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Brothers in Blood
***WINNER OF THE CWA DEBUT DAGGER***
(Previously published as Western Fringes)
A Sikh girl on the run. A Muslim ex-con who has to find her. A whole heap of trouble.
Southall, West London. After being released from prison, Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders' yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put the past behind him.
But when Zaq is forced to search for his boss's runaway daughter, he quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge.
With time running out and pressure mounting, can he find the missing girl before it's too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead?
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2017
38 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Amer Anwar
4 books24 followersAmer Anwar grew up in West London. After leaving college he had a variety of jobs, including; warehouse assistant, comic book lettering artist, driver for emergency doctors and chalet rep in the French Alps. He eventually settled into a career as a creative artworker/graphic designer and spent the next decade and a half producing artwork, mainly for the home entertainment industry.
Not having written any fiction since about the age of 12, but still dreaming of one day writing a novel, Amer started taking writing classes in the evenings. This led on to a graduate certificate and then an MA in Creative Writing, both from Birkbeck, University of London.
By this time he had begun work on a novel and decided to enter the opening chapters to the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger competition for the best unpublished novel, in order to receive his first rejection on the road to publication. To his complete amazement, he won the actual award. It took him another eight years, however, to finish the novel and then a further two to get published.
His critically acclaimed debut, Brothers in Blood, a fast-paced crime thriller set in west London, was picked by both the Times and the Guardian as one of their books of the year. The eagerly awaited follow-up, Stone Cold Trouble, again featuring ex-con Zaq Khan and his best friend Jags, will be published in September 2020.
You can find out more about Amer at www.ameranwar.com or on social media -
Twitter - @ameranwar
Facebook – ameranwar.author
Instagram – ameranwar_author
Not having written any fiction since about the age of 12, but still dreaming of one day writing a novel, Amer started taking writing classes in the evenings. This led on to a graduate certificate and then an MA in Creative Writing, both from Birkbeck, University of London.
By this time he had begun work on a novel and decided to enter the opening chapters to the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger competition for the best unpublished novel, in order to receive his first rejection on the road to publication. To his complete amazement, he won the actual award. It took him another eight years, however, to finish the novel and then a further two to get published.
His critically acclaimed debut, Brothers in Blood, a fast-paced crime thriller set in west London, was picked by both the Times and the Guardian as one of their books of the year. The eagerly awaited follow-up, Stone Cold Trouble, again featuring ex-con Zaq Khan and his best friend Jags, will be published in September 2020.
You can find out more about Amer at www.ameranwar.com or on social media -
Twitter - @ameranwar
Facebook – ameranwar.author
Instagram – ameranwar_author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 1, 2018
This award winning and thrilling crime fiction debut is firmly located in the Asian culture and community of Southall, often referred to as little India. The local conflicts centre around religious divisions and cultural traditions such as arranged marriages both of which feature. It is the story of Zaq, whose life and career has been stymied by a conviction for manslaughter for which he served a hard five year prison sentence. Despite being a graduate, the only job he has been able to secure is that of delivering building supplies for the Sikh Mr Brar. Mr Brar's daughter, Surinder, known as Rita, has run off with a Muslim man bringing shame and disgrace on the family. Mr Brar wants Zaq to find Rita and bring her home, and to ensure that he complies, he threatens Zaq with a return to prison. As a man with no options, Zaq finds himself on the reluctant path of learning how to become a private eye.
As with all good private detectives, Zaq finds himself on the end of a number of vicious beatings and assaults. He has to handle the thuggish sons of Mr Brar, Rajinder and Parminder, who keep an uncommonly close eye on Zaq, insisting that he gives any information he uncovers on Rita's whereabouts to them first. Aided by his close and trusty friend, Jags, Zaq finds that his nominally straightforward assignment of finding Rita turns into a much more dangerous and sinister case featuring ruthless criminals, murders and a murky web of deception where he will be lucky to come out alive. Furthermore, it seems there is another party from Zaq's past who won't stop until Zaq is dead. With his and Rita's life in danger, Zaq crafts an off the wall plan that just might ensure their survival.
The strengths of this novel are the insights it offers of Southall in all its colourful glory of food, clothes, characters, community, geography and language. The central character of Zaq, a man hobbled by an unfortunate past, exudes a mixture of charm, innocence and verve. Jags, his friend, is loyal, committed and challenges the notion that Sikhs and Muslims cannot be friends. Rita is a resourceful and dynamic woman that is not going to let anyone else define her future, and her friend, Nina, is of the same ilk. This is a well plotted novel with a cracking narrative full of suspense. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked. A beguiling read that captivates, and which I highly recommended to those who love crime fiction. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
As with all good private detectives, Zaq finds himself on the end of a number of vicious beatings and assaults. He has to handle the thuggish sons of Mr Brar, Rajinder and Parminder, who keep an uncommonly close eye on Zaq, insisting that he gives any information he uncovers on Rita's whereabouts to them first. Aided by his close and trusty friend, Jags, Zaq finds that his nominally straightforward assignment of finding Rita turns into a much more dangerous and sinister case featuring ruthless criminals, murders and a murky web of deception where he will be lucky to come out alive. Furthermore, it seems there is another party from Zaq's past who won't stop until Zaq is dead. With his and Rita's life in danger, Zaq crafts an off the wall plan that just might ensure their survival.
The strengths of this novel are the insights it offers of Southall in all its colourful glory of food, clothes, characters, community, geography and language. The central character of Zaq, a man hobbled by an unfortunate past, exudes a mixture of charm, innocence and verve. Jags, his friend, is loyal, committed and challenges the notion that Sikhs and Muslims cannot be friends. Rita is a resourceful and dynamic woman that is not going to let anyone else define her future, and her friend, Nina, is of the same ilk. This is a well plotted novel with a cracking narrative full of suspense. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked. A beguiling read that captivates, and which I highly recommended to those who love crime fiction. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
May 18, 2017
This award winning and thrilling crime fiction debut is firmly located in the Asian culture and community of Southall, often referred to as little India. The local conflicts centre around religious divisions and cultural traditions such as arranged marriages both of which feature. It is the story of Zaq, whose life and career has been stymied by a conviction for manslaughter for which he served a hard five year prison sentence. Despite being a graduate, the only job he has been able to secure is that of delivering building supplies for the Sikh Mr Brar. Mr Brar's daughter, Surinder, known as Rita, has run off with a Muslim man bringing shame and disgrace on the family. Mr Brar wants Zaq to find Rita and bring her home, and to ensure that he complies, he threatens Zaq with a return to prison. As a man with no options, Zaq finds himself on the reluctant path of learning how to become a private eye.
As with all good private detectives, Zaq finds himself on the end of a number of vicious beatings and assaults. He has to handle the thuggish sons of Mr Brar, Rajinder and Parminder, who keep an uncommonly close eye on Zaq, insisting that he gives any information he uncovers on Rita's whereabouts to them first. Aided by his close and trusty friend, Jags, Zaq finds that his nominally straightforward assignment of finding Rita turns into a much more dangerous and sinister case featuring ruthless criminals, murders and a murky web of deception where he will be lucky to come out alive. Furthermore, it seems there is another party from Zaq's past who won't stop until Zaq is dead. With his and Rita's life in danger, Zaq crafts an off the wall plan that just might ensure their survival.
The strengths of this novel are the insights it offers of Southall in all its colourful glory of food, clothes, characters, community, geography and language. The central character of Zaq, a man hobbled by an unfortunate past, exudes a mixture of charm, innocence and verve. Jags, his friend, is loyal, committed and challenges the notion that Sikhs and Muslims cannot be friends. Rita is a resourceful and dynamic woman that is not going to let anyone else define her future, and her friend, Nina, is of the same ilk. This is a well plotted novel with a cracking narrative full of suspense. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked. A beguiling read that captivates, and which I highly recommended to those who love crime fiction. Thanks to Edurus Books for an ARC.
As with all good private detectives, Zaq finds himself on the end of a number of vicious beatings and assaults. He has to handle the thuggish sons of Mr Brar, Rajinder and Parminder, who keep an uncommonly close eye on Zaq, insisting that he gives any information he uncovers on Rita's whereabouts to them first. Aided by his close and trusty friend, Jags, Zaq finds that his nominally straightforward assignment of finding Rita turns into a much more dangerous and sinister case featuring ruthless criminals, murders and a murky web of deception where he will be lucky to come out alive. Furthermore, it seems there is another party from Zaq's past who won't stop until Zaq is dead. With his and Rita's life in danger, Zaq crafts an off the wall plan that just might ensure their survival.
The strengths of this novel are the insights it offers of Southall in all its colourful glory of food, clothes, characters, community, geography and language. The central character of Zaq, a man hobbled by an unfortunate past, exudes a mixture of charm, innocence and verve. Jags, his friend, is loyal, committed and challenges the notion that Sikhs and Muslims cannot be friends. Rita is a resourceful and dynamic woman that is not going to let anyone else define her future, and her friend, Nina, is of the same ilk. This is a well plotted novel with a cracking narrative full of suspense. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked. A beguiling read that captivates, and which I highly recommended to those who love crime fiction. Thanks to Edurus Books for an ARC.
May 5, 2017
Nine months out of HMP Bullingdon, Zaq Khan has returned home, and is once again living in the shadow of Southall Gas Works. Southall station might have a brand spanking new look, but for local boy Zaq, five years inside hasn't changed too much about an area dubbed 'Little India', where rumours and gossip spread like wildfire on a proverbial 'Asian' grapevine! Infact, Southall has proved not too different from a life behind bars, where a tight-knit community knows everybody's business and reputations aren't easily shaken off. Zaqir Khan might not go looking for trouble but he attracts a hell of a lot of it, and with a criminal record jobs aren't too forthcoming, meaning his options are limited to delivering supplies in a builder's yard. As the only Muslim in a company owned and run by a Sikh family, he might speak fluent English and have a degree, but it counts for little in the grand scheme of things. Zaq's stint in prison has left him with a reputation as something of psychotic nut job and sees him landed with a gig that places him squarely between a rock and a hard place.. Mr Brar, and his two chips off the old block in the form of his enforcer sons, Parminder (Parm) and Rajinder want a family matter sorted and kept quiet, with no police involvement and no reputational loss of face. The daughter of Mr Brar, Surinder (Rita), who is in her early twenties has apparently gone AWOL after a family argument with her two meathead brothers and Mr Brar makes clear that Zaq has one priority and that is to track her down. A failure to locate his daughter will result in Zaq being fitted up and awarded a 'do not pass go' card straight back to jail. Having spent five-years inside, Zaq knows of the toll it takes on a person and he will do everything to avoid a repeat occurrence.
