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Spider: Every marriage has a secret
When her missing husband is found dead in a car crash far from home, a charismatic actress must find out the truth in this utterly fresh take on the domestic suspense novel.
Sophie is an aspiring British Pakistani actress whose only claim to fame – despite her vast and unscrupulous ambitions – is the unplanned on-camera birth of her son, a clip which has become something of a cult favourite on the Indian B movie scene. Her husband, Tariq, is a pillar of Bradford’s Muslim community and her perfect match, until his sudden disappearance under mysterious circumstances. When a body is found, presumed to be his, but disfigured in a way that makes identification difficult, Sophie is distraught.
Tariq was her ‘third time lucky husband’. Her first, Amir, came out of a childhood sweetheart relationship that couldn't last, and her rebound marriage to doting Faraz, a recent immigrant to the UK and obsessed with the Royal Family, was even shorter lived. Is Sophie just luckless or is there more to her than meets the eye? And maybe, just maybe, one of her exes has something to do with Tariq’s untimely death. Might one of them be responsible for the threatening letters? Sophie herself is guilty of something, but is murder part of her ambition?
In Sophie, Dar has created a flawed yet hypnotising female lead: a cunning, narcissistic character for fans of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer. It is just a matter of time before her intricate web of lies begins to draw tighter.
Sophie is an aspiring British Pakistani actress whose only claim to fame – despite her vast and unscrupulous ambitions – is the unplanned on-camera birth of her son, a clip which has become something of a cult favourite on the Indian B movie scene. Her husband, Tariq, is a pillar of Bradford’s Muslim community and her perfect match, until his sudden disappearance under mysterious circumstances. When a body is found, presumed to be his, but disfigured in a way that makes identification difficult, Sophie is distraught.
Tariq was her ‘third time lucky husband’. Her first, Amir, came out of a childhood sweetheart relationship that couldn't last, and her rebound marriage to doting Faraz, a recent immigrant to the UK and obsessed with the Royal Family, was even shorter lived. Is Sophie just luckless or is there more to her than meets the eye? And maybe, just maybe, one of her exes has something to do with Tariq’s untimely death. Might one of them be responsible for the threatening letters? Sophie herself is guilty of something, but is murder part of her ambition?
In Sophie, Dar has created a flawed yet hypnotising female lead: a cunning, narcissistic character for fans of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer. It is just a matter of time before her intricate web of lies begins to draw tighter.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2023
11 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
Azma Dar
4 books8 followersI'm a reader and a writer, and especially love all kinds of crime fiction. I've written for theatre, screen and radio, and my first novel, The Secret Arts, was published by Dean Street Press as an e-book in Feb 2015. It's a mystery story set in Pakistan- black magic and murder in Muree...
I'm currently working on a new novel and several plays.
Favorite books: Crime, thrillers, mystery, humour, Asian
I'm currently working on a new novel and several plays.
Favorite books: Crime, thrillers, mystery, humour, Asian
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 8, 2024
3.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/-6tcNZLQJpg
This was a beautifully drawn character driven thriller. I was immediately pulled into the story of this interesting and complex woman. The writing was detailed and well crafted, which made for an enjoyable reading experience.
As for the mystery, I found that aspects to be fine but not the most compelling. I really enjoyed this one, but it's strength came from the character work, not necessarily the crime itself.
I would recommend this one to readers looking for a fascinating character study with rich cultural elements.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/-6tcNZLQJpg
This was a beautifully drawn character driven thriller. I was immediately pulled into the story of this interesting and complex woman. The writing was detailed and well crafted, which made for an enjoyable reading experience.
As for the mystery, I found that aspects to be fine but not the most compelling. I really enjoyed this one, but it's strength came from the character work, not necessarily the crime itself.
I would recommend this one to readers looking for a fascinating character study with rich cultural elements.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
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June 4, 2023Where did I stop reading? 40% in
Why? I really didn’t like Sophie as a character. I appreciated how the author was setting the book up for an unreliable narrator, and I was enjoying the multiple POV chapters to better emphasize that. But I have a serious issue getting on board with a character who is delusional, extremely jealous, and only thinks in black and white. I understand that there are A LOT of cultural differences at play here that I don’t fully understand, and the dynamics are clashing with my American European upbringing. I genuinely don’t think that’s what this is. While the other POVs weren’t great (in that they were kind of bland), I didn’t have the same issues I was having with Sophie. The story also kept wandering off. I know it was doing the flashbacks as sort of character development, but they kept deviating so far from what little snips of plot I was getting that I kept forgetting what the real story was. On top of that, the pivotal moment when Sophie was with Amir and Suleiman just shows up? That was such a plot device, and I found it unbelievable. With how his character was developed to that point, it just was not realistic, and he was put there for the sake of that moment in the plot playing out how it did. It felt forced. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Why? I really didn’t like Sophie as a character. I appreciated how the author was setting the book up for an unreliable narrator, and I was enjoying the multiple POV chapters to better emphasize that. But I have a serious issue getting on board with a character who is delusional, extremely jealous, and only thinks in black and white. I understand that there are A LOT of cultural differences at play here that I don’t fully understand, and the dynamics are clashing with my American European upbringing. I genuinely don’t think that’s what this is. While the other POVs weren’t great (in that they were kind of bland), I didn’t have the same issues I was having with Sophie. The story also kept wandering off. I know it was doing the flashbacks as sort of character development, but they kept deviating so far from what little snips of plot I was getting that I kept forgetting what the real story was. On top of that, the pivotal moment when Sophie was with Amir and Suleiman just shows up? That was such a plot device, and I found it unbelievable. With how his character was developed to that point, it just was not realistic, and he was put there for the sake of that moment in the plot playing out how it did. It felt forced. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2023
I was intrigued by the synopsis and also reading about a community I don’t know a great deal about. The book was well written and had great pace. I liked the switching between characters and time period which really helped flesh out the story from different perspectives. My only gripe was the the lead character described as “charismatic” that everyone seems to fall for was shallow, hideous and very unlikeable. It was hard to have any sympathy for her which I guess is the point of the story but I just wanted her to get her comeuppance sooner rather than later. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for allowing me to read this arc.
January 13, 2023
Spider by Azma Dar.
When her missing husband is found dead in a car crash far from home, a charismatic actress must find out the truth.
This was a good read. Likeable story. Twisty. I know I didn't trust Suleiman. I wasn't sure how I felt about Sophie. Surprised by the end. 4*.
When her missing husband is found dead in a car crash far from home, a charismatic actress must find out the truth.
This was a good read. Likeable story. Twisty. I know I didn't trust Suleiman. I wasn't sure how I felt about Sophie. Surprised by the end. 4*.
March 27, 2023
Sophie’s third husband, Tariq disappeared a few months ago, and she has just been asked to identified a body. Is it a murder or misadventure? She confirms that the fire damaged body is that of Tariq, but we don’t know how he died, where he died, why he died, and we have to wait for about a third of the book before we know the answers to these questions, because we first have to learn about Sophie’s first two husbands, Amir and Faraz, from whom she is divorced. During this section we learn quite a lot about her personality and quite a lot about the cultural life of the Pakistani community in and around Bradford. She has ambitions to be an actress, although these are constantly thwarted, and her obsession with this causes frictions in all of her marriages. It also throws light on her actions. Is she a poor, unlucky-in-love, girl, or is she writing her own script, determined to succeed at any cost.
The story is told in first person chunks by each of the main protagonists, which works well as a method for showing her personality from various angles. However, the narrators all fall into the “unreliable” category, so treat all their statements with a degree of caution. The early sections on her two former marriages feel a bit longer and more detailed than necessary, although they do provide an insight into the complex social world which provides the backdrop to the story. The obvious twist is exactly that: obvious. However, the major twist is a surprise and the ending is in character. It has been described as a thriller, but I don’t think it reaches that threshold. It has also been described as a suspense story, and that is reasonable given the structure of the plot. Overall, the plot is solid but could have been tighter. I’m conflicted on my rating; is it a bit pedestrian or is it much more devious than I think it is? I’m hedging on 4.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
The story is told in first person chunks by each of the main protagonists, which works well as a method for showing her personality from various angles. However, the narrators all fall into the “unreliable” category, so treat all their statements with a degree of caution. The early sections on her two former marriages feel a bit longer and more detailed than necessary, although they do provide an insight into the complex social world which provides the backdrop to the story. The obvious twist is exactly that: obvious. However, the major twist is a surprise and the ending is in character. It has been described as a thriller, but I don’t think it reaches that threshold. It has also been described as a suspense story, and that is reasonable given the structure of the plot. Overall, the plot is solid but could have been tighter. I’m conflicted on my rating; is it a bit pedestrian or is it much more devious than I think it is? I’m hedging on 4.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
April 23, 2023
Full text review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/spider-b...
