Almost Surely Dead

Praise for Amina Akhtar

Almost Surely Dead

“Akhtar’s novel has one foot set firmly in folklore and the other in fast-paced action as Dunia questions whom she can trust and what she will have to do to survive. Though the suspense is real, Akhtar deftly weaves in levity with the campiness of the podcast, and the earnestness of Dunia’s voice keeps the reader rooting for her to outrun her demons. A nimble and eerie thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Amina Akhtar delivers a surprising and suspenseful ride. This is a winner.” —Publishers Weekly

“An original, deftly crafted, psychological, pulse-pounding, suspense thriller of a read from start to finish. Unreservedly recommended…” —Midwest Book Review

“Twisty, chilling, and original, Almost Surely Dead is an absolutely addictive page-turner. I couldn’t put it down.” —Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A shocking act of violence opens the door to a terrifying mystery in this eerie, addictive thriller from Amina Akhtar.” —Chuck Wendig, bestselling author of The Book of Accidents

“I didn’t think Amina Akhtar could get better, but she has—crafting a wholly unique and mesmerizing novel that is impossible to categorize or forget. Part thriller, part family saga, part supernatural horror, Almost Surely Dead will surprise you in the best way possible and leave you thinking about this magnificent book for a long time after you’re done. A powerhouse.” —Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity

“Full of energy, suspense, and the frightening possibility of the supernatural, Almost Surely Dead is a spine-chilling thrill of a book that will grip you from the very first page and refuse to let go. A gripping gothic of the true crime podcasting era.” —S. C. Lalli, international bestselling author of Are You Sara?

“What’s a girl to do when the universe seems to want you dead? The answer is nothing you’d expect—but everything you’d want from one of the most exciting thriller writers in the business. Almost Surely Dead is a sparkling, twisted gem of a book, a riotously funny and deeply unsettling examination of the ways in which we are—and in which we refuse to be—defined by our pasts. This is Akhtar’s best work yet, and I loved every word.” —Elizabeth Little, bestselling author of Dear Daughter

“Amina Akhtar isn’t a writer; she’s a word magician, a wonderful comedian who juggles the darkest themes and the ugly things that make us human, the young, smart, fashion-savvy auntie who knows where the bodies are buried and reminds you to call your mom. And she keeps getting better with every book. Almost Surely Dead is a witty, wildly entertaining novel that dips its toes in the supernatural while delivering social commentary, highlighting the realities of the Pakistani diaspora, and dancing with the ghosts and superstitions we all carry in our blood. Don’t miss it.” —Gabino Iglesias, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of The Devil Takes You Home

“Akhtar coils constant paranoia, flash-forward dread, and family tragedy into an electric threat of a novel. This book will have you glancing over your shoulder. A unique thriller.” —Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of No Gods for Drowning

“Almost Surely Dead is such a masterful slow burn of a mystery it’ll singe your fingertips. Amina Akhtar creeps you out, keeps you guessing, and forces you to the edge of your seat, constructing a story that, in the end, is as surprising as it is deeply human.” —Rob Hart, author of Paradox Hotel

Kismet

“An amusing takedown of influencer culture.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Akhtar turns her sharp wit on the wellness community and its dark secrets in a thriller [that is] equal parts vicious and funny.” —USA Today

“Akhtar brings to her second novel…a gimlet-eyed view of Sedona, Arizona’s wellness pretensions and a wicked way with one-liners…the surprises Akhtar has in store upend assumptions about trauma, healing, and the motivations of those who helicopter into lands they claim to hold sacred.” —Los Angeles Times

“Twisty, sardonic.” —Oprah Daily

“The alluring world of wellness gets a fatal awakening in Amina Akhtar’s darkly humorous thriller Kismet.” —PopSugar

“[Kismet] skewers the wellness industry of Sedona (Amina Akhtar is now based in Arizona) and also includes a light supernatural touch that’s perfectly integrated into the thriller arc as a whole.” —CrimeReads

“Amina Akhtar weaves a wickedly smart tale.” —Desi News

“With Kismet, Amina Akhtar invites us into the foxhole with Ronnie Khan, a New Yorker stationed in Sedona, just in time for Wellness World War. I loved this book—the claustrophobia of wide ‘open’ exclusive spaces. Amina teleports us to the passive-aggressive front lines in this dry landscape where caftans and corpses are equally foreboding. You want Ronnie to make a run for it, but she’s a real hero—she wants to make a go for it. Lucky for us, she stays. Kismet is wicked and smart, a fly-on-the-wall humdinger where a light social gathering spikes your blood pressure. Amina deftly intertwines the earthly with the otherworldly. Read it now so you can be the one telling your friends about Kismet.” —Caroline Kepnes, New York Times bestselling author of You

“Amina Akhtar had me at ravens! Then she kept me turning the pages with her colorful cast of characters, keen insights, and layered, engaging heroine. Kismet is darkly funny, sharply observant, and full of surprises. Don’t miss this utterly original and wildly entertaining thriller.” —Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Last Girl Ghosted

