The fourth in what is turning into a truly excellent Kamil Rahman series this takes our hero to the Kashmir where he is working for M15. Tense exciting and politically accurate and astute this is a complex and beautifully told tale.

Kamil’s private life is as confused and uncertain as ever and there is a lot of life in this series where ch is progressing beautifully.

Another super-addictive instalment of the Kamil Rahman 'saga' - where he becomes a spy for MI5! Kamil is getting disillusioned in his police role under Protheroe who is resentful of him, and his professional relationship with DI Tahir Ismail. His Mentor, Imam Masroor comes to him with concern about a regular and trusted worshipper who is possibly being led astray; he refers to 'something suspicious' but asks Kamil to keep it quiet for 24 hours; something Kamil later regrets. The Imam goes missing, along with Akhtar (the worshipper of concern). When a burned body is found, Kamil feels guilty and gets focussed.

MI5 approach Kamil, but he feels he wants to use conventional police methods - until he finds their shortcomings and lack of resources. MI5 is the only way to help his Imam and mentor. - Cue his second firing from a police force! His ‘persona’ is set – a man with a grievance against the establishment.

Kamil is living on his own, having moved out of Tandoori Knights. He is still infuriatingly undecided about where his heart lies - with Anjoli or his ex-fiance, Maliha. Anjoli is devastated when she meets up with her Aunt who, in a state of shock explains that her 15 year old son has been kidnapped and that her husband will not go to the police. Anjoli decides to try and solve the mystery herself, not involving Kamil who she notices has inexplicably turned 'religious', has grown a beard and has taken to wearing traditional dress - quite unlike his usual self.

Mr Chowdhury's usual wit and quick mind make for an addictive, fast-moving and entertaining plot. His writing about the situation in Kashmir is both beautiful and devastating. You understand how torn Kamil is in his loyalties, and how this can be taken advantage of by unscrupulous and persuasive people in order to use him to further their ambitions. An excellent read.

I loved this book it was gripping as well as taking you to parts of London and Kashmir. Very interesting and well written.

Kamil Rahman returns in The Spy the fourth book in the series and what a read it is! On the edge of your seat stuff!
Kamil is disheartened with the police force and he’s suddenly sacked from his post.
But is all as it initially seems?
The answer to that is no , he's been recruited by MI5 to infiltrate a terrorist cell at a local mosque .
His love life is still non existent, he is living alone after Anjoli asked him to live the flat in Brick Lane .
Mahlia is also in his life and she may also be a target for the terrorists which leaves Rahman feeling compromised.
This series just gets better and better .The subjects are hard hitting at times but it kept me turning the pages late into the night .
Excellent writing , excellent characters and excellent plot lines .
If I have one small criticism it’s please let Kamil be happy in love , instead of the tortured soul that he is .
An excellent read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK.

The Spy is the fourth book by Ajay Chowdhury featuring Kamal Rahman, an ex-police officer from India now living in London. In this book, Kamal is recruited by MI5 to infiltrate a terrorist plot. I loved the familiar descriptions of East London and the contempory issues as the story moves to Kashmir. The story was well-paced and kept me enthralled until the last page.
Although not essential, it is an advantage to have read previous books in the series as the characters are developed in all the books, in particular Kamal's love interests, Anjoli and Mahila.
Kamal has been given a variety of roles throughout the series - waiter, cook, detective and now spy. One wonders what next in book 5! I can't wait to read the next instalment of this very enjoyable series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

Kamil Rahman is frustrated at work, he feels his new boss is giving him low-level work, and his love-life is complicated, torn between former love and former boss. When the Imam from his mosque disappears after warning Kamil about a potential terrorist plot, Kamil is recruited by MI5 to help them. This leads to him going deep undercover and lying to his nearest and dearest, as well as questioing everything about his own values.
I've really enjoyed Chowdhury's series about Kamil Rahman. Firstly because of the familiar East London settings, secondly because the stories give an insight into life for first and second generation immigrants and thirdly because the plots are excellent. Here the plot is a little far-fetched but what really impresses is the story about Kashmir - an area I have heard about but not really considered the political reality. it's powerful stuff and woven into a great thriller.

Detective Kamil Rahman is about to be sacked from the police but why? His girlfriend is investigating the kidnapping of a young boy but cannot contact the police. Why do MI5 want Kamil?

This is a well paced novel with twisting plotline. Good strong characters that are being placed in danger because they want to do the right thing. One problem is that conflicting information can affect what actions one may feel is the right thing to do.

