Mystery

Now You See Us

Now You See Us

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2023-03-13 06:54:18
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Balli Kaur Jaswal
  • ISBN：0008433755
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Summary

We are invisible: we clean your houses， we look after your children， we know your secrets。
But now you know one of ours…
Rules for being a maid:
• No smoking
• No boyfriends
• No visitors
• And most importantly: be invisible…

Corazon， Angel and Donita have all come to Singapore to work for a living。 The thing that unites them？ Their labour must remain unseen。

But when a friend is accused of murdering her employer， everything changes。 The accused could be any of them; they all know the stories of women who were scapegoated or even executed for crimes they didn’t commit。

Each woman has secrets to keep， yet they must gather every ounce of bravery， fearlessness and complete audacity to clear the name of one of their own。

After all， no-one knows the secrets of Singapore’s elite quite like the women who work in their homes…

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Reviews

Cari Zuckerman ，

Angel， Corazon， and Doneta have all left their home in the Phillipines to earn wages as domestic workers in wealthy Singapore。 They each find themselves in households with complicated family dynamics that affect not just their jobs， but their whole lives， as live-in maids。 When a fellow Filipino maid is suspected of murdering her employer， the three start to form a bond as they try to parse out truth from fiction and keep their sanity under increasingly difficult circumstances。 Jaswal always sur Angel， Corazon， and Doneta have all left their home in the Phillipines to earn wages as domestic workers in wealthy Singapore。 They each find themselves in households with complicated family dynamics that affect not just their jobs， but their whole lives， as live-in maids。 When a fellow Filipino maid is suspected of murdering her employer， the three start to form a bond as they try to parse out truth from fiction and keep their sanity under increasingly difficult circumstances。 Jaswal always surprises me with a better book than I was expecting。 With its three protagonists， she covers so many issues faced by migrant workers while avoiding making them into caricatures。 These are fully formed females with different personalities and different hopes for the future。 While I certainly can’t be the one to say whether they do a good job representing Filipino migrant workers， I feel like they are good representations of women in general。 I felt so invested in Angel， Doneta， and Cora。 In every situation， I was asking myself， “What would I do？” This novel presents so many dilemmas that the woman must face that are nuanced and feel realistic。 I really enjoyed this on audio as narrated by Angela Lin。 She brought the conversations of the characters to life so well， even navigating texted conversations smoothly without confusion。 。。。more

Carol ，

A good book。 Interesting concept taken from real life events。 I failed to connect deeply with this book although the characters were portrayed well。 Maybe it was just me。Thank you to Goodreads for a copy for my review。

Emily ，

***Goodreads Giveaway***I'm impressed with what Balli Kaur Jaswal did with this novel。 In an entertaining， although not frivolous， way Balli shed light on an issue I think many readers will not know much about。 This issue being the treatment of foreign domestic workers - in the story the treatment of Filipino domestic workers in Singapore。 This book will infuriate you in a good way。 As a mystery， I'm not sure this book will stay with me but I will remember the relationships and interior lives of ***Goodreads Giveaway***I'm impressed with what Balli Kaur Jaswal did with this novel。 In an entertaining， although not frivolous， way Balli shed light on an issue I think many readers will not know much about。 This issue being the treatment of foreign domestic workers - in the story the treatment of Filipino domestic workers in Singapore。 This book will infuriate you in a good way。 As a mystery， I'm not sure this book will stay with me but I will remember the relationships and interior lives of the characters。 。。。more

Franko Figueiredo-Stow ，

Balli Kaur Jawal’s Now You See Us is loosely inspired by the execution of Flor Contemplacion， a Filipino domestic worker who was accused of murdering a child in Singapore。 Jawal remind us that the novel is “not a retelling of those specific events” but inspired by her experience of “traversing places and their truths”。This is a clever social-political whodunnit， and an enlightening reading experience for those who， like me， have little knowledge of Singapore outside what tourists are allowed to Balli Kaur Jawal’s Now You See Us is loosely inspired by the execution of Flor Contemplacion， a Filipino domestic worker who was accused of murdering a child in Singapore。 Jawal remind us that the novel is “not a retelling of those specific events” but inspired by her experience of “traversing places and their truths”。This is a clever social-political whodunnit， and an enlightening reading experience for those who， like me， have little knowledge of Singapore outside what tourists are allowed to see。 Here， I was given a Singapore from the perspective of four Filipino migrant domestic workers and their employers。 I was invested in looking at Singapore through their eyes and following these four characters journey， they were all well fleshed out and so different。 Cora， older， more experience domestic worker returning to Singapore soon after the loss of her only son; Donita， young， confident， sometimes abrasive。 Angel， a down-to-earth Lesbian navigating society’s mores as best as she can， and the more elusive Flordeliza。 We have also the employer’s: from Cora’s kind-hearted， humanistic Ma’am Elizabeth to Donita’s power hungry， masochist Mrs Fan Poh Choo and others with greyer shades in between like the Vijays。 Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires， with one out of every six households having at least one million US dollars in disposable wealth。 All these rich people being heavily dependent on agencies like Merry Maids to find them reliable， humble servants who are tied to horrendous working rules to stay in employment， with little， almost no protection。 This is a place where money talks， and justice is not blind。A quarter of the world’s 11。5 million migrant domestic workers are women from the Philippines （many working in Singapore）， often unseen until something goes wrong。 And it’s all going reasonably well， until one of the employers is found dead by her own daughter， and one of the helpers is accused of murder。 Suddenly all these domestic workers turn into potential criminals， their lives descending into hell。 The stakes are high， another innocent person could die， capital punishment is a legal and enforced penalty in Singapore。 Jawal takes us on a fascinating journey of love， loss， the search for justice， freedom and equality in a world where ethics， compassion and humanity seem to be quickly evaporating。 Now You See Us is ultimately a story about the erosion of human rights in a contemporary world slowly taken over by Megachurches， US hired trans-bi-homophobic preachers and their ultra-moralistic religious views。 Now You See Us is well researched and very enlightening。 Jawal has a knack to depict the plight of these domestic workers and create successful moments of tension in a narration that is peppered with poignancy and humour。 It's almost pitch-perfect， and it could be another fifty pages longer， I could have done with a bit more information on Flor’s character and the end felt slightly neat and rushed。 Nevertheless， all the storylines were captivating， some more heart-breaking than others。 This can be cruel world， but we can change it， just seek the beauty of small act of kindness。Jawal herself said that she ‘wrote this novel with hope for more dignity， compassion and recognition of women like Cora， Angel， Donita and Flordeliza’。 Let’s all hope for that too。 This gets a #pudseyreccomends 。。。more

Franko Figueiredo-Stow ，

Balli Kaur Jawal’s Now You See Us is loosely inspired by the execution of Flor Contemplacion， a Filipino domestic worker who was accused of murdering a child in Singapore。 Jawal remind us that the novel is “not a retelling of those specific events” but inspired by her experience of “traversing places and their truths”。This is a clever social-political whodunnit， and an enlightening reading experience for those who， like me， have little knowledge of Singapore outside what tourists are allowed to Balli Kaur Jawal’s Now You See Us is loosely inspired by the execution of Flor Contemplacion， a Filipino domestic worker who was accused of murdering a child in Singapore。 Jawal remind us that the novel is “not a retelling of those specific events” but inspired by her experience of “traversing places and their truths”。This is a clever social-political whodunnit， and an enlightening reading experience for those who， like me， have little knowledge of Singapore outside what tourists are allowed to see。 Here， I was given a Singapore from the perspective of four Filipino migrant domestic workers and their employers。 I was invested in looking at Singapore through their eyes and following these four characters journey， they were all well fleshed out and so different。 Cora， older， more experience domestic worker returning to Singapore soon after the loss of her only son; Donita， young， confident， sometimes abrasive。 Angel， a down-to-earth Lesbian navigating society’s mores as best as she can， and the more elusive Flordeliza。 We have also the employer’s: from Cora’s kind-hearted， humanistic Ma’am Elizabeth to Donita’s power hungry， masochist Mrs Fan Poh Choo and others with greyer shades in between like the Vijays。 Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires， with one out of every six households having at least one million US dollars in disposable wealth。 All these rich people being heavily dependent on agencies like Merry Maids to find them reliable， humble servants who are tied to horrendous working rules to stay in employment， with little， almost no protection。 This is a place where money talks， and justice is not blind。A quarter of the world’s 11。5 million migrant domestic workers are women from the Philippines （many working in Singapore）， often unseen until something goes wrong。 And it’s all going reasonably well， until one of the employers is found dead by her own daughter， and one of the helpers is accused of murder。 Suddenly all these domestic workers turn into potential criminals， their lives descending into hell。 The stakes are high， another innocent person could die， capital punishment is a legal and enforced penalty in Singapore。 Jawal takes us on a fascinating journey of love， loss， the search for justice， freedom and equality in a world where ethics， compassion and humanity seem to be quickly evaporating。 Now You See Us is ultimately a story about the erosion of human rights in a contemporary world slowly taken over by Megachurches， US hired trans-bi-homophobic preachers and their ultra-moralistic religious views。 Now You See Us is well researched and very enlightening。 Jawal has a knack to depict the plight of these domestic workers and create successful moments of tension in a narration that is peppered with poignancy and humour。 It's almost pitch-perfect， and it could be another fifty pages longer， I could have done with a bit more information on Flor’s character and the end felt slightly neat and rushed。 Nevertheless， all the storylines were captivating， some more heart-breaking than others。 This can be cruel world， but we can change it， just seek the beauty of small act of kindness。Jawal herself said that she ‘wrote this novel with hope for more dignity， compassion and recognition of women like Cora， Angel， Donita and Flordeliza’。 Let’s all hope for that too。 Now You See Us goes into #pudseyreccomends Thanks NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy。 #netgalley #bookreview #netgalleymember #books #booksbooksandmorebooks #readingisfundamental #booklove #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookstagram #booklover  。。。more

