Kia Abdullah has yet again written another powerful courtroom drama. I thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel 'Take It Back' and was eager to read 'Truth Be Told' . I was not disappointed!
She has chosen to write about the controversial and almost taboo subject of male rape. She writes about class, religion and family relationships with aplomb.
Zara Kaleel ex lawyer and now counsellor is once again drawn into a high profile court case. This is not a book about good versus evil, this is seventeen year old public schoolboy Kamran Hadid's story and its written in a way that evokes sympathy/empathy for the main characters.
I would recommend this thought provoking book to anyone who enjoys a well written, well thought out up to date novel.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advance e-copy of this book.
#zarathebrave

This is Kia Abdullah’s second novel and she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

Zara Kaleel, ex-barrister and now a rape counsellor, is back in Truth Be Told. In this novel, she is helping Kamran Hadid, a public school boy from a wealthy family and attending an elite all-boys boarding school.

Where Abdullah focused on the disturbing issue of female rape and, in particular, rape myths in her first book ‘Take It Back’, in this she delves into the awful reality of male rape and the issue of consent, especially when alcohol is involved.

I could only feel sorry for Kamran, struggling with the trauma of rape as well as dealing with the toxic shackles of ‘manhood’ and his religion’s stance on gay sex. It graphically covers the ordeal (and sometimes considered ‘second assault’) of the court case, where what Kamran did or didn’t do is waved in front of the jury as evidence of his lying.

But what of Finn, the popular, friendly and all-round nice-guy. Could he really have forced himself on another pupil? You get to hear his angst, his concerns, his thoughts on mistakes he has made and you don’t see him as a ‘bad guy’, just a part of this awful incident.

And that is what is so wonderful about Abdullah’s writing. She doesn’t paint obvious ‘victims’ and ‘offenders’ or ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’. Everyone has their faults, everyone has their good sides. Each character within this book is human, you can identify with them as a real person.

The ending - well, I did not expect that! I won’t necessarily say it was a completely out of the blue twist - I had my suspicions. But I did not expect that ending.

A well-written, nail-biting thriller. I will be seeking out all future books by this author.

Kamran Hadid is a successful and privileged student. The son of proud Muslim parents, he is set to attend Oxford when he completes his final year at boarding school. But one night changes everything. After a party at school, he is sexually assaulted by another male student and his world implodes. His memories of the night are confused, and he feels shame and fear. He makes the courageous decision to report the assault, and has the support of Zara Kaleel, a former solicitor and sexual assault advisor. But he is to learn that victims of rape are themselves put on trial as his past is delved into, and questions are asked as to why he didn't fight his perpetrator off. When a not guilty verdict is returned, events take an even darker turn and all hope for a bright and happy future disappear. Truth Be Told is at times a difficult read but an important one, dealing as it does with the subject of male rape, which is still, sadly, a taboo subject. Well-researched and sensitively handled, it deals with the questions of what it means to be a man, and how well-meaning but misguided parenting can contribute to the feeling of shame and guilt. Perhaps even more so when the question of honour is pervasive as it can be in Muslim families. Men are encouraged to be strong, to be able to fight back and when they do not do so, can they be said to have let themselves down?

A brave portrayal of one young man's fight for justice, which also highlights the fact that the criminal justice system lets down victims all too often.

I want to shout it from my roof: THIS. BOOK. IS. TREMENDOUS!!!!!!!!!!!
The taboo subject of male rape is one I haven’t seen explored much, but the author hit it out of the park here. This gripping tale leaves you wondering who to believe and what it’s like when the lines of alleged rape are even more blurred. A fantastic story from a fantastic writer. Five stars, EASY!

This is a powerful, disturbing, moving and thoroughly engrossing novel. The topic of male rape is always a sensitive issue but it is handled here with delicacy and compassion and the book feels vital, relevant and questioning. When a privileged and gifted schoolboy is assaulted he reluctantly reports it in the hope of putting an end to the issue but it does anything but! Staggeringly good.

Excellently written with great depth and two unseen twists at the end.

