This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Here's the blurb - and after an introduction like this I defy you not to buy the book.
Meet Jay.
Small-time dealer.
Accidental jihadist.
The one man who can save us all?
Javid – call him Jay – is a dope dealer living in West London. He goes to mosque on Friday, and he’s just bought his pride and joy – a BMW. He lives with his mum, and life seems sweet.
But his world is about to turn upside-down. Because MI5 have been watching him, and they think he’s just the man they need for a delicate mission.
One thing’s for sure: now he’s a long way East of Hounslow, Jay’s life will never be the same again.
With the edgy humour of Four Lions and the pulse-racing tension of Nomad, East of Hounslow is the first in a series of thriller starring Jay Qasim.
I'm loving the diversity that is filtering through in crime fiction these days (Not before time, I might add) and Khurram Rahman's East of Hounslow is testament to the quality that diversity brings to our reading experience. This is a fast paced, laugh out loud, poignant read. From the opening chapter I was hooked. Jay Qasim is a character that just draws you in. It's a coming of age thriller grounded in contemporary society with a cast of fantastically readable characters. It's not your typical crime thriller. It's not your typical spy thriller either. East of Hounslow is unique and totally and absolutely relevant to today's world. If this is Rahman's debut novel, I can't wait for the next one. This was a complete breath of fresh air. I also had the pleasure of seeing Khurrum at Harrogate crime Wrters' Festival and can vouch for him being a sincere and funny author.

I was interested in this book as its set in Hounslow - not far from where I live, and written by an asian author. Me being asian, I felt I could relate to many aspects of it. Great debut novel, well written, with a great ending. Look forward to more by this author.

I really enjoyed this funny but serious thriller.

The Muslim aspects of it were brilliant and interesting, confirming what we all suspect - that the great majority of Muslims are decent people just like us and sharing our doubts, conflicts and hypocrisies, while at the same time having a few people that are crazy, rather like Parker. This is what made it feel relevant and thought provoking, adding a dash of humour as well surprisingly.

I didn't find the MI5 characters at all convincing though, especially the scene between Parker and Lawrence near the end. I also thought that one of the big twists was rather obvious from quite early on.

Nevertheless I found the book very enjoyable and difficult to put down in the last third. I see that this is the first part of a trilogy and look forward to the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC in return for an honest review.

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started this book, but soon realised I was in the hands of a very competent writer. It is a real roller coaster of a book, crossing genres with ease and evoking a huge range of emotions from revulsion to laughter. I have recently read a number of books which promise an unexpected twist at the end, but I was genuinely shocked by the conclusion to this one. I feel Mr Rahman is on his way to a glittering career and I'm looking forward to his next book.

East of Hounslow is a cracking debut thriller that speaks of contemporary issues in our world. Set in Hounslow and Pakistan, it is a smart, comic and witty story featuring Javid Qasim, aka Jay, living at home with his mum, a low level drug dealer, who is about to find out that he has a lot of growing up to do when his whole world turns upside down. Jay knows his neighbourhood, is a Muslim whose only nod to his religion is his Friday attendance for prayers at his local mosque in Sutton, otherwise he is your everyday Brit lad. Then his mosque get attacked and Jay helps clean up and attends a meeting, which goes on to lead to a major bust up when he tries to protect his childhood friend. Parvez. Then everything goes to hell in a handcart, his new BMW has been jacked, he has no insurance, but what is worse is that his gear and cash, to the tune of £9000 was stashed in the car. He faces a scary future as his dealer will not let this go, and Jay's life is on the line. If that was not enough, MI5 have been keeping an eye on him, and Kingsley Parker want him to spy on mosque attendees and report back on suspicious individuals and activities.

Jay is in no position to refuse with the threat of prison hanging over his head, additionally he makes a detailed statement about his dealer to the police. Before you know it, he is enthusiastically fulfilling his mission, particularly after seeing an jihadi attack in Edmonton which kills numerous children on the news. He finds himself alone as his mum and the fella she is seeing move to Qatar. His long time friend Chief Inspector Idris Zaidi, tells him he can no longer see him. Using his wits and street smarts, Jay finds himself being welcomed into a jihadi group, develops relationships with those involved and tries to look out for and protect Parvaz. The imam, the head of the group, sees Jay as a special addition according him unheard of privileges, sparking resentment and curiosity from the more long standing members. Matters come to a head when Jay is placed in a training camp in Pakistan where the group are entrusted with a covert mission. Will Jay be able to survive and foil the planned atrocity?