Spider is a crime fiction novel, written by Azma Dar, an authentic page-turner that examines the role of Islamic traditions in marriage questions; we will be following Sophie, a British Pakistani aspiring actress, after her third husband is found dead in a car crash.
After this introduction, we quickly jump in time and get to know the stories of previous Sophie's husbands; and how each relationship was influenced by the cultural environment.
Her first relationship, with Amir, was a childhood love; which seemed to work at a first glance, but deteriorated over time, especially taking into account Amir's mother. While they tried to keep it, especially thinking about their son, the differences are too much.
A second one with Faraz wasn't really better, especially as it was mostly a decision to allow Faraz to get a UK id; and after discovering some secrets of Faraz's past, all is definitely broken. An ephemeral relationship.
Tariq seems to be the destined one, the lucky marriage; his disappearance makes Sophie rethink everything. While apparently, they were in an excellent state, but once we dive in, appearances are deceiving.
Azma Dar weaves a really hooking story, making the story jump between Sophie's and her husbands' POVs, going chronologically over the relationships, and showing the secrets behind the cover.
Sophie is a really interesting character, deeply flawed, prosecuted by the weight of traditions over marriage and her own career. Dar makes an excellent job showing the difficulties behind the career chosen by Sophie, increased by the cultural traditions behind the Asian community.
While we can foresight something suspicious inside Sophie, which grows the more we know about her, you never get to understand what it is until the final quarter.
The pacing is in an excellent spot, becoming this a really short read in comparison with the number of pages it has; it works excellently in this character-driven story, all built around Sophie.
Spider is an excellent thriller novel, a domestic fiction story perfect for those that love the genre. Azma Dar has shown a powerful voice, and is able to create memorable characters without losing focus on how the environment can affect them.
Spider is a crime fiction novel, written by Azma Dar, an authentic page-turner that examines the role of Islamic traditions in marriage questions; we will be following Sophie, a British Pakistani aspiring actress, after her third husband is found dead in a car crash.
After this introduction, we quickly jump in time and get to know the stories of previous Sophie's husbands; and how each relationship was influenced by the cultural environment.
Her first relationship, with Amir, was a childhood love; which seemed to work at a first glance, but deteriorated over time, especially taking into account Amir's mother. While they tried to keep it, especially thinking about their son, the differences are too much.
A second one with Faraz wasn't really better, especially as it was mostly a decision to allow Faraz to get a UK id; and after discovering some secrets of Faraz's past, all is definitely broken. An ephemeral relationship.
Tariq seems to be the destined one, the lucky marriage; his disappearance makes Sophie rethink everything. While apparently, they were in an excellent state, but once we dive in, appearances are deceiving.
Azma Dar weaves a really hooking story, making the story jump between Sophie's and her husbands' POVs, going chronologically over the relationships, and showing the secrets behind the cover.
Sophie is a really interesting character, deeply flawed, prosecuted by the weight of traditions over marriage and her own career. Dar makes an excellent job showing the difficulties behind the career chosen by Sophie, increased by the cultural traditions behind the Asian community.
While we can foresight something suspicious inside Sophie, which grows the more we know about her, you never get to understand what it is until the final quarter.
The pacing is in an excellent spot, becoming this a really short read in comparison with the number of pages it has; it works excellently in this character-driven story, all built around Sophie.
Spider is an excellent thriller novel, a domestic fiction story perfect for those that love the genre. Azma Dar has shown a powerful voice, and is able to create memorable characters without losing focus on how the environment can affect them.
March 4, 2025
Thank you for the free book Datura Books @daturabooks and Azma Dar @azmadar
“Spider: Every Marriage Has a Secret” by Azma Dar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Domestic Thriller.
Sophie is a charasmatic British Pakistani aspiring actress with vast, unscrupulous ambitions. Her only claim to fame is the unplanned on-camera birth of her son (a cult favourite on the Indian B movie scene). Her husband, Tariq, is her perfect match, and a pillar of Bradford’s Muslim community. Tariq is her ‘3rd time lucky husband’. Her first, Amir, was a childhood sweetheart relationship that didn’t last, and her short-lived rebound husband, Faraz, was a recent immigrant to the UK obsessed with the Royal Family. Then Tariq disappears under mysterious circumstances. A body is found, disfigured in a way that makes identification difficult. Was one of her exes responsible for the threatening letters and Tariq’s death? Sophie is guilty of something, but is it murder?
