When sheltering in an empty Mayfair flat for the night, homeless Xander Shute hides when he hears the occupants returning home. Trapped, he hears an argument and witnesses a vicious murder.

What Xander struggles to discover, though, is the identity of the woman after police tell him it's impossible that a woman was there. Determined to bring her killer to justice, Xander searches for answers while his memory of the crime is questioned.

Forced to confront the long-buried past, Xander finds himself questioning everything - and everyone - he knows.

With a strong narrative voice and an intriguing plot, Imran Mahmood has created a complex, layered story replete with realistic characters. Although the pace varies with the action, I found myself unable to stop reading this stunning story.

Mahmood's experience as a barrister shines through in the legal elements of the novel - right down to the descriptions of police stations and court processes - but it never weighs the story down.

Challenging stereotypes and commenting on societal prejudices, 'I Know What I Saw' is intelligent, moving and perfectly plotted with a stunning resolution.

Xander Shute is a once wealthy banker now living on the streets. After a fight with another homeless person in a London park, Xander sees an open door and shelters inside someone’s flat. Only they return when he’s there and he witnesses the woman of the house being murdered. Filled with shame at his cowardice in not stopping the assault, Xander becomes obsessed with finding out who her attacker was and bringing him to justice.

This is the author’s second book and a worthy follow on from his excellent debut, You Don’t Know Me. It’s not a sequel and does not follow on from his earlier title (although I would encourage people to read both books, as they’re both excellent).

While the two titles have something in common in that they’re both told in first person from the protagonist’s point of view, and the reader has to decide how much of their account to believe, Xander Shute is a much more unreliable protagonist than the young man on trial who was the centre of the plot of the author’s debut.

Xander had quite an eccentric childhood, fiercely bright but encouraged by his father to compete with his much more gifted younger brother, a contest he always lost. This led to years of resentment on Xanders' part, although his brother was always kind to him. But then tragedy struck and Xander went off the rails and now his memory is flawed. Throughout the narrative he discovers things about his past which cast his memory of the murder in a new light. This keeps the reader guessing until the end.

I Know What I Saw is a brilliant read and I finished it in just a couple of sittings. Xander is a sympathetic character, and the plot is compelling. This is a great read.

This fantastic dark and twisted read really kept me on u toes from beginning to the end The plot it slow moving and narrated by the main character Xander Shute, a homeless guy who once had a very different life. Xander finds shelter one evening in a house where he witnesses a murder, a murder the police can not find any evidence of happing at the time Xander said it did. Did he imagine it, are his memories that distorted from the truth or is someone coving up a murder.
Just when you think you know what it happening the author throws in a new twist, this is definitely a book you shouldn’t try second guessing, let it flow and enjoy every page.

I was really excited to get accepted for this one on netgalley as I l9ved his first book! I love a good twisty thriller with the legal system as a part of it. This follows Xander as a homeless man, piecing together his witnessing a crime. It is quite emotional in some parts, and just when you think you've sussed it....a twist is thrown out there! Easy to read and kept me hooked from start to finish. 3.5⭐

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
The principle story revolves around an individual who has been living on the streets for years and years.
On night after entering what he thought was an empty house he witnesses a murder/accident and depite going to the police becomes a suspect. This book promised so much, but to be honest I actually found it all just a little disappointing at the end of it, hence the three out of five mark.

This book was fantastic!
I thought "You Don't Know Me" was pretty good but this was phenomenal.
So we begin with Xander, a older man without a home, sleeping under a slide in Hyde Park. Gets into a pretty nasty fight with a drunk over territory and so he decides to find somewhere else to sleep. Comes across an open door, to his surprise it's an actual home that's empty, so he hides behind the sofa and gets some sleep. Pretty soon the owners come back and as they start drinking more, they get into a fight and the woman ends up being murdered.
*This isn't a SPOILER. It's literally the first chapter and the synopsis*
Xander then has to go and report this to the police because he feels terrible that a woman is dead all alone, but they don't believe him based on how he looks (beaten up and in the streets). So he has to do some sleuthing of his own, and with it, his own memories and past spill out over the course of the pages.
You will absolutely want to finish this in one sitting, you will not be able to put it down. And if you don't have the time to finish in a day then you won't be thinking about anything else!!!
Quite honestly a perfect thriller which will leave you asking the same questions as Xander...did it really happen?
Imran Mahmood is using their background of being a barrister for our sheer pleasure. Having court procedures and criminal knowledge is obviously the perfect makeup for a top notch UK crime writer. I'll be over there (im)patiently waiting for the next book.

