Black River

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