Author Dar has written a thriller of a noir novel. Her charismatic “femme fatale” main character is cunning-and quite flawed. Dar’s book is fast-paced, chilling, and its plot twists will keep you reading. If you liked Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer, this might be the book for you! It’s 4 stars from me 🌵📚👩🏼🦳
“Spider: Every Marriage Has a Secret” by Azma Dar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Domestic Thriller.
Sophie is a charasmatic British Pakistani aspiring actress with vast, unscrupulous ambitions. Her only claim to fame is the unplanned on-camera birth of her son (a cult favourite on the Indian B movie scene). Her husband, Tariq, is her perfect match, and a pillar of Bradford’s Muslim community. Tariq is her ‘3rd time lucky husband’. Her first, Amir, was a childhood sweetheart relationship that didn’t last, and her short-lived rebound husband, Faraz, was a recent immigrant to the UK obsessed with the Royal Family. Then Tariq disappears under mysterious circumstances. A body is found, disfigured in a way that makes identification difficult. Was one of her exes responsible for the threatening letters and Tariq’s death? Sophie is guilty of something, but is it murder?
Author Dar has written a thriller of a noir novel. Her charismatic “femme fatale” main character is cunning-and quite flawed. Dar’s book is fast-paced, chilling, and its plot twists will keep you reading. If you liked Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer, this might be the book for you! It’s 4 stars from me 🌵📚👩🏼🦳
May 25, 2023
Naaaah, Sophie, are you ok?? You absolute head case!
The characters in this book are MESSYYYYY and FLAWED and INSIDEOUSLY CAPTIVATING and here are some of my thoughts:
- I needed to SHAKE THE SHIIIT out of Sophie from beginning to end.
- Suleiman is creeepy and deserves to be stroked in the face...with a chair
- I can't believe that I actually felt for Amir and start to find myself agreeing with him.
- Poor Faraz, I hope you get your own back
- Tariq, dude, LOOOOOOOOL
- I REALLY need to confirm my pedicure apt for the weekend (IYKYK)
Guys, I won't say much more apart from, if you enjoy books with characters that you love to hate, need something simple with short snappy chapters and need to slag someone off...then look no further.
Dar knew exactly what she was doing writing this book and I love that I was torn between full on hating on Sophie and then feeling guilty about doing so.
Another easy summer read for the win!
The characters in this book are MESSYYYYY and FLAWED and INSIDEOUSLY CAPTIVATING and here are some of my thoughts:
- I needed to SHAKE THE SHIIIT out of Sophie from beginning to end.
- Suleiman is creeepy and deserves to be stroked in the face...with a chair
- I can't believe that I actually felt for Amir and start to find myself agreeing with him.
- Poor Faraz, I hope you get your own back
- Tariq, dude, LOOOOOOOOL
- I REALLY need to confirm my pedicure apt for the weekend (IYKYK)
Guys, I won't say much more apart from, if you enjoy books with characters that you love to hate, need something simple with short snappy chapters and need to slag someone off...then look no further.
Dar knew exactly what she was doing writing this book and I love that I was torn between full on hating on Sophie and then feeling guilty about doing so.
Another easy summer read for the win!
April 29, 2023
Ok so hear me out... Azma Dar has written a fantastic book… but you gave it a 3? You may ask
Call me crazy (because I am) but I have a system…my star rating is like this, 5 stars I love the books I love the characters, 4 stars I loved the characters and the book was good or the other way around, 3 stars I loved the book or I loved the characters but not both! Ok you get me? Ok if you don’t because believe me sometimes I don’t
I loved this book, it was a plot that had me screaming! Sophie becomes an aspiring actress after marrying her first husband, which is about the time where I was like oh she has some flaws but by her 3rd husband I was so over her because she really leans in on those flaw.
What Azma Dar has got right is giving us both sides of the marriages and giving us the view from both Sophie and her husbands. Having both of the views really helps you understand Sophie, or yell a few times out loud for people to hear “oh my gods Sophie!!!”
