What do you think?
Rate this book
The Special
Dr. Zurain Shah is a witty and charming professor of Criminology by day and a suave and devious master of the sadomasochistic arts by night. Though he is strict about keeping his nocturnal habits—among other things—out of sight of the world at large, that all changes once he is caught in a scandal with one of his students, leading him to nothing but disgrace, humiliation, and jail. Just as it appears his life of excitement and debauchery is over, Zurain inadvertently finds himself in a role tailor-made for him.
With the knowledge, skills, and expertise from his selfindulgent lifestyle, Zurain is recruited by the man who arrested him, Inspector Akbar Khan, to help the police solve sexually motivated crimes. Seeing firsthand how deep the deviant underbelly of the city is, Akbar is tasked to solve these crimes of a “special nature.” And in Zurain, he finds the one person ready and willing to wade into uncharted territory.
Though Akbar has no love lost for his new criminal consultant, there is no denying that Zurain has a unique perspective on these crimes. From sexual harassment cases to organized flesh rings, and incidents of domestic violence to full-on cults, the hotbed of degenerate behavior pushes Zurain, Akbar, and their task force to the brink of all they had considered sacred.
Lives will be saved, loyalties will be built, and those preying on unassuming victims will be brought to justice. These are the cases of….The Special.
With the knowledge, skills, and expertise from his selfindulgent lifestyle, Zurain is recruited by the man who arrested him, Inspector Akbar Khan, to help the police solve sexually motivated crimes. Seeing firsthand how deep the deviant underbelly of the city is, Akbar is tasked to solve these crimes of a “special nature.” And in Zurain, he finds the one person ready and willing to wade into uncharted territory.
Though Akbar has no love lost for his new criminal consultant, there is no denying that Zurain has a unique perspective on these crimes. From sexual harassment cases to organized flesh rings, and incidents of domestic violence to full-on cults, the hotbed of degenerate behavior pushes Zurain, Akbar, and their task force to the brink of all they had considered sacred.
Lives will be saved, loyalties will be built, and those preying on unassuming victims will be brought to justice. These are the cases of….The Special.
500 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2025
2 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Muhammad Ali Samejo
5 books34 followersMuhammad Ali Samejo is a seasoned corporate professional, published novelist, and training and development facilitator specializing in corporate skills training, English as a second language, and communication skills. He’s the author of two works of fiction titled “Legends Of Karachi” and “Damaged”.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 31, 2026
5 Stars!
If you love fast-paced, thrilling crime novels, then you have to grab yourself a copy of The Special!
Set in the streets of Karachi, The Special is a uniquely spun tale. Each chapter takes you on an emotional rollercoaster of twisted dark plots and charismatic characters.
Inspector Akbar is the moral compass of the story, a good man and a champion of the vulnerable. Much to his chagrin, he is teamed with Dr Zurain, a criminally deviant criminology professor who, in his opinion, should rot in jail. These two characters have a love-hate relationship, which is so well written that you are powerless not to become invested in their personal trials and tribulations. By the end of the book, and I won’t spoil it, I was devastated that I turned the last page and had to leave them behind.
Despite his questionable practices, Dr Zurain was my favourite character. He has honour and integrity in spades, even though he most definitely is flawed. His witty banter and repartee with Inspector Akbar lift the dark content of the story and allow the reader some respite from the horrors of the human psyche.
I revelled in the author’s ability to transport me to the teeming metropolis of Karachi. The cultural language, expectations and diversity were a real joy to read about and learn. He portrayed the very worst and the very best of humanity through the stories and character arcs. The struggles of women are a well-highlighted and compassionate vein of truth throughout the book, as is the inherent misogyny and patriarchal behaviours of the characters.
Bravo for this thought-provoking and entertaining book. It would make an amazing drama series or film and could give the acclaimed ITV series, The Vice, a run for its money.
If you love fast-paced, thrilling crime novels, then you have to grab yourself a copy of The Special!
Set in the streets of Karachi, The Special is a uniquely spun tale. Each chapter takes you on an emotional rollercoaster of twisted dark plots and charismatic characters.
