Absolutely loved this read and this historical context. The story and characters were so captivating, it was hard to put this one down. The ending kept my mind racing, and I was itching to figure out how this story would end. 10/10!

i had no idea what this was going to be, but it turned out to be absolutely amazing. loved it. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

ARC Review Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma
Pub date: Feb 10,2025

This novel traverses between Johannesburg in 1996 during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Hearings and Washington in 2018. Prudence is in Johannesburg for a law internship and has the opportunity to attend the hearings. Although aware of the atrocities of apartheid, being present for the testimony, in the presence of the victims families makes the horrifying organized genocidal atrocities real. There she meets Matshediso who despite his coldness she somehow feels a connection to. Perhaps a shared history of childhood loss of fathers and siblings and mothers unable to continue mothering.

Matshediso comes to her rescue furthering this odd connection. Their lives unexpectedly cross again in Washington when he is hired as an IT expert in her husbands firm. Prudence thought she had firmly put those memories behind her but his unexpected return to her life and asking her to repay the past favor throws her life into turmoil.

This novel had so many twists and unexpected turns that I was constantly being surprised. The twist at the end had me gasping out loud to my husbands dismay.

This was an emotionally riveting novel that coupled the atrocities of apartheid with childhood violence, trauma and traumatic loss. The inclusion of inspiring quotes by Tutu, Malcolm X and Mandela at the beginning of each chapter provided a sense of hope contrasting with the sense of helplessness contained within the chapters.

The comparisons between the difference of blackness in America vs South Africa was an interesting added dimension that was enlightening.

This was a fast paced, entertaining novel exploring the complexities of humanity and the potential for violence within all of us.

I recieved an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

Told in a dual timeline, South Africa 1996 and Washington D.C, 2018 we follow Prudence, a promising Law Student interning at South Africa, attending the Truth and Reconcilliation Hearings after the fall of the Apartheid Regime and as stay at home mother of a son on the autistic spectrum. She has abandoned her high flying career for that, and sometimes resents her husband for not acknowledging all she does and has done for his career.

Anyway, the past is coming after her, when Prudence's husband has recruited someone for an IT position. He's the best in his field - so good in fact with cuber security that it's no coincidence that this Matshediso is in fact someone Prudence knows from her days in South Africa.

A thriller then, of sorts.

For the world I couldn't like the characters, maybe because Prudence was oh so American-abroad in South Africa (which probably should win the author accolades for accuracy) and son & husband left little to love. The relationship between Prudence and her husband David, from the outside a power couple, is strained, and exists mostly of discussions not had.
That leaves the very unlikeable Matshediso, the antagonist - but is he the villain, or -like Prudence- a consequence of what happened? And does that matter?

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Lauren Francis-Sharma’s Casualties of Truth is a compelling literary thriller that masterfully intertwines personal and historical narratives. Set against the backdrop of Washington, D.C., and Johannesburg, South Africa, this novel explores the enduring impact of past traumas and the complex nature of justice and revenge.

The story follows Prudence Wright, a former McKinsey consultant turned full-time mother to her autistic son, Roland. Her seemingly perfect life is upended when she encounters Matshediso, a man from her past, during a dinner with her husband Davis and his new colleague.

As the narrative oscillates between the present and Prudence’s past, readers are drawn into a web of secrets and unresolved issues.

Francis-Sharma excels in creating multi-dimensional characters. Prudence is a deeply flawed yet relatable protagonist, whose journey of self-discovery and resilience is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

The supporting characters, including Davis and Roland, add depth to the narrative, highlighting the personal stakes involved.

Casualties of Truth delves into themes of historical injustice, personal redemption, and the moral ambiguities of revenge. Francis-Sharma’s prose is both lyrical and precise, capturing the emotional intensity of Prudence’s journey.

Lauren Francis-Sharma has crafted a thought-provoking and gripping novel that challenges readers to consider the lasting impacts of history and the complexities of human nature. Casualties of Truth is a powerful exploration of how the past shapes our present and the lengths to which we go to seek justice and reconciliation.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary thrillers with rich character development and profound thematic depth.

Many thanks to Grove Atlantic for the ARC.

I went into this book fairly blind, with only a vague idea of what it would be about. A literary thriller maybe, with some historical color from South Africa and the Apartheid regime. It starts out strong, a Black DC power couple (Prudence and Davis) on their way to dinner at a fancy restaurant. There are rich people problems, with a hint of danger and some dark portents which end up paying off much later. Really well written and observed, with the specificity of place and people that bring a book to life for me. So I'm settling into what I imagine will be a solid 4 star thriller.

But then....everything starts to ratchet up. The flashbacks to Prudence's time in South Africa are really well captured, it feels like 1996, then slowly but surely a coiled tension and horror build - and the past catches up with the present. Matshediso (Mat) really emerges as a three dimensional character here, the enigmatic guy from Prudence's past that kicks things in motion. Is he an antagonist? For sure. Is he the bad guy? Hard to say really. The novel doesn't condemn him entirely, but it doesn't let him off the hook either.

Everything about this novel sings. The dialog is natural, and the various accents - Afrikaans, Trini - are handled perfectly, not overcooked. It is the details that make this book special. The misogynoir, the micro and not so micro aggressions that Black women face, the weight of our personal history on the people we become.

