Death in Kabul: A thrilling Afghan adventure

Alison Belsham · Nick Higgins

Mar 2022 · The MacKenzie and Khan series Book 1 · Canelo

About this ebook

‘Tense, taut and totally authentic’ D. V. Bishop, author of City of Vengeance

‘Fresh and fascinating’ Susi Holliday, author of The Last Resort

A murdered man. A stolen artefact. A search for justice in a city where violence and corruption rule...

2003. Kabul has become a frontier city, Afghanistan’s fledgling democracy struggling with crime and corruption as NATO coalition troops, gangs and warlords jostle for control. A city where justice is an ideal and security means carrying a gun.

When the body of a British serviceman is discovered in the city’s infamous tank graveyard, the Kabul Police reach out for support in their investigation. Alasdair ‘Mac’ MacKenzie, formerly of the Metropolitan Police, is seconded to the team.

Baz Khan, an Afghan-American investigative journalist, is in Kabul researching a story. Precious antiquities, priceless artefacts of the country’s rich history, are disappearing amid the chaos, never to be seen again. Baz is determined to uncover whoever is spiriting them away, to prevent her war-torn country being further denuded for profit. And she has a lead...

The soldier’s death was no accident. Why was he so far from the British base in the middle of the night? And alone? As Baz and Mac investigate, they quickly realise they have each stumbled on something far bigger than they reckoned with, and are tossed into the Kabul underworld, where violence and corruption rule.

A fast-paced, compelling adventure through the streets of Kabul, perfect for Jack Reacher fans.

Praise for Death in Kabul

‘A tense, taut and totally authentic thriller that grips from the first page and doesn’t let go. Death in Kabul immerses you in 2003 Kabul, riven by corruption where danger lurks in every alley. Be careful who you trust’ D. V. Bishop, author of City of Vengeance

‘A vividly portrayed murder mystery in a fresh and fascinating setting. With wonderful characters and a great plot, I hope this is the first of many from this duo’ Susi Holliday, author of The Last Resort

‘Authentic, thrilling and brilliantly plotted, Death in Kabul is a cracking action thriller that brings the city vividly to life – just read it!’ Marion Todd, author of See Them Run

‘Rich and atmospheric, Death in Kabul plunges us directly into the grubby, noisy streets of the capital and to a murder investigation that kept me in its thrall to the end’ Louisa Scarr, author of Under a Dark Cloud

‘It’s a first class police thriller with a big difference. The investigation whips through shady characters and locales at breakneck pace but the setting removes all the familiar procedural techniques, keeping you on the edge of your seat right to the stunning finale. Explosive stuff!’ D. L. Marshall, author of Black Run

‘One of the most authentic thrillers I’ve read for ages. Drags you headfirst into the colourful Kabul underworld, and sends you barrelling down its backstreets at a frenetic pace that just doesn’t let up’ Robert Scragg, author of End of the Line

Ratings and reviews

law-enforcement, action-adventure, Afghanistan, adversity, ex-cop, ex-military, journalist, antiquities-trade, murder-investigation, theft, thriller, mercenaries***** Former Met homicide cop in London Mac is now working with a mercenary company in Afghanistan when he gets tagged to work with Kabul police to investigate the murder of a British man in uniform. Things in Kabul are worlds different from the tidy compartmentalized workings of Scotland Yard and it gets positively insane when the British army gets involved and tries to take over. But it's not their jurisdiction. And Mac is only there to assist. Baz Khan is an investigative journalist whose father had been curator of the Kabul Museum which has been bleeding artifacts in recent times. Her work is more than difficult because she was born in the US but has to conform to Afghani norms in public. Mac and friends cross paths with Baz when it turns out that the murder victim was in the antiquities trade! Great realistic characters and likely events. Fast paced thriller set in a world apart. Loved it! I requested and received a free e-book copy from Canelo via NetGalley. Thank you!

About the author

Alison Belsham and Nick Higgins are a brother and sister writing team who combine Nick’s experiences as a professional security adviser in Afghanistan and an anti-terrorism specialist in the US with bestselling-writer Alison’s skills in creating fast-paced, fluently plotted crime and action thrillers. The results, an action thriller series set in Afghanistan, are both authentic and explosive!