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Good People: 'Utterly addictive . . . will have everyone talking' PAULA HAWKINS
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Expected 3 Feb 26Win a free print copy of this book!
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24 copies available
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'Written with raw emotional insight . . . What a spectacular triumph. This is the Afghan novel I have been eagerly waiting for' KHALED HOSSEINI, bestselling author of THE KITE RUNNER
'Brilliant. The best debut I've read in a very long time' MONICA ALI, bestselling author of LOVE MARRIAGE
Zorah Sharaf is her family's pride and joy.
Zorah Sharaf is bringing shame to her family.
What is the truth? It depends on who you ask.
Fleeing the horrors of war in Afghanistan, the Sharaf family resettles as refugees in Northern Virginia. After many years of hard work, the father has become a millionaire. Now they live in the most exclusive neighbourhood, their growing family attending the most prestigious schools. And Zorah, the eldest daughter, is the apple of her father's eye.
When Zorah dies in an unthinkable tragedy, the Sharafs are left reeling. But there is talk that the happy family was anything but, and soon the veneer of the model immigrant family starts to crumble.
And those who knew her best - and those who didn't know her at all - all have an opinion on who Zorah really was, and what really happened to her . . .
'A remarkable, unsettling snapshot of our complicated times' AMEER PANDYA, author of OUR BEAUTIFUL BOYS
'Brilliant. The best debut I've read in a very long time' MONICA ALI, bestselling author of LOVE MARRIAGE
Zorah Sharaf is her family's pride and joy.
Zorah Sharaf is bringing shame to her family.
What is the truth? It depends on who you ask.
Fleeing the horrors of war in Afghanistan, the Sharaf family resettles as refugees in Northern Virginia. After many years of hard work, the father has become a millionaire. Now they live in the most exclusive neighbourhood, their growing family attending the most prestigious schools. And Zorah, the eldest daughter, is the apple of her father's eye.
When Zorah dies in an unthinkable tragedy, the Sharafs are left reeling. But there is talk that the happy family was anything but, and soon the veneer of the model immigrant family starts to crumble.
And those who knew her best - and those who didn't know her at all - all have an opinion on who Zorah really was, and what really happened to her . . .
'A remarkable, unsettling snapshot of our complicated times' AMEER PANDYA, author of OUR BEAUTIFUL BOYS
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Expected publication February 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 23, 2025
A gripping read to start 2026
Patmeena Sabit has produced a debut novel that will/ should open up much conversation.
This is a story about family, love , cultural expectations and differences and ultimately tragedy.
The Sharaf family escaped the horror of war in Afghanistan and have been resettled in North Virginia USA. They live in a one room apartment but Rahmat Sharaf pursues the American Dream and after a decade becomes a successful and wealthy businessman. His wife and four children are able to live a charmed life ; he has aspirations of success for his children especially for his daughter Zorah. The world around sees a family filled with happiness but is all that it seems?
The demands and pressure lead Zorah into unexpected directions and to her death. The family are devastated but then questions are asked… is what appeared to be an accident actually the truth?
The story of the Sharaf family is told through the voices of friends, neighbours, the police and many others- each giving their viewpoint. In a world polarised by the quick judgement of many on social media, TV and through gossip and cultural ignorance, this book raise so many questions. It also challenges us to look at the traditions, hypocrisies and contradictions within societies and cultures.
Patmeena Sabit has shone an important light on issues of migrant families living in a different culture; the ignorance and misunderstanding between different mindsets and the global epidemic of allowing jury by social media.
The narrative device of different voices works incredibly well and manipulates in many ways as your thoughts are ever changing and you are second guessing what happened.
It’s easy to see why this debut novel is being publicised as a book club read for 2026 - a book that will leave you questioning how your own thoughts and perceptions can be influenced by external voices ( especially in a divided world) but ultimately a novel that should also make us all reflect upon the dangers of using hearsay in any situation.
Patmeena Sabit has produced a debut novel that will/ should open up much conversation.
This is a story about family, love , cultural expectations and differences and ultimately tragedy.
The Sharaf family escaped the horror of war in Afghanistan and have been resettled in North Virginia USA. They live in a one room apartment but Rahmat Sharaf pursues the American Dream and after a decade becomes a successful and wealthy businessman. His wife and four children are able to live a charmed life ; he has aspirations of success for his children especially for his daughter Zorah. The world around sees a family filled with happiness but is all that it seems?
The demands and pressure lead Zorah into unexpected directions and to her death. The family are devastated but then questions are asked… is what appeared to be an accident actually the truth?
The story of the Sharaf family is told through the voices of friends, neighbours, the police and many others- each giving their viewpoint. In a world polarised by the quick judgement of many on social media, TV and through gossip and cultural ignorance, this book raise so many questions. It also challenges us to look at the traditions, hypocrisies and contradictions within societies and cultures.
Patmeena Sabit has shone an important light on issues of migrant families living in a different culture; the ignorance and misunderstanding between different mindsets and the global epidemic of allowing jury by social media.
The narrative device of different voices works incredibly well and manipulates in many ways as your thoughts are ever changing and you are second guessing what happened.
It’s easy to see why this debut novel is being publicised as a book club read for 2026 - a book that will leave you questioning how your own thoughts and perceptions can be influenced by external voices ( especially in a divided world) but ultimately a novel that should also make us all reflect upon the dangers of using hearsay in any situation.
December 8, 2025
This is a story with a good cultural context tackling many modern issues in an unusual format as viewpoints/experiences of a variety of people known to the key characters.
Raymat Sharaf, his wife Maryam, and two kids – son Omer and daughter Zorah have emigrated to the US from Afghanistan. After a long period of poverty and hard labour, Raymat makes a breakthrough by starting cleaning services. He later expands to other businesses – malls, imports, store franchises etc in Northern Virginia. Raymat is keen that his children obtain a good education and attend top colleges. His son drops out of college, much to his dad’s disappointment but his daughter continues her studies. A family with conservative values, the parents are upset when they learn that their daughter has a boyfriend. After that, they monitor her activities closely. On a trip back from Niagara, at a break in the town of Fulton for the night, Zorah goes missing. She is later found dead in a car they had brought with them on the trip. The initial assessment is that it was a tragic accident caused by an inexperienced driver (Zorah did not have a license) in poor weather. However, questions surface after many weeks.
The format of the book is novel and unusual with people known to them providing their views of the family and what they think might have happened. There are a wide set of people – many family & friends, teachers/professors, business associates and others. I liked how the story uncovers a number of contemporary & complex issues including – immigration, assimilation, prejudice, hate, jealousy and others. The cultural context is very good – neither under nor over- stated. I found the build-up to be quite slow and inconsistent. While I would say my patience was rewarded with well-written later sections, the tension could have been held better in the story. The ending has a touch of charm and yet I would have liked a few more revealing threads.
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK and the author for a free electronic review copy.