Anne O ，

Such a good book！ I couldn’t put it down all night！ Worth the loss of sleep！

Brenda Brown ，

I really enjoyed this one。 The insight into the maid/ma'am culture in Singapore was enlightening and I really liked the way the 3 stories intertwined and the character growth each of the maids had。 I really enjoyed this one。 The insight into the maid/ma'am culture in Singapore was enlightening and I really liked the way the 3 stories intertwined and the character growth each of the maids had。 。。。more

ShireenWrites ，

3 Filipina domestic workers bravely defend their fellow female worker。Thank you William Morrow for the physical review copy。

Catherine （alternativelytitledbooks）-trying to catch up！ ，

**Many thanks to NetGalley， Scene of the Crime， William Morrow， and Balli Kaur Jaswal for an ARC of this book！**A slow-burn， character driven commentary on class distinction。。。with just a dash of mystery thrown in！Three maids （Corazon 'Cora"， Donita， and Angel） have been stationed by Merry Maids on the luxurious island of Singapore， but they are all in vastly different situations。 Cora has come out of semi-retirement in order to protect a dangerous secret， which she is determined to keep from he **Many thanks to NetGalley， Scene of the Crime， William Morrow， and Balli Kaur Jaswal for an ARC of this book！**A slow-burn， character driven commentary on class distinction。。。with just a dash of mystery thrown in！Three maids （Corazon 'Cora"， Donita， and Angel） have been stationed by Merry Maids on the luxurious island of Singapore， but they are all in vastly different situations。 Cora has come out of semi-retirement in order to protect a dangerous secret， which she is determined to keep from her employer， Elizabeth。。。。and keep Elizabeth's wealthy daughter Josephine in the dark as well。 Donita is brassy， sassy， and isn't afraid to act like the impetuous 20-something that she is。。。but some romantic rendezvous with an Indian construction worker have not gone unnoticed by her boss， the uppity Mrs。 Fann。 Angel is recovering from heartbreak after losing her girlfriend， Suzan， but she doesn't have much time to dwell when a new in-home care worker threatens her position in the household。These women are about to bond in an unexpected way， however。。。yet another maid， Flordeliza， has been accused of murder。。。and murdering her EMPLOYER， no less。 The trio jump into action， convinced of her innocence， and Donita in particular swears that it could not have been Flordeliza。。。。she SAW her the very same evening。 But with their voices stifled by their ma'ams and society itself， can strength in numbers save an innocent woman from a terrible fate？I was sold on this premise pretty quickly， and from early chapters narrated by Cora， I felt as though I was instantly a part of this intriguing （and sometimes maddening） culture in Singapore。 Cora's voice is clear and wise， and it was easy to root for her early on as well。 As the narrative moved to some of the other perspectives， however， I'm not sure if some of the other personalities were as intriguing or easy to relate to as hers。 Angel's character development seemed to center almost solely around the fact that she had a lesbian relationship and Donita， being a bit of a wild child， also felt redundant in a lot of her sections。I appreciated the aspect of social commentary on the wealthy vs。 the maid class， and the author made some solid points。。。but after a while， they got a bit repetitive。 For instance， the maids discover a Facebook group where many of Singapore's elite with workers in their homes tell story after story about how they are convinced their maid was stealing， cheating with the husband of the house， etc。 and after a while， these just got tiresome to read。 They were also always placed at the end of a chapter， so it took an already slow-moving narrative and slowed it down even further。The mystery angle itself is also probably the least important part of the book （in some ways） so if you're eager to play detective， I'd look elsewhere。 Not saying you can't put your detective cap on and have a go at it but the perp is a bit predictable and even the eventual discovery isn't really the meat and potatoes of this story。 The title alone is honestly enough to give you a sense of the overarching theme of this one， however， so in some ways I didn't feel like I needed to actually READ the book to 'get the point'。 Despite a strong and promising start， this trio of empowered females lacked the oomph I was hoping to find in these pages and left me feeling unfulfilled as a reader。 And in a sad parallel to the real-life circumstances that inspired this book？ In both instances， there is still a LONG way yet to go。3，5 stars 。。。more

