What do you think?
Rate this book
I Know What I Saw
I saw it. He smothered her, pressing his hands on her face. The police don't believe me, they say it's impossible - but I know what I saw.
Xander Shute - once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets - shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat. When he hears the occupants returning home, he scrambles to hide. Trapped in his hiding place, he hears the couple argue, and he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder.
But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can't have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice?
As Xander searches for answers, his memory of the crime comes under scrutiny, forcing him to confront his long-buried past and the stories he's told about himself.
How much he is willing to risk to understand the brutal truth?
Xander Shute - once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets - shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat. When he hears the occupants returning home, he scrambles to hide. Trapped in his hiding place, he hears the couple argue, and he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder.
But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can't have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice?
As Xander searches for answers, his memory of the crime comes under scrutiny, forcing him to confront his long-buried past and the stories he's told about himself.
How much he is willing to risk to understand the brutal truth?
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 10, 2021
53 people are currently reading
1472 people want to read
About the author
Imran Mahmood
4 books267 followers Imran Mahmood was born in Liverpool in 1969 to first generation Pakistani parents. He has been working on the criminal bar in London for over 20 years and regularly appears in jury trials across the country dealing in serious and complex criminal cases.
He now lives in South East London with his wife and is currently plotting a second novel.
He now lives in South East London with his wife and is currently plotting a second novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
May 7, 2021
Imran Mahmood writes a gritty and well plotted psychological thriller that revolves around a surprising man who has lived on the streets of London for many years, unable to stomach living inside. Xander Shute is man with his own demons, he was once a wealthy and successful man, having studied Mathematics at Cambridge University and reaped the rewards of working in investment banking. Now he has to fight for a sleeping spot, ending up injured, trudging through the rain, in pain, looking for an alternative place to shelter. He spots an open door of a flat in Mayfair, enters and ends up falling asleep, only to wake up overhearing a couple from his hidden position, becoming a witness to the man killing the woman. Plagued by guilt that he made no efforts to save the woman, he flees the scene, worried that he might be arrested as the killer instead.
Upon being treated in hospital, Xander is picked up by the police and interviewed by DI Rachel Blake and DI Simon Conway, assuming they are interested in what he saw earlier. However, they have brought him in as a suspect in the assault of a homeless guy. They follow up his detailed report, only to accuse him of wasting police time, raising the possibility of mental health issues, ending up charging him when he persists in maintaining he saw what he saw. This is a story of trauma, ghosts and unreliable memories, as layer after layer of Xander's past life is revealed, his Proust loving mother, a father that fuelled a competitive and resentful relationship with his younger brother, Rory, and with Grace whom he had met at university, the woman he had loved and the painful disintegration of their relationship.
It turns out long ago a woman died in the Mayfair flat which has the police charging Xander with murder. Xander redoubles his efforts to get to the truth of what he saw, only to find out that he is coming face to face with who he is, with a past that seems to continually elude his grasp, yet the answers all lie buried within the torments and fragility of his mind. This is an intense, compelling and immersive reading experience where you root for Xander in this well written and suspenseful novel, full of twists and turns, right up to the final reveal. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.
Upon being treated in hospital, Xander is picked up by the police and interviewed by DI Rachel Blake and DI Simon Conway, assuming they are interested in what he saw earlier. However, they have brought him in as a suspect in the assault of a homeless guy. They follow up his detailed report, only to accuse him of wasting police time, raising the possibility of mental health issues, ending up charging him when he persists in maintaining he saw what he saw. This is a story of trauma, ghosts and unreliable memories, as layer after layer of Xander's past life is revealed, his Proust loving mother, a father that fuelled a competitive and resentful relationship with his younger brother, Rory, and with Grace whom he had met at university, the woman he had loved and the painful disintegration of their relationship.
It turns out long ago a woman died in the Mayfair flat which has the police charging Xander with murder. Xander redoubles his efforts to get to the truth of what he saw, only to find out that he is coming face to face with who he is, with a past that seems to continually elude his grasp, yet the answers all lie buried within the torments and fragility of his mind. This is an intense, compelling and immersive reading experience where you root for Xander in this well written and suspenseful novel, full of twists and turns, right up to the final reveal. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.
July 10, 2021
I Know What I Saw is my kind of book. It is dark and gritty with clever twists and great character development. The main character, Xander, with have you feeling all the feels for him. His quest for the truth is bumpy and messy but he never gives up on what he knows it right. To begin with I was not sure about him but as the book goes on you get quite attached to him. There is one killer twist in this one that changes everything and it shocked me immensely.
Xander Shute was once an intelligent, wealthy and successful banker. He had it all. Now he struggles to stay alive, living on the street and fighting for a place to sleep. After an altercation in the park, he finds wheat he believes is an empty flat and falls asleep. He wakes to find that he is not alone and witnesses a murder. Scared, he flees the scene. But police catch up with him and he tells his story, only for them to charge him with wasting police time. He is adamant, he knows what he saw. As he battles his own demons and past, the truth of what happened that night slowly becomes clear.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me this one;. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Xander Shute was once an intelligent, wealthy and successful banker. He had it all. Now he struggles to stay alive, living on the street and fighting for a place to sleep. After an altercation in the park, he finds wheat he believes is an empty flat and falls asleep. He wakes to find that he is not alone and witnesses a murder. Scared, he flees the scene. But police catch up with him and he tells his story, only for them to charge him with wasting police time. He is adamant, he knows what he saw. As he battles his own demons and past, the truth of what happened that night slowly becomes clear.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me this one;. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 30, 2021
I read the debut novel of Imran Mahmood ‘You don’t know me’ which I loved and knew I had to read this one as well. This is a very enjoyable novel that got me early on and I stayed up most of the night to finish it. Great characters and so well written in this excellently paced novel making it another winner for me.
Xander Shute was once a wealthy banker, in love and living a happy life but now chooses to live on the streets. While finding shelter for the night in an empty Mayfair flat he is disturbed by the returning occupants. He hides behind the chesterfield settee and witnesses a man and woman arguing which results in a vicious murder. When he reports the murder to the police they are unable to find any evidence to support his claims. Xander is not put off and wants to know who the dead woman is and for the murderer to be brought to justice. Xander’s memory is put to the test as he struggles to recall details having lived on the streets for so long and he is forced to confront his buried past.
I really enjoyed this and was completely absorbed in the story, willing Xander on in his pursuit of the truth. This book will make you want to keep reading to the end in one sitting to discover the truth.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Xander Shute was once a wealthy banker, in love and living a happy life but now chooses to live on the streets. While finding shelter for the night in an empty Mayfair flat he is disturbed by the returning occupants. He hides behind the chesterfield settee and witnesses a man and woman arguing which results in a vicious murder. When he reports the murder to the police they are unable to find any evidence to support his claims. Xander is not put off and wants to know who the dead woman is and for the murderer to be brought to justice. Xander’s memory is put to the test as he struggles to recall details having lived on the streets for so long and he is forced to confront his buried past.
