An engrossing murder mystery. A psychological suspense thriller. A fantastic work of literary fiction. Roy brings her formidable journalistic experience to this story of crime in modern India. Black River addresses a society unravelling in the midst of change, a brutal class divide, the terror of religious strife, and unrelenting violence against women?but it is also infused with tenderness for the ordinary, heroic decency of those who continue to play by different rules. Reading this novel is like praying with your hands.' Kiran Desai's 'Black River is an Indian elegy. It's beautifully written, heartbreaking, and feels entirely true.' Sonia Faleiro's 'Nilanjana transforms the police procedural into gritty, compelling Delhi noir,' says the critic. Jeet Thayil's