More social commentary than mystery, three domestic workers in Singapore try to figure out who killed the employer of one of their fellow domestic workers, who is conveniently made a scapegoat for the murder. Interesting look at the lives of expatriate domestic workers. Great character portraits. Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed "Now You See Us" but what I'll remember most about this book is the eye-opening picture that is painted of Singapore. Each character portrayed certain aspects of the domestic hired help industry and the strict conduct code that is required. The mystery itself wasn't overly suspenseful but how they were able to solve it while their actions were restricted while growing to assert their rights made it very satisfying.

Based on a true story, when a Filipina domestic worker is accused of murdering her female employer, three friends come together to solve the mystery and shine a light on the often invisible women who work in the homes of Singapore's elite.

It was absolutely impossible not to fall in love with Cora, Donita and Angel. I was especially touched by Cora's story and the involvement of Rodrigo Duterte. I don't think many people have reckoned with the damage he caused in the Philippines despite so many people being happy with the tough on crime "savior" persona he presented.

The book is also funny, I found myself chuckling out loud on several occasions. A quick read, I can imagine quite a few people picking this up for a trip to the beach.

Fans of Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs know of the vast divide between the wealthy and the people who work for them. In Singapore, Crazy Rich Asians would be the upstairs and Now You See Us would be the downstairs.

Balli Kaur Jaswal did a fantastic job of bringing to light the lives of domestic workers in Singapore. Crazy Rich Asians introduced me to a culture and part of the world that I had previously had no exposure to. Now Your See Us shows the flip side of that coin. Told through the point of view of three friends and Filipino domestic workers who are just trying to survive in their jobs when the arrest of a fellow worker shakes their world.

This was such a wonderful read, and no surprise as I have loved Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows and The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters.

This was my first novel by author Balli Jaswal. Even though the story was centered around a murder, it was not a true murder mystery trying to figure out whodunnit but more of trying to prove innocence. It was a slow burn character study. I was bored at times and had difficulty keeping up with so many characters throughout the story. I did however, enjoy that the author shined a light on the harsh mistreatment of domestic workers.

Corazon, Donita, and Angel are Filipina domestic workers—part of the wave of women sent to Singapore to be cleaners, maids, and caregivers. Then an explosive news story shatters Singapore’s famous tranquility—and sends a chill down the spine of every domestic worker. Flordeliza Martinez, a Filipina maid, has been arrested for murdering her female employer. The three women don’t know the accused well, but she could be any of them; every worker knows stories of women who were scapegoated or even executed for crimes they didn’t commit. After all, no one knows the secrets of Singapore’s elite like the women who work in their homes…

Read this if you like:
Character driven story
Female friendships
Justice themes

I received an electronic advanced copy (eARC) from publisher William Morrow books and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.

The dynamics are different from the author's previous books but the tone and pacing felt similar. The core group in this story is made up of three women, originally from the Philippines but working in Singapore. Readers will appreciate this unique portrayal and setting-- I had no idea about any of this, and the author effectively incorporates social conditions and cultural info.

I'm not a big relationship-fiction or "women's fiction" reader but I do really love everything by this author. Highly recommended, and a great choice for book groups.

eARC from NetGalley.

To be honest, this book was almost a DNF for me. There were a lot of slow parts and it didn't really pick up until about 70% in.
Some parts were super predictable but I did like reading about Donita, Angel and Cora's friendship. The ending was the best part for me because I liked how the author tied everything together.
Mrs.Fann was the absolute worst character in this book, but I even appreciated her ending.

I'm glad this novel shed light on how domestic servants are treated overseas, even if this was a work of fiction.

This book was decent to me but others may find it super interesting.

I received an advanced copy of this book from William Morrow and NetGalley for my honest review.

Corazon, Donita, and Angel are Filipina domestic workers in Singapore. A news story that shocks them all happens when a Filipina maid is arrested for murdering her employer. These woman know the accused and don't know if she did the crime. They think she is the convenient scapegoat and they start investigating on their own.

I enjoyed this story, and how they stuck together, Good characters and writing.

DNF at 25%…Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into this book. I’m not sure if it had to do with the premise or characters. I could care less about the characters. The writing seems to unnecessarily explain things and the pacing is slow. I feel bad that I don’t like this one as I loved the author’s previous work.

This book sounded like it would be right up my alley -- a mystery set in another country centering around the lives of four women. Based on the Author's Note at the end, the novel was inspired by an actual case in Singapore of a Filipina domestic worker who was accused of and arrested for murder. Despite all of the potential for this to be a hit with me, I had a hard time connecting to the novel and felt like it was trying to do too much at once. Maybe it was due in part to the number of alternating POVs, but the tone felt uneven to me. At times, it felt like a work of dramatic literary fiction focusing on female relationships and the different home/work lives of the four main characters (Cora, Angel, Donita, and Flordeliza), all of whom were Filipina domestic workers employed by members of Singapore's wealthy elite. At others, it read more like a lighter cozy mystery as Cora, Angel, and Donita leapt into action to help their friend Flordeliza after she was arrested for the murder of her female employer. I like both of those types of books, but I don't know that I enjoyed them as much together in a single book.

While I understand that Flordeliza's arrest served as a catalyst for the story, I felt like the secrets that were revealed about Cora, Angel, and Donita might have served that role equally well and still offered an opportunity to delve into the lives of the normally invisible women. Perhaps I went into this with preconceived notions about what I was expecting from the novel and it influenced how I read/experienced the story. This is an ambitious novel and the author takes great care to resolve the four storylines (though, the resolution felt a little tidy to me).

Many thanks to William Morrow and the Book Club Girl Early Read program for the NetGalley edition of this novel. I appreciated the opportunity for an early look at this novel before its release in March 2023.

**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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

Now 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.

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.

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.