Darkness Rising

Harry Virdee #0.5

by A.A. Dhand

Detective Inspector Harry Virdee has a lot on his plate. His team is facing government cuts, tensions are building between Bradford’s two rival drugs gangs and his wife Saima is due to give birth any day now.

So when bodies start turning up in the old industrial district, the pressure is on to get the case wrapped up as quickly as possible, or risk a full-scale gang war.

But the man behind the murders is ruthless and pushy. And things are getting personal. Harry must think fast and bend the rules if he wants to keep his city, and his family, safe . . .

Genres: Crime, Short Stories, Fiction, Thriller

144 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2020

About the author

A.A. Dhand was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired his Harry Virdee novels.

Reviews

[Phoenix Perpetuale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness Rising by A. A. Dhand is a star novel for the next trilogy books about life of a police officer, street life, street gangs fight, it so captivating I could not put the book down it was a page turner, very quick read.

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

A reading agency quick read that is a prelude to the excellent Harry Virdee series set in Bradford. Who owns the streets of Bradford? The Police/DI Harry Virdee or the Bradford East and Bradford West Drug Gangs? This introduces us to Harry and his tactics of policing which aren’t always conventional. We also get a flavour of his Sikh family split when he married Muslim Saima. All of this is fully developed in the full length novels but this gives a useful flavour of what is to come. I recommend the series and these quick reads which help such a great cause.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these ‘Quick Reads’ and are often a basis for being introduced to new authors. I personally hadn’t heard of A.A. Dhand and his series featuring Detective Inspector Harry Virdee but after leaving me desperate, once I’d finished reading this short story to read more, I will certainly be looking to buy the rest in the series. I’d highly recommend “Darkness Rising” either as a prelude to the series if you’re a regular reader of this author or like me, as a titillating insight into a thrilling new series.

5 stars

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this again & as I said last time...

I absolutely love A A Dhand's novels featuring Bradford detective Harry Virdee & this short story is yet another great piece of writing.
Although Darkness Rising acts as a prequel to the first Virdee novel it works equally well as a stand alone story. Dhand creates a perfect balance between Harry's work & home life & there's not a word wasted.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darkness Rising serves as a prequel to Streets of Darkness, the series opener that introduces A.A. Dhand’s Sikh protagonist, DI Harry (Hardeep) Virdee, set in Bradford. Having read Streets of Darkness I was disappointed that this Quick Read felt very much like a rehash of that first book.

As part of Bradford’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, DI Harry Virdee doesn’t always play by the rules and has a reputation for doing what needs to be done, often by methods not strictly above board. With two corpses pointing to an imminent escalation in the West-side/East-side drugs war and a recently released small time dealer determined to make a big impression, Detective Superintendent George Simpson fears that an explosion of violence will mar his retirement in a fortnight. Asking Harry to shut the trouble down before it gets out of hand the story follows the hot-headed detective operate single-handedly and mostly outside of the law and for me it lacked credibility and all felt too unrealistic to swallow.

Whilst the book certainly serves as a good introduction to a contentious character and highlights the cultural issues and rift caused by Harry’s marriage to Muslim, Saima, it also lacks any real substance. If I read a novel with a detective protagonist it is generally because I expect a bit of policing and not an arrogant detective who is as corrupt as the people he is hunting! However for anyone considering reading this series, Darkness Rising is a great taster.

[Nigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I certainly enjoyed this story and I am a big fan of this series. However this really did feel like an earlier book for me. While it has only just been published I do wonder when it was written. Unless my memory is faulty there are one or two inconsistencies between this and the main series. Good and fans will want to read it but I would suggest people start with this one.

[Erica⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detective gangland story which starts off with Detective Inspector Harry Virdee's investigation of two dead bodies who are connected to a gangland war between rival drug gangs across the city of Bradford one being Zak Choudary who has just been released from prison after serving four years and is head hunted by one of the rival gangs in order to join them. Harry is determined to bring Zak down as he wants to keep the streets of Bradford kept clean.

His team are facing government cuts and his wife Saima is heavily pregnant and as this was not enough stress to take in his life he has married out of his religion as Harry is Sikh and his wife Samia is Muslim and both sets of parents disowned them so sad.

There is quite a bit of humour in some of the chapters which made me smile. Both Harry and Saima are invited to a friend's big asian wedding reception and Harry's ex girlfriend Deepi accosts him. He tries to keep her away from Saima as he had not told her about Deepi who his family and Deepi's family wanted them both to marry but it wasn't to be as he met Saima.

There is a sting to the tale of this short story after Harry and Saima leave the restaurant when Harry remembers leaving his wallet behind and the Deepi's Father gets his revenge for Harry not marrying his daughter.

[Hannah stressedreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable easy quick read!

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant pre-cursor to this wonderful crime series set in the dark underbelly of Bradford, and introducing one of contemporary crime fiction's most intriguing detectives.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Owen Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of most recent Quick Reads books and, I would say, a solid title.

Darkness Rising acts as a prequel to The Streets of Darkness series by A.A. Dhand and is an appealing introduction to DI Harry Virdee, a Sikh man who married a Muslim woman and a resourceful detective at the heart of Bradford's drug war.

