Reeds’ Reads

FEBRUARY 2023 BOOK

The Bandit Queen

Parini Shroff

WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1 | 6:00 pm- 7:30 pm

with moderators, Diane Wade and Jennifer Gensemer.

The real-life Bandit Queen, Phoolan Devi, is Geeta’s inspiration for getting revenge on men who do women wrong.

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 away.