I really enjoyed this and was completely absorbed in the story, willing Xander on in his pursuit of the truth. This book will make you want to keep reading to the end in one sitting to discover the truth.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2021
I Know What I Saw is Mahmood’s second novel and a psychological thriller billed as a "timely investigation into wealth and trauma". Xander Shute used to be an affluent and successful guy at the very top of his game, but when you're at the top you have further to fall to hit rock bottom. Nevertheless, Xander has arrived there. After studying Mathematics at Cambridge University he became a prominent investment banker until his fall from grace. Now the high-powered, money-driven lifestyle he had grown accustomed to has been reduced to night after night searching and then scrapping for the best sleeping positions around the city and it doesn't always work out with him joyous. Tonight he's injured and it's raining cats and dogs; he's desperate for a warm, dry place to rest his head when he seemingly and serendipitously discovers a flat in Mayfair with its door ajar. He's tired and cold and steps inside to catch some zzzzs but is subject to a rude awakening sometime later. He stirs from his slumber to intense arguing between a woman and man and he witnesses the murder of the woman at the fellow’s hands. Over the next few days and weeks, the guilt for not at least attempting to stop the murder eats away at him until he leaves the sanctity of the house as it now haunts him and he also cannot shake the feeling that he could be next.
He heads for medical treatment at the hospital and is picked up by the police but they aren't there about his ordeal, well not directly anyway, and they take him to the station to be interviewed as a suspect in the brutal assault of another homeless man. He takes the opportunity to report to DI Rachel Blake and DI Simon Conway what he heard and saw that night but to his astonishment, they don't believe a single word he says and accuse him of wasting their time. His story never changes yet they pursue him as though they aren't really looking for justice, only a fall guy. They proceed to charge him with committing the crime. This is a scintillating and intelligent read about just how far you can fall from those heady heights as well as an examination of power, class, money and justice. It's gritty and authentic with superb multilayered plotting addressing the issues surrounding unreliable/fading memory, deep-seated trauma, spectres of the past and abject poverty. We come to learn of Xander’s life as his backstory unravels and the complex relationships he shares with his parents, sibling, Rory and the love of his life, Grace. It's a captivating, immersive and twist-laden novel with suspense and surprises aplenty and it is both tender and enigmatic in nature with an increasingly blurred line between reality and fantasy challenging Xander to revisit his past if he has any desire to reclaim his future.
He heads for medical treatment at the hospital and is picked up by the police but they aren't there about his ordeal, well not directly anyway, and they take him to the station to be interviewed as a suspect in the brutal assault of another homeless man. He takes the opportunity to report to DI Rachel Blake and DI Simon Conway what he heard and saw that night but to his astonishment, they don't believe a single word he says and accuse him of wasting their time. His story never changes yet they pursue him as though they aren't really looking for justice, only a fall guy. They proceed to charge him with committing the crime. This is a scintillating and intelligent read about just how far you can fall from those heady heights as well as an examination of power, class, money and justice. It's gritty and authentic with superb multilayered plotting addressing the issues surrounding unreliable/fading memory, deep-seated trauma, spectres of the past and abject poverty. We come to learn of Xander’s life as his backstory unravels and the complex relationships he shares with his parents, sibling, Rory and the love of his life, Grace. It's a captivating, immersive and twist-laden novel with suspense and surprises aplenty and it is both tender and enigmatic in nature with an increasingly blurred line between reality and fantasy challenging Xander to revisit his past if he has any desire to reclaim his future.
September 29, 2021
I am always looking for psychological thrillers who are a bit different than the rest, and I KNOW WHAT I SAW perfectly fitted that bill. Xander, a homeless man with obvious psychological problems, made for the perfect unreliable character who constantly threw everything into doubt. There were so many intriguing threads to the story: how did a super intelligent, educated and well-off man end up living on the streets for 20 years? Why did his relationship with his partner end, and where is she now? What happened to his brother, Rory? What did he really witness that night? Because Xander’s memory is patchy, and he has trauma related problems that interfere with his ability to recall events, his account is often disjointed and confusing, in a way that benefited the story by adding a lot of tension and foreboding.
Mahmood has mastered the art of making us feel empathy for his very damaged main character, which is not easy to achieve. When I was in Xander’s head, I felt the same sense of confusion and terror his fractured mind conjured up. I found Xander’s quest for the truth, in spite of the personal threat this presented for him, moving and heart breaking, especially as more of his own history was revealed through flashbacks to his past. Even though I knew that nothing good could possibly come out of it, I was still floored by the final reveal.
I KNOW WHAT I SAW is a slower, character driven psychological thriller that will put you into the mind of a tormented, traumatised soul. It is clever and multi-layered, making me guess to the very end, though I had my suspicions. Xander Shute is a unique character who doesn’t really fit any of the popular tropes, which made this one especially intriguing. Once I got into the story I could not tear myself away. Pick up this book if you are looking for an original psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator who will have you question everything you have read.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
Mahmood has mastered the art of making us feel empathy for his very damaged main character, which is not easy to achieve. When I was in Xander’s head, I felt the same sense of confusion and terror his fractured mind conjured up. I found Xander’s quest for the truth, in spite of the personal threat this presented for him, moving and heart breaking, especially as more of his own history was revealed through flashbacks to his past. Even though I knew that nothing good could possibly come out of it, I was still floored by the final reveal.
I KNOW WHAT I SAW is a slower, character driven psychological thriller that will put you into the mind of a tormented, traumatised soul. It is clever and multi-layered, making me guess to the very end, though I had my suspicions. Xander Shute is a unique character who doesn’t really fit any of the popular tropes, which made this one especially intriguing. Once I got into the story I could not tear myself away. Pick up this book if you are looking for an original psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator who will have you question everything you have read.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
December 30, 2021
So many four and five-star reviews, but it didn't get there for me.
Stars for this being a character-driven psychological thriller. A definite mystery and sound legal development and the homeless elements rang true.
Stars lost for me- it seemed relentless and repetitive in a very slow and, at times, convoluted plot development. I also found some inconsistencies in character stories, which don't include the rollercoaster recollections of the main character.
The protagonist and first-person narrator, Xander Shute, is a homeless man with an interesting background story, several family and social traumas and a haunted past.
Not the read for me, but many others have loved it.
Stars for this being a character-driven psychological thriller. A definite mystery and sound legal development and the homeless elements rang true.
Stars lost for me- it seemed relentless and repetitive in a very slow and, at times, convoluted plot development. I also found some inconsistencies in character stories, which don't include the rollercoaster recollections of the main character.
The protagonist and first-person narrator, Xander Shute, is a homeless man with an interesting background story, several family and social traumas and a haunted past.
Not the read for me, but many others have loved it.
March 19, 2021
It was hard to imagine that Imran Mahmood could come up with a novel to match the intensity and grit of You Don’t Know Me, but here it is – whilst I Know What I Saw is a very different concept, the sheer quality of the plotting stands out, it is an immersive and often highly emotional story that grips from first page to last.
Xander lives on the streets, fighting his own personal demons daily. The reader immediately gets a sense for this man and the struggles of a transient life, so are with him all the way. When he witnesses a murder the police cannot confirm and ends up in hot water himself so begins a twisty, addictive journey towards the truth of things.
I loved it. I didn’t want to put it down until I knew what happened, or more specifically whether Xander would come out of this ok. The sprawling, disconnected feel of the character’s thought process and actions holds you within the pages until the clever, emotionally charged finale.
With a unique writing style and a very human based imagination, I would say Imran Mahmood is an author to watch long term. Really very good indeed.
Recommended.
Xander lives on the streets, fighting his own personal demons daily. The reader immediately gets a sense for this man and the struggles of a transient life, so are with him all the way. When he witnesses a murder the police cannot confirm and ends up in hot water himself so begins a twisty, addictive journey towards the truth of things.
I loved it. I didn’t want to put it down until I knew what happened, or more specifically whether Xander would come out of this ok. The sprawling, disconnected feel of the character’s thought process and actions holds you within the pages until the clever, emotionally charged finale.
With a unique writing style and a very human based imagination, I would say Imran Mahmood is an author to watch long term. Really very good indeed.
Recommended.
October 9, 2022
He did in fact not know what he saw.
July 8, 2021
I Know What I Saw is a very different novel to Imran Mahmood’s debut. Imran Mahmood has created another gripping story with a brilliant hook. The shocking opening scenes pulled me right into the book; I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
When we first met Xander, he is homeless. He is an intelligent man; we know this very early on when it’s revealed that he went to Cambridge. This made me wonder what happened to him, which led to him being in the position that he now is. It’s what makes him such a captivating and fascinating character. When Xander witnesses a murder, he can’t get the police to believe him. And soon, his whole world is about to come crashing down.
Like Xander, I had to know what had really happened and why the police weren’t taking him seriously. He, himself, tries to find out what has happened, even though this is a very risky thing for him to do. But he has to know, and he is determined to find answers. But things soon take a very sinister turn ,and Xander’s life starts spiralling out of control.
I had no idea how things were going to pan out for Xander, and this is what drives the tension. I was rooting for him to get to the truth and to prove to the police that he really did see what he saw, but then things began to change. I don’t want to give too much away here, but I felt that I couldn’t entirely trust him. This makes him even more interesting as Imran Mahmood begins to paint a very different picture of the man we thought we knew.
I thought the story was so well told and that Xander’s voice came through very strongly. I had a clear image of him inside my head as I was reading. I wouldn’t describe this book as a fast paced read, it is more of a slow burner, but I really liked it. The tension gradually builds throughout the book as Xander tries to find out what has really happened. There are some very powerful scenes in this book as Xander comes to realise the truth. I thought it was done really well.
I Know What I Saw is a very clever book, and I was utterly gripped right the way through. Imran Mahmood delves into the psyche of his characters, and he brings them to life so, so well. A brilliant read, I highly recommend it!
When we first met Xander, he is homeless. He is an intelligent man; we know this very early on when it’s revealed that he went to Cambridge. This made me wonder what happened to him, which led to him being in the position that he now is. It’s what makes him such a captivating and fascinating character. When Xander witnesses a murder, he can’t get the police to believe him. And soon, his whole world is about to come crashing down.
Like Xander, I had to know what had really happened and why the police weren’t taking him seriously. He, himself, tries to find out what has happened, even though this is a very risky thing for him to do. But he has to know, and he is determined to find answers. But things soon take a very sinister turn ,and Xander’s life starts spiralling out of control.
I had no idea how things were going to pan out for Xander, and this is what drives the tension. I was rooting for him to get to the truth and to prove to the police that he really did see what he saw, but then things began to change. I don’t want to give too much away here, but I felt that I couldn’t entirely trust him. This makes him even more interesting as Imran Mahmood begins to paint a very different picture of the man we thought we knew.
I thought the story was so well told and that Xander’s voice came through very strongly. I had a clear image of him inside my head as I was reading. I wouldn’t describe this book as a fast paced read, it is more of a slow burner, but I really liked it. The tension gradually builds throughout the book as Xander tries to find out what has really happened. There are some very powerful scenes in this book as Xander comes to realise the truth. I thought it was done really well.
I Know What I Saw is a very clever book, and I was utterly gripped right the way through. Imran Mahmood delves into the psyche of his characters, and he brings them to life so, so well. A brilliant read, I highly recommend it!
August 10, 2021
Xander Shute is a complex character. He studied at Cambridge, had a successful career as an investment banker and was in a relationship with Grace. But that life is behind him. He is on his own and lives on the streets. What went wrong for him?
When he witnesses the murder of a woman in an Mayfair flat, he is conflicted. He should tell the police, but he shouldn’t have been there, he was trespassing, even if he was only taking shelter from the rain after being attacked. His conscience overules but he wasn’t expecting the response he received from the police.
Xander would seem to be one of the most unreliable narrators I have come across. His fractured memories of his past, involving his troubled relationship with his father and brother Rory, his time with Grace are all mixed up, a recent head injury doesn’t help and at times I was as confused as Xander when he was sifting through his memories trying process what he actually saw and any clues that may identify who the woman was and who killed her.
This character driven story has a slower pace and requires concentration however the payoff is so worth it. Mahmood has created a troubled and tormented protagonist who can be hard to understand but is easy to empathise with.
I Know What I Saw is an intelligent thriller with a clever and multi layered plot that has tension throughout. I was willing Xander on in his quest to discover the truth – about the murder and about himself and hoping he could overcome his demons to find some peace of mind. My first book by this author but definitely not my last. Recommended.
When he witnesses the murder of a woman in an Mayfair flat, he is conflicted. He should tell the police, but he shouldn’t have been there, he was trespassing, even if he was only taking shelter from the rain after being attacked. His conscience overules but he wasn’t expecting the response he received from the police.
Xander would seem to be one of the most unreliable narrators I have come across. His fractured memories of his past, involving his troubled relationship with his father and brother Rory, his time with Grace are all mixed up, a recent head injury doesn’t help and at times I was as confused as Xander when he was sifting through his memories trying process what he actually saw and any clues that may identify who the woman was and who killed her.
This character driven story has a slower pace and requires concentration however the payoff is so worth it. Mahmood has created a troubled and tormented protagonist who can be hard to understand but is easy to empathise with.
I Know What I Saw is an intelligent thriller with a clever and multi layered plot that has tension throughout. I was willing Xander on in his quest to discover the truth – about the murder and about himself and hoping he could overcome his demons to find some peace of mind. My first book by this author but definitely not my last. Recommended.
Read
October 26, 2021I was pretty excited about getting a hardcover from the library but I can't. the homeless protagonist - he is really getting on my nerves. He is living on the street, he is supposed to be street-smart but he is so unintelligent and dull-witted. I don't think I can accompany him in his adventure further. Maybe I will give it another try before returning the book to the library but I am not holding my breath...
July 26, 2022
I can’t really tell you why it has taken me so long to pick up a novel by Imran Mahmood, especially since I’ve had this one and his debut ‘You Don’t Know Me‘ on my shelves for ages. But I have now corrected the errors of my ways!
Xander Shute has been living on the streets of London for thirty years. One night, he seeks shelter from the rain in an empty flat in Mayfair. Xander has to hide when the occupants return home and while trapped in his hiding place behind a Chesterfield sofa, he witnesses the murder of a woman. Who was she? Who is the man who killed her? Xander does the right thing and informs the police, but they don’t believe his account of events and seem unwilling to help, leaving Xander to try and find out the truth about that night by himself.
Where to even begin? I was quite honestly absolutely blown away by the plotting in this novel. It’s massively unpredictable and even when I thought I had an inkling as to what was going on, something would happen that made me doubt things all over again. All of this is due to the immensely complex character of Xander. Once a wealthy banker, something made him decide to live on the streets. He doesn’t need to. He could quite easily get a well-paying job and lead a “normal” life but he chooses not to. He needs open spaces, he needs to walk freely, relying on nobody but himself and his own wits, and sometimes the kindness of a neighbourhood kid called Amit.
Obviously there’s a story there that will explain why Xander ended up on the streets. It seamlessly ties in with the events he has witnessed, which you’ll have to discover for yourselves. Is Xander a reliable narrator, though? Often it seems as if even he himself can’t depend on the reliability of his own memories so how can the reader trust what he’s saying? Xander is forced to face some very harsh truths about his past life and how he ended up where he did.
I think it’s human to change the narrative of our lives sometimes. To maybe embellish some things or make other things more exciting. Sometimes we just remember things differently than the reality, through no fault of our own. Memories are often unreliable. But in Xander’s case it becomes clear quite early on that there is much more going on in his head than merely misremembering things. His thought-process is often extremely disconnected, he seems to lose chunks of time and it all adds to the immense intensity of this story. I couldn’t decide if he was suffering from a concussion or if this was just who he was.
There isn’t just a mystery to solve here. ‘I Know What You Saw‘ is a compelling and powerful story about a broken, troubled and damaged man in search of answers. It’s a slow-burner but boy, does it pay off in the end. Despite his many issues, Xander is a character to root for. Yet at the same time you worry about the things he might discover. ‘I Know What You Saw‘ is very cleverly done, immensely absorbing with incredible writing throughout. I dare say Imran Mahmood is definitely a force to be reckoned with and a rather unique voice in the crime fiction genre. An author to watch for sure!
Xander Shute has been living on the streets of London for thirty years. One night, he seeks shelter from the rain in an empty flat in Mayfair. Xander has to hide when the occupants return home and while trapped in his hiding place behind a Chesterfield sofa, he witnesses the murder of a woman. Who was she? Who is the man who killed her? Xander does the right thing and informs the police, but they don’t believe his account of events and seem unwilling to help, leaving Xander to try and find out the truth about that night by himself.
Where to even begin? I was quite honestly absolutely blown away by the plotting in this novel. It’s massively unpredictable and even when I thought I had an inkling as to what was going on, something would happen that made me doubt things all over again. All of this is due to the immensely complex character of Xander. Once a wealthy banker, something made him decide to live on the streets. He doesn’t need to. He could quite easily get a well-paying job and lead a “normal” life but he chooses not to. He needs open spaces, he needs to walk freely, relying on nobody but himself and his own wits, and sometimes the kindness of a neighbourhood kid called Amit.
Obviously there’s a story there that will explain why Xander ended up on the streets. It seamlessly ties in with the events he has witnessed, which you’ll have to discover for yourselves. Is Xander a reliable narrator, though? Often it seems as if even he himself can’t depend on the reliability of his own memories so how can the reader trust what he’s saying? Xander is forced to face some very harsh truths about his past life and how he ended up where he did.
I think it’s human to change the narrative of our lives sometimes. To maybe embellish some things or make other things more exciting. Sometimes we just remember things differently than the reality, through no fault of our own. Memories are often unreliable. But in Xander’s case it becomes clear quite early on that there is much more going on in his head than merely misremembering things. His thought-process is often extremely disconnected, he seems to lose chunks of time and it all adds to the immense intensity of this story. I couldn’t decide if he was suffering from a concussion or if this was just who he was.
There isn’t just a mystery to solve here. ‘I Know What You Saw‘ is a compelling and powerful story about a broken, troubled and damaged man in search of answers. It’s a slow-burner but boy, does it pay off in the end. Despite his many issues, Xander is a character to root for. Yet at the same time you worry about the things he might discover. ‘I Know What You Saw‘ is very cleverly done, immensely absorbing with incredible writing throughout. I dare say Imran Mahmood is definitely a force to be reckoned with and a rather unique voice in the crime fiction genre. An author to watch for sure!
May 12, 2021
I Know What I Saw is the eagerly awaiting second book by Imran Mahmood, the author of the incredible You Don’t Know Me, which, if you follow my blog, you will know was one of my favourite books of 2017.
Having met (stalked) Imran several times now he knows how much I adored and championed his debut novel and so I was very grateful to receive an ARC copy of book #2 which is being published on 10th June 2021.
I Know What I Saw is very different to his debut novel, however both books have one thing in common: a strong, powerful and fascinating narrator. With a complete change of scenery, I Know What I Saw is based in London and told through the eyes of Xander Shute, a homeless man who has been living off grid and on the streets for too many years, struggling with his personal demons and fractured memories of his past.
One night in the pouring rain, Xander finds an empty property with an open door and decides to seek refuge from the weather. This decision turns out to be the pivotal point in his life which brings everything he think he knows and saw crashing down around him.
Throughout the book the reader begins to learn Xander’s back story and why a young, successful and professional young man who studied Mathematics at Cambridge, earnt a fortune and had what appears to be the ideal life, turned his back on everything and everyone he knew and walked away onto the streets for years.
Xander’s voice is loud and strong throughout the book. His pain and confusion is heart-breaking and he’s determination to find out the truth no matter what, is inspirational. It’s easy to assume he is an unreliable narrator the more we read, especially when others are doubting his story and questioning his recollection of events.
I Know What I Saw is not a particularly fast-paced story, but a slow and well plotted characterised tale of facing up to the truth at any cost and one man’s battle with himself to finally find peace.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Having met (stalked) Imran several times now he knows how much I adored and championed his debut novel and so I was very grateful to receive an ARC copy of book #2 which is being published on 10th June 2021.
I Know What I Saw is very different to his debut novel, however both books have one thing in common: a strong, powerful and fascinating narrator. With a complete change of scenery, I Know What I Saw is based in London and told through the eyes of Xander Shute, a homeless man who has been living off grid and on the streets for too many years, struggling with his personal demons and fractured memories of his past.
One night in the pouring rain, Xander finds an empty property with an open door and decides to seek refuge from the weather. This decision turns out to be the pivotal point in his life which brings everything he think he knows and saw crashing down around him.
Throughout the book the reader begins to learn Xander’s back story and why a young, successful and professional young man who studied Mathematics at Cambridge, earnt a fortune and had what appears to be the ideal life, turned his back on everything and everyone he knew and walked away onto the streets for years.
Xander’s voice is loud and strong throughout the book. His pain and confusion is heart-breaking and he’s determination to find out the truth no matter what, is inspirational. It’s easy to assume he is an unreliable narrator the more we read, especially when others are doubting his story and questioning his recollection of events.
I Know What I Saw is not a particularly fast-paced story, but a slow and well plotted characterised tale of facing up to the truth at any cost and one man’s battle with himself to finally find peace.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 29, 2023
"I saw it. He smothered her, pressing his hands on her face. The police don't believe me, they say it's impossible – but I know what I saw."
