Shilpi Somaya Gowda was born and raised in Toronto to parents who migrated there from Mumbai. She holds an MBA from Stanford University, and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She spent a summer in college as a volunteer in an Indian orphanage, which seeded the idea for her first novel, Secret Daughter. A native of Canada, she has lived in New York, North Carolina and California. She now lives in Dallas with her husband and children.
Genres: Literary Fiction
Novels
Shilpi Somaya Gowda recommends

Hungered (2026)
Amanda Rizkalla
"Hungered is a heartrending debut that transforms the invisible reality of housing insecurity into a story of profound humanity. Amanda Rizkalla has crafted a coming-of-age story that never romanticizes hardship, yet finds genuine beauty in small acts of grace and the irrepressible hope of childhood."

Missing Sam (2026)
Thrity Umrigar
"Missing Sam is a novel that astutely explores the alchemy of a marriage under the pressure of an unspeakable crime. These characters will make your heart ache with their human foibles and troubled histories, and as they overcome odds to find hope and redemption, so too will you."

Home of the American Circus (2025)
Allison Larkin
"Allison Larkin has penned another beautiful story in Home of the American Circus, illuminating universal truths about returning home and the impact of family. Freya feels as authentic as your own friend, and you will cheer as she works to reclaim her life in the face of loss and personal challenge."
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