“This book is so much fun! In Parini Shroff’s dark comedy, the put-upon women of a small Indian village decide to get rid of their husbands-permanently. “Shroff cleverly considers how women might achieve autonomy within rural India’s patriarchal society through shrewd, if complicated, female friendships.” -The Washington Post It also serves up commentary on class, power dynamics and the role of women in society, with a feminist history lesson to boot.” -Good Housekeeping

“This funny, feel-good read is a rollicking ride rife with memorable characters involved in ill-fated hijinks. Very funny-like, laugh-out-loud funny.” -NPR A tale that demonstrates how the antidote to bleak circumstances is female friendship.” -New York Times Book Review “A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women. 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.įilled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget. 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. It’s even been good for business no one dares to not buy her jewelry.įreedom must look good on Geeta, because now other women are asking for her “expertise,” making her an unwitting consultant for husband disposal. No one messes with her, harasses her, or tries to control ( ahem, marry) her. It turns out that being known as a “self-made” widow comes with some perks. But in her remote village in India, rumor has it that Geeta killed him. As in, she actually lost him-he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is.

'A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women.”- The New York Times Book Reviewįive years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful-until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands-in this razor-sharp debut.

The bandit queens a novel