The Khan

Jia Khan is the daughter of Akbar Khan, The Khan. While her father and his Jirga control a large part of Yorkshire, where they exact their own forms of justice, Jia is a successful lawyer in London. She's an alumni of Oxford University who believes in the British Justice System. She has distanced herself from her family and her father's business for 15 years, working her way up to the top of her profession. But her father's murder means that Jia must return north and make a bold decision on where her future lies.

The Khan is a novel that not only combines the twists and turns one would expect from a thriller of this nature, but is a story that is packed with characters that leap off the page. I often find that books with a large cast of characters can leave those characters feeling a little hollow, however that definitely isn't the case with The Khan. Saima Mir manages to draw us into each of their lives - with some it's just a snapshot of one moment of one day in their life and yet, somehow, she makes us care.

This novel takes us on a journey, not only uncovering Jia's past and family history, but also the future of the family & the Jurga, when outsiders seek to steal The Khan's power. There's violence and plotting, family secrets and love, and it's one of those books that is so hard to put down.

My thoughts about this brilliantly written, heartbreaking family underworld crime thriller, was just fantastic. Debut Author Saima Mir’s The Khan, explores everything about the underworld,be it love, loss, family,betrayal,corruption money,power, you name it, it has all the elements,to be a powerful thriller. The characters in The Khan are so real you fall in love with them.Saima Mir not only writes a fantastic hardhiting story, she explores the characters in a different way, that you feel sorry, for each and every of them that suffer pain. The characters I loved were Jia Khan, she was a fantastic character, what Saima has written, a powerful character that truly is remarkable. Her love for her family, be it her father, her mother, brothers and sisters was so heartwarming. Saima Khan’s The Khan, has some of the best heart touching moments, that will melt your heart. A well written, underworld powerful story, that is going to take you on a journey through the darkness, the people you love. Take a bow Saima Mir, you have nailed it with your powerful debut thriller, that has blown me away. This definitely deserves to be big next year, the best debut of 2021. I’m going to recommend this one, to everyone, who loves to read a powerful thriller. Highly Recommended. A powerful debut that truly deserves appreciation. I would like to say thank you to Author Saima Khan,Margot Weale of Oneworld and Point World Crime books for giving me a chance and kindly sending me a proof copy, to read and review this outstanding hardhiting powerful story. No wonder it’s been optioned for a TV adaptation, by the bbc looking forward to it. Wow what a debut.

I just devoured this debut novel. My only disappointment is that she doesn't have a bunch of other books out that I can get completely lost in. The novel felt so reminiscent of Mario Puzo's The Godfather. The pacing, the language, the drama. The understanding of familial ties and that the reason behind organised crime was in many cases survival.

Loved that I really felt Jia's plight, her motivations and how she had spent so long swimming against the current that she finally recognised her birthright. I also loved the mention of Darjeeling Express (not so coincidentally owned by another Khan).

Saima Mir has written one of the best crime reads of 2021, set in the violent, blood drenched streets of Bradford, a city of contradictions where nothing is black and white and no-one's loyalties are straightforward. This dark and edgy novel has one of the most complex and mesmerising central protagonists in Jai, daughter of the undisputed, powerful crime kingpin of the city, Akbar Khan, a proud Pukhtan and Muslim, universally revered in the Pakistani community as The Khan, ruling with an iron will, through the power of ancient traditions, religion, rituals and sacrifice, and with others through his Jirga, the dispenser of justice, and one of the main providers of 'employment' in the community. Akbar is reconciled to the unpalatable aspects of his leadership, believing this to be an acceptable price to pay for the greater good, without sinners there can be no saints.

For 15 years, Jai has been estranged from her crime family, putting her belief in British justice, having built a successful career as a lawyer in London. She is unforgiving of her father's role in the death of her beloved brother, Zan, a death that destroyed her marriage to Elyas Ahmad, a man who singlehandedly raised their teenage son, Ahad, whom she has not seen since his birth. The time has come to return to the family to attend the wedding of her sister, Maria, only to find herself staying as her father is murdered, her brother, Benyamin in danger, her family is in disarray,the Jirga needs stabilising, an organisation crying out for renewal in the midst of the challenges it faces from within the community, and additionally from the Eastern Europeans, under Andrzej Nowak's 'Brotherhood' gang, ruthlessly intent on taking over their drug trade and other criminal activities.

Has Jai got what it takes to be the new Khan? She is, after all, a woman, the duplicitous world of men expect women to be draped in honour, and certainly not at the helm of the most powerful of criminal enterprises. However, Jai begins to realise she has misunderstood her father, a father who knew she was the one with the abilities required to take over from him, a position that demands blood be spilt. As events conspire to test her to her limits, Jai reaches for the ice cold resolve to be The Khan, but where does this all fit in with her desire to get to know her son? Mir incrementally depicts and reveals the rich tapestry of the intricate, complicated and contrary nature and dynamics of family, community, and crime, within a city, country, police force and judiciary historically steeped in a damning, bone deep racism, creating the scenario where crime provides the only route out of desperate poverty for the underclass.

This is a riveting, thought provoking, atmospheric, vibrant and twisted character driven novel of love, family, loss, betrayal, corruption, crime, race, power and being a woman in the mean streets of Bradford that simmer with tension and death. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Oneworld Publications for an ARC.