Inspector Akbar is the moral compass of the story, a good man and a champion of the vulnerable. Much to his chagrin, he is teamed with Dr Zurain, a criminally deviant criminology professor who, in his opinion, should rot in jail. These two characters have a love-hate relationship, which is so well written that you are powerless not to become invested in their personal trials and tribulations. By the end of the book, and I won’t spoil it, I was devastated that I turned the last page and had to leave them behind.
Despite his questionable practices, Dr Zurain was my favourite character. He has honour and integrity in spades, even though he most definitely is flawed. His witty banter and repartee with Inspector Akbar lift the dark content of the story and allow the reader some respite from the horrors of the human psyche.
I revelled in the author’s ability to transport me to the teeming metropolis of Karachi. The cultural language, expectations and diversity were a real joy to read about and learn. He portrayed the very worst and the very best of humanity through the stories and character arcs. The struggles of women are a well-highlighted and compassionate vein of truth throughout the book, as is the inherent misogyny and patriarchal behaviours of the characters.
Bravo for this thought-provoking and entertaining book. It would make an amazing drama series or film and could give the acclaimed ITV series, The Vice, a run for its money.
February 7, 2026
Dr. Zurain is a witty professor of crmininology, —until a scandal involving one of his students brings his career crashing down and lands him in jail. Behind bars, he is first coerced and later willingly drawn into assisting Inspector Akbar with a series of cases of a “special” nature. Zurain’s own past indulgences grant him a rare, unsettling insight into these crimes, allowing him to see patterns others miss and ultimately help unmask monsters hiding behind the façade of ordinary people.
At its core, the book is a series of 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭-𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬/𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞
. While the individual stories move swiftly, the overarching novel unfolds at a slower, more deliberate pace, focusing less on an intricate plot and more on the gradual transformation of its characters.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗯, 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗯𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀. These stories offer a rich variety, with each one setting a distinct vibe and mood. The author’s skill is evident in his keen attention to detail—whether it’s the sharp, witty dialogue or the vivid, immersive descriptions.
Your response to these cases or stories is likely shaped by your exposure to the crime landscape of this country. If one is naïve enough to completely deny the prevalence of sexual crimes and offences in Pakistan, the book may come across as nothing more than a collection of explicit stories. That said, it still feels like the author stretches certain points further than necessary. Some of these claims may be true—perhaps even undeniably so—on a broader, global scale, but not all of them translate neatly to the Pakistani context. Then again… who really knows.
Especially as the Epstein files resurface, exposing not only the true colors of influential figures and their vile dealings behind closed doors, but also the disturbing, ritualistic practices they allegedly carried out. However, from a distinctly Pakistani point of view, it feels as though the author may have been somewhat carried away by his imagination in a few chapters.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. On one side stand officers like Akbar and —trying to uphold integrity within a deeply flawed system. On the other is the corrupt machinery, willingly serving politicians, criminal syndicates, and real-estate giants. This rot is embodied in characters like Kashif Mughal in "An Obscene Atrocity" and Wajid in "A Grizzly Abduction", who represent how power, greed, and influence quietly hollow the institution from within.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲. Every character is portrayed with such depth and nuance that they come close to being flawless—not because they lack flaws, but because those flaws feel profoundly human. Take Akbar, for instance. He is a police officer who initially appears to be a clichéd Mr. Goody Two-Shoes. But as the story unfolds, case by case, layers of his character begin to surface: his unwavering integrity, his genuine desire to do good, and his mounting frustration with the setbacks he faces along the way.
These struggles become deeply relatable, especially when viewed through the lens of our deeply flawed justice system, policing structures, and society at large. Akbar ceases to be just an individual character; he becomes a conduit for our collective frustration—our anger, helplessness, and moral fatigue.
Then there is Zurain—hardly an agreeable character for many readers (certainly not for me). Yet his presence lends the narrative an intensity, an umph, that it might otherwise have lacked. I can’t shake the feeling—though this may be entirely subjective—that the author originally intended Zurain to be the sole protagonist. Somewhere along the way, however, Akbar stole the spotlight, eclipsing the charisma Zurain seemed meant to command.