Raymat Sharaf, his wife Maryam, and two kids – son Omer and daughter Zorah have emigrated to the US from Afghanistan. After a long period of poverty and hard labour, Raymat makes a breakthrough by starting cleaning services. He later expands to other businesses – malls, imports, store franchises etc in Northern Virginia. Raymat is keen that his children obtain a good education and attend top colleges. His son drops out of college, much to his dad’s disappointment but his daughter continues her studies. A family with conservative values, the parents are upset when they learn that their daughter has a boyfriend. After that, they monitor her activities closely. On a trip back from Niagara, at a break in the town of Fulton for the night, Zorah goes missing. She is later found dead in a car they had brought with them on the trip. The initial assessment is that it was a tragic accident caused by an inexperienced driver (Zorah did not have a license) in poor weather. However, questions surface after many weeks.
The format of the book is novel and unusual with people known to them providing their views of the family and what they think might have happened. There are a wide set of people – many family & friends, teachers/professors, business associates and others. I liked how the story uncovers a number of contemporary & complex issues including – immigration, assimilation, prejudice, hate, jealousy and others. The cultural context is very good – neither under nor over- stated. I found the build-up to be quite slow and inconsistent. While I would say my patience was rewarded with well-written later sections, the tension could have been held better in the story. The ending has a touch of charm and yet I would have liked a few more revealing threads.
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK and the author for a free electronic review copy.
December 26, 2025
The thing that is most striking about this book is Sabit's compassion and empathy - the second is the way she gives individual voices to her characters who speak directly to us in a series of interviews and other statements after a death. It's rare in contemporary fiction for authors to show the craft of differentiating voices and showing character through voice so I would be applauding this even if it weren't for the confident way this negotiates the story of an Afghani family who came to the US with nothing while their home country was under Russian occupation.
I can see why this book is positioned as a 'book group debate' book but to be honest I found that a little cheap. There is a slight ambiguity on the death of Zorah but the firm statements by the lawyer kind of do away with that argument - unless the reader wants to align themselves with the far-right Islamophobes who use the death as a legitimisation of their hate.
So I'm not quite sure about that marketing strategy but this is an excellent book that looks at pressing issues of how far a patriarchy culture is prepared to go, of intergenerational change and the position of so many 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants who are possibly more aligned with the values of their resident country but may not want to lose all contact with their ancestral culture. In some ways this is an extreme coming of age story but one where the stakes are very high. Sabit successfully puts us into the heart of the Sharaf family, and gives us nuanced insights into the Afghani community, the flaws and fractures as well as the support and love.
Affecting and emotive, I wept.
Many thanks to Little Brown/Virago for an ARC via Netgalley
I can see why this book is positioned as a 'book group debate' book but to be honest I found that a little cheap. There is a slight ambiguity on the death of Zorah but the firm statements by the lawyer kind of do away with that argument - unless the reader wants to align themselves with the far-right Islamophobes who use the death as a legitimisation of their hate.
So I'm not quite sure about that marketing strategy but this is an excellent book that looks at pressing issues of how far a patriarchy culture is prepared to go, of intergenerational change and the position of so many 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants who are possibly more aligned with the values of their resident country but may not want to lose all contact with their ancestral culture. In some ways this is an extreme coming of age story but one where the stakes are very high. Sabit successfully puts us into the heart of the Sharaf family, and gives us nuanced insights into the Afghani community, the flaws and fractures as well as the support and love.
Affecting and emotive, I wept.
Many thanks to Little Brown/Virago for an ARC via Netgalley
August 27, 2025
It took me a while to get into this story, in part because the backstory took a long time to get through. Once Zorah had died, it became very engrossing. None of the protagonists actually gave their side of the story so we readers will never know the truth. Normally, I would have hated an unresolved ending but this time I understand why it was written this way, though I shall be mulling over my own thoughts of what really happened for quite a while to come. An impressive debut.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC
August 14, 2025
It’s hard to take in that ‘Good People’ is Patmeena Sabit’s first novel, so accomplished is every aspect of this narrative and so brave is its concept. Told through a myriad of voices – those close to the Sharaf family and those on the periphery, friends and enemies, neighbours and professionals – this is a story of the American Dream come good and then gone horribly bad.
To bill this as a murder mystery is to describe just a fraction of the ideas and issues that Sabit explores in her story of the Afghan community living in Northern Virginia. The importance of retaining one’s culture whilst being American comes across loud and clear – but to what extent and for how many generations? And what happens when the land of the free doesn’t appear to accept your beliefs and customs?
The death of Zorah, beloved daughter, transmutes from a heartbreaking accident to a callous murder depending on whose point of view is being presented. The author has clearly structured the narrative so that many of the voices sound utterly rational. It’s easy to understand assumptions being made and proclamations misunderstood. As the Sharafs’ lawyer states: ‘…they became lightning rods of public hatred not only for being rich, but for having the audacity to be rich whilst also brown.’ Just as the reader begins to believe that this is clearly a case of racism, fanned by mob rule and online hate, another voice is introduced which suggests, with compelling evidence, that there is no doubt that Zorah is a victim of filicide.
Through these alternating, often subtly different views, Sabit allows the reader to gain a better understanding of the complexities of identity and culture, social expectations and prejudice. It is almost as if the reader becomes a member of a jury intent on listening objectively and searching for the truth whilst learning that any certainty is short-lived at best. A really engrossing, thought-provoking read, and highly recommended. I hope this will be the first of many such novels from Patmeena Sabit.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Virago for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
To bill this as a murder mystery is to describe just a fraction of the ideas and issues that Sabit explores in her story of the Afghan community living in Northern Virginia. The importance of retaining one’s culture whilst being American comes across loud and clear – but to what extent and for how many generations? And what happens when the land of the free doesn’t appear to accept your beliefs and customs?
The death of Zorah, beloved daughter, transmutes from a heartbreaking accident to a callous murder depending on whose point of view is being presented. The author has clearly structured the narrative so that many of the voices sound utterly rational. It’s easy to understand assumptions being made and proclamations misunderstood. As the Sharafs’ lawyer states: ‘…they became lightning rods of public hatred not only for being rich, but for having the audacity to be rich whilst also brown.’ Just as the reader begins to believe that this is clearly a case of racism, fanned by mob rule and online hate, another voice is introduced which suggests, with compelling evidence, that there is no doubt that Zorah is a victim of filicide.
Through these alternating, often subtly different views, Sabit allows the reader to gain a better understanding of the complexities of identity and culture, social expectations and prejudice. It is almost as if the reader becomes a member of a jury intent on listening objectively and searching for the truth whilst learning that any certainty is short-lived at best. A really engrossing, thought-provoking read, and highly recommended. I hope this will be the first of many such novels from Patmeena Sabit.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Virago for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
July 30, 2025
At first I thought I was not going to like the style of this book, then I was drawn in and then...completely hooked. A story of the Sharaf family, parents first generation Muslim Afghan refugees with American born children set in Virginia. As the older son and daughter become adolescent, boundaries are tested.