Well, this was a wonderful and surprising gem of a book! Having not read this author, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s a psychological thriller/ police procedural with a twist … in fact many twists! Just when you think you know what is going on, we are led in another direction. I loved the unique writing style, incorporating a realistic, human and emotional element. Our unreliable narrator Xander, remains an enigma you can’t help but attempt to unravel what is happening - looking for difference between fact and fantasy.
I highly recommend you go onto this one blind, the less you know the better. It’s clever, suspenseful, character driven and powerful storytelling. I look forward to reading more from Imran Mahmood.
Well, this was a wonderful and surprising gem of a book! Having not read this author, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s a psychological thriller/ police procedural with a twist … in fact many twists! Just when you think you know what is going on, we are led in another direction. I loved the unique writing style, incorporating a realistic, human and emotional element. Our unreliable narrator Xander, remains an enigma you can’t help but attempt to unravel what is happening - looking for difference between fact and fantasy.
I highly recommend you go onto this one blind, the less you know the better. It’s clever, suspenseful, character driven and powerful storytelling. I look forward to reading more from Imran Mahmood.
March 27, 2022
A brilliant psychological thriller. It had me hooked from beginning to the last page. I ned to read more of Imran Mahmood.
July 29, 2021
Every so often, I come across an author whose writing I immediately fall in love with. I haven't yet read Imran Mahmood's debut, You Don't Know Me but I do have a copy of it and after reading the beautifully affecting, riveting I Know What I Saw, I intend to rectify that as soon as possible.
The central character in I Know What I Saw, Xander Shute is a compelling, memorable protagonist but as quickly becomes apparent, his thirty years living on the streets means he is a man whose mind has become fragile and inconsistent. We realise this right from the start of the book when an altercation over a prime sleeping spot turns violent and Xander is forced to run. A head injury exacerbates his state of confusion but after he seeks shelter in what he believes to be an empty house and subsequently witnesses a shocking murder, his uncertain memories lead to him being forced to confront a past he has been avoiding for years.
He reports the murder to the police but upon investigation, it becomes clear that he is an implausible witness and subsequently, throughout the book, the first-person perspective of this most unreliable of narrators ensures we share his frustration as his memories remain tantalisingly just out of reach while increasingly questioning what his truth really is. We know that he was educated at Cambridge and became a successful investment banker. However, his wealth, good friends and relationship with the beautiful Grace weren't enough to protect him from a tragedy which led to his decision to leave everything behind and become voluntarily homeless.
I was deeply moved by Imran Mahmood's perceptive understanding of what life on the streets is like; from the practical considerations - assessing which areas are safest, how to maintain some semblance of warmth, where to find food, to the emotional toll of homelessness - becoming invisible or shunned by society, the creeping entrenchment of rough sleeping where eventually a learned fear of other people and being inside leads to claustrophobia and a need to feel grounded on the streets. Xander is perhaps a more acceptable face of homelessness in some respects as he isn't a drug addict or alcoholic but equally, there are those who will find it harder to accept why a man who seemingly had everything would end up living like this.
As the novel progresses, he gradually begins to piece together fragments of his past but although he recalls the troubled, intense relationship he had with his brother, Rory amidst the darker memories of his father, he struggles to remember exactly what he saw when he witnessed the murder. His increasing desperation to discover the truth reveals a man tormented by the brutality of his past and by his daily struggle just to stay alive but determined to investigate and to confront these haunting snatches of memory which may condemn him or set him free. The progressively suspenseful storyline is as moving as it is intriguing and quite fittingly, I found it playing on my mind even when I wasn't reading it.
Such an intensely character-driven story is necessarily slower paced but I Know What I Saw is still a tense, twisting novel with an unflinching, eye-opening sense of place. Beautifully, searingly honest and observant, this powerfully poignant, intelligent thriller surprised and captivated me. Utterly outstanding.
The central character in I Know What I Saw, Xander Shute is a compelling, memorable protagonist but as quickly becomes apparent, his thirty years living on the streets means he is a man whose mind has become fragile and inconsistent. We realise this right from the start of the book when an altercation over a prime sleeping spot turns violent and Xander is forced to run. A head injury exacerbates his state of confusion but after he seeks shelter in what he believes to be an empty house and subsequently witnesses a shocking murder, his uncertain memories lead to him being forced to confront a past he has been avoiding for years.
He reports the murder to the police but upon investigation, it becomes clear that he is an implausible witness and subsequently, throughout the book, the first-person perspective of this most unreliable of narrators ensures we share his frustration as his memories remain tantalisingly just out of reach while increasingly questioning what his truth really is. We know that he was educated at Cambridge and became a successful investment banker. However, his wealth, good friends and relationship with the beautiful Grace weren't enough to protect him from a tragedy which led to his decision to leave everything behind and become voluntarily homeless.
I was deeply moved by Imran Mahmood's perceptive understanding of what life on the streets is like; from the practical considerations - assessing which areas are safest, how to maintain some semblance of warmth, where to find food, to the emotional toll of homelessness - becoming invisible or shunned by society, the creeping entrenchment of rough sleeping where eventually a learned fear of other people and being inside leads to claustrophobia and a need to feel grounded on the streets. Xander is perhaps a more acceptable face of homelessness in some respects as he isn't a drug addict or alcoholic but equally, there are those who will find it harder to accept why a man who seemingly had everything would end up living like this.
As the novel progresses, he gradually begins to piece together fragments of his past but although he recalls the troubled, intense relationship he had with his brother, Rory amidst the darker memories of his father, he struggles to remember exactly what he saw when he witnessed the murder. His increasing desperation to discover the truth reveals a man tormented by the brutality of his past and by his daily struggle just to stay alive but determined to investigate and to confront these haunting snatches of memory which may condemn him or set him free. The progressively suspenseful storyline is as moving as it is intriguing and quite fittingly, I found it playing on my mind even when I wasn't reading it.
Such an intensely character-driven story is necessarily slower paced but I Know What I Saw is still a tense, twisting novel with an unflinching, eye-opening sense of place. Beautifully, searingly honest and observant, this powerfully poignant, intelligent thriller surprised and captivated me. Utterly outstanding.
February 27, 2021
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I adored Mahmood’s debut, You Don’t Know Me, which was original read with a refreshingly unique narrator and concept. Unfortunately this book just didn’t live up to my expectations. I found this lacklustre and a frustrating read. I’ll explain why.
This is narrated from the POV of Xander Shute, who was once a banker, now is homeless trying to forget his past. The story opens with Xander wandering into Hyde Park looking for a spot where he can sleep. He finds one under the slide but is interrupted by another homeless man whose territory he’s trespassed on. A fight ensues. Xander gets a bottle smashed on his head. Injured and bleeding he wanders the dark streets of London. It’s pouring torrential rain. He stops under the stairs of a Victorian house for respite. Then he notices the door is ajar. He decides to wander in, and finds himself falling asleep on the carpet. When he hears noises he wakes up and hides behind a sofa, and witnesses a couple having a drink which escalates into a fight and then cold-blooded murder. The man leaves. Xander too leaves shortly afterwards and soon gets picked up by the police on suspicion for the murder of the homeless man he got into an altercation with. He tells them about the woman he saw got killed. But they discover no woman is missing and there’s no body in the flat...Could Xander be unhinges?
