On Java Road by Lawrence Osborne

 

Rebecca is an enigma. Born into wealth, she is ready to set all that to fire, joining the anti-China protesters in Hong Kong. Her volatility attracts the scion of a local powerhouse, Jimmy Tang. Journalist Adrian Gyles is an unwitting bystander to the relationship and finds himself in unsavory territory when things go awry. The novel incisively explores the waning days of old-school journalism. It also defines friendship and what one does in the name of loyalty. Osborne’s picturesque imagery of a roiling Hong Kong, combined with his ear for dialog, makes the novel a standout. Osborne delivers another winner.

The Return of Faraz Ali by Aamina Ahmad

 Faraz Ali is the illegitimate son of a prostitute and a high-placed Pakistani government official. Without giving the son his name, the father has cared for Faraz, finding him a job as a police officer in Lahore. So when Faraz is called to “clean up” a murder in the city’s red-light district, he knows he has no choice. But returning there dredges up troubling childhood memories. Moving between periods of time, much of the book is set when the Indian subcontinent was undergoing its own violent geopolitical upheaval. A spectacular debut full of empathy and humanity–it moved me to tears.

To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker

 

The enchanting Périgord countryside in France makes a fun backdrop for yet another Inspector Bruno adventure. This time around, Les Troubadours, a folk music group has created a hit “Song for Catalonia,” an achievement that makes their lead singer a target of assassination. As Bruno uncovers the plot that is rooted in the Spanish nationalist movement–he also gets involved in helping a town friend with a worrying domestic issue. At times the narrative gets too embroiled in the finer details of the Catalan bid for independence but Bruno’s an endearing protagonist. Besides, who doesn’t love somebody who loves to cook!

All This Could be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews

 

An hourly rate of $23 at a consulting firm. A rent-paid apartment in Milwaukee. Sneha knows that this is the best job she’s going to find in the heat of the Great Recession. After her Indian parents had to leave the United States in ignominy, Sneha bears the responsibility of doing right by them and can’t afford to be picky. As she falls in love with a charismatic young woman, struggles with coming out to her conservative parents, and navigates the edge of bankruptcy, Sneha finds comfort in friends who are themselves barely making it in the gig economy. A+