Origins of Love - Hardcover

'From the author of Witness the Night comes another rich story involving social worker Simran Singh. She is the llink between an abandoned baby girl in Delhi and a couple desperate for a baby in London. Insightful and moving 4 stars'--Woman's Own

'Kishwar Desai won the 2010 Costa First Novel Award with Witness the Night, which tackled infanticide of girl babies in India. Follow-up Origins of Love has social worker-turned-sleuth Simran Singh investigating baby-farming and surrogacy.

Simran's attempts to solve the mystery of a baby abandoned after being born with HIV to a surrogate mother exposes a multi-million pound black-market surrogacy industry.

The material is sensational and Desai s abrupt, no-nonsense style gives the multi-layered story, which encompasses British couple Ben and Kate's attempt to have a child via an Indian surrogate, the feel of an urgent, vividly reported documentary. Origins of Love is a serious, issue-based novel that is also a page-turner --Metro

'A gripping thriller set in the world of surrogacy tourism in India... There is a fine line between surrogacy and embryonic and stem cell research and Desai brings these dilemmas to light. However, it s ultimately the women who rent out their wombs who remain the victims in this cautionary tale. It's impossible to put the book down'
Review of the Week, Eastern Eye
'A searing tale' --Mail Today, India

'As compelling as the stories of George Simenon's Maigret, Desai's Simran Singh novels are endowed with something else: the sense that she is delving not just into mysteries but into subjects that matter deeply. I cannot wait for her next adventure' --Sholto Byrnes, Independent on Sunday

'A searing tale' --Mail Today, India

'As compelling as the stories of George Simenon's Maigret, Desai's Simran Singh novels are endowed with something else: the sense that she is delving not just into mysteries but into subjects that matter deeply. I cannot wait for her next adventure' --Sholto Byrnes, Independent on Sunday

'A searing tale' Mail Today, India

In a month where Indians themselves have begun to question the very fabric of their society, Kishwar Desai s work would appear to be crucial' --Observer

'As compelling as the stories of George Simenon's Maigret, Desai's Simran Singh novels are endowed with something else: the sense that she is delving not just into mysteries but into subjects that matter deeply. I cannot wait for her next adventure' --Sholto Byrnes, Independent on Sunday

'A searing tale' --Mail Today, India

In Delhi a small baby lies alone and abandoned. The product of IVF and surrogacy, she had been so coveted - until she was born with a fatal illness. No one knows how the infection could have been transferred to the child, but one thing is certain: no one wants her now. Thousands of miles away in London, Kate and Ben are desperate for a baby. But, despite all their efforts, fate seems to be skewed against them. Then, as Kate suffers another miscarriage, she knows something has to change. She has heard of women who are prepared to carry a baby for others, and she knows this might be a way to finally find happiness. But will her desire for a baby stop at nothing...? And between the two, feisty social worker Simran Singh is determined to uncover the truth behind the shadowy facade of the multi-million dollar surrogacy industry. Women and children are being exploited, their lives thrown away like so much dust. Is she is the only person prepared to stand up for what is right...?