Mystery

Almost Surely Dead

Almost Surely Dead

  • Downloads：5228
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2024-01-10 07:21:51
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Amina Akhtar
  • ISBN：1501225952
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Dori Gray ，

I couldn’t put this one down， I loved it。

catie ，

3。5

Debbie ，

LovedI loved this book！！ It was a great story and I can't wait for the next part。 It was pretty easy to figure out from the start， but it honestly didn't take away from the story。 LovedI loved this book！！ It was a great story and I can't wait for the next part。 It was pretty easy to figure out from the start， but it honestly didn't take away from the story。 。。。more

Sagagirl ，

A pick by Mindy Kaling for Amazon First Reads。 This book is so slight。 The characters are simply not well enough developed nor is the plot anything but predictable。 The structure is interesting enough -- splicing a third person POV against a first person present tense story -- but despite the potential engagement of learning more about South Asian jinns， this falls flat。

Sandra Miltich ，

I can't even give this one a 1 star rating it is so terrible。 The characters are flat， the same paragraph keeps repeating over & over。 After so many attacks & injuries， her friends still ask "Are you ok？" What the heck！ The supernatural was unbelievable & how many times does she say "I want to be a good girl" in so many several different ways。 Do not waste your time， I can't believe I didn't quit reading after a couple chapters but I seldom do that as I want to give any book a chance。 I can't even give this one a 1 star rating it is so terrible。 The characters are flat， the same paragraph keeps repeating over & over。 After so many attacks & injuries， her friends still ask "Are you ok？" What the heck！ The supernatural was unbelievable & how many times does she say "I want to be a good girl" in so many several different ways。 Do not waste your time， I can't believe I didn't quit reading after a couple chapters but I seldom do that as I want to give any book a chance。 。。。more

Lauren ，

This book had SO much potential， but it was so poorly written and side characters were not developed at all。 I’m floored at how many exclamation ！ Points！ Were used！ In conversations！ Like a middle schooler。 Weird。

Ebony ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I was all into Almost Surely Dead。 Woman of color protagonist， check。 Pakastani and Muslim culture， check。 Family drama， check。 Mystery， check。 Mysticism and spirits， check。 I don’t love flashbacks but these worked and the podcast was hilarious。 I enjoyed the book as a quick read。The book description doesn’t do the book justice。 Sure， it’s about a thriller woman who someone is trying to kill repeatedly， but it’s more about Muslim mythology （which is a term I use loosely because I believe jinn ar I was all into Almost Surely Dead。 Woman of color protagonist， check。 Pakastani and Muslim culture， check。 Family drama， check。 Mystery， check。 Mysticism and spirits， check。 I don’t love flashbacks but these worked and the podcast was hilarious。 I enjoyed the book as a quick read。The book description doesn’t do the book justice。 Sure， it’s about a thriller woman who someone is trying to kill repeatedly， but it’s more about Muslim mythology （which is a term I use loosely because I believe jinn are real） and how secrets， especially about the spirit world， always come back to haunt living。 The stalker/thriller aspects of the book weren’t nearly as interesting as the cultural ones for me。 Speaking of culture， the white characters play a really interesting role in the book。 The author never explicitly writes about racism， and I think she does that to play it safe and not hurt her sales， but if I were in a book club of women of color， we would unpack the shit out of the role the white characters play in this book especially the white woman。There was one surprise for me at the end。 The rest I saw coming but then again， I spend a lot of time thinking about the spirit world and Akhtar writes it right。 Except for one entity she never explains。 We find out who is protecting Dunia and the lengths they’ll go to to do so， but we never really find out who is after her—at least not who in a way that was satisfactory for me。 If someone else figures it out， let me know。 。。。more

Adrienne ，

I have like so many other books I really needed to get to on my TBR， but somehow， I decided on this because I’ve been listening to True Crime podcasts and videos too。 This was so thrilling， psychological， and paranormal。 I completely devoured this in a span of only 6 hours。 I don’t know where I can find more of these， but thank you for the free book on Kindle First Reads for January 2024。 It was the bang that set off my reading for the rest of the year。

