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Imran Mahmood is a Criminal defence barrister with over twenty years' experience in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. He specialises in Legal Aid cases involving crimes such as murder and other serious violence as well as fraud and sexual offences. He was born in Liverpool and now lives in London with his wife and daughter.
Author photo © Bill Waters
May 2017 eBook of the Month. At once a captivating courtroom drama, and a poignant personal story that explores social disadvantage and London gang culture from the unique perspective of an unforgettable narrator. An unnamed 21-year-old man is on trial for murder. He’s sacked his lawyer and is in the dock giving his own closing speech to the jury. “Bruv, I need to start telling it like it is,” he asserts, which is exactly what he does. The defendant’s speech is direct, gritty and heartfelt, and takes many “bus diversions” in order to give the jury the full contextual background he believes they need to come to the right verdict. His voice is charismatic and compelling, especially as he describes his tough childhood, and his love for girlfriend Kira, for whom he would do anything. “I don't remember choosing any of it,” the defendant remarks as he nears the end of his speech, and a lack of choice, and the spiraling, entrapping nature of the gangland world are at the heart of this incisively hard-hitting novel. We hear how kids as young as ten come to carry guns and drugs for gang leaders, how teenage girls are sold into a life of addiction and prostitution. And, through the narrator’s decision to tell it exactly as it is, we’re asked to consider the repercussions of a system in which the accused are often tried by juries who are nothing like themselves, and know nothing of their worlds. Indeed, the narrator concludes by asking the jury to “try and be me” when they deliver their verdict. This is crime fiction with conscience, and an utterly un-put-down-able debut that had me hooked from start to finish. ~ Joanne Owen
'Mahmood is most definitely one to watch' DAILY EXPRESS 'A thrilling new voice in crime fiction' TIM WEAVER I saw it. He smothered her, pressing his hands on her face. The police don't believe me, they say it's impossible - but I know what I saw. This is Xander Shute: once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets. As he shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat, he hears its occupants returning home, and scrambles to hide as the couple argue. Trapped in his hiding place, he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder. But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can't have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice? As Xander searches for answers, his memory of the crime comes under scrutiny, forcing him to confront his long-buried past and the stories he's told about himself. How much he is willing to risk to understand the brutal truth?
'Gripping and utterly immersive. Mahmood is a master storyteller' WILL DEAN 'Spectacular - an absolute treat.' A. A. DHAND 'A white-knuckle ride' CHRIS BROOKMYRE 'Smart, atmospheric, poignant, and will keep you hooked' SAIMA MIR I saw it. He smothered her, pressing his hands on her face. The police don't believe me, they say it's impossible - but I know what I saw. This is Xander Shute: once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets. As he shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat, he hears its occupants returning home, and scrambles to hide as the couple argue. Trapped in his hiding place, he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder. But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can't have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice? As Xander searches for answers, his memory of the crime comes under scrutiny, forcing him to confront his long-buried past and the stories he's told about himself. How much he is willing to risk to understand the brutal truth?
At the end of the day, only one question matters: did he do it? 'A daring concept executed to perfection' LEE CHILD A young man stands accused of murder. The evidence is overwhelming. But at his trial, this man tells an extraordinary story. It is about the woman he loves, who got into terrible trouble. It's about how he risked everything to save her. He swears he's innocent. But in the end, all that matters is this: do you believe him? ***See what bestselling authors and critics are already saying about You Don't Know Me, chosen for the Radio 2 Book Club and the Telegraph's Best Crime Novels of the Year*** 'Searing and heart-breaking, genre-bending . . . triumphantly reconfigures the traditional whodunnit into something remarkable' Ruth Ware 'Bold and original . . . a thrilling new voice in crime fiction' Tim Weaver 'A startlingly confident and deft debut' Tana French 'A dazzling debut - authentic, funny, sad, sympathetic. I was utterly gripped' Gillian McAllister 'Utterly compelling' Daily Mail 'Superb character-driven fiction. Masterful' Guardian Longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Longlisted for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of You Dont Know Me by Imran Mahmood, read by Adam Deacon. An unnamed defendant stands accused of murder. Just before the Closing Speeches, the young man sacks his lawyer, and decides to give his own defence speech. He tells us that his barrister told him to leave some things out. Sometimes, the truth can be too difficult to explain, or believe. But he thinks that if hes going to go down for life, he might as well go down telling the truth. There are eight pieces of evidence against him. As he talks us through them one by one, his life is in our hands. We, the reader - member of the jury - must keep an open mind till we hear the end of his story. His defence raises many questions... but at the end of the speeches, only one matters: Did he do it? A daring concept executed to perfection, a hypnotic and authentic voice, and questions for us to answer as readers and people LEE CHILD Its the voice that does it: edgy, conflicted, desperately urgent. A startlingly confident and deft debut TANA FRENCH, internationally bestselling author A bold and original courtroom drama, You Dont Know Me heralds the arrival of a thrilling new voice in crime fiction TIM WEAVER, Sunday Times bestselling author of the David Raker series An eye-opening, slick and compulsive thriller with an important message and unique writing ADAM DEACON, actor, writer, rapper, director - star of Kidulthood and Adulthood A dazzling debut - authentic, funny, sad, sympathetic. I was utterly gripped. Rich in understanding of human nature, acerbic on the rights and wrongs of the justice system GILLIAN MCALLISTER, Sunday Times bestselling author of Everything But the Truth
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