Shanti Shanmugananthan ，

What a fabulous book！ Balli Kaur Jaswal’s writing transported me to Singapore and made real the plight the Pinoy workers face there。 I loved how she captured the Sunday mass gatherings and their solidarity， warmth and filial ties。Cora， Angel and Dorita were beautifully realised and their stories will stay with me for a good while。I thoroughly enjoyed this read as I have her previous books and highly recommend this book。Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC 。

BookLoverUpAllNight ，

I thought it was an eye opening look into the lives of domestic workers from the Philippines。 A reference to the book is touted as "Crazy Rich Asians" meet "The Help" in the world of Pacific-Asian community。 Three Filipino women are living with families that hired them through Merry Maids to work as maids， elder care nurse and cooks/cleaners。 The book follows the stories from the 3 friends and a friend of domestic worker， Florediza "Flor" is accused of murder。 Donita enlists the help of Cora and I thought it was an eye opening look into the lives of domestic workers from the Philippines。 A reference to the book is touted as "Crazy Rich Asians" meet "The Help" in the world of Pacific-Asian community。 Three Filipino women are living with families that hired them through Merry Maids to work as maids， elder care nurse and cooks/cleaners。 The book follows the stories from the 3 friends and a friend of domestic worker， Florediza "Flor" is accused of murder。 Donita enlists the help of Cora and Angel to get evidence to free Flor as she saw Flor at the time of the murder。 Donita takes other risky moves to help。 As in any situation there are good folks and those that take advantage of their help and abuse them threatening them so they wouldn't tell and get deported back and blacklisted as the women are there to help their families and kids back home with a better life， education and what is needed to survive。 It shows how women regardless of where they are from are victimized and their human rights exploited。 。。。more

Bibliophileverse ，

A Well Crafted Women's Fiction。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal is a well crafted women's fiction， taking a dig at the issues faced by the immigrant workers。 Reading the book was an overwhelming experience for me。 The author has significantly outlined the pain and harassment faced by the immigrant workers。 Apart from that， there is a mystery and thrill which enriches the plot with its brilliance。 If you are looking for a book with strong women characters， then the book ser A Well Crafted Women's Fiction。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。Now You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswal is a well crafted women's fiction， taking a dig at the issues faced by the immigrant workers。 Reading the book was an overwhelming experience for me。 The author has significantly outlined the pain and harassment faced by the immigrant workers。 Apart from that， there is a mystery and thrill which enriches the plot with its brilliance。 If you are looking for a book with strong women characters， then the book serves just right。 Its women characters try to break all the stereotypes and their persona grows over the story。 It is not that they are perfect， but， they have flaws and due to that fact they look very real。 I felt that the characters are just the one who we encounter in our daily life all the time。 And， the most enjoyable thing about the book is that it throws a light on our societal norms， how we have lost empathy and respect for people and How people are divide by borders and presumptions about cultures。Definitely， a 5 star book。 Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow Publishers for providing me with an opportunity to read and review the book。Read more on https://bibliophileverse。blogspot。com。。。 。。。more

Katie Bruell ，

This was fantastic。 Interesting story， mostly realistic-seeming plotlines， and a compelling story that helped me learn about something I knew almost nothing about。

Christine ，

This book is about three Filipina domestic workers and their experiences working in Singapore。 The women （Cora， Donita， and Angel） all face different working conditions due to the families they're assigned to。 The three women come together to fight for a four woman who is falsely accused of a crime。 I like the way the book demonstrates the way female migrant domestic workers from the Philippines are often exploited and how powerless many of them are。 It is well-written and there are moments of h This book is about three Filipina domestic workers and their experiences working in Singapore。 The women （Cora， Donita， and Angel） all face different working conditions due to the families they're assigned to。 The three women come together to fight for a four woman who is falsely accused of a crime。 I like the way the book demonstrates the way female migrant domestic workers from the Philippines are often exploited and how powerless many of them are。 It is well-written and there are moments of humor and some touching moments。 However， I was expecting more of a mystery and not a commentary， so I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would。I appreciate being given an advance copy of the ebook by NetGalley and William Morrow。 My review is voluntary and unbiased。 。。。more