Found this book to be riveting and gave me an insight into the plight of people in other countries. A good read.

The Spy is Ajay Chowdhury's 4th book, featuring Kamil Rahman, and, not having read any of the previous ones I struggled initially.

Strangely, Kamil is working for MI5 undercover to infiltrate a suspected terrorist cell in his local mosque, and then there's a kidnapping.

All too much for me and I didn't enjoy it. Perhaps I should try an earlier book with Kamil?

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for the chance to read and review.

This is the fourth book in the Kamil Rahman series. It was my first read from this author so lost out on a lot of the background as to what has happened in the previous three books. That said I picked up the storyline and it became a good read.
Kamil is a serving Metropolitan Police Officer although is feeling undervalued by his immediate boss. When a close friend and confidant goes missing after disclosing some worrying information to him he chooses to approach Mi5 to report his loss, believing a terrorist group to be involved. They in turn recruit Rahman to infiltrate the alleged terrorist network to find out what is going on, amid a threat of an impending terrorist attack. The investigation takes him from London to Kashmir and back again. This part of the story shows a political and religious situation that I was broadly unaware of.
Whilst this is going on Rahman is trying to work out which of two previous girlfriends he wants to be with whilst one of them is acting as an amateur detective trying to find a boy that has been kidnapped.
The book is quite fast paced with lots happening in it and has many twists and turns along the way. As previously stated I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read the previous books in the series but it still read well as a standalone without knowing the background as to what had happened with the characters before.

In his latest adventure, Kamil in The Spy by Ajay Chowdhuy finds himself required to go undercover for MI5 in a tense investigation to uncover and prevent an horrific terror attack. At the same time, Anjoli is trying to find out where her aunt's son has disappeared to.

Kamil’s relationship issues continue as he is torn between getting back together with his former fiancee or committing to a relationship with Anjoli.

The Spy is a rewarding read that I really enjoyed. The plotting was good and there was a good degree of cultural context which I found really interesting too.

The Waiter, The Cook and The detective are all good reads and the 4th in this series, The Spy, rises to an even higher level. Kamil Rahman is an excellent lead character and he doesn’t know to which of his two ladies to devote 100% of his time. The story may help him decide. After the rapid escalation from detective, to waiter, to cook to detective, his rise to MI5 spy may be enough to put his two ladies off, or does it? The Spy takes him into further danger, but it appears he enjoys the spying, so we’ll see where book five goes next. This is two thrillers at the same time. His ladies are searching for a missing boy who sends coded Harry Potter clues as to his captivity location, while Kamil goes, unknown, but suspected, into a terrorist unit, which eventually sends him back to his homeland in Kashmir. The Indian aspects of this story are very well presented and I’m guessing the author knows the land, the food and the way of life there, very well indeed - and London!. The two stories finally meet, with the help of the head chef, just to confuse the story, but add to its authenticity. I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read and I really look forward to book number 5. I have a guess where book 5 will be going, but I’ll have to wait and see.

Imam Masroor hopes to stop a bomber by talking him and his leader out of it. Next morning, the bomber is found dead, and the Imam is missing. This is devastating news for DC Kamil Rahman, who had been told of the plan by the Imam, and who was supposed to be tailing them. The meeting time had suddenly been brought forward, and he was too far from Bethnal Green to get to the rendezvous in time. However, his involvement brings him to the attention of MI5 (with whom he has history) and he agrees to go undercover and try to infiltrate the supposed cell planning the attack. However, he is not unknown within the community so “undercover” is an inappropriate description. Instead, he presents as a former police officer, unfairly fired by his Islamophobic superiors for withholding evidence. This is the second time he has been fired from a police force, because four years ago he was expelled from the Kolkata force, and essentially expelled from India, because he had evidence that the Indian (Hindu) Prime Minister, Jaideep Sanyal, was involved in murder. Sanyal has been persecuting Muslims in India, particularly Kashmir, so Kamil’s antipathy towards him is a plus from the point of view of the plotters. He rapidly gets involved but is he at risk of getting too close to their ideology, of becoming an active member? Alternatively, is he taking too many risks? Will the plotters realise he is a spy?
This is the fourth in the series but works perfectly well as a standalone, although the usual love triangle element seems a bit underpowered, lacking the depth provided by the earlier books. All the main characters are here and all are fairly well drawn and believable, although Kamil is a bit of a procrastinator which seems a shade unlikely for such a heroic character. It takes a little while to get properly in the groove, but picks up well and there are some good jeopardy scenes, especially that set in Kashmir. There is a subplot concerning Anjoli’s kidnapped nephew which feeds into the main plot but feels a bit like it is designed to keep her, and her sleuthing skills, in the reader’s mind. The nature of the plot, Islamic terrorists concerned with the persecution of Muslims by the Hindu majority party in India, requires quite a lot of detail about the political situation there; perhaps too much detail. Although this is a work of fiction, the situation it describes is very close to the actual situation pertaining in India today, which makes some sections feel more like a political statement rather than necessary background. This does provide a menacing aura to the story.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Book 4 in the Detective Kamil Rahman Series and I definitely think my favourite. I would recommend reading the previous books for context/background but it does read well as a stand-alone. Now working for the Metropolitan Police Kamil is not enjoying his job as he feels he is not being treated fairly by his bosses. After ‘falling out’ with his best friend Anjoli he is no longer living over the restaurant he previously worked in and his personal life is further complicated as his former fiancée Maliha is currently working in London.

Briefly, Kamil’s life is turned upside down when his friend and Imam goes missing and he is approached by MI5 for his help in trying to uncover a possible terrorist threat, and the Imam’s disappearance may be connected. Meanwhile Anjoli’s restaurant is doing well with a new chef in charge so when she is approached by a friend whose son has been kidnapped she is determined to help find him, but she can tell no one!

Both threads were very good but I particularly enjoyed deciphering the clues the missing boy was giving in his video messages to his parents. There is quite a lot of politics in this book around the conflict in Kashmir which I found interesting as I really wasn’t aware this was still such a sensitive issue. I did get a bit annoyed about the way Kamil was treating Anjoli and Maliha as he was trying to decide which of them he wished to have a relationship with, he seemed completely impervious to their feelings. That said this was a really good read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. A very good plot, engaging characters and all in all a very entertaining read.

This is the fourth book starring Detective-Waiter-Cook-Detective, and now Spy Kamil Rahman... And I would suggest that you do play catch up and read the first three books before this one (and in order obviously) as you will benefit from the backstory and character development that has already occurred...
So, Kamil is in trouble again after the events of the previous book and is sacked from the Police Force (again). But this time, it is all for show as he has been asked by MI5 to help them infiltrate a cell. This invitation coming about after he is asked by his Imam to help with his concerns regarding extremism and terrorism that he has learned about. Kamil agrees to help the Imam, only to be scuppered on his surveillance, the Imam disappearing. Although reluctant, Kamil agrees to assist and starts to worm his way in, aided by the news of his sacking.
And so begins a rather convoluted, and also quite politically heavy, tale which has Kamil travelling to Kashmir, getting in more trouble than in any previous book, and that's saying something. It also has him, once again, pitting his wits against his old nemesis! Meanwhile, outwith all the terrorist infiltration, he still has a personal choice to make... Anjoli or Maliha? An aside that on occasion lends humour to the overall story, assuring that it never becomes over the top too heavy. We also have Anjoli who is conducting her own investigation into a missing boy.
This book is heavier than those that came before. I expect you'd easily guess this yourself given the main topic, but also gave me food for thought as to what is happening in Kashmir, something I had no idea about before I read this book. But something I feel I need to know more about after finishing it.
But that said, it is balanced and the political side of things drives the narrative rather than being preachy. A narrative that had me hooked from the start and held captive throughout. It's extremely well and imaginatively plotted and that plot ably executed with assistance from some cracking characters. Spitting me out at the end, wholly satisfied at what had gone before, and also, with the way it ended, very excited to see what happens next time in book 5.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Book 4 in the series and although it may be read as a standalone - as my husband did - I feel that to get the full impact and enjoyment, it is best to read the series in order. What I enjoy about these books is the history of both India but also London and how they have changed over the years. This book highlights the differences between the Muslims and the Hindus especially in Kashmir which I found very informative.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

The Spy while part of a series does well as a standalone. Despite several references to the earlier books it manages to catch up the reader and hold attention. The action starts from page 1 of the book and hooked me right away.

There are 2 mysteries at play here as the leads race to solve them. The book also managed to use the location and setting to its advantage. It also manages to use geo politics to its advantage while being a complete thriller. Which is something that makes the book interesting. Found it an exciting read and looking forward to the next in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

The Spy (Kamil Rahman 4) by Ajay Chowdhury

The Spy is Ajay Chowdhury's 4th book, featuring Kamil Rahman. Having read the previous books and loved every one of them, it saddens me to report that The Spy is just okay.
The Spy can be read as a stand-alone, but it references things that have taken part in the other three books.
Kamil is now working for MI5 undercover to infiltrate a suspected cell in his local mosque while Anjoli concentrates on building up Tandoori Knights and gets involved in the kidnapping of her nephew, This is where the book falls short, as the chemistry between the two main characters is what made the previous books sizzle, but in Spy they are basically apart, dealing with individual stories until the final few chapters.
It's an okay read, and I shall look out for the fifth book, but overall, for myself, I find it disappointing if you compare it to the previous three books. 
I think that if you come to the Spy without having read the previous books, you will have a good time.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

"Made of red brick, with two slim minarets and large arched windows on both sides, it looks distinctly exotic amongst the rows of identikit terraced Victorian houses. How did the residents react when it was built forty-odd years ago? Their alienation must have been extreme. I suspect most of those families have moved out and been replaced by Muslims. Where have they gone? Suburbs further out? Another city? In one way, it's sad, but the East End is a tapestry in constant change. The Cockneys gave way to the Chinese and Africans; they to the Christian Huguenots; the Huguenots to the Jews; the Jews to the Bengali and Pakistani Muslims. And so it goes, layer on layer of strata that forms the bedrock of this tiny part of London that has become my home."

Book 4 for the Detective Kamil Rahman Anglo-Indian crime series sees Kamil recruited to MI5 to stop a suspected terror plot. Kamil finds himself in an unenviable position, trying to do the right thing as ever, but being pulled this way and that - politically and romantically - in this powerful, espionage thriller.

Depicting returning, well-draw characters alongside some new ones, all set against a background of extremism made understandable and the search for identity. I always enjoy the Kamil / Anjoli / Maliha triangle (although would like to see Kamil and Anjoli together!) and can see there is more to come for them. I found this a darker and more powerful novel than the earlier books in the series. Perhaps this was as a result of the parallels of the imperialist and racist situation in Kashmir, eloquently and evocatively described by the author, to that in Palestine, which is at the forefront of my mind at the moment; perhaps it is the natural progression for Kamil as he learns and his character develops further. Being agnostic with a Church of England upbringing, I always find fascinating the different languages, foods (from Anjoli's restaurant) and Islamic terms that contribute to the unique identity of this series. A very dangerous mission that Kamil manages to survive by using his wits. I look forward to the next installment.

The story is very gripping and wow the ending is a big surprise. I thoroughly recommend this book, another thrilling read by this talented author

Ajay Chowdhury’s Kamil Rahman series is only four books old but has managed to constantly reinvent itself. The book in the series The Waiter was a hard edged cosy crime story in which a disgraced Kolkata detective working in his family’s London restaurant helps solve a crime. By book 3, The Detective, Rahman found himself back in the police force and delivered an interesting but slightly underwhelming procedural. With The Spy, Chowdhury reinvents his premise again, having Rahman go undercover for MI5, with much better effect.
When The Spy opens, Rahman is still, doing penance in the police force for the unorthodox way he dealt with the crimes in The Detective. He is approached by his Imam, who believes that one of his parishioners has fallen in with Islamic extremists. Soon the Imam and is missing and Rahman is approached by MI5 to go undercover at a local mosque to try and find out what has happened to the Imam and uncover the plot. In order to do so he has to be drummed out of the police force. Meanwhile his on-again, off-again girlfriend Anjoli, finds herself trying to help a couple whose son has been kidnapped.
The Spy is a definitely a change of pace for Chowdhury and his characters. More thriller than whodunnit or procedural with secret identifies, kidnapping, torture and more than one ticking clock. But baked into this new formula are the same issues Rahman has been dealing with since book one – racism and Islamaphobia in both Inda and the UK, and the use of these in the service of greed and power. In The Spy Chowdhury also explores the siren song of fundamentalism, and how good ethical people can be slowly turned to do things that might not otherwise contemplate. But as always the focus is on the central characters of Kamil and Anjoli and their relationship complicated further by the presence of Kamil’s ex-fiancé Mahlina in London.
For a series that started strongly, The Spy feels like a return to form for Chowdhury. It is tense, deals with real world issues, and remains anchored around two engaging characters. And it feels by the end that Chowdhury may well pivot again should Kamil and Anjoli return for a fifth time.