This NYC-Based Thriller is Not What It Seems and Takes Writing About Minority Voices to the Next Level

As a woman living in New York City, safety is one of my biggest priorities. Whenever a headline about crime on the subway appears, my family reaches out to me to ensure that I’m alright. As one in many people living in the city, the world keeps moving. 

For author Amina Akhtar, she used these emotions to write the compelling novel, “Almost Surely Dead,” which has been published by Mindy’s Book Studio. Mindy’s Book Studio publishes books selected by Tony Award-winning actress Mindy Kaling. Kaling calls Akhtar’s novel a “witty, fresh psychological thriller that’s part stalker thriller, part ghost story. This book took turns I never saw coming.”  

Amina Aktar is a novelist and former fashion editor for magazines like “Vogue,” “Elle,” “The New York Times” and “New York Magazine.” She was the founding editor of the women’s blog “The Cut” during her time at “New York Magazine.” Her debut novel, “#FashionVictim,” drew rave reviews and was covered in the “Wall Street Journal,” “Forbes,” “Martha Stewart Living,” “Entertainment Weekly,” “Fashionista,” “Book Riot,” “CrimeReads,” and more. 

Dunia Ahmed lives an ordinary life—or she definitely used to. Now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for over a year and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. But her story has listeners obsessed, and people everywhere are sporting merch that demands “Find Dunia!” 

In the days before her disappearance, Dunia was a successful pharmacist living in New York. The daughter of Pakistani immigrants, she’s coping with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But then someone tries to murder her. When her would-be killer winds up dead, Dunia figures the worst is over. But then there’s another attempt on her life…and another. And police suspect someone close to her may be the culprit. Dunia struggles to make sense of what’s happening. As childhood superstitions seep into her reality, she becomes convinced that someone—or something —is truly after her.

Had I seen this book in a bookstore, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up because the major plot of the story is Dunia’s attempted murder in NYC, but I’m so glad I read it! Akhtar’s compelling writing builds up suspense surrounding who is behind Dunia’s attempted murders while incorporating her Pakistani heritage through family stories and flashbacks. 

“After living in NYC for twenty years, it seemed the perfect setting for feeling like you’re in danger while hundreds or thousands of people are milling about,” Akhtar said in an interview with HCNYU. “I think a thriller should be scary, and tackling stalking and subway attacks are a good way to remind us of the dangers that lurk in everyday life.” 

I’ve often found that a person’s ethnicity in a book is replaced with the word “victim” when they’ve experienced a shaking event. They are seen solely as a victim rather than taking their identity as a whole into consideration. However, Akhtar uses this stereotype to fuel her thriller, taking readers on a ride to find out what happened to Dunia in the past: from her murder attempts to her childhood. 

“My dad used to tell us stories about jinn [spirits] when we were little and my mother hated it. But she was not like Dunia’s mom in that she was much more chill,” Akhtar said. “Though I do think having that moment when you realize your parents are human and trying their best was a pivotal theme for Dunia.”

Akhtar’s book had me on the edge of my seat in the best way possible, despite having a creepy spine-chilling plot that I would never typically gravitate towards. 

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