This is a story that speaks to us of the issues confronting the society we live in. Rahman has written a complex tale that is full of tension, gripping and compelling. It all feels so desperately real and authentic as Rahman reveals the anger and motivations of young Muslims and how they might get involved in the jihadi movements. It takes in the roles and actions taken by the intelligence agencies, and here how Jay is manipulated by the senior ranks, and his close relationship with his handler, Kingsley Parker. The real strength of the novel is the winning creation and development of Jay, facing a complicated personal history, living in a time where life for many Muslims is not easy in the face of anti-Muslim hysteria. Jay is your ordinary Joe who finds there is much more to him that he had ever imagined. An extraordinarily pertinent and brilliant read that I recommend highly. Many thanks to Harlequin for an ARC.

In recent years there’s been a crop of crime writing emerging from the British Asian Community, brilliant writers whose work I’ve been honoured to review. Khurrum Rahman and his East of Hounslow joins Imran Mahmood’s debut You Don’t Know Me; Amer Anwar’s Western Fringes; A A Dhand’s Streets of Darkness and Girl Zero. So how does he compare? Well Rahman lives up to the competition and some.

East of Hounslow tells the story of Javid Qasim, “Jay”, a petty drug dealer carving an illicit living for himself on the streets of West London. He’s Muslim, but he’s not religious in the slightest, barely observant. He’s typical in fact of many young men who wander from the straight and narrow in these times of austerity, stagnant wages and a dearth of opportunities. But Jay is Muslim and through no fault of his own that is going to lead to problems for him. It starts when his local mosque is desecrated. Jay pitches in to help clean up the mess and repair the damage but it’s quickly apparent that some hotheads are stirring up trouble trying to get some of the local youths to hit back. Jay goes along to a meeting, more to look out for his gullible and impressionable friend. For similar reasons, when his friend gets drawn into the hype to hit back at some random whites, Jay goes along to keep him out of trouble. Of course, trouble is what they get, not least Jay’s car being swiped in the ensuing chaos, which so happens to have all the drugs he has on credit from a powerful drug lord in the boot.

Meanwhile, MI5 have their eyes on Jay as a potential recruit. They believe a cell of Islamic extremists is operating in the area and feel Jay would be the perfect informant. From here Jay’s life gets complicated and very dangerous. The druglord, Silas Drakos, is the unforgiving type. MI5 meanwhile sink their claws into him and Jay is recruited. So, he ends up juggling keeping an eye out for Silas’s henchmen, infiltrating a dangerous cell of extremists, all the while struggling with both his own sense of identity and MI5’s demands.

There are many things to like about East of Hounslow. It’s a thriller that moves along at a great pace and tells a compelling story, but it’s so much more than that. One thing I particularly liked about this book is the author’s depiction of Jay’s recruitment by MI5. As a current affairs journalist, I’ve had occasion in the past to meet with anti-terrorist officers, civil servants in the Cabinet Office, and others who’ve worked with the Security Services. One thing many writers get wrong is the process of source recruitment. Contrary to common belief, those employed directly on the staff of the intelligence services, those who receive a wage, pay their taxes, get a pension at the end of thirties years or whatever, aren’t “agents”. Rather, these are case officers or intelligence officers. An agent is the person the intelligence officer recruits on the inside, what the police might call an informant. The police vernacular is much more honest about all this. The police call their “agents” sources or informants and thus the people the police recruit are never really under any illusions as to their role. The people the security services recruit however, by being called “agents” rather than informants or sources, might be. The author teases this out brilliantly. When Jay is first recruited he has these images in his head from James Bond movies, he has this idea that he’s going to receive the special watch that fires poisonous darts or receive training in spy-craft. He doesn’t get how expendable he is. Throughout the narrative the tension builds as Jay begins to suspect the truth and his handler attempts to manage his expectations. Then there’s the tension tension between his handler who feels a duty of care to Jay and others in MI5 who see him as merely a tool.

