Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I have a pretty high tolerance for violence, but this was just unremittingly grim and miserable. I really enjoyed East of Hounslow, but having missed book 2 in the series there was just too big a gap and I didn't finish it.. Maybe if I read the 2nd one I'll come back to it.

A fast paced action thriller with a very funny, likeable main character. Ride Or Die is for fans of flawed, well written characters and fast paced plots that are injected with a bit of humour. Although this is the 3rd in the series, it was my first in the series. Many say that it's more powerful when read in order but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a lot of reference to relationships between characters which I'm assuming is covered in detail in the previous books however they were still explained well enough for me to feel like I knew what was going on. I didn't even realise this book was part of a series until after finishing.

Khurrum Rahman is my fav author. And I expected the third book in this series to be as amazing as the last two. He exceeded my expectations. Just when I thought the books could not get any better, they certainly did!!

Jay Qasim is my favourite character in these books, I absolutely adore his personality and the way he is (regardless of him being a drug dealer and having some very odd family members- I shall not spoilt it for you if u have not read any of the other books).

I am able to finish Khurrum Rahman's books in a day and this was no exception. At no point through this book, did I get bored.

It is all very high packed intense action and follows the characters from the two other books really well and there are a few new faces in this book that fit in well with old characters.

I am usually the kind of person who forgets a book and just about remembers the plot line. But these books I remember each and every part of it.

Khurrum Rahman writes memorable books that stay with you for a long time!!

Over the last few years, Khrurrum Rahman has been quietly winning round crime and spy fiction fans with his series of books featuring Jay Qasim, the small-time dealer turned reluctant MI5 agent in the fight against terrorism.
Ride or Die, the third book in the series, finds Jay trying to get away from it all on holiday, his time helping the security services having come to an end. But when friend and police detective Idris Zaidi turns up unannounced, Jay wonders how long it will take for him to be sucked back in.
The answer comes when he learns of a bombing at the wedding of Imy Siddiqui. Jay knows Imy only too well: he had been tasked by a terrorist cell to kill him. Imy had spared Jay’s life, and now he was paying the price. Jay owes it to him to return to London, and help this once deadly enemy on his most dangerous adventure yet.
Ride or Die is an edgy, edge-of-your-sear thriller with a Four Lions feel, perfect for fans for Mick Herron or AA Dhand.

(Living Magazines, November 2020)

This is the third outing for Jay Qassim, the protagonist of Khurrum Rahman’s excellent spy thriller series. I’ve read and reviewed both of the previous books and was very keen to read this and see how poor Jay is getting on.

Ride or Die picks up where book two, Homegrown Hero, left off. Imran Siddiqui, one-time sleeper terrorist and a man who was tasked to kill Jay and failed to do so, lives with the consequences: his family murdered in a suicide bombing revenge attack. Jay Qassim for his part has been dropped by MI5 once more. Always the unwitting agent, they now have no further use for him. There’s tension between the two because Imran blames Jay for the death of his family. If only he had obeyed his orders and killed Jay, his family would still be alive. Jay for his part feels overwhelmed by guilt.

These two are thrown together once more when they learn that Jay’s father, the leader of a global jihadi group, might still be alive. Jay is conflicted. He hates what his father did, the terrorism that he instigated, but the man's still his dad. Imran blames Jay’s father most of all for the death of his family, it was he after all who gave the orders. The two are tasked to go to Pakistan/Afghanistan to track down Jay’s father, but they both have conflicting and unspoken intentions for what to do when they get there. And what of MI5? And what of the new splinter group, more virulent than that which Jay’s father led?’

Ride or Die is a slight departure for Rahman in that his previous two books have focused a lot more on Jay's relationship with MI5. He was bullied to a great extent into becoming a source for the Security Service and this portrayal, and the tensions between on the one hand MI5 doing valuable work in stopping terrorism, and on the other, their manipulation and coercion of young Muslims in order to achieve this, was very well portrayed. In this book, MI5 is still on the scene, but Jay is divorced from it to a greater extent because he’s in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and he has his own motivations for being there.

But the fact that the author has taken a slightly different path for this novel is no bad thing and Ride or Die remains a great addition to the series. Neither has the author lost his eye for critical representation of the intelligence agencies and Western foreign policy. Without lapsing into polemic, neither gets off lightly in this novel. While no excuses are made for the jihadis and their violence, this novel, like its predecessors, continues to be a corrective to some of the more tub-thumping examples of the spy thriller genre.

