THE BANDIT QUEENS

Soneela Nankani's lilting voice turns this genre-bending novel--part comedy/part mystery--into an exciting adventure. Five years after Geeta's brutish husband disappears, everyone in her tiny Indian village believes she murdered him. Soon, other village women seek her help to rid themselves of their vicious husbands. This results in danger, confusion, and occasional hilarity. Nankani's performance highlights her superb acting skills. Every character sounds authentic. Her men's voices are believable. Her women's voices are precise and easily identifiable. Nankani's deft, subtle narration captures author Parini Shroff's dark humor, never missing an inference or nuance. Delivering clever, stinging dialogue, Nankani allows the women's stories to unfold, revealing the terrible secret abuses they've suffered, as well as highlighting the importance of friendships among women. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2023]