Effectively strong-armed into carrying out Mr Brar's dirty work things would certainly be a lot simpler if either Mr Brar or his two sons were giving Zaq the full story behind Rita's disappearance. Furnished with a list of her friends numbers and a photo, Zaq is left little choice but to start digging and quickly makes inroads in upsetting the Brar brothers and making some other ruthless enemies. All this for trying to stay on the straight and narrow! Within the space of three days Zaq's progress is stymied by threats, intimidation and Rita's ex-boyfriend being taken hostage. As things become more hair-raising Zaq is forced to trade on his reputation as a man with a history of violence as he uncovers the truth behind Rita's disappearance and comes to think delivering her home isn't in her best interests. As Zaq and Jags play the various interested parties off against one another, not always using strictly legal means, they dare to dream that not only could they help Rita out of her domestic predicament, but see Zaq fulfilling his end of the bargain to Mr Brar and thereby avoiding prison. Marked by numerous twists and unexpected occurrences, this is an edgy and high-octane thriller which will keep its readers on tenterhooks right until the denouement. A fairly length novel at over four-hundred-pages, Western Fringes, never outstays its welcome largely because of the excellent plotting and audacious twists that Anwar pulls off. Many times I thought Zaq was well and truly in over his head, only for an unforeseen intervention to see him fight another day and bring a smile to readers faces.
Zaq's story is brimming with brio, told with a spirited enthusiasm and the very deftest of unexpected setbacks along the way. The sassy first-person narration of street-smart Zaq is effortlessly entrancing and the blistering repartee that comes courtesy of Zaq and long-term mate Jags (a Sikh), is fiendishly on point. Peppered with Punjabi dialogue of which the gist is always evident, Anwar provides some tasty cultural insights and a working knowledge of the various creeds and caste systems that live side by side in Southall. Amer Anwar has captured perfectly the feel of a diverse Britain where so many differing religions, skin colours and lifestyles live side by side. Despite the backgrounds and the beliefs instilled by their elders, Zaq and Jags could be any youngsters in the urban melting pot, so unencumbered by the ingrained traditions and cultural history of their elders. As a reader of Barbara Nadel's excellent Hakim and Arnold series which capture life in London's East End, Amer Anwar has certainly taken a significant step in the right direction for putting Southall on the crime fiction map and pulled off a similar achievement with his portrayal of the area.
It is not until almost half-way through the novel that we get to hear Zaq's side of the story that landed him inside and his sincerity and honesty in discussing the events is admirable. By that point the reader will have already seen enough to be vying for him with a big heart, his endearing demeanour and some serious scruples. The strong characterisation is just one of the many excellent features of the debut release, with Anwar managing to breathe life into his secondary cast and it is a mark of his skill that even the bit-part appearances of his housemates made a significant impression on me. Western Fringes was surprisingly informative about the cultural difference between Sikh's and Muslim's and I enjoyed picking up some of the finer points of their religions and traditions which are sprinkled throughout and hence was impressed by how Anwar has made them part of his narrative in a way that feels so natural and simply part of a compelling story as opposed to a cultural lesson.
Fast, fresh and precision plotted, Western Fringes, is a debut crime thriller that deserves to be recognised for its originality and a real sense of place. This darkly comic novel in an absolute tour de force Southall style! It will surprise very few of those who read Western Fringes that the author, Amer Anwar, was awarded the CWA Debut Dagger Award for what is an exceptional achievement. A blast of a novel from start to finish, Western Fringes comes very highly recommended indeed.
Effectively strong-armed into carrying out Mr Brar's dirty work things would certainly be a lot simpler if either Mr Brar or his two sons were giving Zaq the full story behind Rita's disappearance. Furnished with a list of her friends numbers and a photo, Zaq is left little choice but to start digging and quickly makes inroads in upsetting the Brar brothers and making some other ruthless enemies. All this for trying to stay on the straight and narrow! Within the space of three days Zaq's progress is stymied by threats, intimidation and Rita's ex-boyfriend being taken hostage. As things become more hair-raising Zaq is forced to trade on his reputation as a man with a history of violence as he uncovers the truth behind Rita's disappearance and comes to think delivering her home isn't in her best interests. As Zaq and Jags play the various interested parties off against one another, not always using strictly legal means, they dare to dream that not only could they help Rita out of her domestic predicament, but see Zaq fulfilling his end of the bargain to Mr Brar and thereby avoiding prison. Marked by numerous twists and unexpected occurrences, this is an edgy and high-octane thriller which will keep its readers on tenterhooks right until the denouement. A fairly length novel at over four-hundred-pages, Western Fringes, never outstays its welcome largely because of the excellent plotting and audacious twists that Anwar pulls off. Many times I thought Zaq was well and truly in over his head, only for an unforeseen intervention to see him fight another day and bring a smile to readers faces.
Zaq's story is brimming with brio, told with a spirited enthusiasm and the very deftest of unexpected setbacks along the way. The sassy first-person narration of street-smart Zaq is effortlessly entrancing and the blistering repartee that comes courtesy of Zaq and long-term mate Jags (a Sikh), is fiendishly on point. Peppered with Punjabi dialogue of which the gist is always evident, Anwar provides some tasty cultural insights and a working knowledge of the various creeds and caste systems that live side by side in Southall. Amer Anwar has captured perfectly the feel of a diverse Britain where so many differing religions, skin colours and lifestyles live side by side. Despite the backgrounds and the beliefs instilled by their elders, Zaq and Jags could be any youngsters in the urban melting pot, so unencumbered by the ingrained traditions and cultural history of their elders. As a reader of Barbara Nadel's excellent Hakim and Arnold series which capture life in London's East End, Amer Anwar has certainly taken a significant step in the right direction for putting Southall on the crime fiction map and pulled off a similar achievement with his portrayal of the area.
It is not until almost half-way through the novel that we get to hear Zaq's side of the story that landed him inside and his sincerity and honesty in discussing the events is admirable. By that point the reader will have already seen enough to be vying for him with a big heart, his endearing demeanour and some serious scruples. The strong characterisation is just one of the many excellent features of the debut release, with Anwar managing to breathe life into his secondary cast and it is a mark of his skill that even the bit-part appearances of his housemates made a significant impression on me. Western Fringes was surprisingly informative about the cultural difference between Sikh's and Muslim's and I enjoyed picking up some of the finer points of their religions and traditions which are sprinkled throughout and hence was impressed by how Anwar has made them part of his narrative in a way that feels so natural and simply part of a compelling story as opposed to a cultural lesson.
Fast, fresh and precision plotted, Western Fringes, is a debut crime thriller that deserves to be recognised for its originality and a real sense of place. This darkly comic novel in an absolute tour de force Southall style! It will surprise very few of those who read Western Fringes that the author, Amer Anwar, was awarded the CWA Debut Dagger Award for what is an exceptional achievement. A blast of a novel from start to finish, Western Fringes comes very highly recommended indeed.
dnf
June 1, 2018Update:
I was given this book by the author for review but unfortunately, I haven't had any interest in picking this book back up again at all. I've lost interest.
Initial feelings.
I got about a 100 pages in and just wasn't getting into it. Not really in the mood to read crime fiction. Put down for now.
I was given this book by the author for review but unfortunately, I haven't had any interest in picking this book back up again at all. I've lost interest.
Initial feelings.
I got about a 100 pages in and just wasn't getting into it. Not really in the mood to read crime fiction. Put down for now.
September 22, 2018
'Brothers in Blood' is Amer Anwar's debut British Asian thriller, the first book in the Zaq & Jags series and winner of the CWA Debut Dagger Award when previously published as 'Western Fringes'. I read 100's of books from the crime genre each year and can honestly say that this is one of the best i've read in many a long year. If i'm honest, I find it hard to believe it's a debut. Wow! This guy is a rare talent!
One of the aspects I most appreciated was that it was strongly steeped in Asian culture, and as I always love to learn about other traditions, I found this fascinating. Asian friends have since told me that the information presented within the novel is culturally accurate - I learned a lot about the food, language and the community of Southall, West London. The story is wonderfully intricate and Anwar certainly knows how to spin a yarn that will entice the reader to read just one more chapter. This is one of those rare books that you instantly wish you'd devoured in a more pedestrian manner in order to savour it, I was rather sad when it was over! A fast paced, intriguing and highly original debut, Anwar is heading right to the top of my "writers to watch" list. If you like your stories with a bit of substance to them, this is absolutely unmissable. I cannot stress that enough! The author is adept at weaving an intelligent tale, with intrigue aplenty to keep even the fussiest crime buff satisfied. Among the topics explored are conflict between Muslims and Sikhs, arranged marriage, revenge, murder, deception, bribery and the line between right and wrong, good and evil.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am to hear that this is the series opener, it would have been a crying shame for it to been a one off as I feel Zaq Khan and best friend and sidekick Jags are likeable, believable and realistic protagonists and their story has a long way to go before it comes to an end. Of that I am certain! I was spellbound and remained utterly scintillated from first page to last. Welcome to the genre Mr. Anwar, we readers hope you have a very long and pleasant stay. I eagerly anticipate the next book.
Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
One of the aspects I most appreciated was that it was strongly steeped in Asian culture, and as I always love to learn about other traditions, I found this fascinating. Asian friends have since told me that the information presented within the novel is culturally accurate - I learned a lot about the food, language and the community of Southall, West London. The story is wonderfully intricate and Anwar certainly knows how to spin a yarn that will entice the reader to read just one more chapter. This is one of those rare books that you instantly wish you'd devoured in a more pedestrian manner in order to savour it, I was rather sad when it was over! A fast paced, intriguing and highly original debut, Anwar is heading right to the top of my "writers to watch" list. If you like your stories with a bit of substance to them, this is absolutely unmissable. I cannot stress that enough! The author is adept at weaving an intelligent tale, with intrigue aplenty to keep even the fussiest crime buff satisfied. Among the topics explored are conflict between Muslims and Sikhs, arranged marriage, revenge, murder, deception, bribery and the line between right and wrong, good and evil.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am to hear that this is the series opener, it would have been a crying shame for it to been a one off as I feel Zaq Khan and best friend and sidekick Jags are likeable, believable and realistic protagonists and their story has a long way to go before it comes to an end. Of that I am certain! I was spellbound and remained utterly scintillated from first page to last. Welcome to the genre Mr. Anwar, we readers hope you have a very long and pleasant stay. I eagerly anticipate the next book.
Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
August 20, 2017
I bloody loved this!
What I have to say more? Well ok then but you asked for it.
Western Fringes is the most fun (??!!??) I’ve had with a book in ages, a dark, violently (ironically) funny novel with a hugely distinct British Asian flavour, some immediately lovable (and the opposite!) characters, a story that just sends you reeling all over Southall and wider London, set within a vibrant community that just comes alive on the page.
Zaq Khan has served his time and just wants to keep his head down – sadly for him his boss has other idea’s, threatening all sorts unless Zaq tracks down his daughter. Assuming she has simply run away to avoid an arranged marriage he soon finds that there is a lot more going on than that – and blimey is he going to have to think fast and often to extricate himself and probably everyone else from a situation that gets more dangerous by the second.
