Stone Cold Trouble

LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA GOLD DAGGER 2021THRILLERS OF THE MONTH - ObserverBEST CRIME FICTION, SEPT 2020 - The Times'BRUTAL, SHOCKING AND FUNNY' - M. W. Craven'A STONE COLD HIT! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED' - Adam Hamdy'A RIOTOUS BELTER OF A BOOK' - Abir Mukherjee'A BONE-CRUNCHING CRIME THRILLER' - James Swallow'A FAST AND FIERCE THRILL RIDE' - Chris WhitakerSet in the heart of West London's Asian community, this is the latest instalment in the unmissable ZAQ & JAGS series . . . Trying - and failing - to keep his head down and to stay out of trouble, ex-con Zaq Khan agrees to help his best friend, Jags, recover a family heirloom, currently in the possession of a wealthy businessman. But when Zaq's brother is viciously assaulted, Zaq is left wondering whether someone from his own past is out to get revenge. Wanting answers and retribution, Zaq and Jags set out to track down those responsible. Meanwhile, their dealings with the businessman take a turn for the worse and Zaq and Jags find themselves suspected of murder. It'll take both brains and brawn to get themselves out of trouble and, no matter what happens, the results will likely be deadly. The only question is, whether it will prove deadly for them, or for someone else . . . ?Praise for Amer Anwar and the Zaq & Jags series: 'An engaging hero, a cunning plot and a fascinating journey into Southall's underworld. We'll be hearing a lot more from Amer Anwar' MICK HERRON'A fresh and exciting new voice' ANN CLEEVES'Tense and pacey . . . fast and furious' GUARDIAN'An authentic slice of Brit Asian noir . . . Gripping' VASEEM KHAN'Gritty, startlingly original and great fun' ROBERT BRYNDZA'Utterly convincing . . . Terrific dialogue and much humour' THE TIMES

Stone Cold Trouble is a stone cold hit. I loved this captivating journey into West London's underbelly in the company of characters so authentic they feel like old friends. Thrilling, funny, charming, Stone Cold Trouble is a rich, immersive read. Amer Anwar has a deftness of touch that will keep you coming back for more. Highly recommended, Stone Cold Trouble should push Amer Anwar to the forefront of British crime fiction. It's a superb book - brutal and uncompromising, shocking and funny, heart-warming and heart-wrenching. Zaq and Jags, two ordinary men, once again forced to do the extraordinary, just roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done, making fun of each other every step of the way. They may not always make the smart choice, but because of their touching friendship, we cheer them on every step of the way regardless. Simply brilliant, Stone Cold Trouble is another terrific slice of noir set in West London's British Asian community. Anwar excels in framing his subject matter with a nuanced eye - the details of his characters' lives ring with authenticity. In this fast paced mystery adventure, Zaq and Jags are back, slaloming from one crisis to another, until they find themselves neck deep in . . . trouble. Darkly comic, fierce, and engaging, A fast-paced & irreverent Zaq & Jags story (set in the heart of West London's Asian community). Fresh, authentic and totally compelling. I think fans of Mark Billingham's books would love this. EXCELLENT, So worth the wait! I have a major man crush on Zaq and Jags - one of the best British crime fiction duos to emerge in recent years. Gritty action, a rollicking plot and a brilliant cast of fantastic characters. The setting is perfect too; these pubs and backstreets are the kind of London I can believe in

Amer Anwar grew up in West London. After leaving college he had a variety of jobs, including warehouse assistant, comic book lettering artist, a driver for emergency doctors and chalet rep in the French Alps. He eventually landed a job as a creative artworker/graphic designer and spent a decade and a half producing artwork, mainly for the home entertainment industry. He holds an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London and is a winner of the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award.