The Bandit Queens

A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful—until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands—in this razor-sharp debut.

"Shroff captures the complexity of female friendship with acuity, wit, and a certain kind of magic irreverence...The Bandit Queens is tender, unpredictable, and brimming with laugh-out-loud moments." --Téa Obreht, New York Times bestselling author of The Tiger's Wife

Geeta’s no-good husband disappeared five years ago. She didn’t kill him, but everyone thinks she did—no matter how much she protests.

But she soon discovers that being known as a “self-made” widow has some surprising perks. No one messes with her, no one threatens her, and no one tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for her business; no one wants to risk getting on her bad side by not buying her jewelry.

Freedom must look good on Geeta, because other women in the village have started asking for her help to get rid of their own no-good husbands…but not all of them are asking nicely.

Now that Geeta’s fearsome reputation has become a double-edged sword, she must decide how far to go to protect it, along with the life she’s built. Because even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry.

Insightful, irreverent, and poignant, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is an unforgettable novel full of dark humor and surprising heart.

Story Locale:Rural India

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.

Author Residence: Mountain View, CA

Author Hometown: CA