Life as a maid in Singapore is no walk in the park. There are cruel bosses, complicated family dynamics, and plain hard work to navigate. So when Angel, Cora, and Donita find themselves also facing an event on the small island country where one of their colleagues is accused of killing her ma'am, they feel compelled to find out the truth, even at great risk to their jobs and safety. Meanwhile, each woman contends with her own personal troubles including a loss, a break-up, and a complex blossoming romance.

In a return to a more literary approach compared to Jaswal's last, the more comedic The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, Now You See Us is a fantastic choice for readers who are interested in trying the mystery genre without fully committing to a genre novel. Now You See Us may have a mystery in its plot, but it is much more a literary novel focused on character development and human interest, weaving in topics of social justice that make the book both timely and timeless.

With rotating chapters focusing on different characters, it takes just a little time to sort out who is who, but each perspective is soon made distinct and dynamic. Donita, Cora, and Angel are especially well-drawn with great detail and drivers that make them seem all the more real. Secondary and even tertiary characters, however, also enjoy a fullness that makes the world of domestic workers in Singapore a rich one on the page.

Pacing, tone, and a mix of types of prose (your run-of-the-mill fiction prose, views into Facebook groups, news articles, etc. -- all fictional) make the book move along easily. It's slow enough to savor and fast enough to keep the reader engaged, even though the centrally-advertised mystery plot is a latecomer. Readers who enjoy subtle hints that don't feel like hints will especially appreciate this one.

Now You See Us brings Balli Kaur Jaswal's thoughtful, international perspective back to readers in a book you won't be able to un-see or put down in the best ways.