At one point, even Zurain no longer feels like a separate character. Instead, he comes across as an extension of Akbar—almost like the missing element in his personality. One can’t help but feel that if Akbar possessed that element of fearlessness and , he would have been unstoppable.
You can sense that Zurain leaves a lasting imprint on Akbar—shaping him into a braver, more resolute man. As the story progresses, Akbar stands his ground with growing fearlessness, confronting political goons like Shafiq Zaidi and Dildar Bughio head-on, a courage that clearly reflects Zurain’s influence. In return, Akbar becomes a steadying influence for Zurain—softening his rough edges and guiding him toward greater compassion and consideration for others
Even the side characters—Yaqub and Naima, for instance—possess a distinct, almost tailor-made swagger that prevents them from fading into the background. Instead of remaining in the shadow, they confidently share the limelight of the central narrative.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘅 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿. It also captures the cultural fabric of Pakistan, Karachi in particular.
The ending, though fitting, may leave the reader flabbergasted. For much of the novel, the narrative advances only incrementally for its characters; then, without warning, it vaults across decades, offering little time to absorb the sudden acceleration—less a progression than an abrupt transformation. The author must mention the time lapse before the said chapter in the next edition of the book.
The narrative of this book forces you to confront the moral fragility of our society and the hollow façade of the Islamic Republic we have constructed—one that often serves less as a moral compass and more as a convenient cover for the immorality we are willing to indulge in behind closed doors.
Trigger Warning ⚠️:
Since the books deals with the cases of a special nature so you might flinch at certain kinds of scenario, descriptions or indication even though they are presented very matter of factly.
At its core, the book is a series of 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭-𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬/𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞
. While the individual stories move swiftly, the overarching novel unfolds at a slower, more deliberate pace, focusing less on an intricate plot and more on the gradual transformation of its characters.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗯, 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗯𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀. These stories offer a rich variety, with each one setting a distinct vibe and mood. The author’s skill is evident in his keen attention to detail—whether it’s the sharp, witty dialogue or the vivid, immersive descriptions.
Your response to these cases or stories is likely shaped by your exposure to the crime landscape of this country. If one is naïve enough to completely deny the prevalence of sexual crimes and offences in Pakistan, the book may come across as nothing more than a collection of explicit stories. That said, it still feels like the author stretches certain points further than necessary. Some of these claims may be true—perhaps even undeniably so—on a broader, global scale, but not all of them translate neatly to the Pakistani context. Then again… who really knows.
Especially as the Epstein files resurface, exposing not only the true colors of influential figures and their vile dealings behind closed doors, but also the disturbing, ritualistic practices they allegedly carried out. However, from a distinctly Pakistani point of view, it feels as though the author may have been somewhat carried away by his imagination in a few chapters.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. On one side stand officers like Akbar and —trying to uphold integrity within a deeply flawed system. On the other is the corrupt machinery, willingly serving politicians, criminal syndicates, and real-estate giants. This rot is embodied in characters like Kashif Mughal in "An Obscene Atrocity" and Wajid in "A Grizzly Abduction", who represent how power, greed, and influence quietly hollow the institution from within.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲. Every character is portrayed with such depth and nuance that they come close to being flawless—not because they lack flaws, but because those flaws feel profoundly human. Take Akbar, for instance. He is a police officer who initially appears to be a clichéd Mr. Goody Two-Shoes. But as the story unfolds, case by case, layers of his character begin to surface: his unwavering integrity, his genuine desire to do good, and his mounting frustration with the setbacks he faces along the way.
These struggles become deeply relatable, especially when viewed through the lens of our deeply flawed justice system, policing structures, and society at large. Akbar ceases to be just an individual character; he becomes a conduit for our collective frustration—our anger, helplessness, and moral fatigue.
Then there is Zurain—hardly an agreeable character for many readers (certainly not for me). Yet his presence lends the narrative an intensity, an umph, that it might otherwise have lacked. I can’t shake the feeling—though this may be entirely subjective—that the author originally intended Zurain to be the sole protagonist. Somewhere along the way, however, Akbar stole the spotlight, eclipsing the charisma Zurain seemed meant to command.
