Sirens of Memory

"When your past comes back to haunt you, you are forced to see who you really are. Mariam is pregnant and fleeing an abusive marriage as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait begins. Leaving her husband Tareq for dead, she crosses the border and is evacuated with the help of Raj, who she meets at a refugee camp and suggests she assume the identity of his dead wife so she can be issued Indian papers. Twenty-five years later, Mariam is still living under the identity of Raj's Indian wife in the US. In an attempt to put her past to rest, she attends an event commemorating the anniversary of the invasion at the Kuwaiti embassy. Also in attendance is Tareq, miraculously still alive, who had assumed his wife was killed in the invasion decades before. Angry and obsessed, he begins planning his revenge. The confrontation that follows forces Mariam to confront her past as a victim and decide who she really is, once and for all"--

About the author

Puja Guha, author of the international bestselling The Ahirman Legacy series, was born into a family of acclaimed Indian architects. Today, she works as an independent consultant on international development programs primarily in Africa and South Asia - traveling to some of the most economically-challenged countries in the world. She has lived in Kuwait, Toronto, Paris, London, New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. She currently resides in the Denver area. Find her online at: pujaguha.com and on Twitter @GuhaPuja

Summary

2021 CRIME FICTION PICK OF THE YEAR—DIVERSE VOICES BOOK REVIEW

NAMED ONE OF CRIMEREADS' "MOST ANTICIPATED CRIME BOOKS OF 2021"

When your past comes back to haunt you, you are forced to see who you really are.

Mariam is pregnant and fleeing an abusive marriage as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait begins. Leaving her husband Tareq for dead, she crosses the border and is evacuated with the help of Raj, who she meets at a refugee camp and suggests she assume the identity of his dead wife so she can be issued Indian papers.

Twenty-five years later, Mariam is still living under the identity of Raj’s Indian wife in the US. In an attempt to put her past to rest, she attends an event commemorating the anniversary of the invasion at the Kuwaiti embassy. Also in attendance is Tareq, miraculously still alive, who had assumed his wife was killed in the invasion decades before. Angry and obsessed, he begins planning his revenge. The confrontation that follows forces Mariam to confront her past as a victim and decide who she really is, once and for all.

Additional text

"SIRENS OF MEMORY is a powerful peek behind the curtain of domestic life, country, and culture. In the specificity of a war-torn time, Puja Guha uncovers the universal truths revealed by one woman's struggle to reclaim her voice, and with it her life."—Jenny Milchman, USA Today bestselling author of COVER OF SNOW

"Harrowing and transportive, SIRENS OF MEMORY is an emotional tale of the strength we find in facing our own trauma and the beauty in rejecting victimhood. Fans of multicultural suspense and stories of women reclaiming their power should enjoy this unique and vivid journey."—Andrea Bartz, author of THE LOST NIGHT and THE HERD

"Guha’s SIRENS OF MEMORY is a gripping and complex story that spans borders and eras."—CrimeReads

“SIRENS OF MEMORY takes the classic SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY to new heights. It’s a tense and touching exploration of domestic abuse set against the backdrop of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. I was frantically turning the pages to learn what had happened to Miriam and if she gets to keep her hard won freedom.”—Cate Holahan, USA Today bestselling author of HER THREE LIVES

"An absorbing, well-crafted choice for fans of global thrillers, Mariam’s story is a dangerous journey to empowerment that shifts between harrowing flashbacks of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and her struggle to reclaim herself, even as Tareq’s obsession looms."—Booklist

“Puja Guha's gripping SIRENS OF MEMORY balances brutality against humanity, fear against loyalty, risk against love, all on the stage of present-day Austin, Texas when the terrors of 1991's first Gulf War reignite for one family into a pulse-pounding race for the safety they'd fought so hard to win once already. Guha writes with authority and grace, intrepidly tackling life's harshest realities and warmest hopes in this tour-de-force thriller.” —Jamie Mason, author of THE HIDDEN THINGS

“A gripping psychological thriller about the real horror that can come from the people you let in while also hitting the sweet spot between page turner and searing authenticity.”—Mike McCrary, author of RELENTLESS and HARD HEARTS

“In its many discussions about trauma, this book offers a necessary discussion about the personal, social, and cultural attitudes regarding escape and recovery with which readers of all backgrounds can engage. Possessing the awareness of novels such as SPEAK and the boldness of NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER, this book becomes an exciting read that reminds readers that although the past is a significant contributor to identity, it is not one's all-defining component.”—US Review of Books

Product details

• Authors: Puja Guha
• Publisher: Polis Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 29.06.2021
• EAN: 9781951709372
• ISBN: 978-1-951709-37-2
• No. of pages: 320
• Illustrations: Illustrations, unspecified
• Subjects: Fiction > Suspense; FICTION / Women, FICTION / Political, FICTION / Cultural Heritage