Back in the Pink City where he was once a wily street urchin, Malik, now an apprentice, inadvertently gets involved in a ruthless and tragic scandal. Lakshmi, now married to Dr. Jay Kumar, directs the Healing Garden in Shimla.
Malik finds that not much has changed as he navigates the Jaipur of his childhood. Power and money still move seamlessly among the wealthy classes, and favours flow, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the balcony of the new cinema collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient.
This sequel to The Henna Artist was every bit as good as the first. Malik is the focus for this instalment but many of the characters from The Henna Artist are back. Lakshmi (a character inspired by the author’s mother) remains a strong figure in this novel as is a new character, Malik’s love interest Nimmi.
Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten a lot about the first book–the author gradually weaves in what the first was about, which I appreciated since it had been awhile since I’d read it. As a result, this one ended up feeling like a natural extension of the first.
Note that that there is a helpful list of characters at the beginning of the book, and a glossary of terms at the back. And, best of all, there are recipes included in the back as well!! The third in the series is expected to come out in 2023 and even has a title: The Perfumist of Paris, which no doubt will pick up on the character of Radha, Lakshmi’s younger sister.
Joanne's Reading Blog 
This story is even better than the first and I highly recommend it to any reader interested in a detailed look at a culture and country rich in history and tradition. The main characters and their relationships are endearing and very interesting.