Seconds Later

Fame is a two-edged sword. While it brings joy and happiness, it also has the power of ruining one’s life. Vani’s Seconds Later, a romantic thriller is based on this very aspect of our lives—fame.

Nikita Dash, or Niki D, is a VJ, anchor, and host of a TV show, I Feel You. The 19-year-old from Orissa wants to be a VJ and has made it to Mumbai, the city of dreams, but her journey has not been easy. Despite winning the All India VJ Hunt organized by a TV Network, she cannot get her father’s approval. He wants her to become an advocate, like him. Left with no choice, she has to make certain decisions in order to fulfill her dream. Cyrus Daruwalla, a VJ and senior at the network, helps Nikita begin the new chapter of her life.

As the rising star climbs up the popularity chart, she receives fame, attention, and love from her fans. Most of her fans and well-wishers are harmless, except for Ali and Sameer, who are obsessive and jealous. Their entry into the story is thrilling and exciting and depicts the grave world of fandom. It is impossible to state more without revealing spoilers. All I would say is, they are extremely vital to the story!

There are a couple of things that made this quite an enjoyable read. The simple vocabulary, lucid writing style, and pacing are the biggest pluses. Though the twists aren’t really unexpected, the subplots and the well-crafted storyline make it a gripping read.

Niki, Cyrus, Sameer, and Ali are the main characters who carry the story forward. Sameer, despite being the antagonist, is my favourite. He is revengeful, almost manic. His character sketch is so detailed and drawn well, it is impossible to feel him come alive in the pages. His transformation arc is satisfactory and believable.

I am not a fan of stories that begin with a prologue unless it really justifies the plot and seamlessly fits in with the narration. In this case, the prologue kind of acts like a spoiler as the author is directly divulging the climax. Apart from that, the other thing I found bothersome was the repeated changing of narrators within the same chapter. That’s just me nit-picking. Regardless, this was a wonderful read.

Pick up ‘Seconds Later’ if you are looking for a fast and gripping romantic thriller. You might get the feel of watching a Bollywood blockbuster!

Love, jealousy, action, death and drama – this story has everything!

Wordsopedia Rating 4/5

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About the author

Vani is an international author, journalist, columnist, and an art curator. Born in Libya to Indian parents, she has an MBA from Kingston University, London, and an MA in Economics from Panjab University, India. She took a plunge into the world of fiction writing after working as a business journalist for leading newspapers, The Times of India and The Financial Express. ‘Seconds Later’ is Vani’s second novel. In her latest, she infuses romance with elements of thrill. She is currently working on a self-help book for women. She splits her time between reading and writing columns for platforms like Quint, Scroll, and Open Magazine.

Vani recently made a foray into non-fiction with her book, ‘Flowers Forever’. It was published in the United States by Los Angeles based World Wide Art Books. Her new book is getting rave reviews and she has already been profiled by Hindustan Times, Open Magazine, Lifestyle Magazine, Quint and Daily Post. She is a part of several communities of readers and writers on popular social media platforms and loves to connect with them.

Get in touch with the author on her website.