Set in Nambia at a school in the middle of nowhere in the desert in 1991, soon after independence from South Africa, Orner's hypnotic debut novel revolves around a young American teacher's captivating co-worker, the beautiful young woman of the title. Through the experiences of Mavala Shikongo, an ex-guerrilla fighter just arrived in town with a toddler in tow, we learn about the recent history of Namibia.  (NMB15, $13.99)