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In Cardiff, Wales in 1952, Mahmood Mattan, a young Somali sailor, is accused of a crime he did not commit: the brutal killing of Violet Volacki, a shopkeeper from Tiger Bay. At first, Mahmood believes he can ignore the fingers pointing his way; he may be a gambler and a petty thief, but he is no murderer. He is a father of three, secure in his innocence and his belief in British justice.
But as the trial draws closer, his prospect for freedom dwindles. Now, Mahmood must stage a terrifying fight for his life, with all the chips stacked against him: a shoddy investigation, an inhumane legal system, and, most evidently, pervasive and deep-rooted racism at every step.
Under the shadow of the hangman's noose, Mahmood begins to realize that even the truth may not be enough to save him. A haunting tale of miscarried justice, this book offers a chilling look at the dark corners of our humanity.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
December 14, 2021 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593589915
- File size: 303235 KB
- Duration: 10:31:44
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from January 10, 2022
Set in Cardiff, Wales, in 1952, this searing novel from Mohamed (The Orchard of Lost Souls) draws on a real-life miscarriage of justice—the hanging of Mahmood Mattan, a Somali man, for a murder he didn’t commit. Mahmood, a small-time thief who has been desperate enough to steal money from the mosque he attends, has learned, or thinks he has, how to survive as a Black man in a city where the cops once beat a drunk to death simply because of his race: “to walk with his shoulders high, his elbows pointed out, his feet sliding slowly over the ground, his chin buried deep in his collar and his hat low over his face, to give nothing away apart from his masculinity.” Unfortunately, when someone slits the throat of shopkeeper Violet Volacki, the police arrest Mahmood, setting the stage for his execution. Mohamed maintains a high level of tension as the tragedy slowly unfolds. An epilogue details how Mahmood was exonerated years later. This is a powerful portrayal of an innocent man trapped by a racist system that will resonate with readers familiar with such travesties of justice in the U.S. Agent: Nicole Aragi, Aragi. -
Narrator Hugh Quarshie is a gifted mimic. His Somali-inflected English and his reading of Arabic give verisimilitude to Mahood Mattan. Quarshie narrates at a measured pace that provides this sad historical novel with a sense of inevitability. Quarshie delivers Welsh, Jamaican, and English accents well and has an ability to place the listener inside the characters' minds. Best of all, his performance gives dignity to the falsely accused illiterate petty criminal who is convicted of murder and later hanged. The story is based on real events in Cardiff, Wales, in 1952. It took decades for Mattan's name to be cleared, and his death remains a racist blot on British jurisprudence. Author Mohamed has vividly reimagined this story, and it comes alive in this audiobook. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from March 1, 2022
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Mohamed's devastating third novel explores the true story of the wrongful conviction of Mahmood Mattan, a Somali seaman known to Mohamed's father, also a Somali sailor. Mahmood arrived in Cardiff, Wales, along with immigrants from all over the world, to replace the British seamen lost in World War II. Because he was a convicted petty thief and known gambler, Mahmood was a convenient target for the police in a community with entrenched racism, despite, or perhaps because of, the need for immigrant workers to maintain Cardiff's merchant trade. Mohamed's extensive research is evident as she recounts in detail Mahmood's arrest for the 1952 murder of Lily Volpert (fictionalized here as "Violet Volacki") on the flimsiest of evidence, his cruel imprisonment, and the sham trial that resulted in his execution. Effectively weaving in flashbacks to Mahmood's childhood and time at sea, Mohamed creates a richness of character that, coupled with Ghanaian-born British actor Hugh Quarshie's resonant voice and smooth, conversational cadences, allows listeners to connect deeply with the doomed man. Also exceptionally moving are Quarshie's tender readings of the intimate glimpses into the domestic lives of Mahmood and Violet. VERDICT This harrowing account of institutional racism and mistreatment of immigrants is heartbreakingly relevant today.--Beth Farrell
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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