Next of Kin

Kia Abdullah

Sept 2021 · HarperCollins UK

About this eBook

‘A gripping legal thriller that will leave you reeling. A book that will stay with you long after the last page. The ending is a stunner!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This was a roller coaster of a book, an immersive read, a sublime plot with very open and direct dialogue. Expertly written and highly recommended’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Kia Abdullah is the absolute queen of the courtroom drama’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘WOW!! This book is astonishingly brilliant! An absolute masterpiece’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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ON AN ORDINARY WORKING DAY...

Leila Syed receives a call that cleaves her life in two. Her brother-in-law’s voice is filled with panic. His son’s nursery has called to ask where little Max is.

YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE...

Leila was supposed to drop Max off that morning. But she forgot.

Racing to the carpark, she grasps the horror of what she has done.

IS ABOUT TO COME TRUE...

What follows is an explosive, high-profile trial that will tear the family apart. But as the case progresses it becomes clear there’s more to this incident than meets the eye...

A gripping, brave and tense courtroom drama, Next of Kin will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, heart-stopping page.

* * * *

Praise for Kia Abdullah

‘Abdullah’s legal thrillers make John Grisham seem like a maiden aunt’ Sunday Times Crime Club

‘An enthralling, heartbreaking and thrilling courtroom drama that had me shouting out loud and gripped until the last page’ Nadine Matheson, author of The Jigsaw Man

‘Brilliantly tense, this is another clever page turner from Kia Abdullah that I couldn’t put down. Just superb’ Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City

‘Twists and turns aplenty ... The author’s greatest strength lies in her sensitive and relatable description of the relationship between sisters Leila and Max’s mother Yasmin’ i

‘A tense, brilliant read’ Bella

Ratings and reviews

What a read! What you see isn’t what you get – and it’s not all over until the fat lady sings! Leila Syed is a focused, professional woman. She has a close bond with her younger sister who lives close by with her husband and son, so when her brother-in-law phones in a panic one morning to ask if she can drop three year old Max at nursery, Leila doesn’t hesitate to say ‘yes’. Hours later, she recieves a call from Max’s father, Andrew, to say that the school called to find out where Max was. Racing to her car, Leila is horrified to realise that she completely forgot to drop him off. As we follow on from this disastrous day, we track the high profile trial and experience this horror from the differing views of all involved. First up, I have to admit that this is my first novel by Kia Abdullah and I have no idea why I haven’t heard of her before. Writing with aplomb and style, she has produced a novel which drew me in and had me completely involved and enthralled from the very start. There is so much more to this story that first appears and I was surprised more than once with twists and turns. Very accomplished and polished, this is one thriller I just have to recommend. This is an author on my ‘must not miss’ list from here on in, and this stunning read easily deserves all five shining stars!

Loved it keeps you guessing with lots of twists

Keeps you guessing right up til the end.

About the author

Kia Abdullah is a bestselling author and travel writer. Her novels include Take It Back, a Guardian and Telegraph thriller of the year; Truth Be Told, which was shortlisted for the Diverse Book Awards; and Next of Kin, which won the Adult Fiction Diverse Book Award, and was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Those People Next Door was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month pick, and Kia has also been selected for The Times Crime Club.

Kia has written for The New York Times, the Guardian, the Financial Times, The Times and the BBC, and is the founder of Asian Booklist, a non-profit that advocates for diversity in publishing and helps readers discover new books by British Asian authors.

For more information about Kia and her writing, visit her website at kiaabdullah.com, or follow her at @KiaAbdullah on Instagram and X.