The Bandit Queens

“Shroff captures the complexity of female friendship with acuity, wit, and a certain kind of magic irreverence... The Bandit Queens is tender, unpredictable, and brimming with laugh-out-loud moments.”  -  Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger’s Wife 

Five years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. As in, she actually lost him - he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is. But in her remote village in India, rumour has it that Geeta killed him. And it’s a rumour that just won’t die. It turns out that being known as a “self-made” widow comes with some perks. No one messes with her, harasses her, or tries to control (ahem, marry) her. 

But with Geeta’s dangerous reputation becoming a double-edged sword, she has to find a way to protect the life she’s built - but even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry. What happens next sets in motion a chain of events that will change everything, not just for Geeta, but for all the women in their village. 

"The serious and grim nature of domestic violence and caste discrimination give the novel its backbone, but it’s Shroff’s sharp humour, in the form of witty dialogue between the women, that makes this book memorable."  -  Susan Blumberg-Kason, Asian Review Of Books

Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humour and heart that readers won’t soon forget.