It Takes a Girl

Here’s a brilliant new novel by the impressive writer Atima Srivastava. The lightness of touch in Srivastava’s writing style is in stark contrast to the tense and terrifying roller coaster of the story – making It Takes a Girl a stylish psychological noir thriller.

When a gangster is found floating in the Brook in a peaceful Asian neighbourhood in North London, the scandalous secrets of a family are set to explode.

Shaani at 19 is faced with a situation that threatens to destroy everything: her brother’s glittering future, her mother’s mental health and the family’s spotless reputation. In her attempt to right the wrongs, she takes the biggest risk of her life. Will it pay off?

Atima was born in Mumbai in 1961 and came to London at age 10. She was a film editor for 16 years and then a university lecturer developing and teaching courses in Literature, Film and Immigration. She has published two other novels, as well as several screenplays and short stories and been a Visiting British Writer in Residence at universities in over 50 cities including Seoul, Mumbai, Mainz, Sophia, Bern, Koln, Lugano and Singapore.