Delivery

Delivery by Jonathan R. Miller tells the story of Ambojeem, a biracial Somali immigrant who has spent decades drifting from Western nation to Western nation in search of a sense of belonging. At last, he thinks he has found a proper place to raise his 15-year old daughter in relatively sleepy Minneapolis, Minnesota – but all is not as it appears.

Ambojeem scrapes out his living as a delivery driver, transporting packages, medical waste, and various legal documents throughout the Twin Cities. On a seemingly routine delivery, Ambojeem makes a devastating discovery that sends him plunging into a dark world where black market surgery, kidnappings, and murder are the norm. Along the way, he meets a little girl whose father has plans for one of her vital organs. He feels compelled to help the child, but in doing so he risks falling victim to the father’s ambitions himself.

In Delivery, Miller masterfully balances the characterization, emotion, lyrical style, and serious tone of literary fiction with the captivating plot and pacing of a thriller, blending two genres in a way that he says mirrors the biracial experience. Like his main character, Miller is biracial and says growing up in a two-culture household while “passing” as white has had a tremendous effect on his view of the world and writing style. As an author, Miller often incorporates the themes of race and ethnicity into his works.