Along comes a nail-biting spy fiction

'Along Came A Spyder' by Apeksha Rao, is a high on humour detective fiction full of twists and turns and lots of action. The prequel to this book, 'Itsy Bitsy Spyder' was among the best lockdown reads.

Apeksha is a born and bred Mumbaikar and comes from a family of doctors. She is a homeopath with a theatre background and her case-takings have made her a keen observer of human characteristics, and that helps her craft strong and relatable characters. She wrote her first story at the age of seven and submitted it to Tinkle, a very popular children's magazine. She wound up her practice and moved with her family, to Bengaluru. She is now a full-time writer. She is also a die-hard foodie, who's still trying to find the best vadapav in Bengaluru.

She has twin boys, who keep her on her toes. Apeksha's husband is her inspiration to write, as well as her biggest critic.

Apeksha shares, "My debut novel, 'Along Came A Spyder', was published in September 2020 by TreeShade Books. I've also published the prequel to the book as a novella on Kindle, called 'Itsy Bitsy Spyder'.

I rediscovered my love for writing when I was on maternity leave, and I haven't stopped writing since then. This book combines my two favourite genres - espionage and Young adult (YA). I wanted to write something that had the excitement of spy fiction, as well as the sarcasm and fun of YA."

Apeksha shares about the fiction that, "Along Came A Spyder' is the story of a young girl who wants to be a spy, discovers a secret sisterhood of teen spies, The Spyders, and wants to join them."

"Being passionate about spying, I started writing short stories about a group of teenagers who were solving crimes, and I evolved them into a group of teen spies, " adds Apeksha.

She is currently working on a historical thriller set in the nineteenth century.

Early Praise

"A fantastic spy story which keeps you on the edge and you can't stop till you finish the book. A fantastic debut book. Look forward to reading more from the author."- Kanchana Banerjee, author of Nobody's Child and A Forgotten Affair. "Apeksha Rao writes a taut espionage thriller with a twist-a-minute narrative. The language is flawless, the characterization spot-on, and the plot is filled with rich details. It is the kind of story that you'd leave all your other work aside to read. Be warned!"- Neil D'Silva, author of Haunted, Yakshini and Maya's New Husband

"A thrilling read with several nail-biting moments. Will keep you hooked till the end"- Andaleeb Wajid, author of The Legend Of The Wolf

"Witty, snarky and a thorough entertainer, Along Came a Spyder is a welcome addition to India's YA genre."- Shilpa Suraj, author of Love, Marriage and Other Disasters, Saved by Love, and Driven by Desire.