#QuickReads The Motive by Khurrum Rahman #BookReview

 

A Jay Qasim short story and prequel to EAST OF HOUNSLOW written for Quick Reads 2021

Business has been slow for Hounslow’s small time dope-dealer, Jay Qasim. A student house party means quick easy cash but it also means breaking his own rules. But desperate times lead him there – and Jay finds himself in the middle of a crime scene.

Idris Zaidi, a Police Constable and Jay’s best friend, is having a quiet night when he gets a call out following a noise complaint at a house party. Fed up with the lack of excitement in his job, he visits the scene and quickly realises that people are in danger after a stabbing.
Someone will stop at nothing to get revenge . . .

I am delighted to be supporting the fifteenth anniversary of Quick Reads and to be sharing my publication day of one of this year's book, The Motive by Khurrum Rahman today. I binge-read his Jay Qasim series last year and absolutely loved it, so was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read this special prequel novella. Many thanks to Hannah at Midas PR for inviting me to take part in the celebrations and for sending me a copy of the book.

A prequel is such an ideal way to introduce new readers to a much-loved character and has the added bonus of delighting those who are already fans. At just over a hundred pages long, The Motive is definitely correctly billed as a 'quick read', with the slightly larger font making it more accessible for those who find it harder to read because of a reduced eyesight. I was pleased to see that there is an audiobook version available too.

There are little glimpses of what the future holds for Jay which will raise a smile for those who have read the other books and hopefully tempt others to read on but The Motive also works perfectly as a complete story. It tackles some important issues in a way that's easy to understand, with the book set on the eve of the Brexit referendum when there are already signs of the upcoming divisions - something which is felt even more by those communities who fear what the outcome will mean for them.

However, it's not heavy-handed - the dialogue is realistic and often humorous, with the short, dynamic chapters shared between local dope dealer, Jay Qasim and his best mate, Idris who is a rookie police officer. They have very different reasons for ending up at the same student house party but when somebody is stabbed, they are both involved and I loved seeing how they interacted with each other.

I tried to read The Motive with two hats on; one as a returning reader and the other as somebody new to the series and who perhaps finds reading more difficult and so doesn't read for pleasure. I'm delighted to say that in my opinion Khurrum Rahman has nailed it here. What this isn't is a patronising, dumbed-down story; it tackles some real issues but is never too densely written to make it difficult to understand or so complex, it becomes a slog for those who need a shorter, easily absorbed story. It's a fresh, contemporary book which will appeal to those who have perhaps been put off reading by more formal texts, this is an engaging, authentic read. I highly recommend it. 

The Motive is published in ebook and paperback by HQ and can be purchased from Bookshop, HiveAmazon UK, Waterstones and WHSmith. The audiobook can be purchased from Audible.

Find out more about Quick Reads and the other titles chosen this year, here.


About the Author
Khurrum Rahman, author of The Motive said: "I started reading late in life, as the idea of reading a book always seemed overwhelming. I hesitantly began a book a friend had recommended and quickly became totally immersed in the story. I found joy and comfort and most importantly, an escape. It's for this very reason that I am so proud to be involved with Quick Reads. This initiative is so important for people, like I once was, to engage in stories that may mirror their own lives or to read experiences far beyond their imagination. Just like a friend once did for me, I hope I am able to play a small part in encouraging somebody to pick up a book."

Born in Karachi and raised in West London, Khurrum Rahman now lives in Berkshire with his wife and two sons. His love for films and books influenced him to start writing. A hobby at first quickly became a passion. He spent any spare time in between a full-time job and being a hands-on parent to write stories inspired by his favourite screenwriters and authors.
Khurrum has written a movie screenplay which was acquired by a Danish Film Producer, but he is now concentrating on writing novels.

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