Womb City

Tsamaase’s full-length debut (following the novella The Silence of the Wilting Skin) posits a near-future Botswana, where people’s every movement and thought are monitored by microchip. On the surface, Nelah seems to be flourishing, with wealth, a successful career, and a much-yearned-for daughter growing in a government lab. However, she is trapped in an unfulfilling marriage where her police officer husband tracks her constantly. A wild evening spins out of control, leaving Nelah to contend with a dead body and a ghost intent on exacting retribution. Congolese narrator Christel Mutombo captures the momentum and intensity of Tsamaase’s story and unsettling, intricately built world. She ably communicates Nelah’s desperation to protect her loved ones while trying to keep her secrets from being revealed. Though some listeners may get lost in the complexity of the plot and the many issues that Tsamaase tackles, those seeking a unique blend of sci-fi, horror, and thriller will not be disappointed.