The pace is excellent with witty, sparking dialogue and a cleverly authentic descriptive sense that just immerses you into Zaq’s world and that of those around him. Often hilarious, but also occasionally grit your teeth violent, Western Fringes fairly rocks along, fascinating, frenetic, highly intriguing from the opening pages until the very last line – there is not one even vaguely negative thing I can say about it.
I lived those relationships – the friendship between Zaq and his housemates, even more so the one with his mate Jags just lit up in my mind, I defy you not to fall in love with all of them. I was also delighted with the “damsel in distress” vibe where the damsel was less distressed and more intelligently sneaky – she may be in a world of trouble but that doesn’t mean she needs a knight in shining armour. The bad guys are so realistically bad, the good guys are not angels, it is all so very brilliantly readable.
I was highly impressed with how Amer Anwar walks the cultural line – showing us a diverse and dynamic community where no matter what your background or your influences, in the end people are just people, some nice, some nasty, but just human beings – inventively educational the hugely character driven plot tells it like it is, no punches pulled and so extraordinarily gripping that I found myself quite literally gripping the book at times – then finding it hard to put down.
The storytelling is truly exceptional and I have to give a nod to the final few chapters which read a little like a heist movie as all the threads come together, our motley crew face the music and we all hold our breath to see who wins out in the end. Genuinely I think the person I had the most sympathy for at that point was poor old Dad…
So yeah, what can I say….
I bloody loved this! Hmm.
What I have to say more? Well ok then but you asked for it.
Western Fringes is the most fun (??!!??) I’ve had with a book in ages, a dark, violently (ironically) funny novel with a hugely distinct British Asian flavour, some immediately lovable (and the opposite!) characters, a story that just sends you reeling all over Southall and wider London, set within a vibrant community that just comes alive on the page.
Zaq Khan has served his time and just wants to keep his head down – sadly for him his boss has other idea’s, threatening all sorts unless Zaq tracks down his daughter. Assuming she has simply run away to avoid an arranged marriage he soon finds that there is a lot more going on than that – and blimey is he going to have to think fast and often to extricate himself and probably everyone else from a situation that gets more dangerous by the second.
The pace is excellent with witty, sparking dialogue and a cleverly authentic descriptive sense that just immerses you into Zaq’s world and that of those around him. Often hilarious, but also occasionally grit your teeth violent, Western Fringes fairly rocks along, fascinating, frenetic, highly intriguing from the opening pages until the very last line – there is not one even vaguely negative thing I can say about it.
I lived those relationships – the friendship between Zaq and his housemates, even more so the one with his mate Jags just lit up in my mind, I defy you not to fall in love with all of them. I was also delighted with the “damsel in distress” vibe where the damsel was less distressed and more intelligently sneaky – she may be in a world of trouble but that doesn’t mean she needs a knight in shining armour. The bad guys are so realistically bad, the good guys are not angels, it is all so very brilliantly readable.
I was highly impressed with how Amer Anwar walks the cultural line – showing us a diverse and dynamic community where no matter what your background or your influences, in the end people are just people, some nice, some nasty, but just human beings – inventively educational the hugely character driven plot tells it like it is, no punches pulled and so extraordinarily gripping that I found myself quite literally gripping the book at times – then finding it hard to put down.
The storytelling is truly exceptional and I have to give a nod to the final few chapters which read a little like a heist movie as all the threads come together, our motley crew face the music and we all hold our breath to see who wins out in the end. Genuinely I think the person I had the most sympathy for at that point was poor old Dad…
So yeah, what can I say….
I bloody loved this! Hmm.
September 22, 2018
'Brothers in Blood' is Amer Anwar's debut British Asian thriller, the first book in the Zaq & Jags series and winner of the CWA Debut Dagger Award when previously published as 'Western Fringes'. I read 100's of books from the crime genre each year and can honestly say that this is one of the best i've read in many a long year. If i'm honest, I find it hard to believe it's a debut. Wow! This guy is a rare talent!
One of the aspects I most appreciated was that it was strongly steeped in Asian culture, and as I always love to learn about other traditions, I found this fascinating. Asian friends have since told me that the information presented within the novel is culturally accurate - I learned a lot about the food, language and the community of Southall, West London. The story is wonderfully intricate and Anwar certainly knows how to spin a yarn that will entice the reader to read just one more chapter. This is one of those rare books that you instantly wish you'd devoured in a more pedestrian manner in order to savour it, I was rather sad when it was over! A fast paced, intriguing and highly original debut, Anwar is heading right to the top of my "writers to watch" list. If you like your stories with a bit of substance to them, this is absolutely unmissable. I cannot stress that enough! The author is adept at weaving an intelligent tale, with intrigue aplenty to keep even the fussiest crime buff satisfied. Among the topics explored are conflict between Muslims and Sikhs, arranged marriage, revenge, murder, deception, bribery and the line between right and wrong, good and evil.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am to hear that this is the series opener, it would have been a crying shame for it to been a one off as I feel Zaq Khan and best friend and sidekick Jags are likeable, believable and realistic protagonists and their story has a long way to go before it comes to an end. Of that I am certain! I was spellbound and remained utterly scintillated from first page to last. Welcome to the genre Mr. Anwar, we readers hope you have a very long and pleasant stay. I eagerly anticipate the next book.
Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
One of the aspects I most appreciated was that it was strongly steeped in Asian culture, and as I always love to learn about other traditions, I found this fascinating. Asian friends have since told me that the information presented within the novel is culturally accurate - I learned a lot about the food, language and the community of Southall, West London. The story is wonderfully intricate and Anwar certainly knows how to spin a yarn that will entice the reader to read just one more chapter. This is one of those rare books that you instantly wish you'd devoured in a more pedestrian manner in order to savour it, I was rather sad when it was over! A fast paced, intriguing and highly original debut, Anwar is heading right to the top of my "writers to watch" list. If you like your stories with a bit of substance to them, this is absolutely unmissable. I cannot stress that enough! The author is adept at weaving an intelligent tale, with intrigue aplenty to keep even the fussiest crime buff satisfied. Among the topics explored are conflict between Muslims and Sikhs, arranged marriage, revenge, murder, deception, bribery and the line between right and wrong, good and evil.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am to hear that this is the series opener, it would have been a crying shame for it to been a one off as I feel Zaq Khan and best friend and sidekick Jags are likeable, believable and realistic protagonists and their story has a long way to go before it comes to an end. Of that I am certain! I was spellbound and remained utterly scintillated from first page to last. Welcome to the genre Mr. Anwar, we readers hope you have a very long and pleasant stay. I eagerly anticipate the next book.
Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
September 3, 2020
Winner of the CWA Debut Dagger Award, Brothers In Blood marks the start of an incredibly promising crime thriller writing career for Amer Anwar. This one of the most vibrant and edgy crime thrillers I have encountered for some time. From the very start of the book, I was completely immersed in the trials and tribulations of central protagonist Zaq Khan, who through the fickle finger of fate finds himself entangled in a very dangerous situation indeed. Subject to blackmail and intimidation, he is tasked with uncovering the whereabouts of his boss’s errant daughter, Rita, who has ostensibly run away from an impending forced marriage. Finding himself at odds with his boss, Rita’s two meat-headed brothers, and ghosts from the past seeking to inflict some serious physical damage upon him, Zaq needs to be resourceful, cunning and more than a little devious to survive this trial by fire…
Zaq is a truly likeable and engaging character, who immediately gets the reader on side with his mix of easy humour, craftiness, and genuine good guy demeanour. Anwar instils him with a honesty and charm that has you rooting for him from the outset, as pressure is brought to bear on him from all angles. He’s fast-talking and quick thinking, and despite the hole he finds himself in does not lose his keen sense of morality to extricate Rita, and by extension, himself, from a nasty situation. I loved his interactions with his best mate Jags, and the solid camaraderie that exists between them, despite the twist in fate that sees their lives having progressed on two very different courses. I also admire Jags’ natural ability to act as a second mother to Zaq in terms of tea-making and painkiller providing as his mate gets into a succession of scrapes, and is always happy to play second fiddle to Zaq’s suicidal plans. This has to be one of the greatest friendships forged in crime fiction, and is a constant source of delight throughout. Anwar’s band of bad boys, out for Zaq’s blood are equally well depicted, slow, dull-witted, and handy with their fists, and allowing for some exciting and very well written fight scenes, where there is a realistic and palpable pain. There’s nothing worse than a fight scene where everyone is seemingly unmarked by the experience, and boy, does Zaq take some punishment.
Set around the environs of Southall and its Asian community, the life, colour, languages and atmosphere of this area shines through Anwar’s depiction of its inhabitants. The sights, sounds and delicious aromas of the area bring a vibrancy and liveliness to his descriptions, and gives the reader a real sense of the connections between our main protagonists and their community. The plotting is assured, and I liked the way that Anwar leads us in a seemingly linear direction, which is entertaining enough, but then pulls a couple of startling revelations that take the story in a different direction indeed. The pace is perfectly controlled, and I genuinely found this incredibly hard to put down, as it is punctuated by a glorious mix of fast visceral action, a dash of heart-warming interactions, a further sprinkling of violence and chicanery, and then a steady build up of misdirection to an exciting, and not altogether predictable ending.
I absolutely loved Brothers In Blood, and having become a little jaded with the British-set crime thriller scene of late, this gave me a right old flying by the seat of my pants reading experience, which seemed fresh and exciting. A cracking new voice on the thriller scene, and yes, I can’t wait to see what Amer Anwar produces next. Pure brilliant and highly recommended.
Zaq is a truly likeable and engaging character, who immediately gets the reader on side with his mix of easy humour, craftiness, and genuine good guy demeanour. Anwar instils him with a honesty and charm that has you rooting for him from the outset, as pressure is brought to bear on him from all angles. He’s fast-talking and quick thinking, and despite the hole he finds himself in does not lose his keen sense of morality to extricate Rita, and by extension, himself, from a nasty situation. I loved his interactions with his best mate Jags, and the solid camaraderie that exists between them, despite the twist in fate that sees their lives having progressed on two very different courses. I also admire Jags’ natural ability to act as a second mother to Zaq in terms of tea-making and painkiller providing as his mate gets into a succession of scrapes, and is always happy to play second fiddle to Zaq’s suicidal plans. This has to be one of the greatest friendships forged in crime fiction, and is a constant source of delight throughout. Anwar’s band of bad boys, out for Zaq’s blood are equally well depicted, slow, dull-witted, and handy with their fists, and allowing for some exciting and very well written fight scenes, where there is a realistic and palpable pain. There’s nothing worse than a fight scene where everyone is seemingly unmarked by the experience, and boy, does Zaq take some punishment.
Set around the environs of Southall and its Asian community, the life, colour, languages and atmosphere of this area shines through Anwar’s depiction of its inhabitants. The sights, sounds and delicious aromas of the area bring a vibrancy and liveliness to his descriptions, and gives the reader a real sense of the connections between our main protagonists and their community. The plotting is assured, and I liked the way that Anwar leads us in a seemingly linear direction, which is entertaining enough, but then pulls a couple of startling revelations that take the story in a different direction indeed. The pace is perfectly controlled, and I genuinely found this incredibly hard to put down, as it is punctuated by a glorious mix of fast visceral action, a dash of heart-warming interactions, a further sprinkling of violence and chicanery, and then a steady build up of misdirection to an exciting, and not altogether predictable ending.