It is a story told by the people surrounding the family, neighours, friends, eyewitnesses and professionals, each with a different relationship and each shedding different light on both parents, children and traditions. We do not hear any of the story from the perspective of the protagonists. The episodic narrative resembles a 360 degree appraisal for the reader to build and interrogate themselves and draw their own conclusions in interpreting the information that builds.
The compulsion comes from deciding how this family with its established values worked together, how much of what they tell others is reliable or unreliable and what level of unconscious bias you may bring to your reading. Whilst often stories end inconclusively or with ambivalence, with this novel it is almost a reader-led conclusion. Found this element equally wonderful and irritating! Seeing this as a good thing!
With thanks to #NetGalley and #ViragoBooks for the opportunity to read and review
It is a story told by the people surrounding the family, neighours, friends, eyewitnesses and professionals, each with a different relationship and each shedding different light on both parents, children and traditions. We do not hear any of the story from the perspective of the protagonists. The episodic narrative resembles a 360 degree appraisal for the reader to build and interrogate themselves and draw their own conclusions in interpreting the information that builds.
The compulsion comes from deciding how this family with its established values worked together, how much of what they tell others is reliable or unreliable and what level of unconscious bias you may bring to your reading. Whilst often stories end inconclusively or with ambivalence, with this novel it is almost a reader-led conclusion. Found this element equally wonderful and irritating! Seeing this as a good thing!
With thanks to #NetGalley and #ViragoBooks for the opportunity to read and review
November 7, 2025
I enjoyed this debut and look forward to reading more from this author. The story was told in a unique way, from multiple perspectives, almost a true-crime documentary style. I was hoping for a more definitive ending, and frustrated that they didn't investigate the boyfriend more, but it definitely touched on a lot of important issues in today's society.
June 30, 2025
When young Zorah Sharaf dies in what seems to be a tragic accident, her family are devastated. Afghan immigrants who fled to the USA from the Russian invasion, Zorah’s father has struggled for years to achieve the success and wealth he now has, and she is his pampered princess who has been spoilt and indulged. In her late teens, however, she has started to rebel and to reject the traditional values she has grown up with, bringing shame to her parents and setting tongues wagging in the close-knit Afghan immigrant community where they live. Soon questions are asked about her death, and the media seizes on the story amidst a wave of Islamophobia and prejudice-was this actually an honour killing? This powerful and moving book raises a lot of topical issues- what it is like to be an immigrant, how to live in a society with a very different culture to yours, the need to conform to traditional ways and beliefs while also compromising to fit into a new country. Sabit does a brilliant job of getting the different viewpoints across by telling the story through the testimony of individuals on both sides of the investigation- family friends and neighbours, casual witnesses and eventually activists and campaigners. Authentic and powerful, she really portrays the beliefs, prejudices and assumptions of all those involved. Absorbing and emotional, this is an important and very involving book- a must-read.
October 24, 2025
Thought provoking with convincing arguments for those who believe that Zorah was murdered and those who believe it was an accident, honestly at the beginning of the book, the statements made reading it hard work and I thought about leaving it aside but I persisted as I wanted to see how it would pan out. I'm glad I stuck with it as the further I got with the story, the more compelling it became and how much we judge people without having the full facts waa made very clear and ignorance and fear and lack of understanding raised it's very ugly head..All in all , it was an interesting style of writing that felt more like an account of a real event more than a fictional one.
October 20, 2025
Thought provoking and cleverly written. This is a perfect read for the current climate. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel.
It had a very unique style and layout which took me a while to get used to but once I settled in, I enjoyed the storyline which is a mystery with cultural elements (or maybe the other way around).
This would be a great book club pick as there is a lot to unpack.
I can’t help but wondering if I would have enjoyed this novel more if it had more of a contemporary layout/story line. I believe I may have connected to the characters more, for which there were many.
It had a very unique style and layout which took me a while to get used to but once I settled in, I enjoyed the storyline which is a mystery with cultural elements (or maybe the other way around).
This would be a great book club pick as there is a lot to unpack.
I can’t help but wondering if I would have enjoyed this novel more if it had more of a contemporary layout/story line. I believe I may have connected to the characters more, for which there were many.
August 24, 2025
4,75 stars
"Good People" was a really interesting read:
I liked the structure of it consisting of various interviews, opinion pieces, and newspaper articles about the Sharaf family, with the family never giving their own view/perspective on the matter. It is really unusual, but definitely worked here.
The open ending- it's never shown / told what actually happened - also works really well here, and it really impressed me how well this novel shows how (public) opinion can shift, and be influenced.
I definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
"Good People" was a really interesting read:
I liked the structure of it consisting of various interviews, opinion pieces, and newspaper articles about the Sharaf family, with the family never giving their own view/perspective on the matter. It is really unusual, but definitely worked here.
The open ending- it's never shown / told what actually happened - also works really well here, and it really impressed me how well this novel shows how (public) opinion can shift, and be influenced.
I definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
September 25, 2025
There is tragic accident – or is it an accident? All the details slowly unfold in a series of interviews with relatives and family friends. The shortness of the interviews made it difficult to get into the plot at first but as I persevered it was slowly drawn in. Tedious in places but overall an interesting premise.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
December 5, 2025
(4.5 stars) This is the best novel on the US immigrant experience that I’ve read. The book drew me in with its rags-to-riches story, grabbed me with a shocking death, and tossed me back and forth as conflicting evidence was introduced as to what actually happened.
The story centers around the Sharaf family which fled war-torn Afghanistan for the safety and opportunity of the United States. Through hard work and determination, Rahmat Sharaf builds his small business into an empire. His hard-won riches allow the family to live the American Dream in an exclusive neighborhood with private schools. But, as the two older Sharaf children come of age, they start to push boundaries - especially Zorah, the pride of the family. Things come to a head when Zorah moves in with a boyfriend. This brings shame on the Sharaf family, who are part of a proud Muslim community. When sometime later Zorah dies in a mysterious late-night accident, the family finds itself under siege by the press…the story of the year. While at first appearing to be just a horrible accident, more and more evidence points to a possible “shame” killing by Rahmat and Zorah’s older brother. The back-and-forth is where this novel excels. The reader is asked to decide which path they think is the most plausible.
This is a very well-written, thoughtful book, full of points that would make for good discussion in a book club. I found some of the evidence to be a bit contrived, but I get what the author was going for and she largely succeeds, making readers question their assumptions time and time again. This is a terrific book, offering timely commentary on immigrants, American life and the dangers of trusting news/social media. Highly recommended.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for my opinion. This book hits shelves on February 3, 2026.
