Witness the Night by Kishwar Desai

Witness the Night

Kishwar Desai

This a gruesome tale of a family massacre set against a background of sustained and condoned abuse of female children. Freelance social worker Simran Singh is an engaging heroine, although being middle aged and unmarried, she is an outsider in Indian society - which adds an extra dimension to the story. An exceptionally atmospheric and tantalising novel and deserving winner of the 2010 Costa First Novel Award.

Extract
Of course, it may be an entirely mistaken notion that I have helped anyone at all. But it keeps me going till I occasionally reach the last bloody hole and drag out someone who has been kicked into the ground. Why do I do it? Sheer cussedness. Or, as my mother put it, I deliberately chose a profession that would make most bachelors (unless they were criminals or deviants ) blanch. And scoot.
Parallels
  • My name is Salma by Fadia Faqir
  • The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai