The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff longlisted for Women’s Prize for Fiction

HarperCollins

is proud to announce

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

is longlisted for the prestigious

Women’s Prize for Fiction.

 

Releasing in India on 10th April 2023, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget.

Available on preorder – https://bit.ly/3ZGUmpj

 

Quote from 2023 judge Louise Minchin: “The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff is an extraordinary caper of a novel. I’ve never met a character like Geeta. She inspires other women in her village in India to murder their husbands. It sounds dark – it is dark – but also it is utterly compelling and funny.”

Commenting on the longlist, Associate Publisher, Rahul Soni, said, “We’re delighted to learn that Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens has been longlisted for the prestigious Women’s Prize for Fiction – this is a dark, funny, sharp, wicked debut that deals with many weighty themes with a light but sure hand. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the shortlist announcement and more – this should be just the first of many richly deserved accolades coming Parini’s way. And I’m very glad to be publishing The Bandit Queens in India, where it will resonate with many, many readers.”

 

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ABOUT THE AWARD

One of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, the Women’s Prize for Fiction was known as the Orange Prize for Fiction between 1996 and 2012 and the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction between 2014 and 2017. It celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing from throughout the world.

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

“A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women.”—THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Tender, unpredictable, and brimming with laugh-out-loud moments.”—TÉA OBREHT, bestselling author of The Tiger’s Wife

Five years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. As in, she actually lost him—he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is. But in her remote village in India, rumor has it that Geeta killed him. And it’s a rumor that just won’t die.

As it happens, being known as a “self-made” widow comes with some perks. No one messes with Geeta, harasses her, or tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for business: no one dares to not buy her jewelry.

Freedom must look good on Geeta, because now other women are asking for her “expertise” making her an unwitting consultant for husband disposal. And not all of them are asking nicely.

What happens next sets in motion a chain of events that will change everything, not just for Geeta but for all the women in the village.

Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

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.

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For more information, please contact Vandana Rathore at
vandana.rathore@harpercollins.co.in