"I Know What I Saw" by Imran Mahmood

Without intending any disrespect to the other books and authors commented on here, “I Know Was I Saw” is a very different kind of book from pretty much everything else.  I intensely dislike the idea of categorising things as “genre” or “commercial” fiction in a disparaging manner, but there’s no doubt in my mind that many reading Imran Mahmood’s latest would recognise that it transcends any such boundaries and sits comfortably in the realm of (more-worthy-to-some) literary fiction.  Mahmood’s tale of Xander Shute and his broken mind evokes James Hogg’s classic “Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner” and deserves to regarded with similar esteem. 

I'm usually very much a read-it-and-move-on kind of reader, but I found this hard to leave behind.  Two books later and it was still this one that was churning over in my mind.  And I think that's largely down to Mahmood's brave decision to have Xander's flaws visible from the outset, but still manage to have us pulling for him.  There's no glossing over of the violence or much humour to lighten the tone - at times I found this an uncomfortable read.  Perhaps that's why it drilled its way into my head.

A clever, clever, book that will no doubt sweep up all sorts of accolades.

Check it out here.