It's a psychological crime novel that keeps you guessing and you all know I love my psychological thriller crimes. It’s a must read for sure. I’m looking forward to reading more of Azma Dars future novels
Call me crazy (because I am) but I have a system…my star rating is like this, 5 stars I love the books I love the characters, 4 stars I loved the characters and the book was good or the other way around, 3 stars I loved the book or I loved the characters but not both! Ok you get me? Ok if you don’t because believe me sometimes I don’t
I loved this book, it was a plot that had me screaming! Sophie becomes an aspiring actress after marrying her first husband, which is about the time where I was like oh she has some flaws but by her 3rd husband I was so over her because she really leans in on those flaw.
What Azma Dar has got right is giving us both sides of the marriages and giving us the view from both Sophie and her husbands. Having both of the views really helps you understand Sophie, or yell a few times out loud for people to hear “oh my gods Sophie!!!”
It's a psychological crime novel that keeps you guessing and you all know I love my psychological thriller crimes. It’s a must read for sure. I’m looking forward to reading more of Azma Dars future novels
January 18, 2024
I was sent this book by the author for an honest review.
The writing is engaging and we’re in Sophie’s head a lot which to be honest is not a nice place to be.
Sophie is an aspiring British Pakistani actress who unfortunately invites death seemingly unknowingly into her life and she never means the “accidents” that follow her around.
Then we also follow her various husbands and how she met them which to be honest I found a little tedious but pushed the story along.
I think it’s a good domestic thriller and one that will keep you guessing but I’ll be honest I found the last half a little rushed and the climax well…anticlimactic.
Sophie is clever in how she does things and if you’re familiar with Yorkshire especially the Bradford area, this will have a lot of familiar places.
Overall, a decent read for domestic thriller fans.
The writing is engaging and we’re in Sophie’s head a lot which to be honest is not a nice place to be.
Sophie is an aspiring British Pakistani actress who unfortunately invites death seemingly unknowingly into her life and she never means the “accidents” that follow her around.
Then we also follow her various husbands and how she met them which to be honest I found a little tedious but pushed the story along.
I think it’s a good domestic thriller and one that will keep you guessing but I’ll be honest I found the last half a little rushed and the climax well…anticlimactic.
Sophie is clever in how she does things and if you’re familiar with Yorkshire especially the Bradford area, this will have a lot of familiar places.
Overall, a decent read for domestic thriller fans.
March 18, 2023
I started this book few days ago, but couldn't finish it due to work. I picked this again and finished it in one go. And dude SOPHIE!!
I have no words to describe her, really. She may think that she is acting, (in the last chapter) but that's what she truly is. And one extra star to Azma what that last sentence of the book 😂I don't know why but it's quite funny to me.
It's like seven husbands all over again just the sinister version and minus four husbands.
I have no words to describe her, really. She may think that she is acting, (in the last chapter) but that's what she truly is. And one extra star to Azma what that last sentence of the book 😂I don't know why but it's quite funny to me.
It's like seven husbands all over again just the sinister version and minus four husbands.
January 17, 2023
I was intrigued by this novel from both the title and the synopsis. Sophie’s husband is found dead in a car crash miles from home and she must find out the truth of what has happened. I really enjoyed this novel, it’s dark and twisty and kept me entertained to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Datura Books and the author for the chance to review.
April 3, 2023
The structure of this book is really interesting and unique! Sophie is such a complex main character, and we learn more and more about her and her life as the story goes on. I truly think that the book's ending in particular is something that even the most eagle-eyed readers will never spot.
Enjoy navigating the spider's web!!
Enjoy navigating the spider's web!!
March 18, 2023
Sophie's husband Tariq has gone missing, but the truth about the events leading to his disappearance are steeped in Sophie's past...including her ex-husband Amir.
Azma Dar has created a flawed yet magnetic character in Sophie - this is the perfect read for fans of Gone Girl
Azma Dar has created a flawed yet magnetic character in Sophie - this is the perfect read for fans of Gone Girl
April 15, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book, although I did enjoy it and raced to the end to find out what happened. All the way through I kept thinking “What an awful, awful, selfish and stupid woman.” I was delighted with the conclusion! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.
January 2, 2024
Creative plot
Not what I expected, but a well written fun thriller.
I enjoyed reading this, I look forward to reading Noor.
I think this can be summed up with: one small lie, and one accidental push can lead to dire consequences
Not what I expected, but a well written fun thriller.
I enjoyed reading this, I look forward to reading Noor.
