A powerful work of investigative journalism by Sonia Faleiro that examines the mysterious deaths of two teenage cousins, Padma and Lalli, in a village in Uttar Pradesh in 2014. What initially appeared to be a straightforward case of rape and murder evolved into a complex and deeply troubling investigation involving caste, gender, family honour, politics, media influence, and systemic failures.

Drawing on four years of research and more than a hundred interviews, Faleiro reconstructs the girls' lives, the events surrounding their deaths, and the conflicting narratives that emerged afterward. Rather than offering easy answers, the book explores how poverty, patriarchy, and social inequality shape the lives of women and girls in rural India.

Widely praised for its meticulous reporting and gripping narrative style, the book reads like a true-crime investigation while providing a profound examination of contemporary Indian society. Critics have described it as riveting, compassionate, and deeply unsettling.