.

The PuppetMaster is a timely story of suspense, intrigue, and profound romance set on the banks of the Ganges during the historic bombings of 2006. Its characters and setting, as rich and flavorful as the spices of the bazaar, will linger in the mind’s eye for years to come.

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