A pulse-pounding story with intriguing folklore elements, Almost Surely Dead is a page turner that keeps you guessing to the very end. Amina Akhtar has masterfully woven together a riveting narrative, blending elements of a psychological thriller and a horror story to create an utterly gripping reading experience.
Dunia Ahmed is a pharmacist living in New York, coping with the death of her mother and the breakup of her engagement. Now she’s missing and the subject of a true crime podcast after several attempts on her life. And there might be more at play than an individual with ill intent towards Dunia. Something from her difficult childhood could be in play. Something that may be otherworldly. But whatever it is, Dunia is in constant danger. If she’s even still alive.
What makes this novel so compelling is that information is released in a slow drip, alternating between podcast transcripts and first-person chronological storytelling interspersed with flashbacks to Dunia’s youth. So you’re constantly learning new information but yet never able to nail down exactly what’s happening. And the characters around Dunia appear to genuinely care about her wellbeing but also seem to have hidden agendas, making it difficult to determine who’s looking out for her versus who might be out to cause her harm. Resulting in a sophisticated puzzle that reveals the full picture only once all the pieces are put in their right spots.
A fantastic combination of entertainment and education, Almost Surely Dead is one of those thrillers that you can’t put down but don’t want to end. A story you won’t easily shake.
Follow Steve on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Almost Surely Dead
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