Another aspect of this novel I liked, especially in the current climate, is how the author gets across how ordinary young Muslims can be radicalised through disenfranchisement and alienation, until they’re willing to commit the most heinous acts of terror. At no point does the author glamourise this process, or make excuses for those who cross the line from fundamentalism to violent jihad, but the portrayal of his characters does explain how this process might occur. While the ending, without divulging spoilers, is frighteningly plausible; indeed, a recent event made me think it might be scarily prescient.

East of Hounslow is an incredibly assured debut. It can be read on many different levels. If the reader prefers, it can be enjoyed as simply a thriller. But to my mind it is so much richer. This is a cutting critique the war on terror, the techniques the Security Services use to foil plots, the mistakes they make when doing so. It is also a commentary on the life experiences of young Muslims living the UK today, the tensions between their Britishness and their Islamic identities, the competing influences that pull at their pysches. However one chooses to enjoy this novel, it really is something special and should not be missed.

Apparently, we haven’t heard the last of Jay and indeed the book while wrapping itself up nicely is ripe for a sequel. I for one can’t wait to Jay’s next outing, for if it’s anything like East of Hounslow it’ll be great.

5 out of 5 stars

This zings with freshness, primarily from the voice of Jay, a small-time dope dealer, laddish layabout - and the newest recruit to MI5 sent to infiltrate a terrorist plot that originates at his mosque.

Rahman writes in an assured manner and deals with complex questions of identity, loyalties and moralities without simplifying or preaching - even bringing a self-deprecating humour and groundedness to what is sometimes grim subject matter.

The first part is a little slow, there's a twist in the tale that had me groaning a little at the 'it's personal' cliche, the switching POV from first to third person feels a little clumsy at times - and the last-page flourish is a bit flashy given that there's an intended two further installments to make up a trilogy. Despite some picky niggles, however, the last third or so comes together beautifully and is brilliantly tense and terrifying.

Overall, a book packed with personality.

I thought East Of Hounslow was excellent. I half expected it to be yet another generic, slightly formulaic thriller, but it turned out to be gripping, witty and to make some very shrewd observations.

The set-up is good: Javid ("Jay") Qasim is a small-time drug dealer living with his mum in West London. Through a series of entertaining and sometimes very exciting events, he is recruited by MI5 and also into a jihadi group on whom he is to spy. This sounds like a pretty conventional basis for a spy novel, but it's very well done, taking unexpected turns while always remaining plausible – in fact, a lot of the unexpected turns are precisely because they're plausible rather than following the conventions of thrillers.

Two things make this stand out, I think: Jay's narrative voice and the thoughtful balance of the observations about the politics behind jihad and counterterrorism. Jay's street-smart, often out-of-his-depth take on things was excellent and gave the book genuine wit in places and a terrific narrative drive so I found it genuinely hard to put down. His predicament and other scenes in the book carry some very thoughtful reflections on behaviour on both sides of the War On Terror, and on things like the way both use the hateful actions of an extreme few on the other side to justify their own hateful actions. Seeing it from the point of view of an ordinary young British muslim man gives a fascinating perspective which, because of Jay's character and style, never becomes preachy or heavy.

In short, this is an excellent espionage thriller with important things to say. It is well written, very gripping and very readable. Warmly recommended.

(I received an ARC via NetGalley.)

