What is your opinion?
A Roller Coaster
"Remember the old world, fast-paced thriller mysteries? I do, very much in fact. Well, my love for them has ever since only increased manifold, thanks to their gripping essences, their roller coaster storylines, mysterious characters and that jaw-dropping kind of twist and action they provide. I happened to read a superb murder mystery by Afshan Sayed, Ahmad which was a hooker, hurtling at breakneck speed. Ahmad, who is an investigator, becomes consumed and taken with finding out the truth behind the death of his sister Bilqis Hossain. A fine piece of writing with enough turns to keep you tied up till the end this one is an amazing roller coaster."
Outstanding read
"A murder which is as spine chilling as it is intriguing, Ahmad which is a story of Bilqis Hossain’s murder will leave you in awe, breaking through the realms of your average mystery cum thriller read, leaving you gasping for breath. I was struck by the sheer genius with which the writer Afshan Sayed manages to keep the narrative racy as well as captivating in spite of there being an absence of romance and lighter essences which generally form the part of any entertaining narrative. However, Ahmad, has been written in a unique, exciting manner ensuring there is speed as well as intrigue imparted to the narrative alongside making it the perfect premise for a superb crime read. A fine piece of writing by Afshan."
Simply Unputdownable!!
"An unputdownable, especially if you enjoy reading mysteries and crime fiction. Afshan Sayed’s latest work, Ahmad which is a murder mystery is a gripping story highlighting the aspects related to the protagonists sister’s murder and his attempt at solving the mysteries surrounding her death and related circumstances. Since, Ahmad’s sister who is portrayed to be a powerful personality has been murdered, it comes down upon Ahmad, who also happens to be an investigator, to solve and unfurl it all. Simple yet realistic characters, a break neck speed plot and a fine style of writing all put together make Ahmad a unique yet refreshing crime thriller read. Do add it to your TBR guys."
Intriguing murder mystery novel
"When I picked up this book, I did not know what to expect. But, this turned out to be quite the thrilling ride. The story was fast paced with a narrative that kept me hooked with the queer idiosyncrasies of the characters and post midway twists."
Jaw dropping
"A very intriguing murder cum thriller story that will leave your jaw dropping. Moving at an optimum pace, you are bound to witness a lot of suspense and thrill. Ahmad is the investigator who is chasing the killers of his sister. The book has many characters but it ultimately leads to many twists and turns as and when they are exposed."
Nice and interesting
"A magnificent, meticulous,complex and compelling murder mystery. A vast array of characters, each one of them well sketched and developed slowly as the novel progresses. The plot thickens gradually. There are plenty of suspects as the mystery deepens. Set in Mumbai this neat and tidy mystery is very satisfying."
Riveting murder mystery
"I think Afshan Sayed has a remarkable ability to draw a person into the story. I was unable to put down the novel right from the beginning. By the time I could draw towards its end, I was overwhelmed by its simple yet intense approach of solving a murder case. The story follows a murder mystery in a rich Muslim family of Mumbai. One day Bilqis Hossain is found dead at her residence. From the outside it looks like a normal death but Ahmad, her brother was not able to digest it. Thus, the title of the novel is Ahmad, since he is the lead guy and also works as a detective out of no compulsion. For Ahmad, his sister Bilqis Hossain was a tough personality, she built her business empire from scratch. Since there are many characters from some interconnected family, it could be possible that someone has a motive behind her death. But who cares? Only Ahmad. He takes it personally and sets out on a lonely journey to find justice for his sister. This is a different sort of crime cum murder mystery because there are neither larger-than-life characters nor a special detective with a lot of sweeps. It’s a good one-time novel that offers an offbeat detective work. People should try this at the first opportunity."
Beautiful
"You have a wonderful way with words; I haven't finished it yet, but I felt compelled to give it a rating based on what I've read so far. The story is intriguing; there are a few punctuation mistakes, but that's fine; also, some phrases break off unexpectedly and continue in the next line; you might want to check why that happened. It's a fantastic work, and I'm really enjoying it!"
Nice suspense story
"A murder mystery, full of suspense and twists that you won't see coming. A call from Bilqis left Ahmad bewildered. Bilqis had always been a fighter, she knew what she wants and would do anything to achieve it. She was everyone's inspiration. The story started when Ahmad got a call from his sister, Bilqis, who was in danger. By the time he reached there, she was already dead. The story proceeds as Ahmad recalls Bilqis' childhood and her struggles with her family. Bilqis had hard time to prove her family that girls are on equal pedestal as boys. It took her years to build an empire and her sudden death shook Ahmad and he is now Adamant to find who the killer is. The book is slow paced and the author has narrated every line in so much detail that at some point the story got repetitive and tiresome. Even the metaphors used in the story did not make any sense. I appreciate the plot, the suspense was maintained till the end."
A decent thriller to be read during our leisure times!
"The twists & turns of incorporated in a good thriller keeps our adrenaline flowing & activates a part of our brain that is generally not stimulated. As a result, this in turn sets off a certain chemical that is responsible for making us feel euphoric & this feeling is honestly very addictive. I felt the same thing while reading this book as well. The mixed emotions ranged from heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation & anxiety. The main character here is isolated from others as he's obsessed with the mystery involved behind the death of his sister Bilqis Hossain. The betrayal he's subjugated to while uncovering this truth pushes him further into a new worldview. All the elements required to sustain a decent thriller is followed here - which includes a unexpected plot, fight against bad guys, triumph of good over evil & a page-turning tension/sensation. Thus, I felt excitement, suspense, interest, & exhilaration. Overall, a really good read. "
A fast paced novel
"My love for mystery novels started with Agatha Christie. The crime and mystery novels of today are usually very fast paced and breathless. Afshan Sayed’s “Ahmad” took me back to the world of Agatha Christie. As I started reading, it took me to the world of Bilqis Hossain. A matriarch, prominent business lady, her three daughters, and their own complicated stories of desires and secrets and romance. But she is no more, she is dead at her home. When she was dying there were people. Her brother Ahmad, often called a village fool did not accept her death. He wants to investigate silently. He grows suspicious about the simple death of his sister. The author sketched a well spun fabric of family, the story is not about one family, there are some and the author carved out each character with some finesse. The novel is staged against the modern hustle-bustle of Mumbai. There are twists and turns, and sudden developments that the story starts moving quickly. The author did not leave any clue, so if you are a mystery fan, you need to be patient with Ahmad, the investigator. The novel ends on a justified note. Overall, a satisfying and pleasant read. The author has a very engaging style of writing that is smooth and satisfying. My only worry is that the novel has almost no love story, there should have been one. Love was the cause of the conflict in the story but not in the full sway."
Disturbing!!! Yet a binge read!!
"The word play!! So many lines end with the unexpected.. once I started to read I could not put it down till I completed it. The writing style is unique and keeps the reader on the edge. A must read."
Great job
"I liked the concept of this novel and it was very beautifully written. This book is a must read, it’ll have you on the edge of your seat!"
I liked it!
"The writing style was poetic in a way I haven't seen before, the plot was good, and I did enjoy reading it. There were a few grammar mistakes (for instance, separating a single word into two such as peo- ple.) Overall it was enjoyable :)"
Thrilling read
""People have no bone in the tongue. It wags." Thrillers have always been my weak point when it came to books. I love a good, homely mystery and I must say, this book checked the boxes. It was an interesting read. The way the author wrapped the mysteries around the main characters, Ahmad and Bilquis, had me turning the pages for more. There were so many hook points and characters that could be the suspect. I had a great time exploring and trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. However, the book was not perfect. There were a lot of grammatical errors and errors in sentence formation. I feel that the book needed finesse."
