By Amer Anwar
Published by Dialogue Books
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher
Publisher's description
A Sikh girl on the run. A Muslim ex-con who has to find her. A whole heap of trouble.
Southall, West London. After being released from prison, Zaq Khan is lucky to land a dead-end job at a builders' yard. All he wants to do is keep his head down and put the past behind him.
But when Zaq is forced to search for his boss's runaway daughter, he quickly finds himself caught up in a deadly web of deception, murder and revenge.
With time running out and pressure mounting, can he find the missing girl before it's too late? And if he does, can he keep her - and himself - alive long enough to deal with the people who want them both dead?
Brothers in Blood is gritty, dark, violent and lots of fun.
This action-packed crime thriller is set in the Asian community in Southall. I can't say for sure whether or not this is authentic, as I don't know the area at all. But it certainly felt it, as Amer Anwar led me along the cultural tightrope in this close-knit community, with reference to languages, foods, family life and clashes between local Sikhs and Muslims.
The plot centres around Zaq Khan, who has been released from prison (after an unfortunate incident) and is trying to keep his head down. He's forced to turn private eye when his Sikh boss Mr Brar tasks him with finding his daughter Rita, who has run off with a Muslim man. Zaq tries to refuse the job, but Mr Brar gives him no choice - threatening to send him back to prison using false allegations.
As Zaq explores every aspect of Rita's life, he realises her disappearance isn't as clear cut as it seems and he's putting his life in danger. He has to think fast, act fast and talk fast to get himself out of several precarious situations. The book isn't for the faint-hearted, with some well-described fight scenes. I don't think I'll ever look at lemons and chilli powder in the same way again - ouch! It's also filled with comedic moments and plenty of warmth, thanks to the interactions between Zaq and his best friend Jags.
Brothers in Blood may be a bit far fetched in places but this just added to the pace, resulting in a gripping climax. This would be perfect for the small or big screen, with its fight scenes, car chases, well-plotted storyline, larger-than-life characters and sharp dialogue. The book covers fresh, contemporary themes - a novel of modern day Britain - and taught me a lot about different Asian cultures. Highly recommended!
