The Nigerwife

(Paperback)

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This twisty and electrifying debut novel about a young woman who goes missing in Lagos, Nigeria, and her estranged auntie who will stop at nothing to find the truth is perfect for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer and The Last Thing He Told Me 'Thrillingly suspenseful . . . Reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose' BERNARDINE EVARISTO 'A brilliantly original novel about family, motherhood, identity and diaspora, with a crime thriller twist' AFUA HIRSCH Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life- a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of glittering Lagos, Nigeria, and a glamorous group of friends. She left gloomy London and a dark family past behind for sunny, moneyed Lagos, becoming part of the Nigerwives-a community of foreign women married to wealthy Nigerian men. But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her Auntie Claudine decides to take matters into her own hands. Armed with only a cell phone and a plane ticket to Nigeria, she digs into her niece's life and uncovers a hidden side filled with dark secrets, isolation, and even violence. But the more she discovers about her niece, the more Claudine's own buried history threatens to come to light. An inventively told and keenly observant thriller where nothing is as it seems, The Nigerwife is a razor-sharp look at the bonds of family, the echoing consequences of secrets, and whether we can ever truly outrun our past. 'The Nigerwife is an exceptional debut . . . pacy and unique. An absolute treat - it took all my expectations and threw them to the wind.' JANICE HALLETT 'A murderously good read' SARAH LANGAN

Reviews

A thrillingly suspenseful novel that reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose, while exposing the imprisoning dynamics inside transactional relationships of patriarchal power. I was hooked right through to the shocking end -- Bernardine Evaristo, Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other
A brilliantly original novel about family, motherhood, identity and diaspora, with a crime thriller twist -- Afua Hirsh
In this superb thriller with a devastating conclusion, Vanessa Walters finally fulfils her precocious talent. One of my books of the year -- Alex Wheatle
Explores the ways a set of ex-pat women in Nigeria exchange autonomy for comfort. But it's a raw, and potentially fatal deal. A murderously good read! -- Sarah Langan
The search for a missing woman, set against the backdrop of glamour and wealth, is utterly captivating. Lush, poignant and gripping with a killer ending to boot . . . Vanessa Walters is one to watch -- Mary Kubica

Author Bio

Vanessa Walters was born and raised in London. She has a background in international journalism and playwriting and is a Tin House and Millay Arts resident. She is the author of two previous YA books. She currently lives in Brooklyn.