Girl Zero by A. A. Dhand @aadhand @TransworldBooks

Book Description:

There are some surprises that no-one should ever have to experience. Standing over the body of your beloved – and murdered – niece is one of them. For Detective Inspector Harry Virdee, a man perilously close to the edge, it feels like the beginning of the end.

His boss may be telling him he’s too close to work the case, but this isn’t something that Harry can just let lie. He needs to dive into the murky depths of the Bradford underworld and find the monster that lurks there who killed his flesh and blood.

But before he can, he must tell his brother, Ron, the terrible news. And there is no predicting how he will react. Impulsive, dangerous and alarmingly well connected, Ron will act first and think later. Harry may have a murderer to find but if he isn’t careful, he may also have a murder to prevent.

My Review:

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that had me hiding in the kitchen from the kids, desperately trying to fit another couple of pages in but that is exactly what I found myself doing with this book.  Girl Zero was a dark, twisty and thrilling book that I found hard to put down.

Harry is a brilliant main character! Torn between family loyalty and his job he is determined to track down his niece’s killer.  His clever, though unorthodox, techniques definitely get him the results he wants and earns him a grudging respect from his colleagues.  He is shown to have a softer side too.  As the novel progresses we learn that he is heartbroken to be estranged from his family and is finding the separation tough.  His relationship with his brother is further tested by their different approaches to finding the killer and discovering what Tara, his niece, was involved in.  This effects his judgement at times and it was quite poignant to see him struggling with the different pressures in his life.

The book is set in modern day Bradford but a very dark and unlawful one.  Here criminals rule the town and many areas have fallen into disrepair or become huge trouble areas.  The atmosphere throughout the book is very tense as we learn more about the criminal activity present in Bradford.  There is a feeling of hopelessness hanging over Bradford that makes it feel like something is going to happen any moment.  These feelings of uncertainty and expectation had me hooked from page one and I kept turning the pages faster and faster to find out how the story progressed.

The information regarding religion, especially the differences between Muslims and Sikhs was very interesting.  I must admit to not knowing a lot about the two religions so it was fascinating to find out more about it.  The cultural expectations from parents and the upholding of family honour are subjects that you often read about in the papers so it was great to read about it from a different point of view.

This is the author’s second novel but the first that I have read.  Girl Zero is actually the second book in the Harry Virdee series but it reads fine as a stand alone.  I certainly didn’t feel that I was at a disadvantage not reading the books in order.

A huge thank you to the author for sending me as copy if his book in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

A.A. Dhand was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired his Harry Virdee novels.