Sunday Times

Anita Nair is a feminist and highly regarded Indian novelist. A Cut-Like Wound is as startling a debut crime novel as you are likely to read this year. Set in Bangalore, it opens with the horrific murder of a young man who worked as a prostitute. The killing is investigated by Inspector Gowda, who is in the midst of his own midlife crisis when he realises he is dealing with a serial killer. This is a troubling novel about men and sexual identity, ending with a shattering and unexpected revelation.