While the latter aspect of Virdee's character will be the main draw for most readers, I found myself more enthralled by his religious conflict. Being neither a Sikh nor a Muslim, I am not so familiar with current relations between the two faiths and find the insights provided by Dhand both intriguing and outrageous.

I also enjoyed the drug war plot, a surprise considering my general lack of interest in such stories, though I did find the solution a little too neat for my liking. This may well be a logical course of action in the world of real police work but I felt it lacked the narrative bite expected in a crime novel's third act.

Regardless this taster has whetted my appetite for Streets of Darkness which I hope to read before the TV series starts. I recommend Darkness Rising to those trying to get into reading in general and those who want to see what all the A.A. Dhand fuss is about.

[Romina Dimenza · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't remember leaving 1 star before. But I just couldn't get into it, I only finished because it's 108 pages long.
I hated the characters, all of them. I couldn't relate and I wanted for all of them to loose.
When the story is good I'm a fast reader but this one took me 3 days because I didn't want to pick it up.
I don't have anything good to say about it.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick read short story. A new author discovered and a new introduction, D I Harry Virdee. A very interesting character, the book has given a taster into his somewhat complex personal life and his career…if he still has one! Will definitely be adding Streets of Darkness to my tbr pile a few loose ends need answers….

[Between The Pages (Gemma M) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If reading all these quick reads has helped in anyway (it has) it's also found me new authors to read and look into, this is one of those authors. This book is about a drug war. A convict is back on the streets trying to climb the ranks and prove he is clever and not to be messed with. He will win. Bring in DI Harry. He's had enough of it and wants him locked up for many reasons. Alongside the drug war he get a good luck into DI Harrys life. A pregnant mrs, family relationships not great and want to prove he can take down this man. Will he succeed with the help on a few others?
A lovely introduction into a series I'm going to look up. A well deserved four stars, perfect for crime readers. Highly recommend.

[Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say the opening scene describing "white women" as objects to desire, and also as the *ultimate* object to desire (over women of other colours, is the implication), rubbed me the wrong way, so it dropped a few stars for me there. And statistically, in the West, psychopathic serial killers are very rarely brown. The blood guy from Dhand's second book had a much more believable motivation to murder.

However, I really liked the storyline. Somehow managed a good plot and fully fleshed out characters in a Quick Read. The ending was surprisingly rushed in a nice neat little bow, using chekov's gun from the start of the book, but that is understandable as it is a Quick Read.

[Loz Darwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this fast paced mini read in just over a day, I loved the banter between Harry and his wife over a name for their soon to be born daughter.
The story was engaging and set in Bradford a place I don't know well but is obviously a big part of the main characters life.
Past novels and characters stories are touched upon in this little book that if you haven't read any other Harry Virdee novels is confusing and left the book feeling unfinished. Though it has made me want to read the others so I get a full picture.

[Katie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. It was brilliant from start to finish. The character development was great and felt like I was involved in the detectives life. Also the tension of him trying to close the case on Zak had me on edge the whole time. Brilliant writing. It's the first book I've read by A.A. Dhand and I can't wait to read more of his.

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent detective story that wraps up quickly (maybe too quickly?) but has an interesting side plot involving the main character's personal life.

[Samantha Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this
Already got streets if darkness ready to read

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really enjoying this one the whole way through and found it really exciting. However the ending was really bad and let it down for me.

[Eleanor Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little read , would read more of his books

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkness Rising (Harry Virdee, #0.5) By A.A Dhand

I do look FWD. to the quick reads as I find they are a pathway to discovering new and bright authors and A.A Dhand is one of the same I tore through this 125 page short as I walked the mean streets of Bradford a UK city.

The book grips you from the start as we explore the culture and drug underbelly of the city with a good complete story they sets up the first book in the series and one I have already ordered and look FWD top reading.

Well worth your time and hard-earned cash.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This the first book in the Harry Virdee series (0.5). Unusually this is a quick read which sets the scene for the rest of the series but it will not be one that I continue. It was too violent and the killings too graphic. Not for me.

[Tracey Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grabbed this book at library on first visit after lockdown without reading the premise. I really enjoyed this short read and look forward to reading more in series

[Christine Rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the Quick Reads books for 2020 and as a fan of the D I Harry Virdee series, it was one of my purchases from the Quick Read series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to everyone.
Highly recommended.

[Nicole Sweeney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Bibliophile Chronicles.

Darkness Rising is a prequel novella in A. A. Dhand’s Harry Virdee series and the story follows Inspector Virdee as a body is discovered in Bradford that could be linked to local gangs. As Harry continues to investigate his life and the lives of his family are at stake and he must do everything he can to keep them safe.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot, it was dark and gritty and I really liked A. A. Dhand’s writing style. It did very much feel like an opening to a much larger series and I would be interested to read Streets of Darkness. It was an enjoyable and entertaining read and it felt very atmospheric. I had seen A. A. Dhand talk at a Bloody Scotland panel and had always been interested to read some of his work so I am definitely going to continue on with this series.

[Nisha Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the prequel and finding out more about Harry Virdee and his life.

[Therese Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the characters and the cultural references

[Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5)

good book, nice and short. uses too many short sentences and gets on my nerves a bit

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Quick Read, and definitely makes me want to read more in the series. I found it an interesting look into different cultures as well as the awful gangland wars.