A Killer in the Family

Ahmad blends a serial killer mystery with the story of a rocky arranged marriage in his uneven debut. Ali Azeem, 28, works as a wedding photographer in Mumbai, where his newly broke parents set him up with Maryam Khan, a medical school graduate who aims to become a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, rumors of corruption swirl around Maryam’s father, Abbas, a real estate mogul in New York City. Unrepentant party-boy Ali catches the attention of Maryam’s brash older sister, Farhan, and they start an affair, which continues after Ali and Maryam are married and living in New York. Farhan has led a troubled life—she’s addicted to cocaine and heroin, and her parents sent her away at 16 to have an abortion in Switzerland. Suddenly, Abbas sends Farhan to Tokyo to start a jewelry-making business. In Japan, she receives mysterious postcards from the Jackson Heights Killer, who has murdered eight Indian girls and seems to have a connection to Farhan; back in the U.S., Ali starts receiving similar cards. Unfortunately, the serial-killer thread feels at odds with the family drama, but Ahmad effectively portrays New York’s billionaire class, lamenting the “quirky, ragged city that no longer exist[s].” Despite some bumps, this will appeal to fans of twisty psychological thrillers. (Apr.)

Correction: An earlier version of this review misspelled the names of two characters.