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Black River
by Nilanjana Roy
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Sep 24 2024 | Archive Date Jul 16 2024
Pushkin Press | Pushkin Vertigo
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Description
A searing debut set in a modern India simmering with the tension of growing religious intolerance, by a major new international voice
This shockingly powerful “psychological thriller” and “riveting murder mystery” is “a magnificent work of literary fiction” perfect for fans of AGE OF VICE and WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (Kiran Desai, Booker Prize winning author)
Teetapur, an unassuming village just a few hours outside of bustling Delhi, is famous for nothing—until one of its children, 8-year-old Munia, is found dead, hanging from the branch of a Jamun tree.
In the largely Hindu village, suspicion quickly falls on an itinerant Muslim man, Mansoor Suspicion ignites like wildfire, fueled by religious tensions that simmer beneath the surface.
The responsibility of uncovering the elusive truth – and prevent the lynching of the prime suspect – now rests on the weary shoulders of Sub-Inspector Ombir Singh. With only one other officer beneath him, and just a single working revolver between them, can he bring justice to a grieving father and an angry village – or will Teetapur demand vengeance instead?
Offering readers a gripping mystery and a sweeping state-of-the-nation saga, Black River stands as a searing critique of modern India, weaving an intricate narrative that captures the essence of a nation grappling with its own complexities and contradictions.
Advance Praise
“Scratch the itch of those who love a "small community dealing with murder" tale with Nilanjana Roy's latest, set in Teetarpur, outside Delhi, "an hour's drive down silent, forested roads covered in powdered summer dust.” — Observer, Best crime novels and thrillers of the year
“A literary thriller of considerable acumen with a textured picture of a country.” — Financial Times, Best New Crime Books
“A new writer to shout about... Roy brings rural India and Delhi to life as much as she does her characters... Riveting.” — Observer
“A novel that is on the one hand a wholly satisfying murder mystery, but which also employs the village of Teetarpur as a kind of India-in-microcosm... A powerful, immersive and unsentimental novel of modern India, Black River establishes Nilanjana Roy as a crime novelist with which to be reckoned.” — Irish Times
“A brilliant, brutal saga that is both an unflattering portrait of modern India and a thrilling crime novel... [An] impressive debut, oozing heat and dust.” — The Times
“Framed as a police procedural, but with the breadth of a saga... [A] dazzling, lyrical tale of friendship, love and grief that shines a light on the corruption and religious sectarianism of modern India.” — Guardian
“This impressive debut is written with great humanity, as well as with incisive clarity... The plot, characterisation, location and writing is first-rate.” — The Critic
“A powerful slice of literary police procedural... This reflective whodunnit transcends the genre's limitations with its delicate handling of humane relationships... A page turner with an extra dimension.” — Crime Time
“A poignant and gripping story, but also a comment on religious intolerance, corruption in politics and issues that affect the rural community particularly, such as politics and gender. A tough but truly relevant read, at times beautifully and exquisitely written but absolutely heartbreaking. A scorching critique of modern India.” — Crime Time Podcast
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781782279440 |
PRICE | $17.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 352 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
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A beautifully written noir! I love to read novels with a political undertone, and the social commentary in this about the Hindu-Muslim divide, the Caste system, pollution, wealth disparities and so on in India was very well done in my opinion - it fit well with the narrative and didn’t disrupt it. A perfect ending too, bittersweet just like many other aspects of this wonderfully told story.
Many thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for this ARC!
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An absorbing story and a great read. This was my first book from the author. Looking forward to future works
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On the surface and in the immediate, Black River is a story about a man whose daughter is murdered and the challenges that come with managing his grief and the ineptitude of the local police. However, the story is so much more about people’s life journeys to become their true selves and to do what’s right.
Filled with big moral and ethical choices, this story takes place in Delhi and examines the wealth gap, the religious tensions on the micro- and microcosmic levels.
I picked it up as it was touted to be a psychological thriller of interest to those who enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing. The description wasn’t wrong.
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Black River presented some dark realities of our society with corruption, neglect, power abuse in which innocence,hope and humanity gets lost and crushed to death. An emotionally harrowing sequence of events with tiny bits of respite in between, I was immersed in the story and will call it a good reading experience.
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This is simply superb! It's an easy five-star for me. The sense of place that the author creates is absolutely amazing. I could practically smell the air as she describes it. The beginning is quite a jolt and I wondered how the author would take it from there. It did not disappoint as we learned the back story up until the incident. The characters come alive on the pages and though to me, the perpetrator of the crime seemed obvious from the beginning, that did not detract from the story because the writing is so good and gives you the whys behind the facts. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's a total winner!
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Although this story is set in a contemporary India, it seems quite historical in telling. The scene is set in a tiny Hindu village of Teetapur. We are first hand witnesses to the death of young girl and the wrongly accused Muslim man. The burning question is, can Inspector Ombir Singh determine who is truly the murderer, and can he convince the village?
The story is a slow burn and more literary than murder mystery (or mystery at all). The insights to life in rural India and contemporary issues that most countries face were interesting and well embedded in the story. Enjoyable ! #pushkinpress #blackriver #nilanjanaroy
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I found this book to be an interesting read. The murders take place early in the book. I loved the descriptions of rural India and the social commentary on religious intolerance and corruption.
The middle part of the book moves away from the murder to give the backstory of the victim's father. It describes the difficulties of the poor in Delhi and the disparity between rich and poor. While this is interesting, those looking for a gripping thriller may be disappointed.
The book is well-written and I would like to read more by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
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I loved this book and I want now to find other Nilanjana Roy's books. I loved her style of writing and the storyline of this book. It's a great page turner and you constantly want to continue reading to find out what will happen. It gives also an interesting insight into Indian's life from a specific point of view. I really enjoyed it and I look forward to read the other books of this new discovered author. Thank you Pushkin Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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