I think this can be summed up with: one small lie, and one accidental push can lead to dire consequences
December 19, 2024
Read the whole thing in one day. I loved the different character perspectives. I'm not sure about one characters choices at the end but everyone is such a pos that it kind of works lol. Would read again, would love to read more of this author's work.
September 10, 2023
It was okay. The ending was a tad rushed and ended in an odd way that made sense but was predictable.
November 30, 2023
This was such a page turner! I loved the multiple POV’s and short chapters, I was gripped from start to finish.
Read
January 4, 2024I read the uncorrected bound proof I picked up from a bookstand so I won’t review this one considering this version wasn’t published.
July 9, 2025
Irritating people
July 20, 2025
Unreliable narrator and lots of acts of ridiculousness
March 17, 2024
I couldn’t put it down
This book is a roller coaster! The main character is a real piece of work, and her “escapades” are mind boggling. Her actions are repulsive. She’s the poster child for a psychopath. Riveting and fast paced book, and it’s one I will definitely remember!
This book is a roller coaster! The main character is a real piece of work, and her “escapades” are mind boggling. Her actions are repulsive. She’s the poster child for a psychopath. Riveting and fast paced book, and it’s one I will definitely remember!
June 12, 2025
3.5 ✩ This book just appealed to me in the mystery / thriller section of Barnes and noble. Fast paced and attention grabbing. I also felt like I learned some things about Islamic & Muslim culture in an entertaining way.
But the main character Sophie is pretty unlikeable, sounding narcissistic and delusional throughout. The author’s writing, different POVS, and short chapters still kept me intrigued though and I think more people would enjoy this read!
But the main character Sophie is pretty unlikeable, sounding narcissistic and delusional throughout. The author’s writing, different POVS, and short chapters still kept me intrigued though and I think more people would enjoy this read!
October 20, 2023
All my reviews can be found at damppebbles.com
I do love a domestic thriller and this one hooked me in from the get-go.
Sophie is unlucky in love. She met her first husband at school, he was her first love, but things with Amir didn’t quite go to plan. Her marriage to her second husband, Faraz, was a mistake from the start. But on her third attempt to find her happily ever after, she struck gold with Tariq. Tariq was perfect for Sophie. A good-looking, successful businessman and widower. But one day, Tariq vanished without a trace. Only to turn up dead months later as the victim of a car accident. What drove Tariq to leave the family home? Was it something Sophie did? Or could one of her ex-husbands be responsible, consumed by jealousy and driven to exact revenge. Someone from Sophie’s past knows the truth and it’s only a matter of time before that truth comes knocking…
I loved everything about Spider by Azma Dar. I thought Sophie was utterly captivating as the lead character. She’s flawed in many ways but that only made her all the more interesting. Sophie decides during her first marriage that her ambition in life is to be an actor. Something first husband, Amir, isn’t so keen on. But that’s not going to stop Sophie from doing what she wants to do! Sneaking around behind Amir’s back, attending acting lessons. From here on in, you can’t help but wonder how much of Sophie the reader sees is her acting a part and how much is real. And I loved that! I couldn’t trust her at all. Throughout the story the imposing shadow of Suleiman, a distant relative of Amir’s who isn’t really related to him in any way, looms large over Sophie. Extorting large sums of cash for overseas projects he has on the go. Her ambition to become a famous actor coupled with her ‘relationship’ with Suleiman, show the reader how naïve Sophie is. Which only makes her all the more interesting in my eyes.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Spider is a well-written novel which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The story is told from multiple points of view, in both the past and the present. All three husbands, as well as our enigmatic lead, all have their say and get to tell their side of the story. And what a story it is! The flashbacks to the past, and in particular the early days of Sophie and Amir, before they were together, made for riveting reading. Their story is told in the first quarter of the novel and it was this insight into a young Sophie which grabbed my attention and had me hooked for the rest of the tale. I couldn’t put this book down and was keen to find out how things would end. I was able to to predict a couple of aspects but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all. A compelling, highly intriguing domestic thriller with an unforgettable lead. I cannot wait to read more by Azma Dar. Highly recommended.
I do love a domestic thriller and this one hooked me in from the get-go.
