List
Muslim Authors in Adult Fiction
From fantasy to literary fiction to romance, explore a wide range of stories of the Muslim experience.
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The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years
2024 by Khan, ShubnumGet this itemAn exquisitely written neo-gothic novel that contains a ghost story, a mystery, and a love story with a fabulous cast of characters. Highly recommended for fans of Isabelle Allende, Alice Hoffman, and Diane Setterfield. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Finding Sophie
2024 by Mahmood, ImranGet this itemLondon-based criminal barrister Imran Mahmood makes his debut with this domestic thriller in which Harry and Zara King take the search for their missing daughter into their own hands. Booklist calls it "dark, suspenseful, and smart." For fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing.
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The Lion Women of Tehran
2024 by Kamali, MarjanGet this itemI adored this richly detailed work of historical fiction set in Iran during the mid-1900s. A heartbreaking story of two friends, a devastating betrayal, and the different paths their lives take as a result. Suggested by Brenna.
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Maya's Laws of Love
2024 by Khawaja, AlinaGet this itemA really charming debut that reminded me of bits of my favorite Bollywood movies and Pakistani dramas. I loved how this book actually addressed the complexities of marriage and not the fairytale ending that we were told. I also appreciated the character development and how lovingly the Pakistani representation was handled. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Almost Surely Dead
2024 by Akhtar, AminaGet this itemThis unputdownable psychological thriller follows Dunia Ahmed, who is the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for more than a year, and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. Follow her friends, her ex-fiance, and the police officer investigating her case in this twisty read. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Behind You Is the Sea
2024 by Darraj, Susan MuaddiGet this itemThis novel-in-stories by Susan Muaddi Darraj follows three Palestinian American families (Christian and Muslim) as they wrestle with poverty, religion, living between two cultures, and their pursuit of the American Dream. Suggested by Rummanah.
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My Friends
2024 by Matar, HishamGet this itemPulitzer Prize winner Hisham Matar explores themes of translation, repression, and freedom of speech in this thought-provoking novel that follows Khaled, a young Libyan who receives a scholarship to attend the University of Edinburgh. His classmate Mustafa persuades him to attend a protest against the Qaddafi regime at the Libyan Embassy in London. In the chaos of the demonstration, both Khaled and Mustafa are shot and wounded, setting the course for the rest of Khaled's life. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Every Rising Sun
2023 by Ahmed, JamilaGet this itemThere's a lot of interest nowadays in what is called "the global Middle Ages," looking not just at the "civilization" of Medieval Europe but also at the other empires and cultures it fought and did business and exchanged ideas with. While reimagining The One Thousand and One Nights, this book shows what the war Western historians call "the Third Crusade" looked like from the other side. Fascinating. Suggested by Andrew.
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The Jasad Heir
2023 by Hashem, SaraGet this itemI thoroughly enjoyed this Egyptian-inspired fantasy that has complex and wonderful world-building, a slow-burn enemies to lovers romance, and court intrigue. I can't wait to read more from this series, especially after an explosive ending. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Under the Tamarind Tree
2023 by Alam, NigarGet this itemIn this moving and emotionally engaging debut, four friends must face the devastating repercussions of a life-changing event in post-Partition Karachi, Pakistan. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Courting Samira
2023 by Awad, AmalGet this itemIn this sparkling romantic comedy set in a Muslim community in Sydney, Australia, late-twenties Samira finds herself trapped in a love triangle and contending with a suddenly evasive childhood friend and a promotion she isn't sure she wants. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Centre
2023 by Manazir Siddiqi, AyeshaGet this itemSiddiqui examines how assimilation, identity, language, and social class all interplay in one's existence. I found this book to be enthralling and incredibly insightful and thought provoking. A wonderful pick if you are looking for a suspenseful book with added depth. Suggested by Rummanah.
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I Will Greet the Sun Again
2023 by Khabushani, Khashayar J.Get this itemThis lyrical coming of age debut novel follows K, an Iranian American boy, who confronts divisions within his family and his identity while growing up in 1990's and 2000's Los Angeles. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Between Two Moons
2023 by Abdel Gawad, AishaGet this itemIn this moving debut novel, twin sisters Amira and Lina, who live in a Muslim neighborhood in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, are graduating from high school. But their excitement is dimmed by their troublesome older brother's return from prison, a police raid on a local business that sets off protests, and a sudden act of violence that pulls everyone apart. A story of family, community, and Islamophobia. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Retreat
2023 by Raheem, ZaraGet this itemAfter 10 years of marriage, Nadia Nadia Abbasi comes to terms with the fact that she will not be able to have children and that her husband has drifted away from her. An emotionally intense yet ultimately hopeful novel about the messiness of relationships, infertility, gender roles, sisterhood, the South Asian diaspora, and the experience of children of immigrants. Suggested by Rummanah.
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Much Ado About Nada
2023 by Jalaluddin, UzmaGet this itemSet in Toronto’s Muslim community, it’s a second chance, enemies to lovers, updated retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. It’s so delightful, with a fantastic female lead, I couldn’t put it down. Suggested by Sharon.
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River Spirit
2023 by Aboulela, LeilaGet this itemTold through the voices of seven men and women whose fates grow inextricably linked, this richly detailed and character-driven historical fiction novel, set during the Mahdist War in 19th-century Sudan, is a story of people who--against the odds and for a brief time--gained independence from foreign rule through their willpower, subterfuge, and sacrifice. Suggested by Rummanah.
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The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
2023 by Chakraborty, S. A.Get this itemA thrilling fantasy series adventure featuring pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, and one woman's determined quest to seize a final chance at glory and write her own legend. Suggested by Rummanah and Sharon.
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