This is such a difficult book to review. I read it a few weeks ago and decided to let it sit with me for a while before writing my review ... I'm still digesting and that is testament to the power of The Khan (the novel not the character). But here goes - here's my take on this great novel without hopefully giving away any plot spoilers.
This is a no holds barred narrative that allows Muslim voices to be heard in a way rarely seen before. It doesn't shy away from themes around drugs, power, corruption, the role of women, gangs and survival from the point of view of Jia Khan - the eldest daughter of the current Khan.
Jia is an enigma to me . She's turned her back on her family and their northern lifestyle to move away to become a lawyer in London. But, Mir, in a series of twists that left me breathless exposes secrets and events that make everything I'd previously believed about the narrative redundant. Jia herself is unlikeable - but that unlikeability serves to make her more real and it certainly kept me entranced. Her coldness served its purpose in keeping a distance between Jia and the other characters - those she loves and who love her and also the reader, who has yet to come to a decision about her.
This is a well written, thoughtful and authentic story that will remain in my thoughts for a long time. More please.

The first I have read of a female gang boss and more to the fact it’s based in England. Loved all the twists and turns and to actually see things from a woman’s perspective too. The story unfolds about father and daughter too.

Uncompromising, unapologetic and unforgiving: Jia Khan is one of the most unlikable main characters I have ever come across and that’s exactly why you should read this book. Crime family stories are not new yet Saima Mir has managed to produce an innovative, rich and very dark story of such a family watching over their territory from a mansion on a hill. Jia Khan grabs the reader by the neck and drags them headlong through her story and life at a breathless pace. This is the world of the Khan and we just live in it. The story is original and full of surprising twists up until the last few pages and I devoured it. More than that, the way that the Khan came into being and the reasons for this shadowy, powerful figure are explained and demonstrated beautifully through an excoriating reflection on race, womanhood, marginalisation and the criminalisation of minoritised communities in the UK all woven into the tapestry of the story of a family trying to survive and keep their community alive and safe. It’s hard to sympathise with both Jia and her father’s (the original Khan) moralising around their actions and at times, her self-centredness and detachment was grating. But I think that’s the point – this isn’t about agreeing with her or even liking her; it’s a defiant exposition on how unrealistic it is to see the world in black and white. It is also very difficult to find works with strong female characters from a Muslim background where the religion is an undercurrent rather than placed in front of everything else. The characters' community and traditions are more prominent as guiding their rules and justice - it is not their faith which justifies their violence and that is really important. A fantastic debut and I can definitely see myself revisiting this in the future. I just wish I had the paperback!

When I heard that a book about a female crime boss set in Bradford was to be published I was sceptical.

The Khan is a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, it is full of twists and turns and has a spectacular character in Jia Khan.

A lot of people will say this book stereotypes Bradford and I would agree in some places it does but what Mir does is weave the history and current political situation of the city into a narrative that is plausible.

The Khan is not just about Jia Khan but when father, Akbar Khan and the many Khans in the book that are bound by loyalty and blood.

This book is a masterpiece and I look forward to reading more by Saima Mir.

Phew – I wasn’t expecting that! It was the cover that first drew my attention to this book, and the story inside was just as good. Akbar Khan, known as The Khan, is the head of a powerful crime family. Respected and cherished by his Pakistani community, he leads with great resolve. His daughter, Jai, has been estranged from the family for 15 years and is a successful defence barrister in London. She returns home for her sister’s wedding and, when her father is killed, decides to return to her roots and take over the organisation. This is a story of power, corruption, love and betrayal – and it was spellbinding and thought-provoking throughout. Very well written and fast-paced, the book drew me in from the first page and I was absorbed right to the ‘shocking’ end. I learned a lot about Muslim traditions and rituals, and I absolutely loved Jai Khan. I hope this is the first of a series, and would love to see it on TV. Wow, wow, wow – brilliant!

A stunning debut by Saima Mir, The Khan follows the rise of Jia Khan as head of Bradford’s Pakistani criminal underworld after her father, the previous Khan, is brutally murdered.

The Khan is written in a no nonsense style that sucks you into a world of contradictions. A lifestyle managing an empire built on drugs and prostitution, alongside a culture valuing family, faith and fealty. At first glance these worlds can’t coexist but the more you read the more they collide.

The Khan twists and turns until the final big reveal which was a proper shocker. Highly recommended, gripping and addictive.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Khan by Saima Mir is a stylish, clever Yorkshire-based, Asian mafia-style story with a fearsome female character at its centre. When Jia finally returns home for a family wedding after 15 years away building a successful career as a lawyer in London, her life is changed by the events that occur after the wedding.

The preservation of community and respect for tradition and culture are firmly at the centre of this story as well as the struggle for minority groups to be treated fairly in Britain. The community spirit that Jia's father Akbar Khan fostered offset the crimes that had to be committed to ensure survival of his people. Jia has to find a new way to prove her commitment to the community in the face of intimidation by a new and ruthless criminal gang.

The Khan is wonderfully entertaining;, witty in parts, the characters are stylish, the plot is clever. The struggles of the female character and the minority communities are however valid reflections of society that need to be addressed