Calling all mystery fans! Join us for our monthly mystery book club! Light refreshments provided; for adults. This month's pick is The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff.
Geeta's no-good husband disappeared five years ago. She didn't kill him, but everyone thinks she did-no matter how much she protests.
But she soon discovers that being known as a "self-made" widow has some surprising perks. No one messes with her, no one threatens her, and no one tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It's even been good for her business; no one wants to risk getting on her bad side by not buying her jewelry.
Freedom must look good on Geeta, because other women in the village have started asking for help to get rid of their no-good husbands... but not all of them are asking nicely.
Now that Geeta's fearsome reputation has become a double-edged sword, she must decide how far to go to protect it, along with the life she's built. Because even the best laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry.
Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff's The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of dark humor and heart that readers won't soon forget.
Content warnings: murder, domestic abuse, alcoholism, sexism, sexual assault, child abuse
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