Anita Rau Badami: Canadian writer profile

Hometown: Born in India; studied in Calgary; lives in Montreal.

Kudos: Two of her novels have been long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, one of the world’s richest literary prizes.

Her new book: Tell it to the Trees, $30. Varsha Dharma has two mothers and she loves them both: Helen, the glamorous, impulsive woman who gave birth to her, and Suman, the gentle, reliable replacement her father married just months after Helen’s death. On the surface, the family seems happy. With the arrival of a new tenant, aspiring writer Anu, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge . A page-turning murder mystery that steadily unfolds to a startling conclusion. — S.L.K.

Behind the scenes: Badami is also a visual artist.