Finally, I need to say something about the humour in this title. In each of my reviews for Rahman’s novels, I’ve tended to focus on the more serious elements and neglected to stress how these are also great fun to read. Jay is his usual brash and bolshy self, always ready with a quip and a great turn of phrase. These books are a joy to read but have a heart and a cerebral core too.

As always with Rahman, Ride or Die is highly recommended, and I look forward to the next instalment in the series.

4 out of 5 stars

Poor Jay. After a brief moment in time where he hoped that joining MI5 would allow him to make a difference, all he has really wanted is to live a regular life. After the shattering events in Homegrown Hero, he is finally able to take his much-needed holiday, visiting his mum in Qatar. However, his best friend, Idris arrives with news from Hounslow which shakes him to his core and he makes the immediate decision to fly back home to England.
Being away from home meant Jay hadn't heard about the tragedy which hit the headlines and led to fights and riots. It gave the journalists another chance to print provocative, divisive headlines; it took everything from Imran Siddiqui. The attack itself isn't described in great detail but the brief summary of what happened and who caused it is devastating, with Imy's visceral pain almost too unbearable to imagine.
Although this book is primarily about Jay and Imy, a new character, Sophia has an important role to play when she agrees to help a mysterious stranger in what is described as a 'victimless crime'. Sophia is clearly disappointed with her life and longs for more and though it's clear that she is deluding herself, I couldn't help but feel for her when she realises she has made a terrible decision. Her actions lead to shocking situation and news that eventually draws Jay and Imy together but with such a difficult history between them, it looks as if expecting them to work with one another is an impossible ask.
I'm trying hard to review Ride or Die without giving away too many spoilers from the previous novels. While there is no reason why a newcomer to this trilogy couldn't read this one as a standalone and be able to understand what brings the characters to this point, I really would encourage anybody to read the books in order to truly appreciate the emotional intensity of the series arc.
Jay and Imy eventually agree to travel to Pakistan together, both on the search for some kind of final reckoning. The scenes in Pakistan and Afghanistan are imbued with a constant sense of tension but as always, Khurrum Rahman sprinkles the narrative with wit and humour, and here the relationship between the two men is a quintessential odd couple pairing. Imy is understandably more restrained and taciturn, his bitterness seeping out of him at times but there are moments where his lighter side is revealed which ironically makes his anguish even harder to bear. Jay is more reactionary, more excitable but he has an inner courage and a set of morals which mean his own emotions are tested to the limit. One of my favourite aspects of these books is just how emotive they are at times - Jay, in particular is frequently shown to be shedding tears which further underlines just how believable and relatable he is as a protagonist.
On its most straightforward level this is a gripping buddy movie spy thriller with a taut, almost cinematic conclusion which is perfectly executed. However, it's also a perceptive, powerful and authentic examination of contemporary global issues and is a stark reminder of the way terror groups are built and how they adapt. It's more than even that though; Jay and Imy's experiences are beyond what most people will ever know but ultimately this outstanding novel is about the universal need for acceptance and belonging. Ride or Die is extraordinarily good and as with East of Hounslow and Homegrown Hero, I urge you to read it.

The third book in the Jay Qasim series, but the first one I've read. There's a quick catch up of events and character details but read the earlier books first if you can. The writing style is informal and urban and draws you into Jay's world quickly. There are action, hatred and violence but also love, reflection and selflessness in this thriller.

Jay and his nemesis Imy are both conflicted but likeable. They have the arrogance of youth but tempered by what they've done lost and seen. This book views the world through their eyes, and it's a disturbing place to be. The themes are current, but the interpretation is literary. This is an adrenaline-fueled dangerous adventure which keeps the reader invested and on the edge of their seats.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