The story centers around the Sharaf family which fled war-torn Afghanistan for the safety and opportunity of the United States. Through hard work and determination, Rahmat Sharaf builds his small business into an empire. His hard-won riches allow the family to live the American Dream in an exclusive neighborhood with private schools. But, as the two older Sharaf children come of age, they start to push boundaries - especially Zorah, the pride of the family. Things come to a head when Zorah moves in with a boyfriend. This brings shame on the Sharaf family, who are part of a proud Muslim community. When sometime later Zorah dies in a mysterious late-night accident, the family finds itself under siege by the press…the story of the year. While at first appearing to be just a horrible accident, more and more evidence points to a possible “shame” killing by Rahmat and Zorah’s older brother. The back-and-forth is where this novel excels. The reader is asked to decide which path they think is the most plausible.
This is a very well-written, thoughtful book, full of points that would make for good discussion in a book club. I found some of the evidence to be a bit contrived, but I get what the author was going for and she largely succeeds, making readers question their assumptions time and time again. This is a terrific book, offering timely commentary on immigrants, American life and the dangers of trusting news/social media. Highly recommended.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for my opinion. This book hits shelves on February 3, 2026.
November 4, 2025
“Good People” by Patmeena Sabit is a beautifully written and insightful look at the immigrant experience in America. It tells the story of an Afghani family who immigrates to the US. They arrive impoverished and scorned by their own community, and then embraced once they acquire wealth and realize the American dream. When an unthinkable tragedy strikes the family they are thrust into the court of public opinion. What seemed to be a happy household turns out to be something quite different.
The families story is credibly told by testimony from friends, neighbors, and eyewitnesses, each with a different perspective & opinion on the parents, the children, their traditions and their permissive parenting.
The author has shed an important light on the prejudice surrounding immigrant families living in a contemporary society and the ignorance and misunderstanding between different mindsets and the global abuse of jury by social media.
This is a stunning debut novel that raises a lot of questions on current issues and will clearly be a top bookclub choice in 2026.
Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The families story is credibly told by testimony from friends, neighbors, and eyewitnesses, each with a different perspective & opinion on the parents, the children, their traditions and their permissive parenting.
The author has shed an important light on the prejudice surrounding immigrant families living in a contemporary society and the ignorance and misunderstanding between different mindsets and the global abuse of jury by social media.
This is a stunning debut novel that raises a lot of questions on current issues and will clearly be a top bookclub choice in 2026.
Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It's hard to talk about this book with no spoilers because everything is revealed so slowly, the main events of the novel only become clear towards the last third of it.
Other readers may not like the multiple POV format but it's one I really enjoy in thrillers and it works well in this novel. Each chapter is a news report, a police testimonial, a witness statement or a statement from a lawyer; we know something terrible has happened but until quite late it isn't clear what, and what some of the characters are suspected of. For the most part, we follow Sharaf and his family, after Sharaf and his wife Miryam arrive from Afghanistan to the US as refugees. They seem to integrate very well to American life while also being involved members of the Afghani community. Most of the statements are from that community; often they contradict each other. Is the family well integrated? What does that even mean? Is it racist to suspect they haven't?
It's well written and although nothing is really spelled out, by the end it seems really clear what has happened and I enjoyed having to work it out and make my own mind.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
Other readers may not like the multiple POV format but it's one I really enjoy in thrillers and it works well in this novel. Each chapter is a news report, a police testimonial, a witness statement or a statement from a lawyer; we know something terrible has happened but until quite late it isn't clear what, and what some of the characters are suspected of. For the most part, we follow Sharaf and his family, after Sharaf and his wife Miryam arrive from Afghanistan to the US as refugees. They seem to integrate very well to American life while also being involved members of the Afghani community. Most of the statements are from that community; often they contradict each other. Is the family well integrated? What does that even mean? Is it racist to suspect they haven't?
It's well written and although nothing is really spelled out, by the end it seems really clear what has happened and I enjoyed having to work it out and make my own mind.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
August 1, 2025
Good People is a really unique and thoughtful read. It’s not told in a traditional way, instead, the whole story is made up of short accounts from neighbours, shopkeepers, police officers, journalists, and others connected to a family after a tragedy. It builds a picture slowly, from the outside in, which I found really compelling.
The focus isn’t just on what happened, but more on how people around the family saw things, how assumptions are made, and how culture and community shape how we understand each other. It touches on grief, identity, and judgement in a quiet but powerful way.
Even though the subject is heavy, it never felt too intense or overwhelming. The tone is gentle, and the format keeps it moving. I really appreciated how different it felt. Definitely one I’d recommend if you’re looking for something a bit different that still leaves you with plenty to think about.
The focus isn’t just on what happened, but more on how people around the family saw things, how assumptions are made, and how culture and community shape how we understand each other. It touches on grief, identity, and judgement in a quiet but powerful way.
Even though the subject is heavy, it never felt too intense or overwhelming. The tone is gentle, and the format keeps it moving. I really appreciated how different it felt. Definitely one I’d recommend if you’re looking for something a bit different that still leaves you with plenty to think about.
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November 14, 2025I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this book based on the interesting and topical premise, and a lot of the reviews, but I really couldn’t get into it and found the format of how the story was told really confusing and it sadly didn’t grip me.
NB. I was unable to log this here as a DNF.
I really wanted to love this book based on the interesting and topical premise, and a lot of the reviews, but I really couldn’t get into it and found the format of how the story was told really confusing and it sadly didn’t grip me.
NB. I was unable to log this here as a DNF.
August 20, 2025
4 ⭐
ARC Review
Although this book took me a while to get into once I understood the writing style it was such a unique way of diving into the families background and story.
Following the story of an immigrant family from Afghanistan to the US and how cultures come together from both sides to form an opinion on a subject neither side know enough about.
Although you don't get a definitive conclusion at the end I really liked the author including that because it showed both sides of the story.
Thank you to Netgalley for this advance copy.
ARC Review
Although this book took me a while to get into once I understood the writing style it was such a unique way of diving into the families background and story.
Following the story of an immigrant family from Afghanistan to the US and how cultures come together from both sides to form an opinion on a subject neither side know enough about.
Although you don't get a definitive conclusion at the end I really liked the author including that because it showed both sides of the story.
Thank you to Netgalley for this advance copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
4.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 stars. Review to come.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for the review copy. Expected release February 2026.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for the review copy. Expected release February 2026.
September 20, 2025
4.5 ☆'s
Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to access an e-read ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the story of the Sharaf family, who have fled war in Afghanistan to come to America as refugees. We are told about the lead up to a big tragic event where their oldest daughter, Zorah, sheds her families proud Afghani cultural rules and attempts to embrace those of her American friends.
It is quite a while into the book when we find out what the tragic event actually is, with the book then turning to the aftermath and public scrutiny.
The way this book is written, there are several people contributing to the story, from Afghani relatives, friends and neighbours of the Sharafs, school friends of Zorahs, agencies involved, as well as newsreports. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular voice and told in the style of a one-sided interview. Where the person discusses what they have observed or their thoughts and feelings at that particular stage in the story.