“The twists just keep coming in Kismet, Amina Akhtar’s dark and delicious thriller. I can’t imagine a better companion around these nail-biting curves than the novel’s protagonist, Ronnie Khan, who is wide eyed yet smarter than she lets on, naive yet world weary. In a nutshell: she’s the perfect heroine. I’d follow her anywhere.” —Jess Lourey, Amazon Charts bestselling author of Unspeakable Things

“Dead bodies are turning up in Sedona’s upscale wellness community? Sign me up! I loved everything about Kismet, Amina Akhtar’s sharply observant, funny thriller. Gleeful and gripping, Akhtar has knocked it out of the park with this wickedly entertaining, twisty novel.” —Jennifer Hillier, bestselling author of Little Secrets

“A chilling tale that lures in the reader with a seductive blend of friendship and tranquility, then transforms it into something evil and deliciously twisted.” —A. R. Torre, New York Times bestselling author of Every Last Secret

“Kismet is funny, sharp, twisty, and spot on. Whether she’s dealing with toxic relationships or everyday racism, Ronnie Khan is a character that you can’t help but root for. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun reading a novel. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is going to be talking about those ravens.” —Kellye Garrett, Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award–winning author of Like a Sister

“Wickedly smart and outrageously entertaining, Kismet grabs hold and doesn’t let go until a final twist that will have even the savviest readers gasping. Just like the clever, scene-stealing ravens, Akhtar skewers those who deserve it with her trademark wit while also layering in emotional nuance as compelling as the captivating mystery. At once atmospheric, chilling, and thought provoking, Kismet will surely be this summer’s must-read thriller.” —Brianna Labuskes, bestselling author of A Familiar Sight

“Gaspingly original. Kismet is brilliant and twisty—a knockout page-turner about guilt, revenge, and the toxicity of family and friendships. The oh-so-talented Amina Akhtar unleashes her keen eye and mordant wit—and exquisite understanding of human emotions—to reveal the dark side of the wellness industry and the terrifying reality behind the glam exteriors. Wow! This gripping, heartbreaking, and constantly surprising thriller is not to be missed!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of Her Perfect Life

“Amina Akhtar yet again brings her wickedly wicked style to this twisty thriller about a woman who’s finally taken charge of her life—only to find dead bodies piling up around her in the wellness community where she’s starting over. Kismet is a page-turner populated by eerie ravens and people who aren’t what they seem in a perfectly unsettling desert setting.” —Gigi Pandian, USA Today bestselling author of Under Lock and Skeleton Key

“Kismet is the twistiest, most delicious take on wellness and self-care gone wrong. With a cast of unforgettable characters, a point of view you’ll never guess, and an ending that leaves you breathless, you’ll be busting down doors to join me as copresident of the Amina Akhtar fan club!” —Yasmin Angoe, author of Her Name Is Knight

“Kismet is a gleeful (and at times literal) skewering of influencer culture and clout chasing, as well as a deeply relevant look at how easily and often the white wellness world intersects with racism and cultural appropriation—and how blind we can be to that and to the stain it leaves on the world around us. A bold and insightful whodunnit that ensures you’ll never look at ravens the same way again.” —Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We and The Heir Affair

“Unsettling from the very first page, Kismet takes its readers on a wild ride set in Sedona’s wellness community, featuring a serial killer, crystals, and kick-ass ravens. It’s strange and smart and spellbinding, with sharp social commentary and huge surprises. Another eerie gem from Amina Akhtar.” —Megan Collins, author of The Family Plot

“A mystery thriller just the way I like them—full of secrets and karma. Amina Akhtar creeps us out and keeps us guessing all the way!” —Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Road of Bones and Ararat

“Kismet is as atmospheric as it is dark and twisted. An unsettling read with wholly original protagonists, this is one thrilling story I won’t be forgetting soon.” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, international bestselling author of Never Coming Home

“A remarkably original, terrifying read that seized me from the first line. Kismet is an astonishing, expertly structured thriller. Akhtar’s signature creepy tone, suffused with dread and laced with wicked humor, is riveting. Her characters make you blur the lines of morality and justice. With brilliantly shifting points of view, a touch of magic, and a jaw-dropping ending, this is a stand-out suspense.” —Samantha M. Bailey, international bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her

“A desert setting, crystals to ward off evil, cunning ravens, and murder. Amina Akhtar has whipped up a creepy mystery that will have you second-guessing what you know about the wellness industry, not to mention what to think the next time you see ravens!” —Wanda Morris, Lefty-nominated author of All Her Little Secrets

“One of the most original, chilling, and startlingly honest thrillers I’ve ever read, Amina Akhtar plunges readers into an altogether fresh flavor of hell in Kismet. Balancing nail-biting terror with razor-sharp wit, Akhtar interrogates the feral side of the human heart with a rare fearlessness that is certain to make Kismet one of the year’s hottest titles and an absolute must-read. Period.” —P. J. Vernon, acclaimed author of Bath Haus