I just could not get on with this book. Part of the problem is that it relies on too many coincidences that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief. There’s a convenient link to the current murder to his past too. The other thing is I found the protagonist boring and stubborn. He WANTS to be lost. When he’s offered food and shelter, whether by the police or his friend Sen, he feels trapped and just wants to be FREE y’all. I found the psychology and the motivations of Xander unfathomable. Even though he’s not the most honest person, he can’t help blurt the truth about the wealthy woman he saw get killed to the police and gets so emotionally invested in her killer being brought to justice that he then decides to do some amateur sleuthing. I felt so frustrated reading this. I really wanted to DNF but didn’t because I wanted to see how the story would resolve itself. It’s 2/5.
This is narrated from the POV of Xander Shute, who was once a banker, now is homeless trying to forget his past. The story opens with Xander wandering into Hyde Park looking for a spot where he can sleep. He finds one under the slide but is interrupted by another homeless man whose territory he’s trespassed on. A fight ensues. Xander gets a bottle smashed on his head. Injured and bleeding he wanders the dark streets of London. It’s pouring torrential rain. He stops under the stairs of a Victorian house for respite. Then he notices the door is ajar. He decides to wander in, and finds himself falling asleep on the carpet. When he hears noises he wakes up and hides behind a sofa, and witnesses a couple having a drink which escalates into a fight and then cold-blooded murder. The man leaves. Xander too leaves shortly afterwards and soon gets picked up by the police on suspicion for the murder of the homeless man he got into an altercation with. He tells them about the woman he saw got killed. But they discover no woman is missing and there’s no body in the flat...Could Xander be unhinges?
I just could not get on with this book. Part of the problem is that it relies on too many coincidences that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief. There’s a convenient link to the current murder to his past too. The other thing is I found the protagonist boring and stubborn. He WANTS to be lost. When he’s offered food and shelter, whether by the police or his friend Sen, he feels trapped and just wants to be FREE y’all. I found the psychology and the motivations of Xander unfathomable. Even though he’s not the most honest person, he can’t help blurt the truth about the wealthy woman he saw get killed to the police and gets so emotionally invested in her killer being brought to justice that he then decides to do some amateur sleuthing. I felt so frustrated reading this. I really wanted to DNF but didn’t because I wanted to see how the story would resolve itself. It’s 2/5.
July 13, 2021
Back in 2017 I read and reviewed Imran Mahmood's debut novel; You Don't Know Me. It is a book that left a long-lasting impression on me and is one of my all-time favourite novels.
The author returns with I Know What I Saw, and this is another whip-sharp, blistering, intelligent and gripping crime novel, with a difference. Once again, he has created a voice in his main character Xander that will linger in the mind.
Xander is an unusual character. The reader is introduced to him during a violent episode in a playground. Xander is settling down for the night, under a slide, trying to get comfortable and warm when he is accosted by another homeless guy. Xander has taken his patch, and the guy is not happy.
Xander moves on and when he spots an empty property with an unlocked door he takes the opportunity to get out of the driving rain and rest his head. This decision will be one of the worst of his life, and Xander has had a very eventful past.
Xander Shute has not always been homeless. It becomes clear that he's an educated man; Cambridge no less, he's had money, and he comes from privilege. He left all of that behind him and has been on the streets now for years. He has retained his sense of justice and when he is woken by the sounds of an argument, and a woman dies, at first he runs. However, he does tell all to the police eventually, but this turns out to be yet another mistake.
Mahmood expertly weaves Xander's past into the present circumstances, and the layers of his life are slowly uncovered. His trauma is expertly portrayed, as are the demons and ghost that have haunted him for years.
This is a story filled with tension, I was gripped by uncertainties throughout. Willing Xander on, hoping that he would find his truth and constantly surprised by the bends and turns in the plot line.
Once more, Imran Mahmood has delivered a novel that is daring, yet very confidently written. Something really unusual. This is an author who knows people, how has studied behaviours and can translate those into blistering works of crime fiction. Recommended.
The author returns with I Know What I Saw, and this is another whip-sharp, blistering, intelligent and gripping crime novel, with a difference. Once again, he has created a voice in his main character Xander that will linger in the mind.
Xander is an unusual character. The reader is introduced to him during a violent episode in a playground. Xander is settling down for the night, under a slide, trying to get comfortable and warm when he is accosted by another homeless guy. Xander has taken his patch, and the guy is not happy.
Xander moves on and when he spots an empty property with an unlocked door he takes the opportunity to get out of the driving rain and rest his head. This decision will be one of the worst of his life, and Xander has had a very eventful past.
Xander Shute has not always been homeless. It becomes clear that he's an educated man; Cambridge no less, he's had money, and he comes from privilege. He left all of that behind him and has been on the streets now for years. He has retained his sense of justice and when he is woken by the sounds of an argument, and a woman dies, at first he runs. However, he does tell all to the police eventually, but this turns out to be yet another mistake.
Mahmood expertly weaves Xander's past into the present circumstances, and the layers of his life are slowly uncovered. His trauma is expertly portrayed, as are the demons and ghost that have haunted him for years.
This is a story filled with tension, I was gripped by uncertainties throughout. Willing Xander on, hoping that he would find his truth and constantly surprised by the bends and turns in the plot line.
Once more, Imran Mahmood has delivered a novel that is daring, yet very confidently written. Something really unusual. This is an author who knows people, how has studied behaviours and can translate those into blistering works of crime fiction. Recommended.
September 6, 2021
This is a well-written and well-constructed book and it largely deserves its many rave reviews. However, while it is gripping in parts, I found it a bit slow in others. I was very engaged for most of the book, but then started to tire of it, particularly the main character, Xander Shute. I also feel the ending lets the book down, somewhat. Still, you read a thriller for the storytelling, not the dénouement, don't you?!
Like this review? You can find all my reviews on my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews
Like this review? You can find all my reviews on my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews
April 7, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend Mahmood’s You Don’t Know Me, disappointingly I can’t say the same about I KNOW WHAT I SAW.
The book blurb is great and having thought about it, I expected and wanted more of a straightforward mystery than this book proved to be.
I think Mahmood did a great job in his portrayal of Xander Shute and the many problems faced by homeless people well beyond the basics of lacking food and shelter. In Xander’s case his ongoing confusion about what he saw mixed in with decades old memories made him an unreliable narrator. While such characters can work well within the context of a mystery, I felt Mahmood used this as a crutch to carry the book along from start to finish. The twists too often relied on Xander remembering or misremembering something. It didn’t make for an exciting read because so often the discoveries were simply convenient to the plot. I found this incredibly frustrating.
Matt Addis narrated the audio version that I listened to. I think he did a fine job of bringing Xander and all the other characters to life. His voice is clear, he conveyed emotions as required and, his voices for other characters was distinct . I’ll definitely check out what other books he has narrated.
Although this book didn’t work for me, I’ll certainly give the next book Mahmood writes a go.
2.5 stars
The book blurb is great and having thought about it, I expected and wanted more of a straightforward mystery than this book proved to be.
