January 27 2026
Ep40: Puja Guha is the author of seven novels and four short stories! She shares details about her Ahriman Legacy series and the story in the new anthology, “On Fire Under Water”
About bestselling author Puja Guha: International Development Consultant. Global Citizen. Author of seven novels and four published short stories. Born into a family of acclaimed Indian architects, Puja traveled with her parents as they worked on projects around the world. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Puja completed her Master’s degree in public policy at Sciences Po and the London School of Economics. Today, she works as an independent consultant on international development programs – primarily in Africa and South Asia – traveling to some of the most economically-challenged countries in the world. Leveraging her scholarship, her ability to speak five languages, and her earnest goal of engendering global economic progress, she continues to learn about, support, and embrace new countries.
“Along my journey, I have been inspired by politics, culture, and writing the Ahriman Legacy series, which takes readers along with me into my imagination enhanced by my experiences,” shares Puja, who has lived in Kuwait, Toronto, Paris, London, and several American cities, including New York, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. She now lives in the Denver area. Her spy thriller series THE AHRIMAN LEGACY is an Amazon bestseller, and she has been featured on TV and media, including Fox5, Reader’s Digest, and the London Post. She enjoys travel, all things outdoors (especially with her dog Sally), spy movies, and curling up with a good book.
Learn more: pujaguha.com • @authorpujaguha (Instagram/Facebook) • Find all of her books here, on Amazon.
Read more to learn about Puja’s Books!
On Fire and Under Water — A Climate Change Crime Fiction Anthology: This anthology peels back the curtain on how climate change impacts real people in their most desperate hour. Puja Guha’s story The Devil Doesn’t Live Hand to Mouth showcases this desperation as her protagonist loses everything to a massive storm in Mozambique. On Amazon.
Ahriman: The Spirit of Destruction (Book 1, THE AHRIMAN LEGACY series): Espionage. Assassins. Middle East. 2021. Three years ago, a traumatic op forced her into a quiet life as an analyst. But after new intel surfaces on a terrorist plot in her hometown of Kuwait, former intelligence agent Petra Shirazi has no choice but to return to the field. Buy it on Amazon.
Road to Redemption (Book 2, THE AHRIMAN LEGACY series): Former spy Petra Shirazi settles into a life in Paris under the alias of Ana Zagini. Her new world comes crashing down after a visit from a former Agency colleague forces her back into fieldwork. On Amazon.
Resurgence of the Hunt (Book 3, THE AHRIMAN LEGACY series): A Former Spy and a Retired Assassin Hunt an Illegal Arms Dealer. Seeking justice for a fallen colleague, operative Carlos Santiago engages the help of an unlikely duo: former spy Petra Shirazi (unbeknownst to him, also Vik’s ex-girlfriend) and the Ahriman, a retired Iranian assassin. On Amazon.
Reckoning from the Shadows (Book 4, THE AHRIMAN LEGACY series): Agent Petra Shirazi is back in another sizzling action thriller to stop an Agency mole… and save a democracy. On Amazon.
Battle for the Veiled City (Book 5, THE AHRIMAN LEGACY series): Former agent Petra Shirazi strikes a deal with the devil. After her partner Kasem Ismaili is arrested for his past as the deadly assassin the Ahriman, former agent Petra Shirazi will do anything to assure his freedom. On Amazon.
Sirens of Memory: After finding out she’s pregnant, Mariam flees her abusive marriage just as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait begins. Twenty-five years later, she’s living under a new identity, when the past catches up with her. On Amazon.
The Confluence: The Kite Runner meets Monsoon Wedding during revolution in the Middle East. The story of a young woman adopting her son as she brings her estranged family back together in fictionalized Sudan and India. On Amazon.
More Short Stories:
Low Down Dirty Vote — Volume II: Every stolen vote is a crime: This anthology focuses on the dire consequences of election fraud. Puja’s story, Somebody Else’s Game, brings this to light as part of a Russian op to influence elections in Kazakhstan, featuring a character from her The Ahriman Legacy series. On Amazon
Lost and Loaded — A Gun’s Tale (the 509 Crime Anthologies): How does one discarded revolver lead to so much trouble? Follow the gun through one Pacific Northwest summer and find out. A Spy’s Night Out by Puja Guha focuses on an op to gather intel on a drug dealer that takes place at a wedding in the Pacific Northwest. On Amazon.
Down to the River: A collection of twenty crime stories that take place on or near American rivers from some of the strongest voices in crime fiction writing today. As these stories show, rivers are not only sources of life; they can also be scenes of murder and revenge. Puja’s story: Where are the Boats? features a spy on the run who is hunted down during a canoe trip in Utah. On Amazon.
Read samples of Puja’s work:
- Sirens of Memory: smarturl.it/SirensofMemory
- Ahriman — The Spirit of Destruction: smarturl.it/ahrimanIntl
- Road to Redemption: smarturl.it/Road2Redemption
- Resurgence of the Hunt: smarturl.it/ResurgenceoftheHunt
- Reckoning from the Shadows: amazon.com/dp/B0BQKR414K/
- The Confluence: ConfluenceIntl
Contact Puja: pujaguha@gmail.com
About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com
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About Elaine’s Restaurant: A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selections is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are inspired by exquisite food from Alexandria, Egypt — a blend of Middle Eastern and French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. “I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it after her,” shares Cynthia, who is also an author. She and her husband, bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, are proud to share my family’s recipes with new friends and families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.” Located in an 1880s building, it was the previous home for 38 years of the beloved bistro Bilbo Baggins. The newly renovated restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River and Founders Park, just a few blocks from The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. Make a reservation today: elaines-restaurant.com.
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