I thought this was a fantastic idea, and as a result, it played out in my mind as if I was watching a crime documentary. I honestly became so wrapped up that at one point, I had to check again if I was reading a fiction or non-fiction book.
By the end, I still couldn't 100% decide what my thoughts and feelings were in terms of the outcome. Was it a miscarriage of justice or simply a tragic accident. Usually, getting to the end of a book and not getting a solid answer would drive me insane, but I liked that this one left it open to speculation.
There is a lot of racial hatred in the world particularly at the moment and the author did not shy away from that, with scenes of Islamophobia and Xenophobia as the court of public opinion begins to weigh in. However, I really appreciated the coming together of cultures and religions at the very end.
This is a fantastic debut novel from Patmeena Sabit, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to access an e-read ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the story of the Sharaf family, who have fled war in Afghanistan to come to America as refugees. We are told about the lead up to a big tragic event where their oldest daughter, Zorah, sheds her families proud Afghani cultural rules and attempts to embrace those of her American friends.
It is quite a while into the book when we find out what the tragic event actually is, with the book then turning to the aftermath and public scrutiny.
The way this book is written, there are several people contributing to the story, from Afghani relatives, friends and neighbours of the Sharafs, school friends of Zorahs, agencies involved, as well as newsreports. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular voice and told in the style of a one-sided interview. Where the person discusses what they have observed or their thoughts and feelings at that particular stage in the story.
I thought this was a fantastic idea, and as a result, it played out in my mind as if I was watching a crime documentary. I honestly became so wrapped up that at one point, I had to check again if I was reading a fiction or non-fiction book.
By the end, I still couldn't 100% decide what my thoughts and feelings were in terms of the outcome. Was it a miscarriage of justice or simply a tragic accident. Usually, getting to the end of a book and not getting a solid answer would drive me insane, but I liked that this one left it open to speculation.
There is a lot of racial hatred in the world particularly at the moment and the author did not shy away from that, with scenes of Islamophobia and Xenophobia as the court of public opinion begins to weigh in. However, I really appreciated the coming together of cultures and religions at the very end.
This is a fantastic debut novel from Patmeena Sabit, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
October 14, 2025
A young teen girl is found dead but was it an accident or not? Told from numerous perpectives from family friends, high school teachers, hotel proprietors, journalists, attorneys; everyone except the deceased and her family is heard from. So who do you believe and who's story is the truth? Dealing with an Afghani immigrant family with an American daughter issues of media sensationalization, racism, a victim without a voice and being tried by the court of public opinion. I enjoyed this mystery of seeing a side from a lot of angles but never getting the right side of the story. Thanks to the publisher & netgalley for an e-arc for my honest opinion.
November 12, 2025
thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
this is an astonishing debut, deftly covering so many themes and utilising so many narrative voices. dark but important, "good people" challenges us to consider everything we think we know. it feels more relevant than ever.
the premise of the book is both set out early and yet is somewhat obscured by the lack of a singular narrator. every single chapter - usually just a few pages - introduces new ideas from a different narrator. some narrators reoccur throughout the book, but some are used just once or twice, usually due to them only really having a brief and fleeting insight into the lives of the main characters - whose voices we never get to hear ourselves.
those main characters are the sharaf family: a successful afghan-american family, consisting of the parents (sharaf/mr rahmat sharaf and maryam) and elder son (0mer) who were born in afghanistan, and the elder sister (zorah), younger son (hamza) and younger sister (laylee) who were born in america. when the eldest daughter zorah dies at 18, there is a flawed investigation into her death, tensions build and a national media frenzy follows.
as with all of the most interesting literature, far more questions are asked than answered by this story. the entire plot fits neatly into a few lines, and there are no major revelations or any real "twists", but there is far more to explore in the events than the mere facts - since nobody but zorah really knows them anyway, and she cannot relay them herself directly. this framing means that we are only given the context and perspective around key events without any kind of internal voice or true understanding of motives, emotions or incentives.
of course, with so many narrators of this story, at times it becomes very difficult at times to understand who is a reliable narrator and who is not. (side note - these characters are really well written - so distinctive and easy to believe; the author gets into the heads of so many different people really impressively.) but that mix and shift of narrative voice lends both a realistic tone and fascinating puzzle that we can only attempt to solve.
who is trying to distort the narrative in this story, and why?
how are police decisions influenced by outside factors? can they ever be impartial?
can the witness statement of a child be trusted? at what age do young people become reliable witnesses?
how do racism and islamophobia affect the justice system and mass media in the united states?
can a brown, refugee family find safety in the american dream?
is it possible for anyone to be a "perfect parent"? is it possible for émigré parents?
what is the difference between afghan misogyny and american misogyny? are the differences substantial?
what does it mean to be a feminist? to always believe women?
does it really matter what people perceive the truth to be, when they cannot truly know what the truth is?
i once served on the jury of a complex criminal trial, involving both immigrant and refugee defendants. (they were east asian, rather than west asian, but similar issues of race and stereotyping raised their heads in the midst of an all-white jury). at times this book really put me back in that place, and i found that quite difficult, but it also reminded me that challenging assumptions is an important thing to do and this book does that very, very well.
i could write essay after essay on this book, and i can easily see it becoming included in curricula. i can't recommend it enough and will certainly be buying a copy to lend out, even after reading this as an ARC.
this is an astonishing debut, deftly covering so many themes and utilising so many narrative voices. dark but important, "good people" challenges us to consider everything we think we know. it feels more relevant than ever.
the premise of the book is both set out early and yet is somewhat obscured by the lack of a singular narrator. every single chapter - usually just a few pages - introduces new ideas from a different narrator. some narrators reoccur throughout the book, but some are used just once or twice, usually due to them only really having a brief and fleeting insight into the lives of the main characters - whose voices we never get to hear ourselves.
those main characters are the sharaf family: a successful afghan-american family, consisting of the parents (sharaf/mr rahmat sharaf and maryam) and elder son (0mer) who were born in afghanistan, and the elder sister (zorah), younger son (hamza) and younger sister (laylee) who were born in america. when the eldest daughter zorah dies at 18, there is a flawed investigation into her death, tensions build and a national media frenzy follows.
as with all of the most interesting literature, far more questions are asked than answered by this story. the entire plot fits neatly into a few lines, and there are no major revelations or any real "twists", but there is far more to explore in the events than the mere facts - since nobody but zorah really knows them anyway, and she cannot relay them herself directly. this framing means that we are only given the context and perspective around key events without any kind of internal voice or true understanding of motives, emotions or incentives.
of course, with so many narrators of this story, at times it becomes very difficult at times to understand who is a reliable narrator and who is not. (side note - these characters are really well written - so distinctive and easy to believe; the author gets into the heads of so many different people really impressively.) but that mix and shift of narrative voice lends both a realistic tone and fascinating puzzle that we can only attempt to solve.
who is trying to distort the narrative in this story, and why?
