Reading Group – Shalimar the Clown

A shocking murder in Los Angeles turns out to be the climactic act in a slowly unfolding tragedy involving an American diplomat, his mistress, daughter, and Kashmiri chauffer. In characteristically rich and subtle prose Rushdie’s fast moving narative shows the devastation wrought upon peaceful populations by international scheming and the ways in which decent people can be brought to commit acts of violence. Combining politics, romance and suspense, this is a book that has only gained in topicality since its 2005 publication.