“For Geeta, life as a widow is more peaceful than life as a wife…

Until the other women in her village decide they want to be widows, too.

Geeta is believed to have killed her vanished husband – a rumour she hasn’t bothered trying to correct, because a reputation like that can keep a single woman safe in rural India. But when she’s approached for help in ridding another wife of her abusive drunk of a husband, her reluctant agreement sets in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of all the women in the village….

A darkly irreverent and fresh take on a feminist revenge thriller, perfect for readers of My Sister the Serial Killer, How To Kidnap The Rich and the Sharon Horgan series Bad Sisters.”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff. The Bandit Queens was published by Allen & Unwin on 1st February 2024 and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free ARC of The Bandit Queens but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Sophie at Allen & Unwin for sending me a finished copy.

Geeta’s husband, Ramesh, disappeared five years ago from their small village in India and hasn’t been seen since. The rumour being that Geeta killed him and did away with his body. It’s a rumour she uses to her advantage, preferring a solitary life and having local children fear her. One of her few social obligations is her mandatory attendance at her loan group. The group, made up of Geeta and four other women, meet regularly to repay their debts. She doesn’t like any of the women, especially Saloni who she grew up with. Painful memories of how close they used to be are pushed aside, allowing more room for her dislike of her former BFF to grow. When one of the other women in the group decides she’s had enough of her drunken, abusive husband she turns to Geeta for advice on how to do what they all assume Geeta did to Ramesh. She reluctantly agrees to help. But how can Geeta carry out the perfect murder when she hasn’t the faintest idea of what she’s doing…?

The Bandit Queens is a wonderful, character-driven tale featuring a small group of women in a rural Indian village. Very different to my other reads this heartfelt story of sisterhood, of battling against the odds (and the patriarchy) and of making your own destiny was a joy to read from start to finish. If you’re a regular visitor to the blog then you may be aware that I’m all about the characters in the books I read. The Bandit Queens is a perfect example of how to write a cast of standout, unforgettable characters. They’re utterly sublime. Geeta had my heart from the moment I met her. She wants to be left alone so she uses her neighbours’ perception of her, believing her to be a churel, to ensure she’s not bothered by anyone. The local kids keep their distance, there’s no pressure to socialise with anyone, Geeta is happy with her lot. Plus, having a fearsome reputation works well for her in a village where being a single woman immediately puts a target on your back. When another member of the loan group decides she has had enough of her own husband, she turns to Geeta for help. Putting the disparate group of acquaintances with only a loan in common on a path none of them foresaw.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. There is so much to love about The Bandit Queens. The characters are beautifully drawn, each flawed in their own unique way. It makes the women all the more believable and I loved their interactions, their petty squabbles, the one-upwomanship (I know it’s one-upmanship but this is a feminist tale so I felt it more fitting!) and the ingrained traditions these Indian women adhere to, whether they want to or not. I thought the setting was superb. Rural India came to life on the page and I relished the backdrop just as much as I enjoyed spending time with Geeta and co. I thought the humour was delivered well with several laugh-out-loud moments and lots of heartfelt smiles. The plot is a little on the slow side but that’s something I tend to enjoy so I savoured the slower pace of the novel, enjoying the time I was spending in the characters’ company. As you approach the end of the book the tension really ramps up and a couple of things become uncomfortably clear. I was on the edge of my seat with my heart in my mouth. I couldn’t bear the thought of anything awful happening to the characters, I had become that invested in them. All in all, I loved The Bandit Queens. It was completely different to everything else I’ve read before. Wonderful characters, a glimpse into a different way of life (aspects of which made my toes curl in anger!), heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. I’ve already mentioned how much I liked Geeta but I can’t end this review without mentioning Bandit the dog. Bandit totally stole the show. He adds so much fun and spontaneity to proceedings, he’s comedy gold! Highly immersive, totally enchanting and irresistible from beginning to end. A book which deserves to be made into a movie or TV series. I very much look forward to reading more from this author soon. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of The Bandit Queens. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff was published in the UK by Allen & Unwin on 1st February 2024 and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Parini Shroff received her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied under Elizabeth McCracken, Alexander Chee, and Cristina García. She is a practicing attorney and currently lives in the Bay Area. The Bandit Queens is her debut novel.