This is my 257th book read in 2017 and it has just flown into my top five of the year. I will now try and tell you why but I doubt I will be able to do the book the kind of justice it deserves.
Javid (Jay) is a bit of a wide boy. Small-ish-time dealer, he still reserves Fridays for mosque, taking that very seriously. His best friend is a police detective, a turbulent relationship given Jay's extra-curricular activities. But as we meet him, things are rocking along OK for our hero. he has just scored himself a new car - a Beemer no less - his pride and joy. But then things take a weird turn as he takes part in a bit of a retaliative skirmish, losing not only his car but also his stash and cash at the same time. As you can imagine, this causes him a bit (world) of pain both with his supplier and the cops. But the cops have a deal for him. It seems he is wanted by MI5. No, not for being a small time drug dealer, no, they want him to work for them. They have a secret scary mission and they reckon Jay's the man for the job. Backed into a corner somewhat, Jay agrees. Will this really be the lesser of the two evils he had to pick from though?
I finished this book at three o'clock am. On a school night too. I was pretty tired next day at work I can tell you but... I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down.
I took to Jay right from page one. Yes he's a bit of a bad boy but he walks the right side of the line insofar as his principles are concerned. He has his own rules and standards and he sticks to them admirably. One of the things I really loved about him is the way he taught me about his religion. Slipping in the odd word or tradition and then explaining it without it distracting me from the main story that was unfolding so that it actually became part of the story rather than an educational course; Muslim-101. To be honest the majority of what was being explained was pertinent to and backed-up what was going on in the book anyway.
The story itself was absolutely brilliant; tight and very well plotted. It was also very interesting insofar as what is going on in the world today. Bit of an eye opener at times really but extremely well and sensitively handled. There was also a fair bit of well placed, well natured humour thrown in which kept the book from being too heavy, important especially given the topics covered.
It's funny though, as I was reading there were a few things that kept on popping into my head as being a bit - hold that thought and trust the author - if you know what I mean by that. I am not going into detail as this would be spoilery and that's not the done thing at all. But suffice to say that the author came through on every single niggle I maybe had. To my complete satisfaction.
But, you know the most important thing about this book? It only book one of a series. YES. That means there's more of the same (similar) to come. Now that's something I am really hanging out waiting for. Do yourself a favour and climb on board the Jay-Train!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This was a refreshingly different novel tackling themes which are unfortunately so relevant nowadays.
This is the story of Javid Qasim or Jay as he prefers to be called, small time drug dealer and not very religious British born Muslim. Jay is not particularly devout although he attends his Mosque once a week on a Friday and performs religious rites on that day only. He even refrains from drug dealing on Fridays !! He lives at home with his Mum and has a best friend Idris who is a policeman whom he has known since they were small. He is also friendly with his neighbour, Parvez who is much more religious than Jay.
All of a sudden Jay's world changes when he is asked to spy for MI5 and infiltrate an Islamist cell operating from his mosque.
At the same time his mother elopes with her teacher boyfriend and goes to live abroad whilst all of Jay's drugs and illegal earnings get stolen in his car. Jay has to work out how to appease his violent drug boss who wants the money and drugs Jay has lost. He has to grow up fast at the tender age of 28!
This is such a well written book- I loved the way it was narrated in the first person by Jay with lots of funny asides. He is a real character and extremely likeable despite his drug dealing career. He seems much younger than his years in the beginning as he tells his story. I chuckled when he said"No shame living with your Mum, especially if you're Asian." My only criticism of the style would be Jay's liberal use of swear words!!
However about half way through the book this changes from being an amusing story about life in Asian Hounslow to a full blown thriller in I Am Pilgrim style and Jay really steps up to the mark as an MI 5 agent.
On a more serious note East Of Hounslow gives a real insight into how terrorists recruit their followers and radicalisation can occur.
I couldn't put this book down it was that good! A fabulous read and highly recommended. The author Khurrum Rahman is definitely one to watch and I can't wait to read the next book in what I believe is going to be a series featuring Jay, the accidental spy! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

"East of Hounslow" by Khurrum Rahman

This was a review copy provided to me by Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Where to start? At the beginning is best they say, so here goes.

Back in June of this year I attended an event at Bradford Literary Festival and was intrigued by the passionate way in which this book was discussed by a commissioning editor for the publishers. “East Of Hounslow” wasn’t the topic of the discussion, it simply came up as an example of a new and exciting writer about to reveal his debut book. The editor, Lisa Milton, described it, and its author, Khurrum Rahman, with such verve and enthusiasm that I determined to make sure I bought a copy on its release.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and, w’d’ya know, NetGalley have it available for review. Naturally, I put my request in for a copy - hey, a free read and one that I was looking forward to anyway, what’s not to like? The fates were kind to me and here I am reviewing “East Of Hounslow”.

I tore through this book in just a few days of reading spread over a week - life, work and other boring stuff slowed me down a tad - and I can honestly say it is a fabulous read. It sure lived up to my expectations.

