Undertow

Some boldly, some timidly, the people in "Undertow" take stock of their lives, then break the rules, exposing themselves to unfamiliar settings that challenge them further. Adventures may turn into misadventures, but potential is unleashed and lives are changed. According to Kirkus, "Undertow" is a fresh...incisive...inspired... impressive collection." Sharpe has given us here a witty, stylish collection with plenty of heart. A demoralized young diplomat in Lagos finds solace on Bar Beach, which turns out to be more dangerous and more seductive than her colleagues imagine. A visiting scholar is kidnapped by rebels in West Bengal. A purse-snatching in Seville turns a honeymoon into a nightmare. Transgressive love promises liberation to a Javanese who may be tripped up by her own mortality. Nigeria's vibrant culture tests a senior diplomat's complacency. Hiking in Ladakh taxes a trekkers body and ego. A wintery baptism in Soviet Moscow ignites repressed creativity. And here's another bit of magic: whether it's Nigeria or India, Sharpe evokes these settings as vividly as her characters. As you read, you're there and you definitely care.