Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood
A brilliantly compelling domestic suspense from a rising star of the crime fiction world, and the man behind BBC/Netflix smash hit, You Don't Know Me
Sophie King is missing.
Her parents, Harry and Zara, are distraught; for the last seventeen years, they've done everything for their beloved only daughter and now she's gone.
The police have no leads, and Harry and Zara are growing increasingly frantic, although they are both dealing with it in very different ways. Increasingly obsessed with their highly suspicious neighbour who won't open the door or answer any questions, they are both coming to the same conclusion. If they want answers, they're going to have to take the matter into their own hands.
But just how far are they both prepared to go for the love of their daughter?
About the author
Imran Mahmood is a practising criminal barrister in England and Wales. His debut novel You Don’t Know Me was chosen by Simon Mayo as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice for 2017 and longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, the CWA Gold Dagger Award, and the Glass Bell Award and was made into a hugely successful BBC1 adaptation in association with Netflix, reaching no.3 in the World and in the UK received a BAFTA nomination for best actor. His second novel I Know What I Saw was chosen as a Sunday Times crime novel of the month and reached no. 2 on the Audible charts. It was also long-listed for both the CWA Gold Dagger Award and Theakstons Crime Novel of the year. His third novel ALL I SAID WAS TRUE was also long-listed for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2023
His fourth novel Finding Sophie is to be released in the UK and in the USA in March 2024.
Imran was born and raised in Liverpool but now lives in London with his wife and 2 daughters.
Review
‘Finding Sophie’ is a gripping psychological thriller that is heart-wrenching and full of heightened emotions and tension radiating off every page. Despite my owning every book Imran has released this is the first that I have managed to read. Yes, I know I am late to the party! I have heard so many good things and this book didn't disappoint! It was full of emotions and empathy, an in-depth look into the grief around a missing child and a legal thriller at the same time. I devoured this one in quick time and couldn't put it down. It was so engaging and thought-provoking.
Sophie is missing. Harry and Zara are her parents and they are falling apart. Zara walks around in a daze, whilst Harry is spending every waking moment either looking after Zara or searching for Sophie. He has canvassed the whole neighbourhood and has talked to everyone apart from the neighbour at number 210. Harry becomes obsessed with getting answers from them and starts to take matters into his own hands. Will he succeed where the police have failed?
Interspersed between Harry and Zara’s viewpoints there are court scenes and to begin with, you don't know who is on trial and why. It was these scenes that I was obsessed with and I gasped a few times during them. Imran’s daytime job really imbues them with authenticity and I felt these really helped pull the book together.
Imran is a brilliant writer and I was blown away by the depth of emotion he managed to put into the scenes with Harry and particularly Zara. I can't even begin to imagine what that situation would feel like as I don't have children but it felt as if Imran covered the whole breadth of emotions and reactions. As he explores the grief, that is bordering on madness, he delves into how religion and faith may help and how family and relationships can be stretched, if we really know our closest family.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