I absolutely loved Brothers In Blood, and having become a little jaded with the British-set crime thriller scene of late, this gave me a right old flying by the seat of my pants reading experience, which seemed fresh and exciting. A cracking new voice on the thriller scene, and yes, I can’t wait to see what Amer Anwar produces next. Pure brilliant and highly recommended.
pass
June 18, 2019100% "it's not you it's me", as this is a really strong, engaging thriller set in Southall with a Muslim protag and his Sikh best mate trapped by local toughs into trying to find a missing woman. It's morally twisty, very real-feeling, and the plot rattles along.
But, it's also got really violent with on-page vividly written torture and I suspect things are only going to get more brutal, and I am not in the right mental place for that right now, so I am going to have to bail. If you have a higher threshold for Realistically Bad Things On Page than me, which would not be hard, you'll probably love this. I was really enjoying it but, wimp.
But, it's also got really violent with on-page vividly written torture and I suspect things are only going to get more brutal, and I am not in the right mental place for that right now, so I am going to have to bail. If you have a higher threshold for Realistically Bad Things On Page than me, which would not be hard, you'll probably love this. I was really enjoying it but, wimp.
November 20, 2021
A unique mystery with fresh characters and story elements. The writing is solid and quite straightforward. I did get a flavor of Zaq and his buddy, Jags. The bravado did, however, become too contrived or flat after awhile.
The book is linear...a straight line from A to B to C, etc. It's simple in its approach. But there are a few twists that were clever, unexpected and satisfying.
I think much stricter editing could have tightened the writing and improved the pacing measurably.
11/20/2021:
fascinating article about the author and the backstory about the book https://edition.independent.co.uk/edi...
I'd pick up more titles from him, esp to see how he's progressed
The book is linear...a straight line from A to B to C, etc. It's simple in its approach. But there are a few twists that were clever, unexpected and satisfying.
I think much stricter editing could have tightened the writing and improved the pacing measurably.
11/20/2021:
fascinating article about the author and the backstory about the book https://edition.independent.co.uk/edi...
I'd pick up more titles from him, esp to see how he's progressed
April 26, 2017
I would like to thank the author, Amer Anwar, for sending me a review copy of his debut novel, Western Fringes, a high octane tale set in the Asian community in Southall, London.
Zaq is just out of prison and doing deliveries for a building firm owned by Mr Brar. One day he is called into the office and blackmailed into looking for Brar's daughter, Rita, who has run away from home. With the threat of a return to prison hanging over him Zaq will do anything to find Rita but as he investigates he finds that he's not been told the whole truth or anything close to it, that he has stumbled into something much bigger than he could have imagined and that it's damaging his health and well being.
I'm probably not the target demographic for this novel, being middle aged, white, female and Scottish, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as it is very well written and plotted. The plot is amazing with twist upon twist and double cross upon double cross and an incredibly clever and satisfying ending. It is, however, a robust novel with strong language and plenty of violence which I think is totally in keeping with the plot and the characters so none of it seems gratuitous.
I love the protagonists, Zaq and his best friend Jags. They have a great dynamic and their banter is natural, funny and warming. Despite the dangerous situations they find themselves in there is a kind of innocence to their friendship, with Zaq playing protector. The warmth and unstinting support between them is a ray of light in what could otherwise have been quite a bleak read. I also like the fact that they are fairly normal lads with a love of strong drink and bacon butties. It is refreshing that they are atheist, rather than stereotypically religious.
I find it hard to believe that Western Fringes is a debut novel as it is so accomplished and I am really looking forward to the future adventures of Zaq and Jags (please). I have no hesitation, therefore, in recommending it as an excellent read.
Zaq is just out of prison and doing deliveries for a building firm owned by Mr Brar. One day he is called into the office and blackmailed into looking for Brar's daughter, Rita, who has run away from home. With the threat of a return to prison hanging over him Zaq will do anything to find Rita but as he investigates he finds that he's not been told the whole truth or anything close to it, that he has stumbled into something much bigger than he could have imagined and that it's damaging his health and well being.
I'm probably not the target demographic for this novel, being middle aged, white, female and Scottish, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as it is very well written and plotted. The plot is amazing with twist upon twist and double cross upon double cross and an incredibly clever and satisfying ending. It is, however, a robust novel with strong language and plenty of violence which I think is totally in keeping with the plot and the characters so none of it seems gratuitous.
I love the protagonists, Zaq and his best friend Jags. They have a great dynamic and their banter is natural, funny and warming. Despite the dangerous situations they find themselves in there is a kind of innocence to their friendship, with Zaq playing protector. The warmth and unstinting support between them is a ray of light in what could otherwise have been quite a bleak read. I also like the fact that they are fairly normal lads with a love of strong drink and bacon butties. It is refreshing that they are atheist, rather than stereotypically religious.
I find it hard to believe that Western Fringes is a debut novel as it is so accomplished and I am really looking forward to the future adventures of Zaq and Jags (please). I have no hesitation, therefore, in recommending it as an excellent read.
June 9, 2017
I was super excited to win this book in a giveaway from the wonderful CrimeBookJunkie blog, and reading it lived up to my high hopes.
This is a well paced, highly descriptive, twisty turny crime novel set in London's Asian community that has lots of great chases, fists fights, and well-drawn characters who are trying to out-smart and out-muscle each other throughout.
Western Fringes is a fun underworld detective story with barely a cop in sight, lots of toughs swearing at each other, and one hard hitting graphic murder scene. The protagonist, Zaq, is both sweet and rough at the same time - a great character that I rooted for the whole way.
This is a well paced, highly descriptive, twisty turny crime novel set in London's Asian community that has lots of great chases, fists fights, and well-drawn characters who are trying to out-smart and out-muscle each other throughout.
Western Fringes is a fun underworld detective story with barely a cop in sight, lots of toughs swearing at each other, and one hard hitting graphic murder scene. The protagonist, Zaq, is both sweet and rough at the same time - a great character that I rooted for the whole way.
August 26, 2017
Western Fringes introduces us to Zaq Khan, Zaq has found himself a job at a local builders yard after his release from jail. When the boss summons him to find his missing daughter Rita or go back to jail, he finds he has no option and with very little information and only a few names to go on the hunt for the mysterious runaway daughter begins. It soon becomes apparent though that Zaq hasn’t been told the truth and all is not as it seems which leads to a very twisted and dangerous search and time is of the essence.
Oh boy, oh boy, what a roller coaster of a read this was. Talk about gripping, I’m surprised the pages didn’t go on fire at the speed I was turning them. I have to say I wasn’t expecting what I got from Western Fringes at all, that’s a good thing I may add.
Zaq isn’t a detective, he’s just a normal lad that’s been in trouble and is trying to keep his head down. With very little to go on he teams up with his best mate Jags, this pair were a delight to read about. They’ve been friends for a long time and there’s quite a few comedy moments between them which brought a welcome relief from the action at times. Both hugely likeable characters that were very realistic I couldn’t help finding a little place in my heart for them and really hoping all would end well.
Some characters in the book really made my hair stand on end though, especially Rita’s brothers. A couple that you just love to hate, right from the get go I knew they were trouble and there was more to them than met the eye.
I’m not going to go over the plot here, there is so much going on in this book that I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I will however say that this really is an action packed story, there was no way I could predict what was going to happen which was brilliant as there were lots of surprises along the way. I would definitely say that some parts of the book are not for the faint hearted, no, no, no, there is one particular scene that still stands out to me and one I will probably never forget, put it this way my eyes were watering and that’s all I’m saying.
Western Fringes won the CWA Debut Dagger Award and to be honest I’m not surprised, Amer Anwar has a serious talent for telling a story. Filled with action, fast paced and eye popping moments Western Fringes is a blooming brilliant read. With realistic characters, cultural backgrounds and some added Punjabi to make it feel even more authentic, this is a book I will be highly recommending.
Oh boy, oh boy, what a roller coaster of a read this was. Talk about gripping, I’m surprised the pages didn’t go on fire at the speed I was turning them. I have to say I wasn’t expecting what I got from Western Fringes at all, that’s a good thing I may add.
Zaq isn’t a detective, he’s just a normal lad that’s been in trouble and is trying to keep his head down. With very little to go on he teams up with his best mate Jags, this pair were a delight to read about. They’ve been friends for a long time and there’s quite a few comedy moments between them which brought a welcome relief from the action at times. Both hugely likeable characters that were very realistic I couldn’t help finding a little place in my heart for them and really hoping all would end well.
Some characters in the book really made my hair stand on end though, especially Rita’s brothers. A couple that you just love to hate, right from the get go I knew they were trouble and there was more to them than met the eye.
I’m not going to go over the plot here, there is so much going on in this book that I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I will however say that this really is an action packed story, there was no way I could predict what was going to happen which was brilliant as there were lots of surprises along the way. I would definitely say that some parts of the book are not for the faint hearted, no, no, no, there is one particular scene that still stands out to me and one I will probably never forget, put it this way my eyes were watering and that’s all I’m saying.
Western Fringes won the CWA Debut Dagger Award and to be honest I’m not surprised, Amer Anwar has a serious talent for telling a story. Filled with action, fast paced and eye popping moments Western Fringes is a blooming brilliant read. With realistic characters, cultural backgrounds and some added Punjabi to make it feel even more authentic, this is a book I will be highly recommending.
May 22, 2017
I was delighted when Amer Anwar contacted me to ask if I'd like to read his debut book, Western Fringes. I always enjoy discovering new authors and with Western Fringes having won the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger Award, I suspected I was in for an enjoyable read.
I wasn't wrong, Western Fringes gripped me from its opening few pages and despite being a fairly long read never lost pace or focus. The book opens with Zaq Khan called in see the owner of the builder's yard where he works. Recently released from prison following a five year sentence and as the only Muslim in a company owned and run by Sikhs, he fears the worst and assumes he may be out of a job. The worst turns out to be far more troubling than sudden unemployment; Mr Brar informs him he has to find his runaway daughter, Rita, and if Zaq even thinks of refusing he will find himself back in prison, framed for strealing from the family firm. It appears that Rita has fled an arranged marriage and her father and two brothers, Parminder and Rajinder are determined that she should be found swiftly to avoid their family being shamed in the community. it quickly becomes apparent however, that this is far more than a family argument and before long Zaq's life is in real danger.