how are police decisions influenced by outside factors? can they ever be impartial?
can the witness statement of a child be trusted? at what age do young people become reliable witnesses?
how do racism and islamophobia affect the justice system and mass media in the united states?
can a brown, refugee family find safety in the american dream?
is it possible for anyone to be a "perfect parent"? is it possible for émigré parents?
what is the difference between afghan misogyny and american misogyny? are the differences substantial?
what does it mean to be a feminist? to always believe women?
does it really matter what people perceive the truth to be, when they cannot truly know what the truth is?
i once served on the jury of a complex criminal trial, involving both immigrant and refugee defendants. (they were east asian, rather than west asian, but similar issues of race and stereotyping raised their heads in the midst of an all-white jury). at times this book really put me back in that place, and i found that quite difficult, but it also reminded me that challenging assumptions is an important thing to do and this book does that very, very well.
i could write essay after essay on this book, and i can easily see it becoming included in curricula. i can't recommend it enough and will certainly be buying a copy to lend out, even after reading this as an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Who are the Sharafs? Are they the wealthy refugee family next door, a family that escaped from Kabul to the United States and built their wealth from nothing? Are they the loving family we see glimpses of, closely connected to each other and to their Afghani community? Are they happy to be Americanized or are they a strict Muslim family fighting to maintain their religious and cultural values despite the constant pull of Americanization all around them? From the multiple perspectives of friends, teachers, neighbors, journalists, police, and others who have come into close or limited contact with the family, the Sharafs are put under a microscopic lens and examined.
The first family member we come into contact with is Rahmat, head of the family, a man who wants desperately to be rich. From scheme to scheme, he borrows money from any friend who is willing to take a chance on him and make a loan, He starts small and then builds up a wealthy empire. Is he honest and stalwart or do some of his business partners have good reasons for distrusting him.
Rahmat has huge dreams for his children, 21 year old Omer, 18 yer old Zorah, and two little ones. His 18 year-old daughter Zorah, who he visualizes as a Harvard grad and later a supreme court justice, appears to be doing well in school, has friends and obeys the family rules. Maryam is a traditional mother, supporting Rahmat in all ways and seeing to the needs of their children. When they left Kabul 20 years ago, rockets were falling all around them. It's a different story now and Rahmat believes they have finally made it - with their palatial home in an upscale neighborhood not too far rom the White House, an excellent school district and children who behave and get good grades.
When the bubble bursts for the Sharafs, opinions vary. It just depends on who is doing the talking. Many, who were once Rahmat's friends, have turned their backs on the family. Rahmat is desolate and distraught, turning to stricter parenting and paying closer attention to his family. Things have taken such a horrible turn that he says, "I should have stayed in Kabul and let the rockets finish us. At least then we would have all died at one time, together, instead of dying like this, every day." Is the family heroic or are they responsible for their own downfall?
The author reflects that this novel is based on a true story. It explores issues of racism, class, culture, religion, Islamophobia and the often desperate plight of refugee families. What can be heroic in American culture can be shameful in other cultures.
I loved the novel's structure. At first it was a bit confusing but then it was all pulled together. This review is written without any real spoilers. My recommendation is to 'just read it'.
Thank you to Crown Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this Advanced Review Copy.
The first family member we come into contact with is Rahmat, head of the family, a man who wants desperately to be rich. From scheme to scheme, he borrows money from any friend who is willing to take a chance on him and make a loan, He starts small and then builds up a wealthy empire. Is he honest and stalwart or do some of his business partners have good reasons for distrusting him.
Rahmat has huge dreams for his children, 21 year old Omer, 18 yer old Zorah, and two little ones. His 18 year-old daughter Zorah, who he visualizes as a Harvard grad and later a supreme court justice, appears to be doing well in school, has friends and obeys the family rules. Maryam is a traditional mother, supporting Rahmat in all ways and seeing to the needs of their children. When they left Kabul 20 years ago, rockets were falling all around them. It's a different story now and Rahmat believes they have finally made it - with their palatial home in an upscale neighborhood not too far rom the White House, an excellent school district and children who behave and get good grades.
When the bubble bursts for the Sharafs, opinions vary. It just depends on who is doing the talking. Many, who were once Rahmat's friends, have turned their backs on the family. Rahmat is desolate and distraught, turning to stricter parenting and paying closer attention to his family. Things have taken such a horrible turn that he says, "I should have stayed in Kabul and let the rockets finish us. At least then we would have all died at one time, together, instead of dying like this, every day." Is the family heroic or are they responsible for their own downfall?
The author reflects that this novel is based on a true story. It explores issues of racism, class, culture, religion, Islamophobia and the often desperate plight of refugee families. What can be heroic in American culture can be shameful in other cultures.
I loved the novel's structure. At first it was a bit confusing but then it was all pulled together. This review is written without any real spoilers. My recommendation is to 'just read it'.
Thank you to Crown Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this Advanced Review Copy.
October 11, 2025
It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. It’s so well written.
Good People is the story of the Sharaf family who have fled from war torn Afghanistan to settle in Virginia where Rahmat Sharaf works relentlessly to achieve the American dream until his daughter, Zorah, goes off the rails and his family is struck by tragedy.
It’s a polyphonic novel written in short chapters in the voices of family friends, relatives, teachers, reporters and other witnesses. Sabit succeeds in capturing a distinct voice for each person and deftly drives forward the narrative through their stories. I found the book increasingly difficult to put down.
The only voices you don’t hear from are those of the immediate family itself and it’s a real tribute to Sabit’s skills that she paints such a vivid portrait of the Sharaf family entirely through the accounts of others.
The novel offers a compassionate and empathetic examination of the immigrant experience in America. In particular it speaks to the current dialogue around assimilation and integration and how the immigrant experience differs across the generations. I found it particularly timely in light of the rise of the far right in the US and across Europe whose extreme views on immigration, amplified by the media, have now entered the mainstream. It really struck home with me as I read it during a week in which the Shadow Justice Secretary of the UK described the suburb of Handsworth in the city of Birmingham as one of ‘the worst integrated places’ he has ever visited and said that he didn’t see ‘another white face’ during the one and a half hours he spent there. I think he and other politicians would do well to read this book for an insight into the pressures and expectations placed on an immigrant family both from people from within their original community and those without.
This is both a gripping read and a vitally relevant book to the times we live in. I loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for an ARC of this novel.
Good People is the story of the Sharaf family who have fled from war torn Afghanistan to settle in Virginia where Rahmat Sharaf works relentlessly to achieve the American dream until his daughter, Zorah, goes off the rails and his family is struck by tragedy.
It’s a polyphonic novel written in short chapters in the voices of family friends, relatives, teachers, reporters and other witnesses. Sabit succeeds in capturing a distinct voice for each person and deftly drives forward the narrative through their stories. I found the book increasingly difficult to put down.
