{"product_id":"the-prisoner-a-novel-9781628728194","title":"The Prisoner: A Novel","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst time in paperback \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003e A fast-paced political thriller in contemporary Pakistan centering on a Daniel Pearl-like abduction\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cli\u003eWritten by the former head of counterintelligence in Karachi, this is an exposé in fiction of corruption in the police and intelligence services of our ally and the War on Terror\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A gripping portrayal of a casually corrupt city . . . \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e offers gritty insights into how Pakistan works at ground level, and how dangerous it is.\" —Declan Walsh, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"To make the imaginative leap necessary to understand . . . Pakistan in general—the best book to read is not an academic or policy work, but a thriller: \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e, by Omar Shahid Hamid, a respected senior officer of the Karachi police. I hope that this book will be published soon in the US. I strongly suggest that Western policymakers read \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e before they next call for a military \"crackdown\" on Islamist militancy in Pakistan.\" —Anatol Lieven, \u003ci\u003eNew York Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"For his sobering debut thriller, Hamid draws on his own experiences as a police officer to plunge the reader headfirst into the murky world of Pakistani politics and justice . . . Hamid does a good job making D'Souza and his fellow officers sympathetic.\" —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"An exhilarating crime novel. . . . Hamid's portrayal of the city, the police, and the byzantine political play is nuanced and sophisticated. Karachi is Pakistan's largest and most vibrant city, and he lays it bare as only someone who has lived and worked there could.\" —Nishant Dahiya, NPR \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A thrilling roller-coaster front seat tour . . . A must-read novel for those who want to know what really ails Karachi and why.\" —\u003ci\u003eExpress Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e (Karachi) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A chilling novel about cops and the criminal underworld in the megacity . . .\u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e exposes the putrid, bloody underbelly of Karachi, as only a police officer could know it . . . a world so dark that readers will come away terrified.\" —\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e (India) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As well as being authentic, this book is also smart. . . . But the best thing about \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e is the insight it gives into the thinking of, and the challenges faced by, policemen operating in one of the toughest cities on earth.\" —Owen Bennett-Jones (author of \u003ci\u003ePakistan: Eye of the Storm\u003c\/i\u003e), in \u003ci\u003eDawn\u003c\/i\u003e (Pakistan) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Unvarnished . . . The book's plot and characters exhibit a vivid and nuanced authenticity that rise above the pulp-procedural style. Graft and extrajudicial killings are a casual part of the officers' jobs, but so are acts of real, if reluctant, courage and self-sacrifice taken to protect the city against criminals and jihadists.\" —\u003ci\u003eHarper's\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"An incredibly flavorful book, combining an excellent plot, a clever narrative voice, and a uniquely Pakistani perspective. . . . \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e is excellent as a book. It is even better as a slice of culture.\" —Wordpress.com \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A pacy thriller.\" —\u003ci\u003eThe Hindu\u003c\/i\u003e (India)","brand":"Skyhorse Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49533760307543,"sku":"9781628728194","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781628728194.jpg?v=1731892313","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-prisoner-a-novel-9781628728194","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}