Title: Vengeance

Author: Saima Mir

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Publisher: Point Blank

Publication Date: 6th June 2024

Rating: 4/5

Cover:

Book Summary:

Jia Khan must fight to stay on top when secrets from the past are revealed. The brilliant, tension-filled follow-up to the bestselling Times and Guardian Crime Novel of the Year.

For two years, Jia Khan has been running her late father’s organised crime business in the north of England. So far, her authority has remained unchallenged, but now things are beginning to unravel.

When she finds her father’s notebook recounting his arrival from Pakistan in the 1970s, it awakes an old family feud that could have devastating repercussions for Jia. And worst of all, one of her staff lies brutally slain, his corpse displayed provocatively in her garden despite her sophisticated security.

Someone is getting dangerously close. Could there be a traitor in Jia Khan’s trusted inner circle?

Review:

I very much enjoyed The Khan so I was eager to read this sequel and happily I can confirm that it was every bit as engaging and compelling as its predecessor. We pick up with Jia a couple of years into running her late father’s crime syndicate where she is facing her first real challenge to her status and authority as leader. I don’t want to give much away about the plot but I can say that it is a gripping, expertly crafted and twisty journey into the dark underbelly of organised crime. We also get a glimpse of the origins of the crime organisation, with chapters set during Jia’s father’s arrival from Pakistan. Jia’s complex relationship with her father is a constant thread to her story so this was an interesting and revelatory aspect of the book that I think worked beautifully.

What sets this series apart for me is Jia herself. She is a fascinating main character and, having been introduced to her in the previous book, I felt it was easy to fall back into the narrative of her complicated and often trying position – a position not often held by a woman, in a male dominated hierarchy. However, despite being familiar with her, there remains a kind of inscrutability to her character which never disappears. I actually think this is part of what makes her so intriguing – the way she holds herself together and deals with drama with a coolness that constantly serves to show her power. If you liked The Khan then I think you will enjoy this follow up just as much – Vengeance is a smart, tense and original thriller that I would definitely recommend.

★★★★

Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

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