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Book Review: The Rajwada Poisonings by N. J. Kulkarni

“The Rajwada Poisonings” is an Indian crime fiction that seamlessly blends murder mystery and treasure hunt in it. This is the second novel of the author N. J. Kulkarni. Her previous novel – The Hawa Mahal Murders – was based on similar murder mystery & crime thriller elements. However, most of the characters are same in both the novels. The Rajwada Poisonings is mandatorily not a sequel, yet both novels have similar setting of Maharashtra. Before you read this novel independently, it’s advisable to go through the overview of the previous novel – The Hawa Mahal Murders – for better clarity and smooth reading experience.


Smita is a familiar character from 'The Hawa Mahal Murders'. When she was living in that building named Hawa Mahal, there her husband was accused of killing Ria Khan. In this novel, she is the lead character. She is the detective hired by a navy officer to save her daughter from accusation of killing someone in Bhorkot's royal palace. She shuttles between Pune and Bhorkot – a remote place where Rajwada, the royal palace awaits her undercover services. A maze of events begin spiralling up soon as murders through poisoning lined up. The Rajwada in Bhorkot is a quite religious place with sinister secrets in its underbelly. Informally, her assignment is to investigate the mysterious murder of the royal heir. However, her true undercover mission is to locate an ancient Peshwa treasure concealed deep inside a labyrinthine palace filled with locked rooms, hidden tunnels, and secret passages.

As the story progresses, Smita's quest turns into a desperate fight for survival as there she meets Mitesh and Hitenbhai and a few more intimating characters lusting after the treasure. She is ruthlessly stalked by a deadly poisoner and targeted by a shadowy, cult-like organisation trying to capture her. Complications peak when she collides with Jay, a man she was never supposed to meet. Standing in the way of her assignment, Smita is forced to make a harrowing choice between her life, her love, or the treasure — all while refusing to sacrifice her moral integrity.

Despite having a large web of familiar and new characters, the novel has strong plotting and suspenseful atmosphere. The story transitions effectively from a basic murder investigation into a much grander historical treasure hunt filled with tense sequences inside hidden caves. The story is laced with clever subplots, purposeful clues and the ending that neatly ties up every loose thread.

While both novels feature the recurring protagonists Smita and Police Inspector Jai navigating webs of deceit, they tackle systemic corruption through distinct thematic lenses. Though largely both novels are crime thrillers, yet anchor their mysteries in different socio-political landscapes.

The Hawa Mahal Murders focuses heavily on the symbiotic nexus between crime, politicians, and police forces. The narrative directly targets modern institutional corruption, highlighting how the powerful manipulate the state machinery to protect elite figures—such as the Chief Minister's son—while framing innocent people.

The Rajwada Poisonings shifts its gaze toward feudalism, superstition, and religious exploitation in a remote town. Rather than modern political machinery, the antagonistic forces are a shadowy, cult-like organisation and a rigid royal household where the ‘quiet violence of tradition’ acts as a barrier to truth.

In this novel the protagonists are more active and self-assured. Smita is now an undercover investigator and single mother. The core theme shifts from basic survival to uncompromising integrity. Smita faces a distinct moral dilemma: she must choose what to sacrifice—her life, her love, or the treasure—while refusing to compromise her ethical boundaries. The Rajwada Poisonings turns inward to examine the deadly cost of historical greed, dark faith, and deep-seated royal secrets.

Kulkarni leverages the novel's cultural and historical backdrop to deliver a detailed, atmospheric narrative, even as the pacing dynamically shifts across different character arcs.

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