Jean Kolinofsky ，

Balli Kaur Jaswal takes you into the homes of Singapore’s wealthy residents， where the women who work to keep them fed and their homes clean are virtually invisible。 They often face horrendous working conditions and abusive treatment in public。 This is present day Singapore but the experiences of these workers are more reminiscent of the 1800s。 Ma’am Elizabeth has never had domestic help before and treats her maid Cora more as a companion。 Mrs。 Fann believes that every maid is lazy and a possibl Balli Kaur Jaswal takes you into the homes of Singapore’s wealthy residents， where the women who work to keep them fed and their homes clean are virtually invisible。 They often face horrendous working conditions and abusive treatment in public。 This is present day Singapore but the experiences of these workers are more reminiscent of the 1800s。 Ma’am Elizabeth has never had domestic help before and treats her maid Cora more as a companion。 Mrs。 Fann believes that every maid is lazy and a possible thief。 Her maid Donita is underfed and constantly berated and mistreated。 Cora and Donita’s friend Angel works for an older stroke victim。 When the family hires a nurse to care for him she feels that her position is threatened。Cora， Donita and Angel have become friends。 This is Donita’s first contract， while Cora has been in domestic service for some time。 At one point she wrote a newsletter with advice for younger workers。 When Flordeliza is arrested for the murder of her employer， Donita asks the others to help clear her name。 Donita was acquainted with Flo and had seen her the night of the murder in another part of the city。 The police are certain Flo must be guilty and will do no further investigating so it is up to them。 Jaswal’s Now You See Us is a story of abuse and injustice。 It is also a story of friendship and compassion。 This is the other side of Singapore with an invisible population that no one sees until scandal erupts。 It is often disturbing but beautifully told。 I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for making this book available for my review。 。。。more

Sharon May ，

Many thanks to NetGalley， William Morrow， and Book Club Girl for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful novel by Balli Kaur Jaswal - 4。5 stars rounded up！The ones that no one sees - the behind-the-scenes workers who make everything happen - especially the domestic workers in wealthy households。 This story revolves around three women from the Philippines who come to Singapore to try and earn a living - Cora， Donita， and Angel。 Another Filipina maid is accused of murder and the three don't bel Many thanks to NetGalley， William Morrow， and Book Club Girl for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful novel by Balli Kaur Jaswal - 4。5 stars rounded up！The ones that no one sees - the behind-the-scenes workers who make everything happen - especially the domestic workers in wealthy households。 This story revolves around three women from the Philippines who come to Singapore to try and earn a living - Cora， Donita， and Angel。 Another Filipina maid is accused of murder and the three don't believe she is guilty， and try to investigate on their own。 Each of these women are keeping secrets and live under the shadow of fear。Reminiscent of The Help， this story highlights the way some people abuse and ignore those that are being paid to help them。 But throw in poor conditions and women desperate to earn money who have to leave their home country， and you have the potential for disaster。 However， this story also includes humor， kindness， and some very strong women。 This would be a good book club pick， with lots to talk about - racism， classism， sexism - and should make everyone be nicer to those around us who enable us to live our lives better。 。。。more

BookTrib。com ，

Maids become amateur sleuths and fight exploitation in murder mystery， NOW YOU SEE US by Balli Jaswal！Read the full review on Booktrib。com Maids become amateur sleuths and fight exploitation in murder mystery， NOW YOU SEE US by Balli Jaswal！Read the full review on Booktrib。com 。。。more

Vicki ，

“Now You See Us，” by Balli Kaur Jaswal， William Morrow， 320 pages， March 7， 2023。Corazon， Donita， and Angel are Filipina domestic workers—part of the wave of women sent to Singapore to be cleaners， maids， and caregivers。Corazon Beautista had retired back to the Philippines， but returned to Singapore under mysterious circumstances。 The odd thing is her wealthy employer， Elizabeth Lee， hasn’t asked her to cook or to clean since she’s been back。 Ma’am Elizabeth is planning an extravagant wedding fo “Now You See Us，” by Balli Kaur Jaswal， William Morrow， 320 pages， March 7， 2023。Corazon， Donita， and Angel are Filipina domestic workers—part of the wave of women sent to Singapore to be cleaners， maids， and caregivers。Corazon Beautista had retired back to the Philippines， but returned to Singapore under mysterious circumstances。 The odd thing is her wealthy employer， Elizabeth Lee， hasn’t asked her to cook or to clean since she’s been back。 Ma’am Elizabeth is planning an extravagant wedding for her daughter Jacqueline。Donita is just out of her teens。 This is her first time in Singapore， and she’s had the bad luck to be hired by Mrs。 Fann， who is very picky。 Donita has a boyfriend。Angel works as an in-home caregiver for an elderly employer。 Angel is sad after a recent breakup。 She’s alarmed when her employer’s son brings in a new nurse who may be meant to replace her。Then Flordeliza Martinez， a Filipina maid， is arrested for murdering her female employer。 The three women don’t know the accused well， but she could be any of them。Shocked into action， Donita， Corazon， and Angel will try to piece together the mystery of what really happened on the day Flordeliza’s employer was murdered。 After all， no one knows the secrets of Singapore’s families like the women who work in their homes。It’s rather melodramatic and isn’t much of a mystery， but it does highlight how domestic workers are sometimes treated。 It is slow-moving， but it does pick up towards the end。In accordance with FTC guidelines， the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review。 。。。more

