Parini Shroff

The Bandit Queens: A Novel Parini Shroff

A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly usefuluntil other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbandsin this razor-sharp debut.

Shroff captures the complexity of female friendship with acuity, wit, and a certain kind of magic irreverenceThe Bandit Queens is tender, unpredictable, and brimming with laugh-out-loud moments. Téa Obreht, New York Times bestselling author of The Tigers Wife

Geetas no-good husband disappeared five years ago. She didnt kill him, but everyone thinks she didno 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. Its 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 her help to get rid of their own no-good husbandsbut not all of them are asking nicely.
 
Now that Geetas fearsome reputation has become a double-edged sword, she must decide how far to go to protect it, along with the life shes built. Because even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry.
 
Insightful, irreverent, and poignant, Parini Shroffs The Bandit Queens is an unforgettable novel full of dark humor and surprising heart.