Mystery
Date Published: 04-01-2026
When Brooklyn housewife, Bella Bloom visits a mysterious Indian guru to fix her marriage, she turns into a cooking sensation and…murder suspect in this action-packed, hilarious, new cozy mystery series for fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan.
About the Author
Sophie Schiller is a writer of thrillers and historical adventure tales. Kirkus Reviews called her “an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer.” Her latest novel is BROOKLYN MASALA. She graduated from American University, Washington, DC and lives in New York.
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BROOKLYN MASALA EXCERPT
I opened the box and saw a batch of Cadbury chocolates wrapped in purple foil. There were two dozen bars, enough for several weeks if not months.
“You guys certainly love your chocolate,” I said.
“Correction. We Indians love our Cadbury,” said Babban Kumar. “You could say it’s in our blood.”
“Yes, for us it’s almost a daily habit,” said the man behind the computer. “Once I even saw Ganesh rendered completely out of 400 pounds of dark chocolate. You could say it was a very ‘eco-friendly’ idol.” The men laughed at this little joke.
“Yes, and we disposed of Lord Ganesh in the most socially responsible and delicious way possible,” added the man in the turban, showing a glint of white teeth.
All the men roared with laughter.
“To each his own,” I said, picking up the box of chocolates. “And listen, thanks for your help, but I won’t be seeing you anymore. I’m planning on getting out of the spice business.”
Babban Kumar looked surprised. “That’s impossible. The Guru will never allow it.”
“What do you mean?”
“No one leaves the business.”
The men’s faces turned to scowls. The atmosphere in the room turned decidedly chilly.
I hoped I had misheard him. I said, “Yeah, well, I’m getting out. I’m falling behind at work, and I’m burning up too much gas with all this driving and no doubt creating my own personal hole in the ozone layer.”
Babban Kumar’s eyes narrowed. He gave me a piercing stare, and his voice turned ominous as he said, “The Guru won’t like that. Once he takes you under his wing, he expects you to serve him blissfully, without complaint.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not exactly blissful right now, am I?” I said, feeling their icy stares boring into me. “Serving him is very stressful. I have strange men following me, and I feel as if I’m under constant surveillance.”
Babban Kumar shook his head slowly. “Don’t make the same mistake that others have made. Before I met the guru, my life was a mess. I was in and out of jail. I lost contact with my children. Now I walk with a clear head and a clear conscience. If you attempt to pull the karmic plug too soon, bad things can happen. I’m telling you this for your own good. The only way to explore the deepest dimensions of life is through your guru. He bridges the gap between the known and the unknown. You cannot walk this path alone. I know this for a fact. Be careful what you do, Ms. Brooklyn Masala. I have seen many people try to leave the guru, but it did not end well for them.”
“What do you mean?”
“No one ever saw or heard from them again.”
I stared at Babban Kumar, not quite comprehending what he was saying. His words were civil, but there was something ominous in his tone. It almost sounded like a direct threat. My jaw went slack, and my hands trembled. I had a sudden urge to vacate the place, and in my desperation, I dropped my car keys and the box of chocolates fell to the ground. Bending down to retrieve them, I fumbled blindly as I shoved them into the box in my rush to leave. By now panicked, I jumped up and headed for the door, certain there was more to this spice business than meets the eye. Everything was so strange, so cryptic, so criminal in nature. I was sure there was a crucial piece of information they were withholding from me. Something that could threaten my life. As I headed out the door, the man in the blue turban held it open, exposing the handle of a gun behind his belt.
When I reached my car, my hands were shaking so hard I could barely fit the key into the ignition.
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