The Book
Be twice as good as men and four times as good as white men.
Jia Khan has always lived like this.
A successful lawyer, her London life is a long way from the grubby Northern streets she knew as a child, where her father headed up the Pakistani community and ran the local organised crime syndicate. Often his Jirga rule - the old way - was violent and bloody, but it was always justice of a kind.
But now her father, Akbar Khan, has been murdered and Jia must return to take his place. In the past, the police relied on him to maintain the fragile order of the streets. But a power struggle has broken out amongst the various communities and now, nobody is safe.
Justice needs to be restored, and Jia is about to discover that justice always comes at a cost.
Additional Information
| Pages | 336 |
|---|---|
| Imprint | Point Blank |
Reviews
'With The Khan, Saima Mir delivers a once-in-a-generation crime-thriller and in Jia Khan has created a female South-Asian protagonist who is fierce, passionate and absolutely compelling. This is not simply black-and-white on the page. It's blood. It's emotion. It's tears, anger, betrayal and revenge. An outstanding debut which deserves to be read widely.'
'A brilliant debut from an exciting new voice for our times. A thrilling book with a thrilling hero in Jia. Brava.'
'It's an amazing piece of work and very timely at the moment... An amazing sense of place and time. I'm sure it's going to be a sensational debut.'
'Bold, addictive and brilliant.'
'Compelling and gritty'
'A tremendous debut (Jia Khan is a fascinating, multi-layered protagonist). Timely, authentic, immersive and powerful. Hints of The Godfather. SUPERB.'
'Superb. In particular the character development is excellent. I'm going to have to step up my game just to keep up. Damn you, Saima!'
'Saima Mir's debut, The Khan, traces its lineage to such classics as Mario Puzo's seminal work The Godfather: it is the story of a British Asian woman hailing from an organised crime family, the daughter of a first generation immigrant, who rejects the family business but is ultimately pulled into the vacuum left by her father's death. Mir's novel pulls no punches, taking aim at cultural stereotypes, sacred cows, and the attitudes and morality of the community within which the story is based. The book operates on various levels: crime family saga, character study, and an exploration of clan-run organised crime. A sterling debut.'
'Blown away by the intricacy of such a clever, complex plot and the sense of unease.'
'Jia is incredibly compelling without being simply likeable. It's a joy to read a book set in northern England that does not veer into cliche. It's so good on motherhood, morality and gender.'
'Saima Mir reinvents the gangster genre with dark lyrical prose that explores trauma, being an outsider, white privilege and revenge. Jia Khan is the enigmatic female lead we have been waiting for. I loved this book and can't wait to see whom Jia visits her vicious yet calculated brand of justice on next.'
'This is an excellent debut and hopefully the start of a fantastic new series! Absolutely loved the ending, great new author to follow right from the beginning, I feel this could be a real eye opener of a series. It's certainly going to keep you on the edge of your seat. Most definitely recommended.'
'The Khan is a dark, gripping thriller that subverts the usual "women as victims" narrative of crime fiction. Mir's writing is complex and evocative and The Khan is a fantastic read, sure to catch you in its clutches and not let you go until the final, heart pounding pages.'
'A tour de force that grabs you by the lapels and doesn't let you go till the end... Jia Khan is one of the toughest, smartest characters created in years. Don't even THINK about calling her feisty.'
'Just fantastic... Take a bow Saima Mir, you have nailed it with your powerful debut thriller, that has blown me away... Wow what a debut.'
‘Saima Mir has written an extraordinary debut novel, the exploits of Jia Khan will keep you gripped until the final pages and leave you wanting more. Mir also gives important insights into the British Asian lived experience, which resonate throughout. Not a word is wasted.'
