Black River - by Nilanjana Roy (Paperback)

About the Book

"Teetapur, an unassuming village just a few hours outside of bustling Delhi, is famous for nothing--until one of its children, 8-year-old Munia, is found dead, hanging from the branch of a Jamun tree. In the largely Hindu village, suspicion quickly falls on an itinerant Muslim man, Mansoor Suspicion ignites like wildfire, fueled by religious tensions that simmer beneath the surface. The responsibility of uncovering the elusive truth - and prevent the lynching of the prime suspect - now rests on the weary shoulders of Sub-Inspector Ombir Singh. With only one other officer beneath him, and just a single working revolver between them, can he bring justice to a grieving father and an angry village - or will Teetapur demand vengeance instead?" --

Book Synopsis

** A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2024 **

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN, THE SUNDAY TIMES, AND THE FINANCIAL TIMES

A searing debut set in a modern India simmering with the tension of growing religious intolerance, by a major new international voice

This shockingly powerful "psychological thriller" and "riveting murder mystery" is "a magnificent work of literary fiction" perfect for fans of AGE OF VICE and WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (Kiran Desai, Booker Prize winning author)

Teetapur, an unassuming village just a few hours outside of bustling Delhi, is famous for nothing--until one of its children, 8-year-old Munia, is found dead, hanging from the branch of a Jamun tree.

In the largely Hindu village, suspicion quickly falls on an itinerant Muslim man, Mansoor Suspicion ignites like wildfire, fueled by religious tensions that simmer beneath the surface.

The responsibility of uncovering the elusive truth - and prevent the lynching of the prime suspect - now rests on the weary shoulders of Sub-Inspector Ombir Singh. With only one other officer beneath him, and just a single working revolver between them, can he bring justice to a grieving father and an angry village - or will Teetapur demand vengeance instead?

Offering readers a gripping mystery and a sweeping state-of-the-nation saga, Black River stands as a searing critique of modern India, weaving an intricate narrative that captures the essence of a nation grappling with its own complexities and contradictions.

Review Quotes

"A standout noir epic, which uses the trappings of the mystery to examine deeper ills in modern India... With its depth of feeling, narrative sweep and deceptively plain writing style, this is a crime novel I'll be thinking about for a long time" -- New York Times

"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

About the Author

Nilanjana Roy is a Delhi-based journalist, literary critic, editor and author. She has written and reviewed for numerous publications including the Guardian, New York Times, and Huffington Post, and has a weekly column in the Financial Times, and her novel The Wildings was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Black River is Nilanjana's adult debut. It grew out of her years of reporting on gender from New Delhi and the surrounding states for the New York Times, and from exploring the capital and the Yamuna river on long walks.