Denisha ，

3。5 ⭐️Interesting premise but kind of choppy。 The dialogue also felt strange and unnatural at times。

amelia ，

I read this in one sitting and ate every bit of it up！ I really enjoyed seeing diverse culture being brought into the crime fiction/supernatural genre， and Akhtar executed it brilliantly in this novel。My few qualms are the predictability of the plot - however， the creativity made up for it mostly and didn't impact how good the story actually was。 As well as that， the writing sometimes fell a little short for me， but it was so fast-paced that I was able to get through it with no slumps， and never I read this in one sitting and ate every bit of it up！ I really enjoyed seeing diverse culture being brought into the crime fiction/supernatural genre， and Akhtar executed it brilliantly in this novel。My few qualms are the predictability of the plot - however， the creativity made up for it mostly and didn't impact how good the story actually was。 As well as that， the writing sometimes fell a little short for me， but it was so fast-paced that I was able to get through it with no slumps， and never once got bored。All in all， Almost Surely Dead really connects you to the culture， the mystery， the folklore， and leaves you wanting more！I received a copy of this novel from Amazon First Reads。 。。。more

Caitlin Gifford ，

I devoured this book， it was so good。 I love/hated the podcasters， and I didn't know who to trust or root for throughout this story at all。 I just wish it had a bit more for the ending but it's still satisfactory。 I devoured this book， it was so good。 I love/hated the podcasters， and I didn't know who to trust or root for throughout this story at all。 I just wish it had a bit more for the ending but it's still satisfactory。 。。。more

Hunter Furstenberg ，

3。5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this， it was a quick simple read to start the year off with

Hannah ，

I enjoyed this！！！！ Some supernatural elements that were spooky and interesting。 Different cultural perspective。

Marihelen Green ，

Only the ending am I disappointed with。 So many unexplained and forgotten about things。 Ending felt like it was rushed and wasn't a surprise at all。。。 3 stars because up until the end it was a good read。 Only the ending am I disappointed with。 So many unexplained and forgotten about things。 Ending felt like it was rushed and wasn't a surprise at all。。。 3 stars because up until the end it was a good read。 。。。more

Hope Fulton ，

3。5

Tani Garberg ，

This was very interesting。 Jinn？ Who knew。

MaryAlice ，

If you are looking for a different type of murder mystery， "Almost Surely Dead，" is the novel for you。The story is told in alternating chapters。 There is the adult Dunia， the child Dunia， and the Podcast about Dunia。 It is an intriguing story。 I had a problem with words like "kurtas" or "shalwar。" It would be helpful if a brief description was included for those unfamiliar with Pakistan clothing styles。 Perhaps， "Mother wanted me to wear shalwar rather than jeans， but the loose trousers were too If you are looking for a different type of murder mystery， "Almost Surely Dead，" is the novel for you。The story is told in alternating chapters。 There is the adult Dunia， the child Dunia， and the Podcast about Dunia。 It is an intriguing story。 I had a problem with words like "kurtas" or "shalwar。" It would be helpful if a brief description was included for those unfamiliar with Pakistan clothing styles。 Perhaps， "Mother wanted me to wear shalwar rather than jeans， but the loose trousers were too long and kept dragging them through the mud。" Another unfamiliar word: owies。 Took me the entire novel to figure that one out。 I understand the 5 year old using it， but not the adults。（view spoiler）[ At one point a man says "I never met him" Five sentences later ， he says， "we met at my office，" and， "I lied before。" He lied a few seconds earlier or he lied when questioned by the police weeks ago？ It disturbed me that Dunia kept getting notes left at her door。 Could the detective contact the doorman to see who had been let into the building， or investigate if a neighbor had left them？ That was not done until near the very end of the story。 （hide spoiler）] A quote: "Hope was what crushed you in the end。" I hope that makes sense， taken out of context of the story。 。。。more

Carole Reed ，

The suspense was engaging and gripping， but the book would have been MUCH， MUCH better if the premise of the story line had been based on real life circumstances with a plausible motive and resolution instead of the unbelievable supernatural plot as written。 Consequently， I felt this excellent narration was a total waste of the author's talent and a reader's time。 Sorry to be so blunt。 The suspense was engaging and gripping， but the book would have been MUCH， MUCH better if the premise of the story line had been based on real life circumstances with a plausible motive and resolution instead of the unbelievable supernatural plot as written。 Consequently， I felt this excellent narration was a total waste of the author's talent and a reader's time。 Sorry to be so blunt。 。。。more

Sarah Piercy ，

Had really enjoyed this book， however the ending was very disappointing。 3。5 stars

