The Whorehouse

 The Whorehouse, Njoki Kamanda, 2021

Set in present-day Africa (Kenya?), this book is about your average whorehouse, though the name over the door says "Bar and Grill."

The first ten "employees" who show up to the whorehouse for work each afternoon (it's open all night) get the opportunity to pole dance to make some extra money. The rest have to hustle whatever they can from whatever customers come that night.

In this book, there is a suicide (or is it?), there is a murder (plus burying the body), and there is a catfight, with blood, between two of the women over the attention of Ngazi, the owner (a very unpleasant person). Ngazi attempts to rekindle his relationship with Teresa, his estranged wife. Ultimately, things do not end well.

Set in a different part of the world, this is a very good story. There is enough raw grittiness of life for anyone. This will keep the readers' attention, and easily gets four stars, maybe even four-and-a-half stars.