At one point, even Zurain no longer feels like a separate character. Instead, he comes across as an extension of Akbar—almost like the missing element in his personality. One can’t help but feel that if Akbar possessed that element of fearlessness and , he would have been unstoppable.
You can sense that Zurain leaves a lasting imprint on Akbar—shaping him into a braver, more resolute man. As the story progresses, Akbar stands his ground with growing fearlessness, confronting political goons like Shafiq Zaidi and Dildar Bughio head-on, a courage that clearly reflects Zurain’s influence. In return, Akbar becomes a steadying influence for Zurain—softening his rough edges and guiding him toward greater compassion and consideration for others
Even the side characters—Yaqub and Naima, for instance—possess a distinct, almost tailor-made swagger that prevents them from fading into the background. Instead of remaining in the shadow, they confidently share the limelight of the central narrative.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘅 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿. It also captures the cultural fabric of Pakistan, Karachi in particular.
The ending, though fitting, may leave the reader flabbergasted. For much of the novel, the narrative advances only incrementally for its characters; then, without warning, it vaults across decades, offering little time to absorb the sudden acceleration—less a progression than an abrupt transformation. The author must mention the time lapse before the said chapter in the next edition of the book.
The narrative of this book forces you to confront the moral fragility of our society and the hollow façade of the Islamic Republic we have constructed—one that often serves less as a moral compass and more as a convenient cover for the immorality we are willing to indulge in behind closed doors.
Trigger Warning ⚠️:
Since the books deals with the cases of a special nature so you might flinch at certain kinds of scenario, descriptions or indication even though they are presented very matter of factly.
January 30, 2026
Just finished this book and it was a dark, fast-paced crime thriller that honestly felt like watching a Pakistani drama, but with heavier, more intense themes and cases people usually avoid talking about.
The story follows Inspector Akbar, who takes on “special cases” that most people don’t want to touch, and ends up working with Dr. Zurain, a brilliant criminology professor who is also a criminal. Their dynamic is easily the strongest part of the book. Akbar feels grounded and genuinely humane, while Dr. Zurain is sharp, witty, unpredictable, and morally gray in a way that keeps you constantly questioning him. I personally didn’t love Dr. Zurain’s personality (even though I can see why some readers might find him charming), but Akbar was someone I genuinely rooted for.
The pacing is gripping, the cases keep you hooked, and the twists don’t stop, especially the final reveal, which was so satisfying and bittersweet.
That said, a few details may not land the same way for every reader, especially depending on personal sensitivity and perspective, so I’d suggest reading with awareness and an open mind.
⚠️ Content Warning: SA, DV, cult themes, and other sensitive case details.
The story follows Inspector Akbar, who takes on “special cases” that most people don’t want to touch, and ends up working with Dr. Zurain, a brilliant criminology professor who is also a criminal. Their dynamic is easily the strongest part of the book. Akbar feels grounded and genuinely humane, while Dr. Zurain is sharp, witty, unpredictable, and morally gray in a way that keeps you constantly questioning him. I personally didn’t love Dr. Zurain’s personality (even though I can see why some readers might find him charming), but Akbar was someone I genuinely rooted for.
The pacing is gripping, the cases keep you hooked, and the twists don’t stop, especially the final reveal, which was so satisfying and bittersweet.
That said, a few details may not land the same way for every reader, especially depending on personal sensitivity and perspective, so I’d suggest reading with awareness and an open mind.
⚠️ Content Warning: SA, DV, cult themes, and other sensitive case details.
February 11, 2026
The Special by Muhammad Ali Samejo aka M. A Samejo might give you vibes of Imran Series by Mazhar Kaleem. The novel is a collection of cases solved when a witty Criminalist, Dr Zurain gangs up with Inspector Akbar Khan. Finished reading two cases and I am hooked, intrigued, and hungry for more. I will be buying more books from the author.
A must-read for all mystery fans out there, and the fact that it's from a local author, I am loving it even more.
A must-read for all mystery fans out there, and the fact that it's from a local author, I am loving it even more.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews