There is an ancient saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down. This is the story of one such plane. Why did a Hercules C130, the world's sturdiest plane, carrying Pakistan's military dictator General Zia ul Haq, go down on 17 August, 1988? Was it because of:1.Mechanical failure2.Human error3.The CIA's impatience4.A blind woman's curse5.Generals not happy with their pension plans6.The mango seasonOr could it be your narrator, Ali Shigri?Teasing, provocative, and very, very funny, Mohammed Hanif's debut novel takes one of the subcontinent's enduring mysteries and out if it spins a tale as rich and colourful as a beggar's dream.Winner of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Novel and shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2008.

**LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE**

'Exuberant and satirical: this is an angry comedy about Zia's brutal legacy to Pakistan' Observer

There is an old saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down. This is the story of one such plane.

Why did a Hercules C130, the world's sturdiest plane, carrying Pakistan's military dictator General Zia ul Haq, go down on 17 August, 1988? Was it because of:

1.Mechanical failure
2.Human error
3.The CIA's impatience
4.A blind woman's curse
5.Generals not happy with their pension plans
6.The mango season

Or could it be your narrator, Ali Shigri?

A Case of Exploding Mangoes is sharp, dark, inventive and utterly gripping.