I will try to avoid any spoilers. The plot centres around Javid Qasim, a young British Muslim. Javid enjoys life and funds his enjoyment through dealing drugs. He doesn’t consider himself to be doing much wrong but he does enough wrong to fall foul of his supplier and be facing a very short deadline to come up with a large amount of cash or suffer the consequences. In the meantime, he manages to find himself involved in a revenge attack on local yobs for an attack on his mosque. Javid has really had a lousy few days.

His salvation from criminal proceedings for his part in the violence and from repercussions from his supplier comes in the form of MI5. Javid has little recourse but to be recruited as their eyes and ears in the mosque. And so the plot develops.

I didn’t want to like Javid - drug dealing and nefarious activities are plainly wrong - but Rahman has penned such a vibrant and multi faceted character that it is hard to dislike him. Rahman’s writing is pacy and punchy and this is a rip roaring thriller. It fair rattles along and is a huge joy to read. The author adds a dash of darkly comic touches to his tale that lighten what is a disturbing and all to plausible and terrifying scenario. This is a book which is very pertinent to the times we live in and, thankfully, the events within its pages are simply fiction.

I believe this is to be the first in a trilogy. I hope so as I am keen to see how the author takes Javid on this journey.

I think Ms Milton was correct back in June, Khurrum Rahman is certainly a new author to watch out for in the future.

This book was ALL the brilliant. Seriously. It is one of those books that creeps up on you - you start it, and you are enjoying it and then you realise it is consuming your thoughts and even when you are not reading it you are thinking about it.

So we meet Javid (call him Jay) , a Jack the lad, a decent guy in lots of ways (but also, you know, drug dealer but you soon forgive him) and despite his faults you immediately fall in love with his banter and his humour and get a real feel for the community in which he lives, his thoughts about being a Muslim and his actually quite normal life - then suddenly he is recruited by MI5, for reasons that elude him and we are off on a journey of often very funny, always insightful, very socially relevant mayhem.

The dialogue sparkles, the scene setting is totally immersive, Jay is just endlessly endearing throughout and you root for him, you feel all his emotions, the highs, the lows as he struggles to assess not only those around him but also his own reactions to the things he is learning. Many people seek to manipulate him and one of the huge strengths of this story is the absolute authenticity the author brings to it, this is very real, no holds barred, no punches pulled storytelling.

It is a multi-layered character drama, a coming of age tale in a lot of ways and an often edge of the seat thriller - I held my breath through the last few chapters only to be hit with an ending so gut wrenching that I actually let out a little cry.

Basically I loved it. Will be shouting about this one a lot and featuring it on Liz Loves Books around the publication date in November. I might have to bribe the author with cake so I can interview him. Watch this space!


Highly Recommended.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of East of Hounslow, the first of a projected trilogy featuring low level drug dealer Javid Qasim.

Javid or, as he much prefers, Jay is living a life of Riley. Mosque and observances on Friday otherwise he drinks, smokes, puffs and sees the ladies as he likes and at 28 has no plans to leave his mum or her cooking. This changes when MI5 takes an interest in him and sees him as the ideal informant. They set him up and he has no choice but to become involved with a jihadist group.

I thoroughly enjoyed East of Hounslow as it has a bit of everything, a clever plot, an engaging protagonist, humour, a glimpse of the extremist mindset and some sad scenes. It flows and reads well as it builds to a crescendo at the end. There are a couple of interesting twists as well.

The plot is interesting. Obviously as it is fiction Jay's recruitment as a jihadist is condensed time wise but the basic premise is sound - try to convert the devout and slowly indoctrinate them into the extremist point of view. Their viewpoint, devotion and arguments are fascinating with Jay's cynicism and horror acting as counterpoints. It is extremely well done.

The novel, however, is all about Jay. He is a jack the lad character, initially carefree with a healthy dose of wit and cynicism and a well hidden consideration of others and kind heart who becomes sickened as events overcome him. His patter is highly amusing and had me laughing out loud at some points. As his situation becomes darker his decency shines through.

I am probably not part of the intended demographic being Scottish, 50+ and female but I really like the novel and would urge any waverers to give it a go as it is excellent entertainment.

Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this book. I found the characters unlikeable and I couldn't believe at all the predicament that Jay was in. Perhaps the book was very well researched, but it didn't feel believable or plausible to me unfortunately.