I’m sorry I’m late getting to review this book, but circumstances have got in the way. Will read and review soon

I Know What I Saw is Mahmood’s second novel and a psychological thriller billed as a "timely investigation into wealth and trauma". Xander Shute used to be an affluent and successful guy at the very top of his game, but when you're at the top you have further to fall to hit rock bottom. Nevertheless, Xander has arrived there. After studying Mathematics at Cambridge University he became a prominent investment banker until his fall from grace. Now the high-powered, money-driven lifestyle he had grown accustomed to has been reduced to night after night searching and then scrapping for the best sleeping positions around the city and it doesn't always work out with him joyous. Tonight he's injured and it's raining cats and dogs; he's desperate for a warm, dry place to rest his head when he seemingly and serendipitously discovers a flat in Mayfair with its door ajar. He's tired and cold and steps inside to catch some zzzzs but is subject to a rude awakening sometime later. He stirs from his slumber to intense arguing between a woman and man and he witnesses the murder of the woman at the fellow’s hands. Over the next few days and weeks, the guilt for not at least attempting to stop the murder eats away at him until he leaves the sanctity of the house as it now haunts him and he also cannot shake the feeling that he could be next.

He heads for medical treatment at the hospital and is picked up by the police but they aren't there about his ordeal, well not directly anyway, and they take him to the station to be interviewed as a suspect in the brutal assault of another homeless man. He takes the opportunity to report to DI Rachel Blake and DI Simon Conway what he heard and saw that night but to his astonishment, they don't believe a single word he says and accuse him of wasting their time. His story never changes yet they pursue him as though they aren't really looking for justice, only a fall guy. They proceed to charge him with committing the crime. This is a scintillating and intelligent read about just how far you can fall from those heady heights as well as an examination of power, class, money and justice. It's gritty and authentic with superb multilayered plotting addressing the issues surrounding unreliable/fading memory, deep-seated trauma, spectres of the past and abject poverty. We come to learn of Xander’s life as his backstory unravels and the complex relationships he shares with his parents, sibling, Rory and the love of his life, Grace. It's a captivating, immersive and twist-laden novel with suspense and surprises aplenty and it is both tender and enigmatic in nature with an increasingly blurred line between reality and fantasy challenging Xander to revisit his past if he has any desire to reclaim his future.

Really intriguing plot, unfurled to the reader by the central character, Xander Shute. Once a wealthy banker, he has been living on the streets and we steadily find out what led to this. One night, he finds the front door of a Mayfair property slightly ajar, next thing, he witnesses a murder. The storytelling is captivating, it twists about and the characters are very well drawn. I really enjoyed it, a more thoughtful thriller and one I would certainly recommend.

Having read the author's first novel 'You Don't Know Me' and been mightily impressed I was keen to read this, his second book.

Quite different it is a slow-burner of a read so if you like action packed then this probably isn't one for you but I would encourage folks to give it a try as it is so well plotted and executed it is definitely worth sticking with.
The main character Xander Shute is rather eccentric, highly intelligent and sticks by his principles to the point he puts himself in jeopardy. He has given up a high powered, highly paid job in the City and has been living on the streets for years. He could afford property in London but chooses his lifestyle due to the experiences life has thrown his way. One night he happens across an open door to a plush apartment in Mayfair and, in search of a safe haven for the night, enters the property and falls asleep behind the sofa. He is woken by a couple coming home and having a violent argument which has fatal consequences. His principles take him to the local police station to report what he has seen however the officers there tell him that what he is reporting is not possible. I couldn't decide whether he was crazy to pursue the incident as he did or whether I should be mightily impressed with how determined he was to get justice for the victim.

The book explores the effects life on the streets has upon a person, how our childhood and family influences us deep down and how relationships and their breakdowns affect us. I found it quite moving in places and was rooting for Xander all the way despite what the police were implying had happened. His friends too were on my questionable list: how much were Xander's actions to blame for events from recent years and how much was his friends' responsibility? Quite the puzzle.

Very cleverly written and thought provoking with regards to several different moral dilemmas, this would make an excellent book club read (once again for this author) with plenty to discuss.

Xander Shute used to be a wealthy banker in a past life. Now he’s just another homeless person walking the streets looking for a safe place to sleep until one night another homeless person attacks him saying that he has stolen his patch. Xander quickly disappears off seeking safety in a Mayfair doorway finding the door unlocked. He makes his way inside and hides behind the sofa falling asleep. He’s soon woken up to witness a horrific murder which he later reports to the police only to be told that it couldn’t possibly have happened. Only he is certain that he knew what he saw! I enjoyed the story but found it slow going to read at times but it wasn’t a bad book. I would recommend it but it’s just not as gripping and fast paced as I would normally like but still worth a read.

I Know What I Saw by Imran Mahmood is a gripping psychological thriller, skilfully written and combining elements of a mystery, a police procedural and a poignant love story, packed with twists and a fantastic roller-coaster of a read.

Xander Shute is a Cambridge graduate who landed a top banking job in the City, but when we meet him he is living a brutal existence on the streets. After he witnesses a murder, we follow his story through dual timelines as he tries to piece together the mystery, revealing more about both parts of his life along the way.

This is my first book by this author but I very much look forward to reading more.

slow paced but if you are prepared to stick with it it is a complex, engaging, pyschological thriller
any book that has a character called Xander Shute in it has to be worth a go, am glad I kept with it and will without doubt read other books by this author

Imran Mahmood’s debut novel, You Don’t Know Me was a stand-out book that still lingers in my memory, so I was really keen to read I Know What I Saw. It is another piece of distinctive and compelling writing; quite different from anything I have read before.

Our protagonist is Xander Shute, once a man who had everything, now living on the streets. Xander read Mathematics at Cambridge then went into investment banking where he was forging a successful career, had great friends and a beautiful partner. Then his life fell apart and now he can’t bear to be indoors for any length of time. He sleeps in parks and on the streets in doorways.

Life on the streets is rough. He is constantly provoked, kicked and moved on, often being injured in the process. One night, after he is attacked in the park, bleeding and in need of medical treatment, finds a downstairs doorway in the heart of Mayfair in which he can shelter. Moving down to it, he realises that the door is open, goes in, and finding the apartment empty, falls asleep on the floor behind the sofa.

He is awoken by the noise of an argument. A man and a woman are quarrelling and then the quarrel turns nasty, ending in the violent death of the woman. After the man has gone, Xander runs away, but can’t forget what he has seen and reports the murder to the police.

What then follows is a nightmare.

Imran Mahmood creates a deep and layered portrayal of a man whose memories cannot always be relied upon. His complex character is designed to make us root for Xander in our liberal, conscience-stricken way, and it is fascinating to realise how much his portrait of Xander is designed to do just that. Would we feel so invested in Xander and his outcome if our protagonist had been homeless and on the streets as a result of drug addiction, I wonder?

Nevertheless, Xander is who he is and whatever he has been, he is now itinerant, one of society’s forgotten people, living a largely unseen life under the radar. His voice is strong though, if sometimes unpredictable, and his sense of the need to get justice for this woman is what drives him throughout the book.

Told by Xander, the reader learns about his relationships, family circumstances, friendships and ultimately, why he chose to walk away. His character is beautifully drawn and the reader cannot help but be pulled into his orbit. This is a man you would pull out the stops for; a man whose convictions help you to believe his story for all the flaws and missing parts of memory that surround his telling of the story. None of that matters though, because the people who matter in his quest for justice – the police – don’t believe him at all. But Xander can’t give up, whatever the cost. He has to find peace or he will lose what’s left of his mind.

Imran Mahmood is such a good story teller. His impeccable prose brilliantly presents the character and his situation, creating a wonderful sense of atmosphere, a fine sense of place and a character you want to root for, even though you know he isn’t entirely reliable. The truth, when it comes, is like a blow to the gut.

Verdict: I Know What I Saw is gripping, immersive and engaging. It is a brilliantly told story of a man struggling to remember; a man you are willing to succeed in his task whatever the cost. Intelligent, atmospheric and innovative, it is an impeccable piece of writing and deserves to be a massive success.

Blurb:

I saw it. He smothered her, pressing his hands on her face. The police don't believe me, they say it's impossible – but I know what I saw.

This is Xander Shute: once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets.

As he shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat, he hears its occupants returning home, and scrambles to hide as the couple argue. Trapped in his hiding place, he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder.

But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can’t have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice?

As Xander searches for answers, his memory of the crime comes under scrutiny, forcing him to confront his long-buried past and the stories he’s told about himself.

How much he is willing to risk to understand the brutal truth?

Review:

This is Imran Mahmood's second novel following the success of You Don't Know Me in 2017. Having read and enjoyed that book, I was keen to read this follow-up.

The storytelling here is great, as Xander's past is hinted at from the start but only revealed slowly and carefully, leaving the reader wondering what has happened for him to find himself in his current predicament. Every time I thought I had guessed what might have been going on, it turned out I didn't, wrong footed both by Xander's sketchy memories and Mahmood's twisty plot.

I found it a really compelling read and was immersed in the story pretty quickly. The writing is great and characters well formed and believable. Xander in particular is great, someone we sympathise with as he tries to udnerstnad what has happened, what he has seen and what he should do. I won't say too much about the plot for risk of spoiling anything, I'll say that the ending stayed with me.

This for me was an improvement on the author's debut. though that isn't to say I didn't enjoy that one too. I'll certainly be on the look out for his next work.

I'd recommend this to Crime Fiction fans, especially fans of UK Crime Fiction.

Honestly, I did struggle with this book to a degree but maybe that’s because it’s just not for me! I can however appreciate that the well written, descriptive and slow paced plot would appeal to many others. It did take me a while to get into and at times I really had to concentrate to make sure I didn’t get lost.

‘I Know What I Saw’ is a dark and compelling psychological thriller from the pen of Imran Madmood. The story is told by a homeless individual called Xand Shute, who has been homeless of his own accord for several decades when we meet him. Xand has left his wealthy and successful life behind and now, lives on the streets, struggling for his every meal and a place to sleep at night. One day, Xand witness a murder and is compelled to tell the police of what he has seen. However, when they investigate, there is no body, no crime scene – in fact the very house does not match the scene that Xand so vividly describes. With further pressure from Xand, the police continue their research and discover that a similar crime has occurred at this address – only some thirty years previously, not within the past 30 hours. The officers soon suspect that Xand knows far more than he is willing to reveal and Xand finds that he has no choice but to contact friends from his old life. Can they help him piece together his past? Did he witness a murder? Or was he actually the killer?

I found myself becoming increasingly immersed in the tale of Xand’s life and his battle for the truth as he tried to understand what had really happened thirty years ago and uncover his list memories. The story moves at a rapid pace, and you will also race the pages as you wish for Xand to discover the truth as the tale twists and turns towards an unexpected finale.

The ultimate unreliable narrator, Xander Shute, former high-earning City banker, now lives on the streets trying to obliterate painful memories of his past life. Having apparently witnessed the murder of a young woman and deeply traumatised, he begins to piece together elements of his past. Images reveal themselves disjointedly and incoherently like the layers of an onion. But can we rely on these memories to inform our own viewpoint? So clever and beautifully written, I loved and was absorbed by every carefully chosen word.

First of all can I just say how good a name Xander Shute is for a protagonist? This is the second book for this author and it's even more twisty and compelling than the first. Recommended!

Xander Shute - once a wealthy banker, now living on the streets - shelters for the night in an empty Mayfair flat. When he hears the occupants returning home, he scrambles to hide. Trapped in his hiding place, he hears the couple argue, and he soon finds himself witnessing a vicious murder. But who was the dead woman, who the police later tell him can't have been there? And why is the man Xander saw her with evading justice?

I Know What I Saw is one of those rare treats, where you will convince yourself you’ve worked it all out...only to then be slipped a little detail that makes your theory untenable. A very good thriller! This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.