Sophie is unlucky in love. She met her first husband at school, he was her first love, but things with Amir didn’t quite go to plan. Her marriage to her second husband, Faraz, was a mistake from the start. But on her third attempt to find her happily ever after, she struck gold with Tariq. Tariq was perfect for Sophie. A good-looking, successful businessman and widower. But one day, Tariq vanished without a trace. Only to turn up dead months later as the victim of a car accident. What drove Tariq to leave the family home? Was it something Sophie did? Or could one of her ex-husbands be responsible, consumed by jealousy and driven to exact revenge. Someone from Sophie’s past knows the truth and it’s only a matter of time before that truth comes knocking…
I loved everything about Spider by Azma Dar. I thought Sophie was utterly captivating as the lead character. She’s flawed in many ways but that only made her all the more interesting. Sophie decides during her first marriage that her ambition in life is to be an actor. Something first husband, Amir, isn’t so keen on. But that’s not going to stop Sophie from doing what she wants to do! Sneaking around behind Amir’s back, attending acting lessons. From here on in, you can’t help but wonder how much of Sophie the reader sees is her acting a part and how much is real. And I loved that! I couldn’t trust her at all. Throughout the story the imposing shadow of Suleiman, a distant relative of Amir’s who isn’t really related to him in any way, looms large over Sophie. Extorting large sums of cash for overseas projects he has on the go. Her ambition to become a famous actor coupled with her ‘relationship’ with Suleiman, show the reader how naïve Sophie is. Which only makes her all the more interesting in my eyes.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Spider is a well-written novel which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The story is told from multiple points of view, in both the past and the present. All three husbands, as well as our enigmatic lead, all have their say and get to tell their side of the story. And what a story it is! The flashbacks to the past, and in particular the early days of Sophie and Amir, before they were together, made for riveting reading. Their story is told in the first quarter of the novel and it was this insight into a young Sophie which grabbed my attention and had me hooked for the rest of the tale. I couldn’t put this book down and was keen to find out how things would end. I was able to to predict a couple of aspects but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book at all. A compelling, highly intriguing domestic thriller with an unforgettable lead. I cannot wait to read more by Azma Dar. Highly recommended.
April 8, 2023
Such a fitting title this novel has. The main characters is just that: a partner eating spider. And she is hungry, she is voracious in fact. Her charms are endless, her manipulation technique well developed, attracting one unsuspecting partner after anther. Of course it takes a villein to bring down another villein...
I also loved that it is based in/on the British Asian community and is clear that Azma Dar is part of the community herself. Her portrait of it is very colourful and faithful to my own experience of living with Asians and having close contact with the extended Muslim Asian community. It's always lovely to read and see life from different perspectives, and especially to see the British Asian community being represented in fiction.
*Book from NetGalley with many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity!
I also loved that it is based in/on the British Asian community and is clear that Azma Dar is part of the community herself. Her portrait of it is very colourful and faithful to my own experience of living with Asians and having close contact with the extended Muslim Asian community. It's always lovely to read and see life from different perspectives, and especially to see the British Asian community being represented in fiction.
*Book from NetGalley with many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity!
March 2, 2025
was so jarring to see leeds and bradford in a book lol
enjoyed this way more than i’d thought, as it’s quite different to what i usually read. i did struggle to get into this at first but once i was in i was IN and i sped through the second half.
i was worried that with all the characters (husbands) they’d all blend into one, but for the most part they were pretty easy to distinguish. they were quite one dimensional though which was a little frustrating. i know they’re meant to be misogynistic but there’s only so much of that i can take, and sophie also became a little too much for me at times.
i really liked the cultural rooting of this story, which i felt was informative and easy to understand. i love learning about other cultures and there were a lot of similarities with my own (cultural expectations who ?), which was refreshing to see on the page.
overall i was engaged and i was unnerved so 3.5/5 from me !
tw: violence, trauma, murder, death, paranoia, manipulation
enjoyed this way more than i’d thought, as it’s quite different to what i usually read. i did struggle to get into this at first but once i was in i was IN and i sped through the second half.
i was worried that with all the characters (husbands) they’d all blend into one, but for the most part they were pretty easy to distinguish. they were quite one dimensional though which was a little frustrating. i know they’re meant to be misogynistic but there’s only so much of that i can take, and sophie also became a little too much for me at times.
i really liked the cultural rooting of this story, which i felt was informative and easy to understand. i love learning about other cultures and there were a lot of similarities with my own (cultural expectations who ?), which was refreshing to see on the page.
overall i was engaged and i was unnerved so 3.5/5 from me !
tw: violence, trauma, murder, death, paranoia, manipulation
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