I think Mahmood did a great job in his portrayal of Xander Shute and the many problems faced by homeless people well beyond the basics of lacking food and shelter. In Xander’s case his ongoing confusion about what he saw mixed in with decades old memories made him an unreliable narrator. While such characters can work well within the context of a mystery, I felt Mahmood used this as a crutch to carry the book along from start to finish. The twists too often relied on Xander remembering or misremembering something. It didn’t make for an exciting read because so often the discoveries were simply convenient to the plot. I found this incredibly frustrating.
Matt Addis narrated the audio version that I listened to. I think he did a fine job of bringing Xander and all the other characters to life. His voice is clear, he conveyed emotions as required and, his voices for other characters was distinct . I’ll definitely check out what other books he has narrated.
Although this book didn’t work for me, I’ll certainly give the next book Mahmood writes a go.
2.5 stars
May 13, 2021
4.5* I loved this book.
I absolutely loved the authors previous novel so I was very keen to read this one.
I don’t usually comment on book dedications, but thought this one was both lovely and very poetic.
A psychological thriller part mystery crime part legal thriller from the point of view of a homeless man Xander Shute. He has gone from riches to rags by choice, as he still had money.
He witnesses a murder of a woman but the police don’t believe him, forcing him to question himself and investigate himself to find the truth.
It appears to have a 2 week time frame, although I’m not totally clear on this. It is beautifully written, concise sentence structure but quite poetic.
It immediately grabbed my attention, with my heart strings being tugged at Xanders predicament with life on the streets. He doesn’t appear to have succumbed to the usual pitfalls of drink or drugs.
Xander does go off at a tangent with flash backs which gives a disjointed feel. It adds credence to him seeming to be an unreliable narrator, it also gives us a glimpse into his previous life style. It doesn’t make for a smooth reading flow though.
Xander is the only main character in the book, but he isn’t a character that I could like, everything about him felt detached, slightly surreal. I did feel sorry for him, and the prejudice that homeless people face daily. At times his situation really tugged on my emotions.
I like the way that words spoken in the flashbacks and the present crossover to tie him back to the present.
I found the pace really dropped following the reporting of the body.
The pace picked up again once he teamed up with Amit. Then the tension built well to a great finale.
I have rated this book lower than the first one. They are very different books. Firstly I must say it’s not due to a fault of the book but personal preference, I struggle with unreliable narrators.
I absolutely loved the authors previous novel so I was very keen to read this one.
I don’t usually comment on book dedications, but thought this one was both lovely and very poetic.
A psychological thriller part mystery crime part legal thriller from the point of view of a homeless man Xander Shute. He has gone from riches to rags by choice, as he still had money.
He witnesses a murder of a woman but the police don’t believe him, forcing him to question himself and investigate himself to find the truth.
It appears to have a 2 week time frame, although I’m not totally clear on this. It is beautifully written, concise sentence structure but quite poetic.
It immediately grabbed my attention, with my heart strings being tugged at Xanders predicament with life on the streets. He doesn’t appear to have succumbed to the usual pitfalls of drink or drugs.
Xander does go off at a tangent with flash backs which gives a disjointed feel. It adds credence to him seeming to be an unreliable narrator, it also gives us a glimpse into his previous life style. It doesn’t make for a smooth reading flow though.
Xander is the only main character in the book, but he isn’t a character that I could like, everything about him felt detached, slightly surreal. I did feel sorry for him, and the prejudice that homeless people face daily. At times his situation really tugged on my emotions.
I like the way that words spoken in the flashbacks and the present crossover to tie him back to the present.
I found the pace really dropped following the reporting of the body.
The pace picked up again once he teamed up with Amit. Then the tension built well to a great finale.
I have rated this book lower than the first one. They are very different books. Firstly I must say it’s not due to a fault of the book but personal preference, I struggle with unreliable narrators.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2021
I Know What I Saw - Imran Mahmood
I was very interested to read this after seeing rave reviews for his previous book.
I Know What I Saw is a very unusual novel, a psychological mystery thriller about a homeless man who believes he has witnessed a murder and his obsessive need to get to the truth.
Xander Shute is a very unusual protagonist, homeless in London, apparently by choice as he is middle class, well educated, had a well paid job and money in the bank.
Xander's life on the streets is unflinchingly portrayed, with physical violence, head injuries and the constant struggle to keep warm, dry and safe.
Xander's thoughts and memories are disjointed and often rambling, slipping between the present and past events. I'm mentioning Xander a lot, he is really the only character we get to actually know about in real, human detail.
Here is no doubt it is very well written, I found it absorbing rather than compelling. The tension does build towards the end, as pieces do fall into place. Discoveries in the present make Xander re-think and re-remember things he think he knew.
I read a lot of psychological novels and thrillers and I found this good, but not great. I found it a little disjointed, I didn't find Xander very likeable or relatable, partly through the structure, it felt like Xander's didn't want anyone else getting into his head making empathy difficult.
Thanks to Netgalley and Raven Books / Bloomsbury
I was very interested to read this after seeing rave reviews for his previous book.
I Know What I Saw is a very unusual novel, a psychological mystery thriller about a homeless man who believes he has witnessed a murder and his obsessive need to get to the truth.
Xander Shute is a very unusual protagonist, homeless in London, apparently by choice as he is middle class, well educated, had a well paid job and money in the bank.
Xander's life on the streets is unflinchingly portrayed, with physical violence, head injuries and the constant struggle to keep warm, dry and safe.
Xander's thoughts and memories are disjointed and often rambling, slipping between the present and past events. I'm mentioning Xander a lot, he is really the only character we get to actually know about in real, human detail.
Here is no doubt it is very well written, I found it absorbing rather than compelling. The tension does build towards the end, as pieces do fall into place. Discoveries in the present make Xander re-think and re-remember things he think he knew.
I read a lot of psychological novels and thrillers and I found this good, but not great. I found it a little disjointed, I didn't find Xander very likeable or relatable, partly through the structure, it felt like Xander's didn't want anyone else getting into his head making empathy difficult.
Thanks to Netgalley and Raven Books / Bloomsbury
August 4, 2021
This is a psychological thriller whose protagonist and first person narrator, Xander Shute, is a homeless man with an interesting background story (middle class, Oxbridge, mathematician, finance)... and a number of traumas (familial, societal...) which have made him what he is at the start of the novel: Is he capable of violence? Is he a reliable witness? why is he so hunted by the past?
I enjoyed the mystery, especially at the beginning but found the development of the story slightly relentless and a bit repetitive at each turn of the plot screw. The narrator-protagonist felt younger than the actual age he is, and there are other verisimilitude elements regarding his past wealth and where it all went that I found slightly irritating - although I do understand the need for some gaps... The novel takes place in London and although some areas are roamed at large, I imagined more than read the locales (I happen to live in central London, which was a help). On the other hand I learned a lot about how the homeless survive, not small thing, and the legal proceedings had an authentic ring to them.
I am sure that this novel will be enjoyed by many if you are looking for an easy, entertaining read. There are longueurs, and I was not really gripped by the protagonists predicament, but that could just be me.
Many thanks to the publishers, Bloomsbury, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this decent thriller.