Megan ，

To be rated/reviewed

Haley Victoria ，

Personally， I love books that make me think。 "Now You See Us" is certainly one of those must-reads that dive into themes like racism， class， and society。 I found myself laughing， feeling shocked， and touched as I continued to read the experiences of these incredible women。 Personally， I love books that make me think。 "Now You See Us" is certainly one of those must-reads that dive into themes like racism， class， and society。 I found myself laughing， feeling shocked， and touched as I continued to read the experiences of these incredible women。 。。。more

Gerrie ，

4。5 starsNow You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswall is an insightful novel about Filipina domestic workers in Singapore and their relative “invisibility” and disregard by their employers。 It is also an entertaining story featuring three protagonists—Cora， Donita and Angel—who are wildly different in ages and personalities， but share the dream of making a good living as domestics （compared to their impoverished situations in the Philippines） and helping their families back home。 As they toil in the lav 4。5 starsNow You See Us by Balli Kaur Jaswall is an insightful novel about Filipina domestic workers in Singapore and their relative “invisibility” and disregard by their employers。 It is also an entertaining story featuring three protagonists—Cora， Donita and Angel—who are wildly different in ages and personalities， but share the dream of making a good living as domestics （compared to their impoverished situations in the Philippines） and helping their families back home。 As they toil in the lavish households of the ultra-wealthy in Singapore， they encounter varying treatment by their employers， who can be demeaning and verbally cruel to “ma’ams” that are kind and patient。 The maids must tread a fine line of appropriately servile behavior and their own personal self-respect。 I really enjoyed the writer’s excellent narrative skills， as the story involves humanity and some suspense。 The characters are well-drawn， and each protagonist has an interesting back story and quirkiness that adds enjoyment to the tale。 This is an excellent novel， almost an expose’， of the lives and challenges faced by hard-working domestics anywhere in the world， and the importance of tolerance and human kindness by employers who are fortunate enough to be free from want。 It is gentle but incisive social commentary。I loved the flow of the story， the characters—nice or not nice—and the light the story shines on the plight of these laborers in our wildly disparate world。 Highly recommend！ Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC。 This is my honest review。 。。。more

Joni ，

The title of this book is very appropriate because it outlines the invisibility of domestic workers， who play such a key role in the functioning of their employers。 Thia is a story of three Filipina women who are domestic workers in Singapore - as maids， cleaners and caregivers。 As the story unfolds， we get glimpses into the lives of Corazon， Donita and Angel。 At times， I found it very difficult to read about the treatment these women experienced from their employers。 It felt more like they were The title of this book is very appropriate because it outlines the invisibility of domestic workers， who play such a key role in the functioning of their employers。 Thia is a story of three Filipina women who are domestic workers in Singapore - as maids， cleaners and caregivers。 As the story unfolds， we get glimpses into the lives of Corazon， Donita and Angel。 At times， I found it very difficult to read about the treatment these women experienced from their employers。 It felt more like they were treated as objects instead of as human beings。Because of how the women are treated， they are not surprised when one of their own， Flordeliza， another domestic worker， is accused of murder。 However， they know that Flordeliza is just a scapegoat for someone else。The premise of the story was interesting and exposed me to very different life。 I did find myself getting lost in some of the details or the story and would have liked more clarity in the story line。 However， I enjoyed the strength of the female characters and their willingness to stand-up and be heard。I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own。 。。。more

Talya ，

Review forthcoming。。

Kathleen Gray ，

Cora， Donita， and Angel are Fillipinas working as domestic employees in Singapore。 While each has a problematic employer， one of Donita's friends is accused of murdering hers， a murder Donita does not believe she committed and which she is determined to untangle。 Cora seems like the luckiest- her employer is not difficult- but she's got a tragic and scary reason for coming back to Singapore， a secret she's determined to keep。 Angel's also got a secret but she's been happy working as caregiver to Cora， Donita， and Angel are Fillipinas working as domestic employees in Singapore。 While each has a problematic employer， one of Donita's friends is accused of murdering hers， a murder Donita does not believe she committed and which she is determined to untangle。 Cora seems like the luckiest- her employer is not difficult- but she's got a tragic and scary reason for coming back to Singapore， a secret she's determined to keep。 Angel's also got a secret but she's been happy working as caregiver to her employer who suffered a stroke not long after the death of his wife。 And then there's Donita， who works for a just plain hateful woman who has a secret of her own。 This is strongest not when the women are working on the mystery of the murder but in the recounting of their daily lives。 This gives the feels of Singapore- not the Singapore of Crazy Rich Asians but an economic step down。 The list serve postings that close the chapters reinforce the prejudice against the worker population。 Thanks to the publisher for the ARC。 It's a good read。 。。。more

