This book took me straight into the heart of Nigeria, at least the part of Nigeria that is in London. I’m always attracted to books set in that city, but this is a very different London, where a group of three Nigerian women share friendship, food, and fun. When a fourth woman joins their group strange things start to happen.
The book moves at a fast pace, and I finished it in a couple of evenings. There were interesting insights into the lives of part-Nigerian women, but I got annoyed with the way they interacted with each other, and with their men. A Guardian review recommended that this was one of the best recent crime thrillers, but it was a bit light for me. While there was a mystery it was well smothered. Still, it’s interesting to read about another culture, and there was enough to keep me engaged.
Wahala translates in to trouble
when someone new enters their bubble
Ruth's Reflections 
There are a lot of new Nigerian women writers who are worth reading, such as Abi Darē (The Girl with the Louding Voice) and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Purple Hibiscus), Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister the Serial Killer). Bernadine Evaristo (English mother, Nigerian father) writes of London, mostly, in Girl, Woman, Other. This Lovely City by Louise Hare is about the Windrush generation settling in London in the 1950s. I also highly recommend Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga. All available in our wonderful library!
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“Girl, Woman, Other” is in the pile waiting beside my bed – a gift from a daughter.
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