Bestselling novelist Sudeep Nagarkar’s new read Why Should I Trust You? continues to engage readers with a story that catches attention from the first page. The soft thriller, set in Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, sets the tone of the page-turner with Nandini who has lost her memory. What unfolds later is a quest that both Nandini and the readers go on together. A chat with the IT employee-turned-bestseller author who has written more than 12 novels.

You have written so many books. What makes this one different or more exciting?

Why Should I Trust You? is unique for multiple reasons but one thing that makes it different is its narration. The protagonist is a woman and I have narrated it from her perspective. Moreover, it isn’t a usual romantic flick but a journey of finding your own self. Personally, I believe every character has traits that will connect with the readers and keep them hooked till the last page.

Why Should I Trust You? starts with a question and the story goes on to solve a mystery. Can we call it a soft thriller? If yes, how has it been exploring the genre?

Certainly, it is a soft thriller and I had an unprecedented feeling when I was writing it. I have written a thriller earlier but Why Should I Trust You? has multiple layers and it was exciting to plot it even before writing it. For instance, the protagonist Nandini loses her memory and is unable to recognise her ex-boyfriend when she bumps into him in college. Moreover, she isn’t able to trust her maasi who is her caretaker as she has no memories of her too. It was intriguing to pen down her emotions when the truth is unveiled to her.

Your stories are inspired by real life. Where did the characters or plot of this book take inspiration from?

Last year, I had gone to Kangra for a vacation and that’s where I met a tourist guide who shared his experiences with me knowing I write books. One of the stories he told me was the main inspiration behind this book and that’s why you will see the locations mentioned in this book are all around Kangra.

How much of you is in the characters?

It is extremely difficult to keep yourself completely detached from the story when you are sketching characters. I believe it adds value and layers to characters. Even in Why Should I Trust You? you will see my traits in a few circumstances, especially with the protagonist Sahil and what he goes through in his post-break-up phase.

What gives you the greatest satisfaction when it comes to writing?

Nothing beats a smile on a reader’s face. I have always thought that as a writer, along with delivering entertaining stories, if a reader can take some positives out of a character or storyline then my work has hit the mark. When readers message me exactly the same, it gives me immense satisfaction.

How do you think you have evolved as a writer of fiction and what are the genres that you would like to explore?

I feel, in the past few years, I have enhanced the technicalities of writing. I do give importance to minute detailing and the progression of the overall storyline. Apart from that, I feel, I still write in a way that it can instantly click with the readers. And that applies not only to the plot but also the titles of my book.

Do you have a career timeline for yourself?

To be honest, I have never given it a thought. I started writing in 2011 and back then if you would have told me that I will write more than 15 books till 2023, I would have outright waived it off. But here I am, and that is because writing gives me happiness and storytelling is my passion.

What are you reading at the moment?

Currently, I am busy with promoting this book but recently I read The Silent Patient and it was a good read.