SS ，

I thought this book was very much like The Help in Singapore。 It was a real eye-opener to think that migrant domestic workers are still being treated as it appears that they are。 I was so astonished by what this book revealed that I had to look it up online， only to find that the book accurately illustrates the emotional and， sometimes， physical abuse these workers face。 Reading how these workers are treated makes Singapore sound like a very unpleasant place to live。 Someone always seems to be w I thought this book was very much like The Help in Singapore。 It was a real eye-opener to think that migrant domestic workers are still being treated as it appears that they are。 I was so astonished by what this book revealed that I had to look it up online， only to find that the book accurately illustrates the emotional and， sometimes， physical abuse these workers face。 Reading how these workers are treated makes Singapore sound like a very unpleasant place to live。 Someone always seems to be watching what others， locals or immigrants， are doing。 These poor women， for the book focuses mostly on women， who are in working in Singapore to earn money to send home to their families， mostly in Indonesia， face so much cruelty at the hands of their employers and law enforcement。 At times， the treatment verges on brutality， always assuming the worst because of a person’s nationality。 Many of these women are treated as little better than slaves。This book came across as much as a series of character studies as a murder mystery。 It also provided commentary on working conditions and women’s subjugation。 If I hadn’t known that this was a contemporary novel， I’d have thought that it occurred during the Colonial period of Singapore’s history。 It’s certainly not a good recommendation for Singapore or its people。 It’s a portrayal of the dark side of what’s known as a clean and world-class city-state。There’s also one character who uses feigned religiousness as a cover for nastiness and forcing her beliefs and opinions on others。 She’s bigoted， racist， and cruel， even against her own son because she doesn’t agree with his decisions。The women that this book follows are brave and dedicated。 When they learn that a friend of theirs has been arrested for murdering her employer， they get involved in trying to find proof of her innocence。 The one character who eventually solves the case isn’t the one I would have suspected。 She turns out to be dedicated and persistent to getting her friend out of jail。This book has so many wonderful story lines。 It won’t leave you wanting。 It’s beautifully crafted and easy to read。 It touches on grief and hope， goodness and evil， abortion， physical and sexual abuse， as well as friendship and romance。 All of the employers are not bad people。 Just as in real life， there are good and bad。 This book provided enlightenment as to what’s going on today in what’s supposed to be a highly respected country。I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley。 I thank all involved for their generosity， but it had no effect on this review。 All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book。 。。。more

Janilyn Kocher ，

What is the perspective from the other side？ Domestic workers？ They do it all and see it all。 But what are their opinions and sentiments？Jaswal explores four women’s experiences as domestic servants and all the stuff they are asked to do and their treatment。I’m always interested in many different angles of society and it was an interesting read。I did struggle at times with the dialogue and tempo of the story， but it is a worthwhile read。Thanks to William Morrow， NetGalley， and Book Club Girl for What is the perspective from the other side？ Domestic workers？ They do it all and see it all。 But what are their opinions and sentiments？Jaswal explores four women’s experiences as domestic servants and all the stuff they are asked to do and their treatment。I’m always interested in many different angles of society and it was an interesting read。I did struggle at times with the dialogue and tempo of the story， but it is a worthwhile read。Thanks to William Morrow， NetGalley， and Book Club Girl for the early read。 。。。more

Chelsey Lepinski ，

Thanks to Net Galley and William Morrow for the ARC！ Balli Kaur Jaswal sets out to bring to light the plight of domestic workers in Singapore and other countries。 This novel follows three domestic workers and the issues they have with their employers and navigating their lives in a foreign country。 It was sad to see the ways they were treated。 I think the murder investigation was supposed to add some lightness and humor to the story but it didn’t work out that way for me。 I went into this expect Thanks to Net Galley and William Morrow for the ARC！ Balli Kaur Jaswal sets out to bring to light the plight of domestic workers in Singapore and other countries。 This novel follows three domestic workers and the issues they have with their employers and navigating their lives in a foreign country。 It was sad to see the ways they were treated。 I think the murder investigation was supposed to add some lightness and humor to the story but it didn’t work out that way for me。 I went into this expecting a lighter novel like the previous I had read and was disappointed。 It was good for the subject matter and I definitely learned a lot about the struggle of domestic workers。 。。。more

Eugenie ，

I really liked this look into the lives of Filipina domestic workers and their Singaporean employers。 It showed the often difficult conditions that the Filipina workers have to labor under， as well as the way their employers treated them - some good， some awful。 The book follows the lives of three workers who become involved in trying to solve a murder case involving one of their own。

