On the ghats of the river Ganga, a gruesome death has occurred. It is not just another dead body, someone has taken great steps to make it look appalling and incredulous. His right eye has been gouged out and there is a letter carved on his face. What led to this horrifying outcome?

In The Emperor's Riddles, the mystery behind Mathur's death has got his daughter, Sia and her friend, Om Patnaik, in a twist. After receiving an email from her father, three minutes after his death, Sia sets out to uncover the secrets which could have led to this tragic ending. Together, they attempt to solve the riddles which would give them answers but which instead leads them to an enigmatic discovery.

Parallel runs the story of an Emperor who parries with forces unknown and strong. Ancient history meets murder mystery in this epic tale by debutant writer, Satyarth Nayak. The mythology of India and the beginnings of Buddha are put under the microscope for good measure.

The path towards revelation is not an easy one to tread upon and many are out to seek the same secrets which the protagonists are bent on unravelling. As a number of murders take place throughout the city, Sia and Om must race towards their goal in order to put an end to the chaos.

The Emperor's Riddles is the first book written by Satyarth Nayak. It was published by Amaryllis in 2014. It is available in paperback format.