India, Oct. 12 -- A murder, a millionaire, and a woman half his age: author Jayanti Ranganathan's latest Hindi novel Sugar Daddy opens with all the makings of a sensational crime story. But beneath its page-turning surface, it's also a sly, unsettling look at the power equations that shape love, lust, and ambition in the modern world.

The plot kicks off when a wealthy businessman, Shyam Rajgir is found dead at a hill station resort and his much younger companion, 19-year-old Mayra Vishwas, becomes the prime suspect. But surely enough, there's more than meets the eye. As a curt investigation officer peels back layers of deceit and desire, some new characters - in the form of former wives and estranged relatives - emerge with varied motive...