Emily Bourque ，

Rating: 3 StarsI read and *loved* Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows when it first came out， so when I saw this book was available on NetGalley， I grabbed it to read。This book was pretty slow at the start。 I'm completely unfamiliar with the culture in the novel， and I even googled to see if this was sci-fi， because SURELY this could not be happening in real life。 I'm grateful to this novel for opening my eyes to the plight of the domestic worker abroad and the awful working conditions they are su Rating: 3 StarsI read and *loved* Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows when it first came out， so when I saw this book was available on NetGalley， I grabbed it to read。This book was pretty slow at the start。 I'm completely unfamiliar with the culture in the novel， and I even googled to see if this was sci-fi， because SURELY this could not be happening in real life。 I'm grateful to this novel for opening my eyes to the plight of the domestic worker abroad and the awful working conditions they are subjected to by society， but it took me a while to connect to the characters and figure out where they were going。 It doesn't help that Cora's secret was stretched out for so long that it was hard to stay intrigued。That all being said， the last 20% of the novel really took off， and the ending was so satisfying。 I enjoyed the story， though it was a slow， meandering path to get there for me。Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes drama。 Anyone who likes multiple perspectives。Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this Advanced Reader's Copy。 。。。more

Cherlynn | cherreading ，

Now， this is how you write a book set in the Singapore that I know and love。I felt myself being transported to the eclectic shophouses in Chinatown and Jalan Besar， envisioned strolling past the private landed estates of Marine Parade， and could vividly picture the swanky Marina Bay Sands skyscrapers in front me。 But it's not just the geography and culture that the author has nailed。It's also the social and class divide， the classism and elitism and casual racism， the nation's reliance on a fore Now， this is how you write a book set in the Singapore that I know and love。I felt myself being transported to the eclectic shophouses in Chinatown and Jalan Besar， envisioned strolling past the private landed estates of Marine Parade， and could vividly picture the swanky Marina Bay Sands skyscrapers in front me。 But it's not just the geography and culture that the author has nailed。It's also the social and class divide， the classism and elitism and casual racism， the nation's reliance on a foreign workforce， our treatment and perception of these migrant workers， and a whole plethora of other issues that tend to get swept beneath Singapore's glitz and glamour。 I love how this book is told through the alternating POVs of three migrant women in Singapore and enjoyed getting to know them， as it gave me a greater understanding of what workers like them are actually going through in reality。Cora's grief and how she has been impacted by the Philippine Drug War， Donita's blossoming romance and the savage remarks that she delivers when standing up for herself， Angel trying to better herself。。。 their experiences have all touched me deeply。 There were parts that made me laugh and scenes that filled me with indignance on behalf of the characters。 But most of all， I felt quite ashamed after reading this book。。。 in a good way。Thank you to William Morrow for the Netgalley ARC。Favorite quotes:✨ "She knows it's all the little things added up that makes you really want to hurt a person。✨ "He told her that a domestic worker needed to swallow her pride。。。 but how？ If Donita sets aside her pride now， she loses something precious， and look。。。 look at her life scattered across this room。 How many precious things does she have to lose？✨ "。。。where they have to fight for space with all the other foreign workers in the few tiny public spaces and the even fewer private spaces they are allowed to inhabit。" 。。。more

tpg0 ，

As an AI language model， I do not have personal preferences or opinions。 However， I can provide information about the book 'Now You See Us。' This is a young adult fiction novel written by Nicole Kear。 The story is about a 17-year-old girl named Meghan who is suffering from retinitis pigmentosa， a disease that slowly causes her eyesight to deteriorate。 Meghan and her best friends， Linette and Anna， are spending their summer before their senior year together in Martha's Vineyard。 During their time on the island， they discover secrets and uncover mysteries about the small town and the people who live there。 The book's themes include friendship， self-realization， and dealing with loss and adversity。

tpg1 ，

As an AI language model， I do not have the capability to make subjective evaluations or opinions。 However， I can provide you with some information about the book 'Now You See Us' by Maha Gargash。 'Now You See Us' is a mystery novel set in Dubai， United Arab Emirates。 The story follows the lives of two sisters， Nusrat and Jameela， who have vastly different personalities and aspirations。 When Nusrat goes missing， Jameela becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance。 The novel deals with themes of family， societal expectations， and personal identity。 The book has received mixed reviews， with some praising its vivid portrayal of Dubai and cultural insights， while others criticized its slow pacing and lack of suspense。

tpg2 ，

As an AI language model， I don't have personal opinions or feelings， however， 'Now You See Us' written by Nicole Kear， is a memoir about being diagnosed with a progressive eye disease and how it impacted her life and relationships。 It's been described as a poignant and humorous account of the author's journey through adversity， and has received positive reviews from readers and critics alike。

Tag

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Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Now You See Us

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Now You See Us&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Now You See Us&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0