Truth Be Told is a brilliant follow up to Kia Abdullah’s previous novel Take it Back and can easily be read as a stand-alone if you haven’t read the earlier book

Definitely recommended

Zara Kaleel ex Barrister but now working as a counseller for an East London charity, dealing with women rape victims. She appeared in the previous book by this author"Take it back". She still has flashbacks to when she was physically attacked. She was already vulnerable after leaving an arranged marriage. Her father was very angry, threatening violent reprisals. He died soon after. They were never reconciled. Zara became addicted to tranquilisers. She now goes to an addict support group. She is also lonely
A young man visits her office asking for advice. Initially she tells him it is a womens support charity. However as his story unfolds she decides to help him.
He is Kamran Hadid the eldest son of wealthy asian parents. He claims he has been raped by a fellow pupil at their exclusive Public school near Wembley. His father is very intolerent of any weakness in his two sons. Because he fears his father's wrath he elects to let the police prosecute. He little realises what troubles lie ahead for him. The ending is unexpected and devastating.
An interesting book and enjoyable despite it's subject. The author is a muslim, so it is interesting to get her ideas on a muslim woman's role in society and a muslim man's role. White male readers rarely get an insight into a female's life in a muslim society, in a western country. With covid-19 we are experiencing by wearing our masks, what it must be like wearing the niquab!
A very well told story, highly recommended and I will definitely read more by this intelligent author.

Wow, I loved this. I didn't initially realise this was the second in a series and I was a bit concerned that it would spoil my enjoyment of it but thankfully it didn't (although I do wish I'd read the other one first).

I found the story so interesting: The main theme was male rape and the blurred lines around consent and I found the conversations around this extremely fascinating. I also liked how the Muslim culture of the characters came into play.

The characters were all wonderfully vivid. I actually felt sorry for both the victim and the accused as the author wrote the story really well from both sides so I wasn't sure how I wanted it to play out. I think the book was well-paced and I was never bored whilst reading. There were some big surprises in the ending. Personally I would have liked one more chapter to round things off a bit more but that could just be because I didn't want the story to end!

CONTENT WARNING: contains scenes of sexual violation that will be distressing for some.

I was greatly anticipating Kia Abdullah’s follow up to her enthusiastically received debut Take It Back and couldn’t wait to dive into this latest courtroom drama from this talented writer.
In Truth be Told, the reader can welcome back the wonderful Zara Kaleel, ex lawyer turned sexual violence counsellor as she turns her attentions to a case involving 17 year old Kamran Hadid. Pupil at the exclusive boys boarding school, Hampton school, this privileged young man who lives with his family in Belsize Park has his future mapped out for him,one that promises to look very bright indeed. That is until one drunken night results in accusation of assault leaving Kamran’s life as he knows it teetering on a knife edge. Who is to be believed and what will be the consequences when the truth is told?

Much of the narrative centres around the ensuing courtroom drama with the author providing a balanced perspective from both the ‘victim’ and the accused’s standpoint thereby avoiding casting moral judgement. It’s up to the reader to process their own thoughts, ruminating on the facts as they are presented and decide who is telling the truth. Reading these scenes, feeling like an member of the public sat listening in the gallery to the events as they unfold, the overriding impression of a rape trial is that it can never simply be a case of he said (s)he said, far from being black and white but varying shades of grey in between. Although the courtroom scenes are powerful and hard hitting, the author displays such a sensitivity in her writing that makes you feel she is inhabiting the mind and soul of Kamran in particular. It is this empathetic approach and flair for capturing the essence of what makes us human and the damage we can inflict upon one another that compels you to keep reading. Whilst it is heartbreaking to witness Kamran’s unravelling, with his character diminishing with every turn of the page, this storyline goes way beyond issues of consent but encompasses homophobia,religion and what it means to be masculine. Zara’s astute observation that ‘the vagaries of the law did not treat subjects kindly’ encapsulates the true horror of a rape trial for those involved and all the emotions Kamran is experiencing and reliving since that one drunken night. It is both humbling and sobering and filled me with sorrow to imagine this young man reduced to a shell of his former self, his hopes and dreams for his future gradually diminished with each passing day, his own self image brought into question, subjected to close examination and scrutiny.

Kamran’s character and his family life have a huge impact on events that follow. I thought the notion that wealth and privilege could protect the likes of Kamran from ever facing such an ordeal interesting. Early on one of the Hadids remarks ‘That the whole point of Hampton is that we never have to deal with real people in the real world’ leaving the reader with the vision that these people live in a gilded cage, exempt from any harm. That they are masquerading as the perfect family, with father Mack as alpha male and mother Sofia, a feeble woman by comparison, further complicates Kamran’s situation, adding to his turmoil. Coming from a conservative, religious family he, like his brother Adam has a certain reputation to uphold, cannot be seen to be weak and most pertinently it is Mack’s rigid ideas of masculinity that confine both brothers to living in a cage constructed by their parents. The pain and fear and panic that Kamran is feeling is tangible further isolating him from his own family, leading me to believe he is a prisoner in so many ways.

Not only is the reader treated to a gripping storyline, but the characterisation is believable so that there is no imbalance between plot and character. I don’t think this storyline would be as strong without Zara the Brave. If you’ve read Take it Back then you will already appreciate this character for her feistiness, independence and compassion (but it is not essential to have read this book first!). I loved becoming re-acquainted with this woman who is the ideal candidate to counsel Kamran through his ordeal. Given her job title you’d be forgiven for assuming Zara is a saintly do-gooder but thankfully the author has portrayed her as a flawed, vulnerable character just like any other human being. Whilst Zara is deeply invested in helping Kamran we learn of her own current personal battles which makes her even more likeable and believable as a character. I think she recognises something of herself in Kamran which is why she is at pains to help limit his suffering and this becomes a perfect excuse not to confront some of her own personal issues, despite tentative steps to do so.

The idea that we all have defining moments in our lives plays an important role in this courtroom drama with all key players aware of what that moment is for them and how it will affect their futures. I always appreciate fiction that challenges my way of thinking as well as ‘entertaining’ me and the author constantly provides the reader with food for thought. If I’m honest I’ve never given much thought to the main subject the author is addressing so this book opened my eyes to an issue that is probably not openly discussed.

In terms of expressing an opinion about how I felt reading this book, terms such as enjoyable don’t really apply. What I appreciated the most was the way the author drew me into a difficult,complex storyline with her expert observations of what it is to be human, existing within the confines of family, religious and societal expectations. Her forte is her ability to take a controversial subject and treat it with the utmost compassion whilst still creating a compelling piece of fiction. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that these characters aren’t real, but imagined since the scenarios come across as entirely authentic. I loved the turning point of this storyline which gives the reader an ending that is poignant but not neatly tied up. With the final words I was left pondering all that had gone before and cared deeply for the plight of all those involved. The author has delivered another piece of fiction that is impossible to put down and I sincerely hope we haven’t heard the last from Zara. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

ONE DRUNKEN NIGHT. ONE HORRIFIC QUESTION. WILL THE TRUTH BE TOLD
Now l like a courtroom drama and this was one of the best but with such a back story!
Kamran Hadid had it all and felt invincible but one drunken night changed everything.
Zara is a counsellor with her own demons guiding Kamran through this nightmare urging him to tell the truth.
The truth came as it always does at a heavy price, Kamran’s father unable to connect with his Sons emotions and sensitivity not encouraged.
Then we have Kamran’s younger Brother who disappoints at every turn.
I don’t want to give away anymore and spoil enjoyment but just need to say l read this and gained an insight into another world.

I enjoyed Ms Abdullah's first book with its thoughtful take on female rape and the controversy around it, and was pleased to return to the company of "Zara the brave" in truth be told.. As a woman I can't comment on the veracity of Kamran's feelings and reactions, but I felt the author dealt sympathetically with difficult subjects such as male rape, homosexuality and the Muslim community and managed to combine this with a tense and twisty courtroom drama.
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of this book

Content Warnings: Homophobia, Rape, Honour Killings

This book was not an easy read at all but Abdullah managed to write with a high level of sensitivity. It kept me gripped throughout and then it delivered an unexpected twist right at the end.

A really powerful read.

If ever there was a book which makes you look at how different sections of society conduct themselves this would be it - on more than one level. It made me look at different genders, religions, classes and sexual preferences and that's before taking into account the shocking events of one raucous night at a public school where one man's boundaries are breached by another's blatant sense of entitlement - well, that's one side of the story any way.
Kamran and Finn are both students at a prestigious boarding school which upholds strict rules for the majority of term time, with the odd exception when parties are held and everyone turns a blind eye to excess drinking and related naughtiness. But the events of one such night get out of hand when one student enters another's personal quarters uninvited and takes advantage of the resident who is in bed feeling worse for wear after a heavy night of partying.
The book then follows events as the violated student deliberates how to deal with what he sees as rape. The taboo of male rape is dealt with in a very sensitive manner - and with religious views on homosexuality also being thrown into the mix together with overbearing parents who expect their very well-to-do children to behave within extremely strict rules, this is a minefield that many authors would shy away from.
The author explores the feelings of both parties involved - the feelings of guilt on both sides, the soul searching of both men and how events affect them both as the situation suddenly gets thrown into the public spotlight of the media and the courts. All of these things are handled in a well balanced way I felt and made me explore my own opinions and thoughts on the issues involved.
The ending I found heartbreaking as things come to a very emotional conclusion and the families of both men have to come to terms with the decisions made back at the boarding school.
Who is right and could anyone have handled things differently? There are so many viewpoints to be had on those questions but either way I felt the author presented both sides in a confident yet sensitive way.
It seems wrong to say I enjoyed this book due to the content but overall I liked the way the (maybe slightly stereotypical) characters were drawn and feel the author achieved what she set out to do by getting me to analyse my thoughts on the storyline.

Just wow, what a fantastic read, a great original storyline that just had me gripped from the start. I read in one sitting due to the fact I just could not put it down. A story about several taboo subjects that Kia Abdullah wrote about with such integrity, realism and emotion. The storyline was so well written and I found myself engaging with all the main characters and swaying between where my sympathy was placed. I won’t go too much in to the storyline as that is what the blurb is for but I will say I did not see the ending coming at all. My first outing with this author but it will not be my last

I haven’t read Kia Abdullah’s debut “Take It Back” but I will certainly be on the look-out for it after reading her first-class second novel. I feel like I have been on a real journey with the author with what is ostensibly a legal thriller- but it is so much more.
I’m not going to say much about the plot other than not one of the twists did I see coming. Thematically, it is rich. It’s mainly a tale about consent, but also cultural pressures and entitlement. We meet 17 year old Kamran, educated at boarding school (which seems alarmingly close to his house I always assume children board some distance from home but here not so) who one night has too much to drink and changes his life forever and Zara, an ex-lawyer, now working in counselling and support who is coming to terms with an act of violence perpetrated against her.
This was a novel I found difficult to put down. I was using my finger to cover up the bottom of the page at times as I was reading it, not wanting my eyes to slide down and pick up on events too soon. I savoured every word and it is well written. I admittedly had a slight issue with a group of male protesters who do not seem as well thought out as characters and whose presence in part of the narrative caused its only few clunky moments. I socially distanced myself at work one lunchtime even more than necessary by seeking out a space alone so I could read the court case section of the novel.
I’m not even a huge fan of legal thrillers. The only one (not including “To Kill A Mockingbird” which is loosely a legal thriller) which has really impressed me is Jodi Picoult’s “Small Great Things” (2016) and this is every bit as thought-provoking and good.
Truth Be Told will be published on September 3rd by HQ Books. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Oh My Days! I never saw that coming...!
Assault consellor Zara Kaleel is still only just getting over the fallout from what happened in the first book of this series - Take It Back - and the events therein are referred to in this, the follow up. It's not wholly necessary to have read that book before this one but, if you are going to read it, obviously reading this one first will spoil things so better to read in the right order, And it's a cracking book in itself so... why not!?
Zara is visited at work by Kamran Hadid who has heard about her from what she did before. But she works at a female only clinic so refers him on. When she follows up and finds out he never showed to the appointment she made for him, she takes matters into her own hands by taking a sabbatical. It transpires that something awful happened to him at the elite all-boys boarding school he attends. After a night of revelry involving alcohol, someone came into his room and, well, you can guess the rest. The school obviously want to handle it themselves, fallout, publicity, reputation, but Kamran wants justice so Zara helps him take it to the Police.
And so begins another high profile curt case for Zara...
I loved Take it Back when I read it a while ago. I really connected with Zara from the off, with her difficult family life and the path she had chosen to take following her education and how she started off her career. I say "loved" obviously given the subject matter of what she now does for a living, that does sound a bit off, but I'm sure you get what I mean in a reader context.
In this book, the author takes it up a notch into the rather taboo subject of male rape. But, and I hasten to say this, all of what is mentioned, described, and the action as it plays out, is handled in a very sensitive and respectful way. Nothing is sensationalised in the name of fiction. Yes, at times it's hard to read. I'm usually quite hard reader-wise but even I had to take the odd break from it to clear my head along the way. But the author writes with real compassion and allows gentler moments along the way to keep the balance, to prevent the book from getting too heavy. Just be prepared for it to be somewhat hard hitting at times.
This book also broke my heart a little along the way. I can't go into the whys and wherefores here for obvious reasons but it is a very emotional read. But also an intriguing one too. And, as already mentioned at the start of my review... wow! I did not see that coming. But there it was and, wow again! After all that went before, the ending was, well... you'll see.
All in all a cracking follow up to what was an extremely good series opener. I'm literally gagging to see what the author will serve up next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Truth Be Told by Kia Abdullah is the follow to the exceptional’Take it Back’.

Zara Kaleel returns in this powerful, moving tale from Abdullah who again writes a story of a deeply taboo subject. Male Rape.

Kamran Hadid is a young student at an expensive boarding school. His future is being mapped for him by his rich parents. Until everything changes when he is attacked In his room after a drunken party.

Kia Abdullah writes another sharp, intelligent and cleverly plotted courtroom thriller as Kamran takes his attacker to court determined to prove his guilt.

The book starts quickly and strongly, possibly a bit of a rip through the middle pages as the courtroom drama is played out. But the finale is up there with ‘Take it Back’. It’s excellent.

Whilst finding it hard to connect with the victim and the accused., I do very much like the character of Zara Kaleel and hope there is yet more to come from her.

Kia Abdullah is an author who pushes boundaries with her subjects and writes about religions and cultures in a way that open them up to less informed readers such as myself. Abdullah is a rising talent and has written a compelling, powerful story of trust, betrayal and lies. One which will make you think.

Very Good,

4🔥🔥🔥🔥

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the ARC.

After reading the debut novel Take it Back by Kia Abdulla last year I was excited to read the next. Both are legal thrillers and feature strong leading character, Zara Kaleel.
I’m Truth be Told the story centres around a private boys school and a wealth Muslim family who have two sons Kamran and Adam who both attend the school and live up to its and their fathers extremely high standards.
One holiday before leaving for home Kamran and Adam attend a party on campus and after too much to drink elder brother Kamran wakes up the next to another student, knowing that they have had sex and that he has not consented.
The story then proceeds from accusation to court case to verdict and a tragedy that ruins the lives of more than victim and alleged rapist.
I was completely taken by surprise by the ending of this novel and found it moving and tragic. The narrative is so well crafted and the characters are so vivid. This is definitely one of the beat books I have read this year.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘Truth Be Told’ is in many ways an excellent novel, and it’s certainly an admirable one. I’d not heard of Kia Abdullah before I saw this on NetGalley, but I’ll definitely be reading more by her. She tells an emotionally complex story, avoiding easy answers, and in doing so delivers a book with a lasting impact.
The plot is straightforward – at an exclusive boy’s school one teenage boy rapes another. The novel follows the victim and perpetrator through the investigation and trial, the main character being Zara, an assault counsellor assigned to the boy who was attacked.
What sets the book apart from others is the incredibly even-handed approach Kia Abdullah takes. To have written a novel about rape where the reader feels sorrow for the attacker as well as the attacked is no mean feat. She does it through careful characterisation. Every major player in the book is convincingly human. Flawed, in some cases tragically so, but sympathetic too. There is an intricate series of relationships between the characters, one that builds up subtly as the book unfolds so that it’s only at the end that you really appreciate it.
The context is key here too. Male rape isn’t a subject that gets examined much in crime fiction and it is done sensitively and effectively here. What’s more, the victim is a Muslim, as is Zara the counsellor and there is a great deal of discussion of Muslim (and indeed western) attitudes to masculinity. That really is the central theme of the book, even when Abdullah is writing about the counsellor’s relationship with her father it’s there.
For all the deep themes it’s a very readable book. It’s gripping throughout, largely because it’s unclear until the end how things will turn out. The courtroom scenes have real punch, but it’s the quieter moments of introspection that have the most impact. The result is a compelling, moving and at times shocking book.

Thanks to Net Galley and HQ for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This is the second book I have read by this author, it certainly did not disappoint, the pages just keep turning, I was engrossed in the tale from page one, the legal drama, the tension and emotions building as the story unfolds around the taboo issue of male rape.
17 year old Kamran comes from a wealthy Muslim family, attends private school, is a top student, a place at Oxford guaranteed. All that changes so quickly and dramatically after a party where Kamran and his peers had too much alcohol, and the events which take place afterwards in his own bedroom are hazy.
This book is so well written you can feel all Kamran’s emotions, guilt, shame, anger, the constant demands of his father wanting him to stand up and be a masculine male leaving Kamran feeling stifled.
There are strong female characters in the story who are well portrayed and Zara is also from a strict Muslim family and can empathise with Kamran.
This is an excellent thought provoking read, I will be reading more from Kia Abdullah A five star read.