Throughout the book Zaq is an engaging and likeable protagonist, he wrestles with his conscience when he realises to protect himself he may have to return Rita to a dangerous situation and though we, the readers may hope desperately that he makes the right decision, we fully understand and sympathise with the moral quandary he finds himself in. His relationship with his best friend, Jags is one of the highlights of the book, the affection between the two characterised by their mutual name-calling and teasing but their bond means Jags is prepared to support his mate, whether that's with cups of tea and painkillers or as his partner in a risky stakeout. Zaq finds himself in numerous fights and though his years in prison mean he has learned to take care of himself, he receives some punishing blows and we realise that despite the lighter moments with Jags, he isn't playing a game, he has become involved in a shady underworld that could result in deadly consequences. The violence is brutal and one scene in particular is difficult to read, I would caution anybody who is of a more sensitive disposition as the treatment meted out to one character is truly shocking. However, it's equally important to note that it never feels gratuitous, Zaq's enemies are dangerous killers and there should be no ambiguity as to what they're capable of and what both Zaq and Rita are at risk from.
The setting for the book, Southall plays an important part in the story, both the streets themselves and the tensions and camaraderie between the Asian community who lived there. There is real honesty about Western Fringes, the depiction of diverse cultures and the divisions between them give a real sense of the challenges of living in an urban Asian community. I loved the sprinkling of Punjabi words throughout the book, the frequent (and mouthwatering!) descriptions of food, the music blaring from car stereos, all combining to bring to life the atmosphere of the area. Western Fringes is one of the most descriptive books I've read in a while, we learn even the tiniest minutiae sometimes of Zaq's day, even down to the order he eats his KFC meal in, yet this never detracts from the tight pacing of the plot. Instead it gives the book an almost televisual quality as we feel we are there with Zaq, observing his every move, his every decision, as he uses his fast talking and quick thinking skills to figure out how he is going to extricate himself from the nightmare situation he finds himself in. The book eventually builds to a tense and gripping finale, the twists and often visceral violence meant I truly didn't know how the action would pan out and was completely immersed in this exciting and cleverly plotted urban noir.
Western Fringes is an exciting and fresh thriller, I absolutely loved it and look forward to reading more from Amer Anwar. If you're looking for a book that is action-packed, witty and believable, then look no further.
Many thanks to the author for my copy, received in return for my honest review.
I wasn't wrong, Western Fringes gripped me from its opening few pages and despite being a fairly long read never lost pace or focus. The book opens with Zaq Khan called in see the owner of the builder's yard where he works. Recently released from prison following a five year sentence and as the only Muslim in a company owned and run by Sikhs, he fears the worst and assumes he may be out of a job. The worst turns out to be far more troubling than sudden unemployment; Mr Brar informs him he has to find his runaway daughter, Rita, and if Zaq even thinks of refusing he will find himself back in prison, framed for strealing from the family firm. It appears that Rita has fled an arranged marriage and her father and two brothers, Parminder and Rajinder are determined that she should be found swiftly to avoid their family being shamed in the community. it quickly becomes apparent however, that this is far more than a family argument and before long Zaq's life is in real danger.
Throughout the book Zaq is an engaging and likeable protagonist, he wrestles with his conscience when he realises to protect himself he may have to return Rita to a dangerous situation and though we, the readers may hope desperately that he makes the right decision, we fully understand and sympathise with the moral quandary he finds himself in. His relationship with his best friend, Jags is one of the highlights of the book, the affection between the two characterised by their mutual name-calling and teasing but their bond means Jags is prepared to support his mate, whether that's with cups of tea and painkillers or as his partner in a risky stakeout. Zaq finds himself in numerous fights and though his years in prison mean he has learned to take care of himself, he receives some punishing blows and we realise that despite the lighter moments with Jags, he isn't playing a game, he has become involved in a shady underworld that could result in deadly consequences. The violence is brutal and one scene in particular is difficult to read, I would caution anybody who is of a more sensitive disposition as the treatment meted out to one character is truly shocking. However, it's equally important to note that it never feels gratuitous, Zaq's enemies are dangerous killers and there should be no ambiguity as to what they're capable of and what both Zaq and Rita are at risk from.
The setting for the book, Southall plays an important part in the story, both the streets themselves and the tensions and camaraderie between the Asian community who lived there. There is real honesty about Western Fringes, the depiction of diverse cultures and the divisions between them give a real sense of the challenges of living in an urban Asian community. I loved the sprinkling of Punjabi words throughout the book, the frequent (and mouthwatering!) descriptions of food, the music blaring from car stereos, all combining to bring to life the atmosphere of the area. Western Fringes is one of the most descriptive books I've read in a while, we learn even the tiniest minutiae sometimes of Zaq's day, even down to the order he eats his KFC meal in, yet this never detracts from the tight pacing of the plot. Instead it gives the book an almost televisual quality as we feel we are there with Zaq, observing his every move, his every decision, as he uses his fast talking and quick thinking skills to figure out how he is going to extricate himself from the nightmare situation he finds himself in. The book eventually builds to a tense and gripping finale, the twists and often visceral violence meant I truly didn't know how the action would pan out and was completely immersed in this exciting and cleverly plotted urban noir.
Western Fringes is an exciting and fresh thriller, I absolutely loved it and look forward to reading more from Amer Anwar. If you're looking for a book that is action-packed, witty and believable, then look no further.
Many thanks to the author for my copy, received in return for my honest review.
May 1, 2017
Winner of the CWA Debut Dagger Award, Western Fringes marks the start of an incredibly promising crime thriller writing career for Amer Anwar. This one of the most vibrant and edgy crime thrillers I have encountered for some time. From the very start of the book, I was completely immersed in the trials and tribulations of central protagonist Zaq Khan, who through the fickle finger of fate finds himself entangled in a very dangerous situation indeed. Subject to blackmail and intimidation, he is tasked with uncovering the whereabouts of his boss’s errant daughter, Rita, who has ostensibly run away from an impending forced marriage. Finding himself at odds with his boss, Rita’s two meat-headed brothers, and ghosts from the past seeking to inflict some serious physical damage upon him, Zaq needs to be resourceful, cunning and more than a little devious to survive this trial by fire…
Zaq is a truly likeable and engaging character, who immediately gets the reader on side with his mix of easy humour, craftiness, and genuine good guy demeanour. Anwar instils him with a honesty and charm that has you rooting for him from the outset, as pressure is brought to bear on him from all angles. He’s fast-talking and quick thinking, and despite the hole he finds himself in does not lose his keen sense of morality to extricate Rita, and by extension, himself, from a nasty situation. I loved his interactions with his best mate Jags, and the solid camaraderie that exists between them, despite the twist in fate that sees their lives having progressed on two very different courses. I also admire Jags’ natural ability to act as a second mother to Zaq in terms of tea-making and painkiller providing as his mate gets into a succession of scrapes, and is always happy to play second fiddle to Zaq’s suicidal plans. This has to be one of the greatest friendships forged in crime fiction, and is a constant source of delight throughout. Anwar’s band of bad boys, out for Zaq’s blood are equally well depicted, slow, dull-witted, and handy with their fists, and allowing for some exciting and very well written fight scenes, where there is a realistic and palpable pain. There’s nothing worse than a fight scene where everyone is seemingly unmarked by the experience, and boy, does Zaq take some punishment.
Set around the environs of Southall and its Asian community, the life, colour, languages and atmosphere of this area shines through Anwar’s depiction of its inhabitants. The sights, sounds and delicious aromas of the area bring a vibrancy and liveliness to his descriptions, and gives the reader a real sense of the connections between our main protagonists and their community. The plotting is assured, and I liked the way that Anwar leads us in a seemingly linear direction, which is entertaining enough, but then pulls a couple of startling revelations that take the story in a different direction indeed. The pace is perfectly controlled, and I genuinely found this incredibly hard to put down, as it is punctuated by a glorious mix of fast visceral action, a dash of heart-warming interactions, a further sprinkling of violence and chicanery, and then a steady build up of misdirection to an exciting, and not altogether predictable ending.
I absolutely loved Western Fringes, and having become a little jaded with the British-set crime thriller scene of late, this gave me a right old flying by the seat of my pants reading experience, which seemed fresh and exciting. A cracking new voice on the thriller scene, and yes, I can’t wait to see what Amer Anwar produces next. Pure brilliant and highly recommended.
Zaq is a truly likeable and engaging character, who immediately gets the reader on side with his mix of easy humour, craftiness, and genuine good guy demeanour. Anwar instils him with a honesty and charm that has you rooting for him from the outset, as pressure is brought to bear on him from all angles. He’s fast-talking and quick thinking, and despite the hole he finds himself in does not lose his keen sense of morality to extricate Rita, and by extension, himself, from a nasty situation. I loved his interactions with his best mate Jags, and the solid camaraderie that exists between them, despite the twist in fate that sees their lives having progressed on two very different courses. I also admire Jags’ natural ability to act as a second mother to Zaq in terms of tea-making and painkiller providing as his mate gets into a succession of scrapes, and is always happy to play second fiddle to Zaq’s suicidal plans. This has to be one of the greatest friendships forged in crime fiction, and is a constant source of delight throughout. Anwar’s band of bad boys, out for Zaq’s blood are equally well depicted, slow, dull-witted, and handy with their fists, and allowing for some exciting and very well written fight scenes, where there is a realistic and palpable pain. There’s nothing worse than a fight scene where everyone is seemingly unmarked by the experience, and boy, does Zaq take some punishment.
Set around the environs of Southall and its Asian community, the life, colour, languages and atmosphere of this area shines through Anwar’s depiction of its inhabitants. The sights, sounds and delicious aromas of the area bring a vibrancy and liveliness to his descriptions, and gives the reader a real sense of the connections between our main protagonists and their community. The plotting is assured, and I liked the way that Anwar leads us in a seemingly linear direction, which is entertaining enough, but then pulls a couple of startling revelations that take the story in a different direction indeed. The pace is perfectly controlled, and I genuinely found this incredibly hard to put down, as it is punctuated by a glorious mix of fast visceral action, a dash of heart-warming interactions, a further sprinkling of violence and chicanery, and then a steady build up of misdirection to an exciting, and not altogether predictable ending.
I absolutely loved Western Fringes, and having become a little jaded with the British-set crime thriller scene of late, this gave me a right old flying by the seat of my pants reading experience, which seemed fresh and exciting. A cracking new voice on the thriller scene, and yes, I can’t wait to see what Amer Anwar produces next. Pure brilliant and highly recommended.
February 24, 2020
I found this book utterly compelling and wonderfully refreshing compared to many of the other books I read. There’s a lot of heart but a heck of a lot of guts between the pages too.
Zaq Khan, our lead protagonist, is a convicted killer. He’s a good bloke but he thinks with his fists and then lives to regret it. Zaq has a big heart and a smart head on his shoulders, and that was one of the things I liked most about him. He’s a very intelligent man who got into a bad situation and has had to carry the burden of it for a long time. Time well spent under the watch of Her Majesty’s prison service. But that’s all in the past now and Zaq is trying to put his life back together, to move on. He’s got a job working as a delivery driver for Mr Brar and he’s getting back on his feet. That is until Mr Brar asks him to carry out a special task; find his missing daughter, Rita, and return her to her family. But Zaq has no idea what he’s getting himself into. What initially seems like an easy assignment suddenly turns into something much more sinister…
Brothers in Blood will stay with me for a long time to come. I became quite consumed with the story and the characters. Whilst doing every day things like sorting the laundry or cooking the dinner, I began to ponder on Zaq’s situation. I found myself quietly chuckling to myself as I relived the banter and camaraderie between Zaq and best mate, Jags. Anwar has created some very memorable characters and I relished every moment I spent with them.
I loved how our amateur sleuths, Zaq and Jags, approached solving the mystery (and the humorous references to deerstalkers made me chuckle!). Zaq is very much the brains of the outfit and Jags, the wheels (and the cash!). At times I was longing for a bit more violence (I’m an odd creature) but when that violence came it made my stomach turn a little and I had to take a short break (yay!).
Would I recommend this book? Most definitely. With its wonderful British Asian flavour, it’s cast of fully-formed, standout characters and the intriguing mystery behind it all, it’s an absolute must-read for crime fiction fans. I just hope that we get to see Zaq and Jags again in the future. Wonderfully intense, raw and gutsy – I thoroughly recommend Brothers in Blood. No wonder this book won the CWA Debut Dagger. Absolutely outstanding!
Five out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Brothers in Blood. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
Zaq Khan, our lead protagonist, is a convicted killer. He’s a good bloke but he thinks with his fists and then lives to regret it. Zaq has a big heart and a smart head on his shoulders, and that was one of the things I liked most about him. He’s a very intelligent man who got into a bad situation and has had to carry the burden of it for a long time. Time well spent under the watch of Her Majesty’s prison service. But that’s all in the past now and Zaq is trying to put his life back together, to move on. He’s got a job working as a delivery driver for Mr Brar and he’s getting back on his feet. That is until Mr Brar asks him to carry out a special task; find his missing daughter, Rita, and return her to her family. But Zaq has no idea what he’s getting himself into. What initially seems like an easy assignment suddenly turns into something much more sinister…
Brothers in Blood will stay with me for a long time to come. I became quite consumed with the story and the characters. Whilst doing every day things like sorting the laundry or cooking the dinner, I began to ponder on Zaq’s situation. I found myself quietly chuckling to myself as I relived the banter and camaraderie between Zaq and best mate, Jags. Anwar has created some very memorable characters and I relished every moment I spent with them.
I loved how our amateur sleuths, Zaq and Jags, approached solving the mystery (and the humorous references to deerstalkers made me chuckle!). Zaq is very much the brains of the outfit and Jags, the wheels (and the cash!). At times I was longing for a bit more violence (I’m an odd creature) but when that violence came it made my stomach turn a little and I had to take a short break (yay!).
Would I recommend this book? Most definitely. With its wonderful British Asian flavour, it’s cast of fully-formed, standout characters and the intriguing mystery behind it all, it’s an absolute must-read for crime fiction fans. I just hope that we get to see Zaq and Jags again in the future. Wonderfully intense, raw and gutsy – I thoroughly recommend Brothers in Blood. No wonder this book won the CWA Debut Dagger. Absolutely outstanding!
Five out of five stars.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Brothers in Blood. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
November 25, 2020
Brothers in Blood won the CWA Debut Dagger a couple of years ago, and it’s easy to see why. This is a brilliant crime thriller, and I rattled through it over the course of that evening and the next, grabbing every spare few minutes to read another chapter.
Former prisoner Zaq Khan is working in a builders’ yard in Southall in London when his boss gives him a job. His daughter Rita has gone missing, and Zaq is given the task of tracking her down, or face prison once more. It’s a seemingly impossible task – all he’s got to go on is a photo and a list of names. And her brothers who seem almost more desperate to get her back than her father does.
I love a good crime book, and Brothers In Blood is a cut above. What really lifts it is the dynamic between Zaq and his mate Jags – these two just bounce off the page with their easy friendship, not afraid to take the piss out of each other for any and everything. It’s this lightness sprinkled through the book that gives a sharp contrast to the dark underbelly of the story, and boy does it get pretty gruesome in places.
As regular readers of this blog know, I really like a book with a great sense of place, and Brothers In Blood definitely has that as we follow Zaq and Jags around Southall and west London on the hunt for Rita, whilst trying to avoid her dangerous brothers and a few ghosts from Zaq’s past.
Just superb. And the great thing about coming to the book late is that I don’t have long to wait for book two. Result!
Hugely recommended. Go treat yourself to a copy.
Former prisoner Zaq Khan is working in a builders’ yard in Southall in London when his boss gives him a job. His daughter Rita has gone missing, and Zaq is given the task of tracking her down, or face prison once more. It’s a seemingly impossible task – all he’s got to go on is a photo and a list of names. And her brothers who seem almost more desperate to get her back than her father does.
I love a good crime book, and Brothers In Blood is a cut above. What really lifts it is the dynamic between Zaq and his mate Jags – these two just bounce off the page with their easy friendship, not afraid to take the piss out of each other for any and everything. It’s this lightness sprinkled through the book that gives a sharp contrast to the dark underbelly of the story, and boy does it get pretty gruesome in places.
As regular readers of this blog know, I really like a book with a great sense of place, and Brothers In Blood definitely has that as we follow Zaq and Jags around Southall and west London on the hunt for Rita, whilst trying to avoid her dangerous brothers and a few ghosts from Zaq’s past.
Just superb. And the great thing about coming to the book late is that I don’t have long to wait for book two. Result!
Hugely recommended. Go treat yourself to a copy.
June 22, 2017
WESTERN FRINGES by Amer Anwar is the winner of the CWA Debut Dagger award and after finishing this rollercoaster ride of a novel, I completely understand why. Fast-paced, dangerous, and with plenty of substance, WESTERN FRINGES is a fabulous read.
When Zaq Khan is released from prison he is thrown unceremoniously back into his old life and community of Southall, also known as Little India. But in an area where everyone knows everything about everybody, Zaq is struggling to find employment even though he is an intelligent man with the education to back it up. When Zaq finally gets a job working for Mr. Brars, he is given the task of finding Mr. Brar's daughter Rita, who is missing, but as Zaq delves deeper into his search, secrets and lies start to come to light which will lead him into very dangerous territory.
Very well-written with an energetic atmosphere, there are so many twists and unpredictable turns in WESTERN FRINGES that it will surprise readers at numerous points. The characters are well-detailed and there is plenty of tough and gritty scenes throughout to satisfy the most particular readers of this genre.
WESTERN FRINGES by Amer Anwar is a compelling thriller that really captured my imagination and held it to the very end, and I highly recommend it.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
When Zaq Khan is released from prison he is thrown unceremoniously back into his old life and community of Southall, also known as Little India. But in an area where everyone knows everything about everybody, Zaq is struggling to find employment even though he is an intelligent man with the education to back it up. When Zaq finally gets a job working for Mr. Brars, he is given the task of finding Mr. Brar's daughter Rita, who is missing, but as Zaq delves deeper into his search, secrets and lies start to come to light which will lead him into very dangerous territory.
Very well-written with an energetic atmosphere, there are so many twists and unpredictable turns in WESTERN FRINGES that it will surprise readers at numerous points. The characters are well-detailed and there is plenty of tough and gritty scenes throughout to satisfy the most particular readers of this genre.
WESTERN FRINGES by Amer Anwar is a compelling thriller that really captured my imagination and held it to the very end, and I highly recommend it.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
October 24, 2018
A very strong crime mystery novel brimming with amazing characterisation, and dealing with heavy relgious and cultural issues amongst the UK. It was dark, violent but funny at times. The mix of all these elements really shines through. Its amazing that we see the lead character, released from prison, go on this journey, become so engaged in the character, that by the time the explantion for why he was in prison comes along, youve already begun to defend him, its a credit to the author for great writing.
Itz not your standard cop criminal novel. Its more your slice of life on the wrong side of the tracks but within a very unique circle which to my knowledge hasnt be explored as well as this before.
Itz not your standard cop criminal novel. Its more your slice of life on the wrong side of the tracks but within a very unique circle which to my knowledge hasnt be explored as well as this before.
January 24, 2022
Oh, I really wanted to like this book more than I actually did!
So much good stuff - loved the Punjabi, the Southall setting, the voice that was clearly not written for someone 'outside' the community, very much the core of what #ownvoices stuff is about (even though I'm not sure that's how Anwar would describe his work). That being said, I found it quite long in parts - and I don't think I quite expected the violence - and perhaps that's par for the course in this genre, but it meant it wasn't quite right for me. Broadly enjoyable, but not quite my jam.
So much good stuff - loved the Punjabi, the Southall setting, the voice that was clearly not written for someone 'outside' the community, very much the core of what #ownvoices stuff is about (even though I'm not sure that's how Anwar would describe his work). That being said, I found it quite long in parts - and I don't think I quite expected the violence - and perhaps that's par for the course in this genre, but it meant it wasn't quite right for me. Broadly enjoyable, but not quite my jam.
July 3, 2017
Western Fringes won the CWA Debut Dagger Award and it’s easy to see why. Amer Anwar is a great new voice in the crime thriller genre!
Zaq has recently been released from prison and now works at a builder’s yard. But then he’s forced to find the boss’ missing daughter and Zaq’s hopes of keeping his head down and putting his past behind him are firmly dashed. Soon, he finds himself caught up in a web of lies, deceit, murder and revenge.
I really enjoyed how something as innocent as a girl running away from home to avoid an arranged marriage easily turned into something far more dark and sinister. Also, we’re not dealing with detectives here, or investigators. Zaq is an ordinary guy who gets caught up in things he really shouldn’t have to deal with. He may be an ex-con but he’s a genuinely good and decent guy who will do anything to avoid going back to prison. As he looks for missing Rita, he relies purely on his intelligence, instinct and wit. And of course our unlikely hero has a trusty sidekick, Jags. Their friendship and banter often made me smile and rather quickly I found myself rooting for these underdogs.
There is a fair bit of violence so beware if that’s not really your thing. However, Western Fringes has an incredibly well constructed plot with twists and turns. It offers everything you look for in a good crime thriller story. I had no idea how the story would unfold. The characterisation is immensely well done. I love that the author added some Punjabi which really added an extra layer to realism and authenticity. Its urban setting and multi-cultural feel was quite different from anything I’ve read before. With lots of action, sinister motives and a host of credible characters, I promise you won’t be bored!
Zaq has recently been released from prison and now works at a builder’s yard. But then he’s forced to find the boss’ missing daughter and Zaq’s hopes of keeping his head down and putting his past behind him are firmly dashed. Soon, he finds himself caught up in a web of lies, deceit, murder and revenge.
I really enjoyed how something as innocent as a girl running away from home to avoid an arranged marriage easily turned into something far more dark and sinister. Also, we’re not dealing with detectives here, or investigators. Zaq is an ordinary guy who gets caught up in things he really shouldn’t have to deal with. He may be an ex-con but he’s a genuinely good and decent guy who will do anything to avoid going back to prison. As he looks for missing Rita, he relies purely on his intelligence, instinct and wit. And of course our unlikely hero has a trusty sidekick, Jags. Their friendship and banter often made me smile and rather quickly I found myself rooting for these underdogs.
There is a fair bit of violence so beware if that’s not really your thing. However, Western Fringes has an incredibly well constructed plot with twists and turns. It offers everything you look for in a good crime thriller story. I had no idea how the story would unfold. The characterisation is immensely well done. I love that the author added some Punjabi which really added an extra layer to realism and authenticity. Its urban setting and multi-cultural feel was quite different from anything I’ve read before. With lots of action, sinister motives and a host of credible characters, I promise you won’t be bored!
unreadable
August 14, 2017Not rating because I'm not finishing. I've gotten 33% through according to my Kindle and since that's well over 100 pages, I'm comfortable calling it quits.
The slang is distracting. The frequent use of foreign language in dialogue that isn't translated is frustrating. I don't care for any of the characters and I'm over the constant use of profanity. I don't care enough about the fate of the main character or the missing girl to carry on. This book is just not for me.
The slang is distracting. The frequent use of foreign language in dialogue that isn't translated is frustrating. I don't care for any of the characters and I'm over the constant use of profanity. I don't care enough about the fate of the main character or the missing girl to carry on. This book is just not for me.
May 22, 2017
Really gripping and fast paced. Quite violent (maybe a little on the gory side for me, because I'm a chicken), but very enjoyable characters & story
April 24, 2020
Though the first half goes real slow , the author has succeeded in not letting the reader lose his interest in Zaq khan's story .
April 22, 2017
Excellent debut novel. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended. Great author, looking forward to more. Great writing and well formed plot kept me guessing.
The characters were well developed. I loved just the friendship of Zaq and Jags. The storyline was set in my hometown, I could picture all the the street names and places when mentioned. I couldn't help laughing at the odd Punjabi and few banter used.
Well deserved five star rating, must read!!
The characters were well developed. I loved just the friendship of Zaq and Jags. The storyline was set in my hometown, I could picture all the the street names and places when mentioned. I couldn't help laughing at the odd Punjabi and few banter used.
Well deserved five star rating, must read!!
April 15, 2020
A Sikh girl on the run. A Muslim ex-con who has to find her. A whole heap of trouble.
Southall, West London. After being released from prison, Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders' yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put the past behind him.
But when Zaq is forced to search for his boss's runaway daughter, he quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge.
With time running out and pressure mounting, can he find the missing girl before it's too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead?
My thoughts of this brilliant heart hitting crime action thriller Brothers In Blood had me blown away the first crime thriller I've ever read that got me into reading other thirllers a brilliant plot that deals with southalls underworld Zaq Khan character was brilliant a man who comes out of prison and is blackmailed from his boss to find his runway daughter or else he will go back to prison an out an out action thriller with twists and turns I loved Zaq and Jags comic timing was brilliant and also the brilliant fight scenes and also the ending of this brilliant thirller was epic this is my favourite crime thriller ever Author Amer Anwars writing is fast paced looking forward to its sequel next year Stone Cold Trouble all an all a crime action thriller that everyone should read ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Southall, West London. After being released from prison, Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders' yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put the past behind him.
But when Zaq is forced to search for his boss's runaway daughter, he quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge.
With time running out and pressure mounting, can he find the missing girl before it's too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead?
My thoughts of this brilliant heart hitting crime action thriller Brothers In Blood had me blown away the first crime thriller I've ever read that got me into reading other thirllers a brilliant plot that deals with southalls underworld Zaq Khan character was brilliant a man who comes out of prison and is blackmailed from his boss to find his runway daughter or else he will go back to prison an out an out action thriller with twists and turns I loved Zaq and Jags comic timing was brilliant and also the brilliant fight scenes and also the ending of this brilliant thirller was epic this is my favourite crime thriller ever Author Amer Anwars writing is fast paced looking forward to its sequel next year Stone Cold Trouble all an all a crime action thriller that everyone should read ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 27, 2019
Brothers in Blood is set in and around Southall in West London, its cast the area’s Asian community. Zaq Khan is a young Muslim trying to put his life back together again after serving five years for manslaughter. When the daughter of the Sikh owner of the builders’ yard where he works goes missing, Zak is blackmailed into trying to find her. Refusing an arranged marriage, Rita Brar has supposedly run off with a Muslim; a cardinal sin in the eyes of her patriarch father. Her brothers seem particularly keen to find her. Reluctantly, Zaq sets about the task, using the help of his best friend, Jags, and a local gang of car thieves. It’s soon clear there’s more going on than a young woman trying to avoid a marriage not of her choosing, and Zak’s got bruises from two brawls. Anwar charts Zaq’s quest to find Rita and deal with the wider drama surrounding her disappearance. The writing is a bit flat at times, there’s bit too much tell vis-à-vis show, and a couple of the plot devices felt a bit strained (the blackmail hook and Zaq’s ability to take a beating and also give one). However, this offset by a well-charted plot with some nice intersecting threads leading to a decent denouement, a lot of forward momentum, and nice characterisation. It’s also refreshing to read some England-based crime fiction that’s ethnically diverse. Overall, an enjoyable read with an engaging plot.
August 6, 2020
Gritty and witty crime thriller set in London's Asian community. Zaq has just got out of prison after serving five years for manslaughter and is desperately trying to salvage his life and keep on the straight and narrow when his Sikh boss leans on him to find his daughter, who seems to have escaped the threat of an arranged marriage by running away with her Muslim boyfriend. Zaq doesn't care for the assignment but it's either agree to help or be back in the slammer on trumped-up charges. Before he knows it, Zaq is up to his neck in drugs, a money heist and assorted mayhem.
Lots of violence and some cracking dialogue, especially between Zaq and his best buddy Jags. A sample:
Jags parked in an out-of-the-way spot with a good view of the buildings. ‘Hope nobody thinks we’re a couple out for a romantic drive,’ he said. ‘I doubt it. Anyone can see I could do better than you, if I was into guys.’ ‘Fuck you,’ Jags said. ‘No, you can’t – not ever – so stop thinking about it.’ Jags started messing with the stereo. ‘Don’t be putting on any Village People,’ Zaq said.
Perhaps it could have been trimmed slightly - there's a lot of driving around and staking out the bad guys' various locales - but overall a very impressive debut.
Lots of violence and some cracking dialogue, especially between Zaq and his best buddy Jags. A sample:
Jags parked in an out-of-the-way spot with a good view of the buildings. ‘Hope nobody thinks we’re a couple out for a romantic drive,’ he said. ‘I doubt it. Anyone can see I could do better than you, if I was into guys.’ ‘Fuck you,’ Jags said. ‘No, you can’t – not ever – so stop thinking about it.’ Jags started messing with the stereo. ‘Don’t be putting on any Village People,’ Zaq said.
Perhaps it could have been trimmed slightly - there's a lot of driving around and staking out the bad guys' various locales - but overall a very impressive debut.
November 23, 2018
A runaway Sikh girl.
A Muslim ex-con not looking for any trouble.
Robbery. Drugs. Kidnapping. Murder. Revenge.
Winner of the CWA Debut Dagger, Amer Anwar’s debut novel, Brothers in Blood has all the elements of a great thriller and Anwar gets it right. Just released from prison after a stint of five years for manslaughter, Zaq Khan wants to keep his head down and steer clear of trouble. However, his reputation of a tough guy lands him right in the center of mayhem. When blackmailed by his boss, Mr. Brar to find his daughter discreetly who has run away from home or else, go back to prison for theft, Zaq has no other choice but to look for her.
With no sleuthing experience and only a photo and a list of names to go on, Zaq enlists the help of his closest mate, Jags to figure out how to find Rita, Mr. Brar’s daughter. Investigating her whereabouts, her past relationship with Davinder and her current relationship with Kasim, a Muslim guy, all leads take Zaq back to her brothers – Parminder and Rajinder Brar – who denies all knowledge. Hiding behind the curtain of honour, Brar brothers are anxious to find Rita for more pressing reasons than their family honour. What started as a simple search for Rita who has run away from the forced marriage arranged by her family, takes Zaq to the darker world of the Southall Community. Following the clues about her whereabouts, Zaq ends up in the middle of drugs, kidnapping, murder and a heap loads of robbed money. To top it all, Zaq is brought face to face with his past and its out to get Zaq. Threatened, constantly beaten and nearly killed, will Zaq be able to extricate himself out of this mess?
Fast paced coupled with an ingenious plot, the book keeps the reader on the edge till the very end. However, far from being just a thriller, the book is a scathing critique of the values held dear by the Sikh community in West London – Southall.
Treating their daughter like a chattel, Mr. Brar is not so much concerned with finding Rita than to save his honour, “The Brars weren’t the kind of people who’d be happy simply disowning Rita and letting her carry on with a Muslim. She’d be doing their besti, shaming them in front of everyone. They’d have to restore their izzat – their honour and self-respect.” Liberally using the desi Punjabi lingo, the author brings to life the true flavour of the Southall Sikh community with their rich food, slangs, deep prejudices and machismo. Though the setting is of Southall, the book could not have been placed anywhere in the Sikh community, be it India or London as the prejudices are deeply embedded in the psyche of the community and are a part of the identity. The attitude of Mr. Brar towards the love life of his daughter reminds the reader of the infamous character of Bauji in DDLJ and shows how little has changed since then.
What sets the book apart from other detective thrillers is its portrayal of characters. Zaq is no hero and definitely, no detective and thus, it’s more exciting to watch him solve the mystery of Rita’s disappearance. Hesitant to find Rita as she is the victim, he is not ready to go back to prison either and hence, ready to hand her over to Brars, if necessary, which does not make him truly heroic but it certainly makes him realistic. Rita, the victim of the injustices perpetrated by men on the name of honour is not some damsel waiting to be rescued. She knows how to survive and is more intelligent and sneakier than her brothers. The depiction of Brar brothers as local goons is balanced by the positive representative of Jags, as not all Sikh boys are villains.
Tightly plotted, full of action and violence, Brothers in Blood takes the reader to the underworld of Southall community. Neatly tying up all the sub-plots, the author delivers a satisfactory ending which makes it a brilliant thriller.
Delivering the perfect blend of the Eastern and Western culture, Amer Anwar’s debut novel is highly recommended for crime fiction lovers.
https://rainingreviews.com/2018/11/23...
A Muslim ex-con not looking for any trouble.
Robbery. Drugs. Kidnapping. Murder. Revenge.
Winner of the CWA Debut Dagger, Amer Anwar’s debut novel, Brothers in Blood has all the elements of a great thriller and Anwar gets it right. Just released from prison after a stint of five years for manslaughter, Zaq Khan wants to keep his head down and steer clear of trouble. However, his reputation of a tough guy lands him right in the center of mayhem. When blackmailed by his boss, Mr. Brar to find his daughter discreetly who has run away from home or else, go back to prison for theft, Zaq has no other choice but to look for her.
With no sleuthing experience and only a photo and a list of names to go on, Zaq enlists the help of his closest mate, Jags to figure out how to find Rita, Mr. Brar’s daughter. Investigating her whereabouts, her past relationship with Davinder and her current relationship with Kasim, a Muslim guy, all leads take Zaq back to her brothers – Parminder and Rajinder Brar – who denies all knowledge. Hiding behind the curtain of honour, Brar brothers are anxious to find Rita for more pressing reasons than their family honour. What started as a simple search for Rita who has run away from the forced marriage arranged by her family, takes Zaq to the darker world of the Southall Community. Following the clues about her whereabouts, Zaq ends up in the middle of drugs, kidnapping, murder and a heap loads of robbed money. To top it all, Zaq is brought face to face with his past and its out to get Zaq. Threatened, constantly beaten and nearly killed, will Zaq be able to extricate himself out of this mess?
Fast paced coupled with an ingenious plot, the book keeps the reader on the edge till the very end. However, far from being just a thriller, the book is a scathing critique of the values held dear by the Sikh community in West London – Southall.
Treating their daughter like a chattel, Mr. Brar is not so much concerned with finding Rita than to save his honour, “The Brars weren’t the kind of people who’d be happy simply disowning Rita and letting her carry on with a Muslim. She’d be doing their besti, shaming them in front of everyone. They’d have to restore their izzat – their honour and self-respect.” Liberally using the desi Punjabi lingo, the author brings to life the true flavour of the Southall Sikh community with their rich food, slangs, deep prejudices and machismo. Though the setting is of Southall, the book could not have been placed anywhere in the Sikh community, be it India or London as the prejudices are deeply embedded in the psyche of the community and are a part of the identity. The attitude of Mr. Brar towards the love life of his daughter reminds the reader of the infamous character of Bauji in DDLJ and shows how little has changed since then.
What sets the book apart from other detective thrillers is its portrayal of characters. Zaq is no hero and definitely, no detective and thus, it’s more exciting to watch him solve the mystery of Rita’s disappearance. Hesitant to find Rita as she is the victim, he is not ready to go back to prison either and hence, ready to hand her over to Brars, if necessary, which does not make him truly heroic but it certainly makes him realistic. Rita, the victim of the injustices perpetrated by men on the name of honour is not some damsel waiting to be rescued. She knows how to survive and is more intelligent and sneakier than her brothers. The depiction of Brar brothers as local goons is balanced by the positive representative of Jags, as not all Sikh boys are villains.
Tightly plotted, full of action and violence, Brothers in Blood takes the reader to the underworld of Southall community. Neatly tying up all the sub-plots, the author delivers a satisfactory ending which makes it a brilliant thriller.
Delivering the perfect blend of the Eastern and Western culture, Amer Anwar’s debut novel is highly recommended for crime fiction lovers.
https://rainingreviews.com/2018/11/23...
August 29, 2020
If you are looking for a book that is equal parts dark humour and tense action, then you could definitely save yourself a lot of trouble with a random Amazon search and just pick up Brothers in Blood. It will have everything you are looking for, with the bonus of having some absolutely original and authentic Asian characters at the heart of the story too.
We are introduced to one of the two principal characters right at the start of the book. Zaq Khan is a guy with a troubled past. With a serious criminal record and his once prosperous life in IT in tatters, he now works as a driver for a building supplies firm which, in itself, is hard enough. When his boss, Mr Brar, calls him to the office one morning he makes him an offer he cannot refuse. Literally cannot. Find his missing daughter or face going back to prison. Simple decision - not so simple task, as Zaq isn't the only person looking for Rita, and the real stakes are far higher than even Zaq could have imagined.
Now if you think logically of all the reasons a young Asian woman might have for running away from home, it probably won't take you too long to figure out one of the reasons behind Rita's disappearance. If only that were the sole reason, life for Zaq would be relatively straightforward. Rita's disappearance is anything but straightforward and this is where the real excitement begins. Amer Anwar has been able to pull together a story that is jam packed full of tension, threat and action, as well as recreating a truly authentic asian voice for the narrative. The whole sense of the different cultures is carefully laid out. From the clash of the different religions, to the different notions of honour and dishonour that are held by certain parts of the community, you get a real feeling for the divisions which have formed within the large Asian population of Southall. Everything is so brilliantly and vividly described, that I felt as though I was there, could sense myself salivating everytime one of the absolutely lovely sounding meals was mentioned. Just as an aside - prepare to find yourself developing a craving for Asian cooking if you read this book - there is plenty of inspiration.
Zaq was an absolutely fascinating character to get to know. Although this is billed as a Zaq and Jags story, a lot of the action centred around Zaq, although we did spend a good amount of time with his best friend and brother in arms, Jags, too. It's probably safe to say that Zaq is a lapsed Muslim - not religious and happy to take more than the occasional step away from the traditional observances of the faith. But despite not being faithful to his religion, he is one hundred percent loyal to his friends and Jags is as close to him as a brother. Closer even. I don't envy Zaq his predicament - damned if he does, damned if he doesn't - but I loved the way Amer Anwar used his intelligence, his natural charm, and his prison learned smarts to help him overcome a near constant run of adversity. It's a bloody good job he learned how to fight in prison as those were some skills he needed to see him through. Jags is almost Zaq's complete opposite in terms of character - he is living the life that Zaq should have done had fate not intervened - but he is quick to jump to Zaq's aid, and guaranteed to back him up in a fight. Between them the banter really brings a smile to your face and I couldn't imagine one without the other. They are two kind of cheeky, but truly likeable characters and the perfect leads for the story that follows.
There are a plethora of other characters who come together to make up an impressive cast of Asian voices. From the uncompromising Mr Brar, head of the company where Zaq works, to his arrogant sons, Rajinder and Parminder and their less than charming and thoroughly brutish associates, Zaq has few allies as he searches for Rita. The few he does have come in the form of an ex-con he knows from his time inside, and his current housemates, an assortment of Hindu and Sikh men who tick every box on the 'typical adult male housemate' checklist, but who offer not only near constant and always humorous banter, but also uncompromising support to Zaq. No bad thing given that on top of the pressure and threat from the Brar's it appears there are other forces at play, people who are keen to see Zaq taken down for reasons that are not immediately apparent.
Sometimes brutal, often humorous and always exciting, this book takes us deep into the heart of life on the streets of Southall. A story of revenge, greed and betrayal, it's a kind of clash of modern culture and traditional values, rounded out by a misplaced sense of honour and desire for retribution. Tense from the start, this is a very cleverly plotted action thriller that hooked me straight away and had me fully engaged with the characters and the story. Just when you think you are absolutely certain what is happening, the author throws in a few curveballs to shake things up a touch. And the ending is simple but effective and certainly produced a smile on my face. I should also pass on a compliment to the audiobook narrator, Homer Todiwala, who really brought the story, the action and the characters, to life. Brilliant narration.
If you are looking for some really authentic and gritty Asian noir, with characters you will love to love, then look no further, This is definitely recommended.
We are introduced to one of the two principal characters right at the start of the book. Zaq Khan is a guy with a troubled past. With a serious criminal record and his once prosperous life in IT in tatters, he now works as a driver for a building supplies firm which, in itself, is hard enough. When his boss, Mr Brar, calls him to the office one morning he makes him an offer he cannot refuse. Literally cannot. Find his missing daughter or face going back to prison. Simple decision - not so simple task, as Zaq isn't the only person looking for Rita, and the real stakes are far higher than even Zaq could have imagined.
Now if you think logically of all the reasons a young Asian woman might have for running away from home, it probably won't take you too long to figure out one of the reasons behind Rita's disappearance. If only that were the sole reason, life for Zaq would be relatively straightforward. Rita's disappearance is anything but straightforward and this is where the real excitement begins. Amer Anwar has been able to pull together a story that is jam packed full of tension, threat and action, as well as recreating a truly authentic asian voice for the narrative. The whole sense of the different cultures is carefully laid out. From the clash of the different religions, to the different notions of honour and dishonour that are held by certain parts of the community, you get a real feeling for the divisions which have formed within the large Asian population of Southall. Everything is so brilliantly and vividly described, that I felt as though I was there, could sense myself salivating everytime one of the absolutely lovely sounding meals was mentioned. Just as an aside - prepare to find yourself developing a craving for Asian cooking if you read this book - there is plenty of inspiration.
Zaq was an absolutely fascinating character to get to know. Although this is billed as a Zaq and Jags story, a lot of the action centred around Zaq, although we did spend a good amount of time with his best friend and brother in arms, Jags, too. It's probably safe to say that Zaq is a lapsed Muslim - not religious and happy to take more than the occasional step away from the traditional observances of the faith. But despite not being faithful to his religion, he is one hundred percent loyal to his friends and Jags is as close to him as a brother. Closer even. I don't envy Zaq his predicament - damned if he does, damned if he doesn't - but I loved the way Amer Anwar used his intelligence, his natural charm, and his prison learned smarts to help him overcome a near constant run of adversity. It's a bloody good job he learned how to fight in prison as those were some skills he needed to see him through. Jags is almost Zaq's complete opposite in terms of character - he is living the life that Zaq should have done had fate not intervened - but he is quick to jump to Zaq's aid, and guaranteed to back him up in a fight. Between them the banter really brings a smile to your face and I couldn't imagine one without the other. They are two kind of cheeky, but truly likeable characters and the perfect leads for the story that follows.
There are a plethora of other characters who come together to make up an impressive cast of Asian voices. From the uncompromising Mr Brar, head of the company where Zaq works, to his arrogant sons, Rajinder and Parminder and their less than charming and thoroughly brutish associates, Zaq has few allies as he searches for Rita. The few he does have come in the form of an ex-con he knows from his time inside, and his current housemates, an assortment of Hindu and Sikh men who tick every box on the 'typical adult male housemate' checklist, but who offer not only near constant and always humorous banter, but also uncompromising support to Zaq. No bad thing given that on top of the pressure and threat from the Brar's it appears there are other forces at play, people who are keen to see Zaq taken down for reasons that are not immediately apparent.
Sometimes brutal, often humorous and always exciting, this book takes us deep into the heart of life on the streets of Southall. A story of revenge, greed and betrayal, it's a kind of clash of modern culture and traditional values, rounded out by a misplaced sense of honour and desire for retribution. Tense from the start, this is a very cleverly plotted action thriller that hooked me straight away and had me fully engaged with the characters and the story. Just when you think you are absolutely certain what is happening, the author throws in a few curveballs to shake things up a touch. And the ending is simple but effective and certainly produced a smile on my face. I should also pass on a compliment to the audiobook narrator, Homer Todiwala, who really brought the story, the action and the characters, to life. Brilliant narration.
If you are looking for some really authentic and gritty Asian noir, with characters you will love to love, then look no further, This is definitely recommended.
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