I also want to point out Roland the neurodivergent son - this aspect of the story might feel tacked on in another book as an empathy cheat code to get the reader on board with Prudence, but it rings true here - and most importantly is balanced with the demands of a thriller plot. A lot of times, you get kids thrown into these stories but they are quickly sidelined when they become inconvenient to the mechanics of the plot (looking at you, Homeland). We never forget that Prudence is a mother.

Once the scale of the crimes and the stakes are laid bare, the story zips along with the pace of a thriller, built on the scaffolding of the characters and the tragedies in their past. By the ending, there is a sense that things could really go sideways - and they do in spectacular fashion. I love the fact that the author upends the usual way these finales unfold.

Both thematically and conceptually, this book is as sharp as razor wire. It's like a puzzle where each piece fits and complements the larger picture being painted. The history of South Africa post-Apartheid, the TRC - ideas of reconciliation vs retribution - peace is the casualty of injustice and in this case the TRUTH.

The one book I would compare it to of recent years is American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson, which also explores the commonalities/tensions of Black women from the US who are thrust into the geopolitics of Africa. The writing here is smart without being showboaty.

A fantastic novel. One that will stay with me for a long while. Highly recommended.

I recieved an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

This book did a very good job explaining the basics of the truth and reconcilliation hearings, and why they were necessay, which was helpful as I am quite uneducated in the topic. The writing was also well done, and the cover was very pretty. I can also acknowledge that as a white North American, many of the topics in this book are experiences that I will never personally have and it is not my place to judge how a black woman reacts to racism.

The characters, however, are all incredibly unlikable. At the begining of the book, Prudence and Davis begin talking about how Mat found his girlfriend on Tinder and judge him for it. Davis generally seems like a terrible terrible guy, or at least someone who has no idea how to conduct himself in public. He brings up his wife's bad childhood at a dinner with his new coworker who (to his knowledge) has just met the woman for the first time. When their autistic son throws a cup of hot chocolate in Prudences face and tries to kick her, she tells him to go to his room. Davis' reaction? Telling the kid that mommy is mean for yelling at him.

Prudence isn't much better. She moves to South Africa to help file amnesty paperwork for prisoners, but the day before she is supposed to sit in on a truth and reconcilliation hearing, admits that she actually hasn't done much research on the matter. She is given reading material to catch herself up, and doesn't really read much of it until later. She comes to a foreign country and essentially expects to be catered to the entire time. When she complains about how a waitress treated her, she is told that that is how the service inductry in the area works and actually that Prudence had been the rude one. Instead of apologizing, she doubles down that they should be serving her better because "thats how it works in the US".

While Prudence certainly didn't deserve to be raped by the police officer, everything leading up to him being called is entirely her fault. She knows that they doen't pump their own gas in the area, but when the attendant doesn't immediately service her she decides to pump herself. She doesn't even bother going over to the attendant to ask for service. She knows that not everyone accepts credit cards, but after two months in the country somehow doesn't carry any of the local currency, only American dollars. When she goes to pay, she discovers that they dont accept credit and also don't accept American money. She has pumped a full tank of gas and has no way to pay for it, so the attendant tells her that she has stolen the gas and calls the police. She then insists that they should have a signs, since thats how it works in America.

I also thought the coment about how she knew her 7-year-old was "playing with his p***s" was really out of place and could have been written differently.

Overall, I think the premise was interesting, the cover was pretty, and that the writing was okay, but this book wasn't for me. Its really hard to root for such obnoxious characters who never learn better, just double down on their ignorance the whole book.

Ya’ll! When I say I couldn’t put this book down, I mean, I could not put it DOWN! This is all thriller, full speed ahead, with a dash of real-life history lessons and a big a** hefty pour of revenge!

Get this book now!!!

Ok ok, I’m calm...

The story follows a woman, Prudence, on a dual timeline between Now: a stay-at-home mother and wife in Washington D.C and Then: a law student in Johannesburg, South Africa, on an internship attending the Truth and Reconciliation court hearings in 1996. The hearings were intended to address violations against human rights during the time of Apartheid.

Prudence (now) bumps into someone from her deep, dark past that shakes up the world she’s fought and worked so hard to create for herself and her family, a world of high class, safety and copious amounts of money and comforts.

This book deals with a lot of sensitive topics, especially here in America. It goes to show how far governments are willing to go to keep the peace and cover up the truth, and how humans continue to perpetuate the harmful cycle of stereotypes, classism, racism, prejudice and more. Anyone is bound to learn something new, and I hope if this isn’t your typical read, that you will pick it up anyways.

If I were to annotate Casualties of Truth, the pages would be dripping in yellow highlighter. I mean, soaked!

An absolute treasure cove of words, wisdom, power, and strength.

Narrated in a dual timeline, the story moves between 1996 South Africa, and 2018 Washington DC. Prudence, leading a seemingly ‘normal’ life with her husband, comes face to face with Matshediso, a South African man seeking revenge for past wrongs. Travelling back in time to the sessions of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which Prudence attended as a law student, anchors the nightmare that begins unfolding in 2018 Washington DC.

This is a short read, and as compelling as a thriller (which it is, in some ways), but also a difficult one for the content. It ruminates on the meanings of ‘truth’, justice, history, and the inescapability of the echoes of a violent past.

Hands down, one of the best books I’ve read this year!

A HUGE thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC! This is a book I will be buying as soon as I see it in a bookshop!