Cari ，

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar was my Kindle First Reads selection for January 2024。。This book was a ton of fun to read。 I loved the pace of the plot and how it alternated between Dunia's point-of-view in the present， snippets from the past （memories of her childhood）， and the future （a true crime podcast about her disappearance）。 I love these kinds of books where it's difficult to discern whether the main character is dealing with mental illness or supernatural elements--and this one kept m Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar was my Kindle First Reads selection for January 2024。。This book was a ton of fun to read。 I loved the pace of the plot and how it alternated between Dunia's point-of-view in the present， snippets from the past （memories of her childhood）， and the future （a true crime podcast about her disappearance）。 I love these kinds of books where it's difficult to discern whether the main character is dealing with mental illness or supernatural elements--and this one kept me guessing throughout。 I also really enjoyed the mentions of Pakistani culture and the inclusion of Arabic folklore and mythology in Dunia's haunting story。 Almost Surely Dead was truly a 'ghost' story like no other and an excellent psychological thriller。 I'm so glad I chose it！ 。。。more

Cailyn ，

This was a nice start to my reading year！ The balance of psych thriller and paranormal ghost haunt was super fun， and I loved that it included folklore from a different culture than my own。 I appreciate a read from a diverse author and this hit the spot。 I also loved the play on how predatory some true crime podcasting can be。 I found myself loving to hate the characters 😂

Amy （Sun） ，

Edit: I got this as an Amazon First Reads！I really enjoyed this book！ It's a supernatural/horror mystery （the horror is relatively mild） about a Pakistani woman named Dunia who goes missing。 The book is interspersed with chapters that are transcriptions from a true crime podcast， hosting by two truly irritating women。 （I assume this is intentional， they're supposed to represent the worst of the true crime podcasts， people just trying to get famous or make money off other people's trauma。） The bu Edit: I got this as an Amazon First Reads！I really enjoyed this book！ It's a supernatural/horror mystery （the horror is relatively mild） about a Pakistani woman named Dunia who goes missing。 The book is interspersed with chapters that are transcriptions from a true crime podcast， hosting by two truly irritating women。 （I assume this is intentional， they're supposed to represent the worst of the true crime podcasts， people just trying to get famous or make money off other people's trauma。） The bulk of the book is from Dunia's perspective， following her present day life （leading up to her disappearance）， with occasional chapters from when she was 5 years old。This was really well done， imo。 I enjoyed the cultural aspects （it is a Pakistani supernatural horror， so references Jinn， shaytan， etc。） I liked the build up and the tie-in with the podcast， even if they were annoying， lol。 The ending was a bit vague but I didn't dislike it。 A good spooky mystery read。 。。。more

Marsha Kelly ，

A bit strange at times but kept me wanting to read it to find what happens。

Gena Webb ，

Enjoyable readI liked this。 Got a little confusing at times， with the switching back and forth between timelines， but overall it was something I didn’t want to put down。

Susanna ，

This was an interesting book。 In some ways it reminded me of Gone Girl， with it’s convoluated plot lines and the way it jumped among points of view。 However， when the bad guy was ultimately revealed I very much expected it。 So no surprises there。It also finished in a very open-ended way， where anything could have happened。 Can’t say more without spoilers。

Sharon ，

Great readThriller that is a ride and cultural differences are highlighted。 I enjoy a book that is entertaining and educational。 Good read。

Alyssa ，

Wow， this book was awesome！ I honestly had trouble putting it down， and I read it so quickly。 Like， tore through the book within one weekend。 The book swaps between Dunia's first-person POV， 5 year old Dunia's POV， and the true crime podcast about her disappearance with a lot of twists and turns。 I also really loved the inclusion of and learning more about South Asian folklore。 I felt like I learned a lot while also being thoroughly entertained。 I will definitely be reading more of Amina Akhtar' Wow， this book was awesome！ I honestly had trouble putting it down， and I read it so quickly。 Like， tore through the book within one weekend。 The book swaps between Dunia's first-person POV， 5 year old Dunia's POV， and the true crime podcast about her disappearance with a lot of twists and turns。 I also really loved the inclusion of and learning more about South Asian folklore。 I felt like I learned a lot while also being thoroughly entertained。 I will definitely be reading more of Amina Akhtar's books。 Highly recommend this book！ 。。。more

Laura D。 ，

A really interesting premise but went downhill pretty quickly

Alexis LeBar ，

Hmm。 I don’t know what to think about this book。 It was different than a lot of books I’ve been reading lately so that was fun。 It was a little far fetched though， and honestly the characters， the character development， and even the writing wasn’t very good。，

Ginger Temples ，

what？Terrible ending。 Kept you hooked， then let you down。 Do not recommend if you want a book that has closure。