I enjoyed the mystery, especially at the beginning but found the development of the story slightly relentless and a bit repetitive at each turn of the plot screw. The narrator-protagonist felt younger than the actual age he is, and there are other verisimilitude elements regarding his past wealth and where it all went that I found slightly irritating - although I do understand the need for some gaps... The novel takes place in London and although some areas are roamed at large, I imagined more than read the locales (I happen to live in central London, which was a help). On the other hand I learned a lot about how the homeless survive, not small thing, and the legal proceedings had an authentic ring to them.
I am sure that this novel will be enjoyed by many if you are looking for an easy, entertaining read. There are longueurs, and I was not really gripped by the protagonists predicament, but that could just be me.
Many thanks to the publishers, Bloomsbury, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this decent thriller.
May 17, 2022
Saw 4 and 5 stars rating mostly for this book that it gets me interested (with expectations) a bit. My first of Imran Mahmood and would say that he did have an intriguing idea to this book, especially on ways of how he crafted and narrated the protagonist and fit those psychological thrills for the plot.
From being wealthy and successful Cambridge graduate to be living on the streets, Xander has witnessed a murder one night while having a sleep on an unknown flat's floor. The incident has brought him to get all the flashbacks of his life and a reminiscing of the past incident while losing his brother due to a suicide. He gets thrown behind bars for an assault accusation but managed to tell the cops on the murder he saw. A revelation shocked him later that Xander decided to do his own search to unravel the lost piece of truth and the answer to the murder case.
It was not as suspenseful as I thought it would be yet I fancy how the author explores the fragility of Xander's psyche; an unreliable narrator with flawed character that would hit you both with suspicions and empathy. On trauma and anxiety, family dynamics and siblings rivalry to relationship, jealousy, resentment and guilt. A slow pacing narrative to me and as Xander was haunted by pieces of his past and suffered with patchy memory, I get few plotholes on other characters that it feels bit jumpy to grasp their whole story arc.
Most of the twists were easy to guess but I love how the plot later relates to litigation with court setting that I find it quite interesting, perhaps as the author himself is a barrister so he knows how to compellingly wrote that part. Would consider this as a light psycho-thriller with character-based plotline, not that highly tension for me but enough to enthral me until the end. 3.5 stars to this!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me an ARC for a review!
From being wealthy and successful Cambridge graduate to be living on the streets, Xander has witnessed a murder one night while having a sleep on an unknown flat's floor. The incident has brought him to get all the flashbacks of his life and a reminiscing of the past incident while losing his brother due to a suicide. He gets thrown behind bars for an assault accusation but managed to tell the cops on the murder he saw. A revelation shocked him later that Xander decided to do his own search to unravel the lost piece of truth and the answer to the murder case.
It was not as suspenseful as I thought it would be yet I fancy how the author explores the fragility of Xander's psyche; an unreliable narrator with flawed character that would hit you both with suspicions and empathy. On trauma and anxiety, family dynamics and siblings rivalry to relationship, jealousy, resentment and guilt. A slow pacing narrative to me and as Xander was haunted by pieces of his past and suffered with patchy memory, I get few plotholes on other characters that it feels bit jumpy to grasp their whole story arc.
Most of the twists were easy to guess but I love how the plot later relates to litigation with court setting that I find it quite interesting, perhaps as the author himself is a barrister so he knows how to compellingly wrote that part. Would consider this as a light psycho-thriller with character-based plotline, not that highly tension for me but enough to enthral me until the end. 3.5 stars to this!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me an ARC for a review!
March 20, 2025
Очень страшная книга об искривлениях памяти.
May 27, 2022
A real page turner. Great read
April 9, 2025
Не детектив, но история о том, насколько ненадежными могут быть собственные воспоминания. Лучший кусок — первая небольшая часть про бездомность.
May 22, 2022
This was a very drawn out story that suffered from pacing issues, a slow plot, and far too much time in an unstable main character’s headspace.
I found the back and forth with Xander’s amnesia got on my nerves. I like an unreliable narrator in fiction but this took it too far and just made reading confusing and disjointed. He wasn’t sympathetic as a character nor were did his motivation make any sense. I didn’t like him and that made it difficult to invest in his (mostly self-inflicted) woes.
I wasn’t really convinced by any of the characters and found the ending rushed and, after all the whiplash with the back and forth (He’s guilty! He’s innocent! He’s guilty! Not wait, innocent!), underwhelming. I was more relieved the book was over.
Additionally, the plot was unresolved. Given how much filler there is in the book (part of what makes the pacing so off), to have such a rushed and incomplete ending did it a further disservice.
The story itself was nothing new and didn’t pique my interest (probably owing to the fact I didn’t give a crap about the MC and couldn’t figure out what was even true). It was far more police/court procedural than I’d usually pick up.
Disappointed I didn’t enjoy this one but alas…
I found the back and forth with Xander’s amnesia got on my nerves. I like an unreliable narrator in fiction but this took it too far and just made reading confusing and disjointed. He wasn’t sympathetic as a character nor were did his motivation make any sense. I didn’t like him and that made it difficult to invest in his (mostly self-inflicted) woes.
I wasn’t really convinced by any of the characters and found the ending rushed and, after all the whiplash with the back and forth (He’s guilty! He’s innocent! He’s guilty! Not wait, innocent!), underwhelming. I was more relieved the book was over.
Additionally, the plot was unresolved. Given how much filler there is in the book (part of what makes the pacing so off), to have such a rushed and incomplete ending did it a further disservice.
The story itself was nothing new and didn’t pique my interest (probably owing to the fact I didn’t give a crap about the MC and couldn’t figure out what was even true). It was far more police/court procedural than I’d usually pick up.
Disappointed I didn’t enjoy this one but alas…
December 31, 2021
Xander Shute was once a wealthy banker but now lives on the streets, homeless. One night he enters what looks like an empty flat, but then the occupants return home. A fight begins and he soon finds himself witness a murder. But when he tells the police of what he saw, they tell him the man and woman he saw couldn't have been there. Soon, his memory of the crime comes under close scrutiny and he is forced to confront the truth of his past.
I was not sold on this one to begin with but after the first 50 pages, it was clear this was a compelling mystery and I just had to keep reading. Xander's past, his sporadic memories and unreliable account of the murder had me turning the pages. I loved the backstory the author weaved through this one, particularly when his friend Seb arrives on the scene and Xander's recollection of his relationship with Grace. At that point, it almost felt a little bit predictable - until it wasn't! While this didn't have the fast and furious pace of other crime fiction novels, it was suspenseful up to the very end and the twists were sensational.
Thanks so much to the team at Bloomsbury Publishing for my gifted advance review copy.
I was not sold on this one to begin with but after the first 50 pages, it was clear this was a compelling mystery and I just had to keep reading. Xander's past, his sporadic memories and unreliable account of the murder had me turning the pages. I loved the backstory the author weaved through this one, particularly when his friend Seb arrives on the scene and Xander's recollection of his relationship with Grace. At that point, it almost felt a little bit predictable - until it wasn't! While this didn't have the fast and furious pace of other crime fiction novels, it was suspenseful up to the very end and the twists were sensational.
Thanks so much to the team at Bloomsbury Publishing for my gifted advance review copy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews