Bombay ice - Leslie Forbes

An Indian 'Miss Smilla' set in Bombay; interwoven with this utterly gripping detective story is a remarkable layering of knowledge gleaned from old books on storms, the monsoon, poisons and magical transformations, the narrator's fascination with the chaos theory and her passionate interest in fate. It is an extremely accomplished, sophisticated and intelligent novel.

Born in Canada, Leslie Forbes has worked in London as a writer, artist and broadcaster for over 20 years. She is the author of four award-winning travel books, including the worldwide bestseller A Table in Tuscany (Italy's Barbi-Colombini prize for the best book on the food and culture of Italy), and the presenter of many celebrated BBC radio series, several based in Italy. Her first novel, the international bestseller Bombay Ice, was published in 1998 to huge acclaim, as was her second, Fish, Blood & Bone (nominated for the Orange prize).