The Bag Carrier

by Stephen Leather

One City, Two Cultures. One Murder, Two Cops A dead body in the prayer hall of a mosque isn’t the best start to the day for anyone. But for Detective Inspector Harold Porter it’s all in a day’s work – he’s a Murder Detective with the Metropolitan Police’s Homicide and Serious Crimes Command. The problem is that DI Porter has been given a new partner – a young Muslim detective by the name of Mohammed Salim Nasri. Nasri and Porter are both British and they are both cops, but they look at the world – and the case – from completely different viewpoints. And when that case includes Islamic terrorists, acid-throwing fundamentalists and knife-wielding fanatics that can only mean problems. As Porter and Nasri work to solve the murder case, MI5 is watching over their shoulders and one wrong move could mean a major terrorist incident exploding in the capital. Praise for Stephen Leather’s Dan "Spider" Shepherd series - Let Spider draw you into his web, you won't regret it. The Sun The sheer impetus of his storytelling is damned hard to resist. Daily Express A master of the thriller genre. Irish Times

Genres: Unfinished

539 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2019

About the author

Stephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. For much of 2011 his self-published eBooks - including The Bestseller, The Basement, Once Bitten and Dreamer's Cat - dominated the UK eBook bestseller lists and sold more than half a million copies. The Basement topped the Kindle charts in the UK and the US, and in total he has sold more than two million eBooks. His bestselling book The Chinaman was filmed as The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan and grossing more than $100 million.

Reviews

[Robert Intriago · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two policemen, one a Christian and the other a Muslim, are paired and assigned to investigate a murder that takes place in a mosque. This is a very good police procedure plot but with an added bonus. The best part of the book deals with the conflict which now exists in England between Islamic religious rules and British civil law and how to blend them together in order to respect religious beliefs. Added to this is the the fact that Sharia law has radicalized a part of the Muslim youth living in Great Britain. This is my first book by this author and I liked his format. Each detective tells his story in alternate chapters and at times there is disagreement as each one sees the outcome in a different way. A very good read.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good British police procedural fiction about a murder in a mosque and the resulting ramifications of cultural conflict. It’s interesting that the two main characters narrate alternating chapters from opposing cultural views but I thought that some elements of the plot were too much of a stretch.

[Nick Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a very superficial level, this is a “who done it” where the murder has taken place in a mosque. But as the author is Stephen Leather you know it is going to be anything but superficial.
This is multi-layered with a complex core and well defined characters. The narrative switches between a senior Met detective and his assistant (bag carrier) who happens to be a Muslim. Both give clear personal perspectives on the case, but they both have their own secrets and flaws as they search for the truth. A lot of work and research has gone into presenting an accurate and balanced view of the Muslim community and also into the methodical process the Police follow.
A good cast of characters and a clever and thoughtful conclusion.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Phil Altimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book, it’s the story of a Murder investigation at a mosque. There are two detectives one young British Asian guy and one older British White guy , and the chapters alternate between their stories which makes it a really interesting book to read as your get two different views to the way they murder investigation is dealt with.
The guy that is murdered is a mystery man and there are a few interesting sub stories in here as well.
Steven leather must have done a lot of back ground work on this book to get a really good Asian point of view here as well as good grounding on the Muslim way of life.
The story is great; the plot is very good and made you want to turn the page. The characters are very real and you feel like you might now these people
Its a great read, give it a try

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Leather thriller. This one is a standalone novel that was periodically irritating as a key character repeatedly did stupid things that would not be consistent with the actions of a detective with his experience in that position. Still, it was an interesting take on the challenges of policing in a multicultural society. Leather too frequently writes characters that aren't happy about that challenge, and he overall, seems to agree, despite not doing a bad job describing some of those other cultures.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Cracking good topical read. The characters are brilliant and have so much more to give. I’d love to see this being the first of a new series

[Daniel Hicklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting characters. Cool story. Decent writing.

[BARBARA D HILL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Leather at his best.Yet again he has managed to turn his hand to a different type of story telling.A very topical subject of race related crime handled very sympathetically and with much inside knowledge.Using the 2 detectives to tell the story from their own perspective was very clever and gave a fantastic insight into how difficult policing today must be.Could this be the start of another series based around the main characters,probably unlikely given the politics involved.However it would be interesting to see how the relationships might develop over time.Perhaps we'll just have to continue to use our imagination......nevertheless the opportunity is there!

[Lyn Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read everything Stephen Leather has written he is by far my favourite author and I look forward to new releases like a child on Christmas Eve, I started with the Spider Shepherd novels but grew to enjoy his other novels even more, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in to The Bag Carrier.
It pains me to say this book is shockingly bad! It’s a very loose plot with no strong characters and no real direction or purpose, it just seems to be the Author demonstrating his knowledge of Police procedures and how delicate life is these days investigating different religions, to be honest the book is frankly Boring!
Such a shame and very disappointing.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a while to click into action but Stephen Leather was just setting the scene for what was to come and it was clever of the author to write this from the perspective of the two main detectives from different backgrounds. This gave a picture of how the outside world views Muslims. The truth is always somewhere in the middle. It most definitely turned into a complicated mess with no easy answers.

Ray Smillie

[Lucinda Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

MIXED EMOTIONS
I had mixed emotions, not about the story, or the easy-to-read gripping book, but the content, which throws an uncomfortable light on modern-day Britain. Stephen Leather has this down precisely as I’ve observed – from a distance – and it’s not a happy one. Yet again, another example of minorities having no intention of following the culture in a country they chose to adopt. I applaud Leather for his honesty. Sad, but a great book and I am already on to the next one.

[Darren Keighley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

This book is different to all of Stephen Leather's books in that it was wrote in a first person view using two different people telling the story.
I didn't think it flowed as well as his other book's but it was still good and proves why Steven Leather is one of the best crime writers around today.

[Alan Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a little confusing at first as it switches from one character point of view to another point of view,the story however is a gritty look at modern day policing within London and the challenges faced in the politically correct environment.
Stick with it ,its worth the effort character driven throughout.
An excellent read.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well constructed with interesting twists along the way.

Each new chapter alternates between the English senior detective and his English Muslim junior detectives view of what’s happening. It gives the impression that the author sees events from both sides of the fence, but we know this isn’t really true.

[Tauseef Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book with it's unique storytelling. Alternating between the eyes of the 2 main characters and partners in crime. They both complemented each other well. The ending was pretty good with an 'oh yh...' moment which was amusing.

[kennedy rath · Rating 5 out of 5]

London Mosque Murder Mystery

A thriller with plenty of informative and insightful meat on it. Realistic portrayal of life in the Met from two different angles, and a gob-smacking final twist.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of information about how a murder enquiry is conducted. Interesting protagonists. Insight into the lack of integration of some immigrant communities in the UK. It made me glad my family immigrated to Australia.

[Niqui Stanforth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a Stephen Leather novel. The reliable but high stakes romps through special forces ops and off ops and the Scotland Yard / MI5 who dunnits.
This one is no exception. Striking a balance in contentious subject matter we gent to see both sides but not lose the momentum.

[Michael Wignall · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best murder mysteries I've read.
Has the added dimension of looking at the investigation from two perspectives,muslim and Christian. Thus exploring present day perceptions from both sides.

[Margaret Duke-Wyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Leather - never fails to produce a fantastic book. Great incite to police procedure

[BJ White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different

Enjoyed this book, and the way it comes from the perspective of the two main characters. Also the writing made me care about them, always a plus for me.

[Barbara Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious and repetitive. Reads like a first novel. Tries at humour but just out of place. Gave up after a couple of chapters. Definitely not Leather at his best.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good police procedural about a murder in a mosque, written alternatively from the perspective of a Muslim DC and an experienced white DI

[Linda Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read

Great read. Will get more information on other books. Can do this book justice. I would like to read more about this author

[Steve Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner.

A good read. Different from Stephen's usual books but enjoyable non the less. Interesting to see the Muslim world through the eyes of the author.

[Adrian Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

S L

Stephen never writes a bad book; it's just that some are better than others: this falls into the latter category.
Ozbali.

[james Coull · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read from Stephen Leather

I really enjoyed this book it was hard to put it down. I'm sure what he has written mirrors what has actually happened in the past.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't continue reading this. Bloody religious fanatics. Hope that isn't how the police have to act.

[SHEN · Rating 1 out of 5]

a very disapointing read. A shallow description of a already much-talked-about subject. And almost no surprise or twist or turns.
My second Stephen Leather book, hezitating to read more.