Books from Sri Lanka

In a crumbling Italian villa at the close of World War II, four individuals are drawn together by circumstance and their own pasts. A nurse, a thief, and a sapper are all touched by the mystery of the burned, nameless man in the room upstairs. His memories of love, loss, and survival slowly come to light, connecting their fates in unexpected ways.

• betrayal
• sacrifice
• dual timeline

In this darkly humorous and surreal novel, a dead photojournalist wakes up in Colombo with seven days to figure out who murdered him. Maali Almeida has to uncover the truth behind his own death before his soul is lost forever. He navigates a chaotic afterlife, encountering ghosts and making deals to expose a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power.

• morally grey
• revenge
• betrayal

In the final days of World War II, a young nurse tends to a critically injured, nameless Englishman in an abandoned Italian villa. As she cares for him, his past and the events that led to his condition are slowly revealed through fragmented memories. Their shared isolation and his stories create an intense bond, blurring the lines between healer and patient, past and present.

• multiple povs
• forbidden love
• survival

Virginia Brandon is torn from her sophisticated Parisian life and thrust into the passionate, dangerous world of New Orleans and Mexico. There, she meets Steven Morgan, a man whose intense love and powerful desires will force her to confront her deepest fears and risk everything. Their tumultuous romance spans continents, challenging everything she thought she knew about love and survival.

• forbidden love
• morally grey

This novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Pradeep Sivanathan Mathew, a real Sri Lankan test cricket bowler born in 1965. It explores his journey and experiences within the world of cricket and beyond. The story delves into the personal and professional challenges faced by a prominent sports figure.

Fetter was raised to kill, honed as a knife to cut down his sainted father. This gave him plenty to talk about in therapy. He walked among invisible powers: devils and anti-gods that mock the mortal form. He learned a lethal catechism, lost his shadow, and gained a habit for secrecy. After a blood-soaked childhood, Fetter escaped his rural hometown for the big city, and fell into a broader world where divine destinies are a dime a dozen. Everything in Luriat is more than it seems. Group therapy is recruitment for a revolutionary cadre. Junk email hints at the arrival of a god. Every door is laden with potential, and once closed may never open again. The city is scattered with Bright Doors, looming portals through which a cold wind blows. In this unknowable metropolis, Fetter will discover what kind of man he is, and his discovery will rewrite the world.

Legacy of danger Headstrong but sheltered, Raine Wimbourne longs for adventure--and when her ailing father reveals a closely guarded secret, she seizes her chance. Disguised as England's most notorious highwayman, Raine vows to uphold her father's legacy as champion of the poor. Then a midnight encounter with the powerful Philippe Gautier shows her the price of protecting her family's honor-- A hostage heart Philippe Gautier has a mission of his own--and the beautiful impostor he's delivering to justice may hold the key to saving his brother's life. He will stop at nothing to keep Raine close. But as they travel from the town houses of London to the streets of France, can he convince his untamed captive to risk it all on the promise of passion? (copied from fantasticfiction.com)

Vasantha, a retired driver, navigates post-civil war Sri Lanka in his van, transporting diverse passengers. Through his self-deprecating wit and folksy wisdom, he uncovers their uncertain lives and the lingering impact of the past. As he journeys from Jaffna to Galle, Vasantha confronts his own history and his country's, seeking the promise of the future. This collection offers a perceptive and somber portrait of a nation grappling with its ghosts.

• road trip
• redemption arc

Triton, a young chef, leaves his father's home to work for Mr. Ranjan Salgado, a marine biologist obsessed with the disappearing reef of a Sri Lankan island. As Triton strives to please his master with culinary delights, both men find their lives irrevocably altered by the escalating political unrest in Sri Lanka. The unfolding events will have a profound impact, particularly on Triton, as he navigates a world in turmoil.

• coming of age
• fish out of water