The only voices you don’t hear from are those of the immediate family itself and it’s a real tribute to Sabit’s skills that she paints such a vivid portrait of the Sharaf family entirely through the accounts of others.
The novel offers a compassionate and empathetic examination of the immigrant experience in America. In particular it speaks to the current dialogue around assimilation and integration and how the immigrant experience differs across the generations. I found it particularly timely in light of the rise of the far right in the US and across Europe whose extreme views on immigration, amplified by the media, have now entered the mainstream. It really struck home with me as I read it during a week in which the Shadow Justice Secretary of the UK described the suburb of Handsworth in the city of Birmingham as one of ‘the worst integrated places’ he has ever visited and said that he didn’t see ‘another white face’ during the one and a half hours he spent there. I think he and other politicians would do well to read this book for an insight into the pressures and expectations placed on an immigrant family both from people from within their original community and those without.
This is both a gripping read and a vitally relevant book to the times we live in. I loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown for an ARC of this novel.
October 6, 2025
Having fled war-torn Afghanistan many years before, fearful and penniless, the Sharaf family have become an embodiment of the American Dream. From humble beginnings, the father has—through hard work, shrewd business sense, and a measure of good luck—brought his family to a peak of social and financial standing. It’s a close, loving, grateful family, living a charmed life in a beautiful home, with eldest daughter Zorah—bright, clever, captivating—at its glittering centre.
Zorah’s sudden death shatters the Sharafs’ carefully cultivated family narrative. What first appears to be a tragic accident soon becomes a public spectacle, their grief picked over by neighbours, journalists, and strangers with opinions they mistake for empathy. Everyone, it seems, has a version of Zorah—dutiful daughter, reckless teen, victim, saint—and each story reveals as much about its teller as it does about her.
This is a powerful, engrossing book. Using the structure of an oral history, it gives voice to a vivid, diverse, chorus of perspectives – outside the family - before and after Zorah’s death. The novel exposes the corrosive nature of attention and the way grief is reshaped by gossip and conjecture until nothing feels private or true. It’s at its most propulsive and provocative when exploring the uneasy meeting of the Sharaf’s Muslim heritage and the ostensibly Christian, deeply secular, American traditions around them. Suspicion and fear can ferment quickly, given the slightest provocation, and there’s always someone ready to fan the flames.
Sabit handles the oral history form with great assurance, maintaining pace and bringing us as close to the Sharaf family as we can get, without hearing their own voices.
There are no easy answers here, but the questions Sabit asks reveal how much these two cultures have in common, not just where they collide, and find some space for hope.
Gripping, devastating, and quietly humane.
Zorah’s sudden death shatters the Sharafs’ carefully cultivated family narrative. What first appears to be a tragic accident soon becomes a public spectacle, their grief picked over by neighbours, journalists, and strangers with opinions they mistake for empathy. Everyone, it seems, has a version of Zorah—dutiful daughter, reckless teen, victim, saint—and each story reveals as much about its teller as it does about her.
This is a powerful, engrossing book. Using the structure of an oral history, it gives voice to a vivid, diverse, chorus of perspectives – outside the family - before and after Zorah’s death. The novel exposes the corrosive nature of attention and the way grief is reshaped by gossip and conjecture until nothing feels private or true. It’s at its most propulsive and provocative when exploring the uneasy meeting of the Sharaf’s Muslim heritage and the ostensibly Christian, deeply secular, American traditions around them. Suspicion and fear can ferment quickly, given the slightest provocation, and there’s always someone ready to fan the flames.
Sabit handles the oral history form with great assurance, maintaining pace and bringing us as close to the Sharaf family as we can get, without hearing their own voices.
There are no easy answers here, but the questions Sabit asks reveal how much these two cultures have in common, not just where they collide, and find some space for hope.
Gripping, devastating, and quietly humane.
October 7, 2025
This is a novel destined for the best sellers list. Its textures and layering are sublime. The voices are those of your neighbours and past acquaintances who all have something to say, while maintaining that it is innocent and in the best interest of the subject.
The structure of the narrative is in the form of social media, reported accounts, press outlets and interviews, which really work in producing multi- dimensional characters, most of which you sympathise with.
It tells the story of a rags to riches Afghan family. The Sharaf’s who have emigrated to America in search of a better life. Arriving penniless, the father refuses advice from others in the community and instead works hard and to all intents and purposes lives the American Dream, living in the upmarket suburbs. His two eldest children, however, do not quite live up to their parents' hopes, in particular their wayward teenage daughter Zorah, who decides to break away from tradition and heritage. It’s her demise that the story focuses on as we hear from school friends, neighbours and social services. One questions their motives as it seems some of their opinions are out of malice and jealousy.
This is a tragic story irrespective of it being an accident or honour killing. The whole family comes under scrutiny as their words are picked apart and held up for everyone to criticise. In their judgement racism, religion and culture are placed under a microscope to be dissected by the court of the general public. I became so invested that not knowing what really happened didn’t seem important; it was the pieces that were left behind.
I can’t believe this is a debut, such is the quality of writing. I will definitely look out for more of this author’s work.
Thank you NetGalley and Patmeena Sabit for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.
The structure of the narrative is in the form of social media, reported accounts, press outlets and interviews, which really work in producing multi- dimensional characters, most of which you sympathise with.
It tells the story of a rags to riches Afghan family. The Sharaf’s who have emigrated to America in search of a better life. Arriving penniless, the father refuses advice from others in the community and instead works hard and to all intents and purposes lives the American Dream, living in the upmarket suburbs. His two eldest children, however, do not quite live up to their parents' hopes, in particular their wayward teenage daughter Zorah, who decides to break away from tradition and heritage. It’s her demise that the story focuses on as we hear from school friends, neighbours and social services. One questions their motives as it seems some of their opinions are out of malice and jealousy.
This is a tragic story irrespective of it being an accident or honour killing. The whole family comes under scrutiny as their words are picked apart and held up for everyone to criticise. In their judgement racism, religion and culture are placed under a microscope to be dissected by the court of the general public. I became so invested that not knowing what really happened didn’t seem important; it was the pieces that were left behind.
I can’t believe this is a debut, such is the quality of writing. I will definitely look out for more of this author’s work.
Thank you NetGalley and Patmeena Sabit for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.
August 19, 2025
"For good people, name is everything. The beginning and end. Once my good name is lost, it's lost forever".
Wow! That was the Netflix true-crime documentary of the year!
I've never read a book that so clearly played out in my mind like a true-crime drama. This was a masterclass in modern story-telling with even the minor characters so finely attuned in their sentiment which made the believability go up tenfold. I had to Google whether the case was real.
Essentially, through the Netflix-style (I hope the author doesn't mind me repeating this, but wow! It was incredibly vivid!) accounts from family friends, school teachers, neighbours, police department and lawyers (among others), the mystery of 18 year old Zorah Sharaf and her family's involvement in what happened to her is slowly uncovered.
