The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing (winner 2007)

The Grass is Singing is about the murder of a white woman by a black man in Southern Africa set I think in WWII but I could be wrong on that front. The murder is the starting point of the series, the rest of the book being an exploration of how things came to that pass - essentially a reconstruction of the murdered woman's life. I read it in a single day - it's short, straightforward and engaging, if those are praiseworthy qualities... which I don't see why they shouldn't be.
It doesn't hammer home the whole race issue although it's obviously there, as is a critique of the role of women in this society.

PS I promise once I get through the wee backlog I'll write some more insightful reviews