Safe Return Doubtful

translated from the Portuguese by Parma Viswanathan

Charco Press – Published August 2025

This is another tremendous achievement by the Brazilian writer, following Of Cattle and Men, though it serves as a prequel to that as is revealed in the last pages.

In an unnamed country where enslaved people were once tortured and murdered, the state has constructed a prison in the wilderness, where inmates may get rehabilitated, but escape is impossible.
Decades later, without rehabilitating anyone its operations are winding down. 42 men are guarded by a warden and his assistant. The warden’s state of mind has deteriorated to the extent that on a full moon he releases a handful of prisoners, then hunts them down.

Maia works with the premise skilfully, once again addressing man’s potential for violence. There aren’t any women in this book. Her writing is unrestrained and brutal. In just 112 pages no word is wasted. It’s a short sharp impact that stay in the memory long after the final page.

My Goodreads score 5 / 5