the scene severely beaten and raped, local police are convinced that she committed the crime. Social worker Simran Singh has the difficult task of convincing the girl to break her silence and explain the circumstances surrounding the event. Complicating the investigation is a self-serving police chief, a handsome tutor with deep affection for Durga, and the discovery that Durga's sister had previously disappeared. VERDICT Winner of the 2010 Costa First Novel Award, this series debut is an intricately plotted suspenseful and emotional novel that engages readers in its powerful exploration of sexism and the treatment of women in India. These same readers, however, may feel gaps in the story when Indian phrases, words, and customs are used with no defining context; a glossary would have been helpful. Thisstory will be popular with readers interested in foreign crime novels and of particular interest to the Indian community.—Madeline Solien, Deerfield P.L., IL

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My eyes snap open and I stare at the ceiling. I look at the clock—3 a.m. The occasional flash of a passing car lights up the room. It is quiet, as only Jullundur can be quiet. After all those years of terrorism, when bomb blasts used to light up the night, now it is only car headlights. I reach for a cigarette. The pleasures of not sharing a room are many. You can fart in bed, and you can smoke without asking, ‘May I?’ I look across the chintz printed bed sheets and imagine The Last Boyfriend sprawled there. Hairy, fat,