Through topics of gender discrimination, what it means to be Muslim in America, religious pressures, family politics and a whole host more, this novel came to me and hopefully others at a time to understand and revaluate what it means to understand the burden of living in a society which always wishes to place the blame on anyone but themselves. This is a novel about truth and mistruths and how people choose their own beliefs based on the snippets of information they hear.
Thought provoking, easy to read, engaging and wow. I gave it 5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and little brown book company for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wow! That was the Netflix true-crime documentary of the year!
I've never read a book that so clearly played out in my mind like a true-crime drama. This was a masterclass in modern story-telling with even the minor characters so finely attuned in their sentiment which made the believability go up tenfold. I had to Google whether the case was real.
Essentially, through the Netflix-style (I hope the author doesn't mind me repeating this, but wow! It was incredibly vivid!) accounts from family friends, school teachers, neighbours, police department and lawyers (among others), the mystery of 18 year old Zorah Sharaf and her family's involvement in what happened to her is slowly uncovered.
Through topics of gender discrimination, what it means to be Muslim in America, religious pressures, family politics and a whole host more, this novel came to me and hopefully others at a time to understand and revaluate what it means to understand the burden of living in a society which always wishes to place the blame on anyone but themselves. This is a novel about truth and mistruths and how people choose their own beliefs based on the snippets of information they hear.
Thought provoking, easy to read, engaging and wow. I gave it 5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and little brown book company for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 13, 2025
The Sharaf family fled a war-torn Afghanistan to live the American dream, with Rahmat going from a poor man in Afghanistan to a successful businessman in America. With his new-found fortune he is able to ensure his wife and 4 kids are provided for with the very best America can offer.
No one brings more joy to her father than Zorah, who is the apple of her father's eye, but a tragic accident takes her life just before she starts Senior Year.
But was it an accident or something more sinister?
This was such an interesting read, told from the perspective of all the people surrounding the Sharaf family, which lead us up to the accident and the aftermath. The voices include family, friends, police, witnesses and journalists. Each with their own unique voice, which is masterfukky done by the author, given how many characters are involved.
Though we never hear from the family themselves, we are told their story by those who knew them but also by societies gossips and neighbours. How can you tell who are Good People behind closed doors?
The story slowly builds bit by bit until you finally get a full picture of what has happened and the events leading up to it.
Let's not beat around the bush, this story shines a light on the immigrant experience in America, and how polarising the world can be and how quick to judgement as well. It also shows how the media can be used as a weapon to turn the public whichever way they choose.
It also tackles the topic of raising children outside their native homes and balancing tradition of their mother land to embracing the new land they have chosen to retreat to. As a child/grandchild of immigrant family, this hit close to home, how can we maintain our culture and still respect our new home.
On another note, the pressure on the parents due to the community is also something I have first hand knowledge and experience in...the dreaded...what will people think? Always lingering at the fronts of our families mind...this story captured that perfectly.
This was a great reading experience and though we don't ever get full resolution on what really happened; I think the point of the story is question what you see and hear and make up your own mind.
Thank you Little Brown Book Group UK & Virago for approving me to read a copy of the arc on netgalley. Good People is out 12th February.
True story but someone said the below quote to me during my uni days so had to highlight it!
Favourite quote(s):
"Good people, as soon as their daughters know right from left, teach them one thing. That a girl's reputation is like a cloth of pure white. The tiniest fleck of dirt - the tiniest fleck anywhere - and the whole thing is ruined"
No one brings more joy to her father than Zorah, who is the apple of her father's eye, but a tragic accident takes her life just before she starts Senior Year.
But was it an accident or something more sinister?
This was such an interesting read, told from the perspective of all the people surrounding the Sharaf family, which lead us up to the accident and the aftermath. The voices include family, friends, police, witnesses and journalists. Each with their own unique voice, which is masterfukky done by the author, given how many characters are involved.
Though we never hear from the family themselves, we are told their story by those who knew them but also by societies gossips and neighbours. How can you tell who are Good People behind closed doors?
The story slowly builds bit by bit until you finally get a full picture of what has happened and the events leading up to it.
Let's not beat around the bush, this story shines a light on the immigrant experience in America, and how polarising the world can be and how quick to judgement as well. It also shows how the media can be used as a weapon to turn the public whichever way they choose.
It also tackles the topic of raising children outside their native homes and balancing tradition of their mother land to embracing the new land they have chosen to retreat to. As a child/grandchild of immigrant family, this hit close to home, how can we maintain our culture and still respect our new home.
On another note, the pressure on the parents due to the community is also something I have first hand knowledge and experience in...the dreaded...what will people think? Always lingering at the fronts of our families mind...this story captured that perfectly.
This was a great reading experience and though we don't ever get full resolution on what really happened; I think the point of the story is question what you see and hear and make up your own mind.
Thank you Little Brown Book Group UK & Virago for approving me to read a copy of the arc on netgalley. Good People is out 12th February.
True story but someone said the below quote to me during my uni days so had to highlight it!
Favourite quote(s):
"Good people, as soon as their daughters know right from left, teach them one thing. That a girl's reputation is like a cloth of pure white. The tiniest fleck of dirt - the tiniest fleck anywhere - and the whole thing is ruined"
August 10, 2025
Patmeena Sabit's debut novel has an interesting structure - it recounts the death of an eighteen year old Zorah, the daughter of Afghani immigrants in Virginia from the testimonies of family members, friends, and strangers who all saw or witnessed something and of the investigators, forensic staff and journalists who are building the case and trying to learn the truth or what happened to Zorah.
This structure means that Good People plays out like a forensic yet emotional investigation of a troubling subject. It is the sort of novel which would work well for a book club - there is a lot to get your teeth into here, and everyone will have a different opinion as to which voices are telling the truth and which voices are marred by prejudice or persuaded by the court of public opinion.
Where it suffers is that it doesn't allow you to invest emotionally as you may have done if the narrative had clawed more tightly to a smaller cast of characters. Though everyone reports on Zorah, she is held at arms length by the structure of the novel, and I felt by it's end I knew little of her life despite it being a novel concerned with her life and her death.
However Sabit is a very accomplished novelist and this is an engaging and involving read which I plowed through in one sitting. I am very keen to see what she does next.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
This structure means that Good People plays out like a forensic yet emotional investigation of a troubling subject. It is the sort of novel which would work well for a book club - there is a lot to get your teeth into here, and everyone will have a different opinion as to which voices are telling the truth and which voices are marred by prejudice or persuaded by the court of public opinion.
Where it suffers is that it doesn't allow you to invest emotionally as you may have done if the narrative had clawed more tightly to a smaller cast of characters. Though everyone reports on Zorah, she is held at arms length by the structure of the novel, and I felt by it's end I knew little of her life despite it being a novel concerned with her life and her death.
However Sabit is a very accomplished novelist and this is an engaging and involving read which I plowed through in one sitting. I am very keen to see what she does next.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
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