'Ride Or Die' is the third book in the series featuring Britain's most reluctant spy, Jay Qasim. I read and loved the first two books in the series ('East Of Hounslow' & 'Homegrown Hero') and so when I heard that the third book in the series was due for imminent release, I just knew that I had to get a copy as soon as I could and squirrel myself away until I had finished reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Ride Or Die' but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Jay Qasim? He is a bit of a lovable rogue but I found myself liking him more and more. Initially he was a drug dealer but somehow he managed to end up working for MI5, much to his dislike. Qasim thought that he had left his spy days behind him but this book sees a return to his old role. Qasim is what I would call a canny fella. Qasim has a dryish sense of humour and even when his character is going through hell, he still finds something amusing. Jay has a potty mouth and if his ego was to get any bigger he would have trouble fitting his head through the door. In other words he is very cocky and sometimes he doesn't put his brain in gear before he starts to speak.
I thought that the other two books in the series were good, but 'Ride Or Die' blows the first two out of the water and it is easily my favourite book of the series to date. It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. In fact as soon as I started reading that was it. I found it nigh on impossible to put the book down for any length of time. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book. If I had to put the book down for any length of time, then I would immediately look forward to being able to get back to reading the book. It was as if the book had developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn't willing to break. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I managed to binge read the book within a single day, which is brilliant going for me and illustrates just how flipping much I enjoyed reading 'Ride Or Die'.
'Ride Or Die' is superbly written but then I have found all of the books in the series to be superbly written. In Qasim, the author has created an interesting and intriguing character who can switch from drama to humour with the flick of a switch. The story started with a bang, it hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. Reading this book felt a bit like being on a sometimes scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride. Just when you thought that you could take a breather, gather your thoughts and reclaim your stomach then off the action would go again. I love the way in which the author writes about subjects which are certainly topical- terrorism, religion, misconceptions of certain groups and so on. I felt as though I was part of the story and that was thanks to Khurrum's very vivid and realistic writing style. 'Ride Or Die' is a tightly plotted, action packed, dramatic story, which kept me gripped and on the edge of my seat throughout.
In short, I thoroughly enoyed reading 'Ride Or Die' and I would definitely recommend this series and this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Khurrum's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Not quite as gripping as the first 2 but still very enjoyable. Jay is a brilliant character and you root for him constantly. The plot weaves together seamlessly and but the supporting characters are less roundly imagined.

I read this for a blog tour.

I hadn't read the first two books in this series but it didn't matter as the author includes enough back story to root this in a longer narrative with Jay. I know some of the parts of London Jay drives through which helped ground it for me.

Jay's a personable, engaging protagonist and he has a realistic, recognisable voice as he and Imran alternately narrate their adventures in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan, attempting to carry out the dangerous mission MI5 have sent them on.

Pakistan was their motherland, but England was home to Jay & Imy. They are two young British Muslims. Part of a war that should not be happening. They should be friends. Now they are enemies.
Khurrum Rahman's third thriller - his best yet - is once again an impartial take on a war that divides cultures & faiths & leads to unnecessary bloodshed on both sides.
Jay & Imy are great characters. Part heroes, part anti-heroes. They are written with such empathy one has to love them rather than hate them.
There's gritty action, the thrill of the chase, but also tear-jerking moments of tragedy.
Khurrum Rahman is a writer fast approaching literary perfection.

This is the third in the 'Jay Qasim' series of spy novels and, before reading this, you really should read the first two. These books do not stand alone. That said, this was something of a change of pace from the first two; where 'East of Hounslow' and 'Homegrown Hero' were particularly intense, reflecting on issues that are particularly pertinent in today's society and with a constant feeling of urgency, this took a slightly slower pace as Jay embarks on a far more deliberate and personal journey. I feel like this is the book where I'm starting to understand Jay as a character, as well as watching him mature and go through the kind of emotional turbulance and soul searching we all do as young people. However, Jay is doing it all under quite extraordinary circumstances.
Fans will not be disappointed, new readers will discover a spy adventure unlike any other. I consider it one of the most unique, enlightening, engaging and relevant series around today.

A brilliant third part to the saga of Jay Qasim, the very reluctant MI5 operative. Told in the darkly humorous manner of the previous two it's a great read and gives us something else to worry about as well as coronavirus!
Thank you to netgalley and HQ books for an advance copy of this book.

The third and final part(?) part of the Jay Qasim spy series is another truly outstanding read from the brilliant Khurrum Rahman.

Following on from the 2nd book ‘Homegrown Hero’ Jay and Imy found themselves thrown together on a deadly mission. Can the two sworn enemies come together and triumph for the greater good?

Another rip roaring slice of action packed, wickedly funny thrills are served up by Rahman in his best yet in the most current up to date series out there.

The opening 10% of the book rocked me. It shook me to my boots as Khurrum Rahman firmly set the scenes and stamps down a warning of what’s to come at you.

I can only come up with superlatives for this book and the 2 before it. You just have to read the . Engaging characters who will envelope you into their world. You can’t fail to become embroiled in it and actually care about Jay and Imy.

It’s fast paced, tense, enthralling, funny, upsetting, gripping stuff.

I can say no more than all the flames

5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

One of THE books of 2020

Woo-Woo, it's time to step on board the Jay Train once again! Usual series rules apply as this is the third in a cracking series that, in my opinion, would be best read in order. Jay has a colourful and chequered past which is integral to the plot of this book.
So, he's left all the spy stuff behind him finally and, when we first catch up with Jay he is on holiday visiting his mum. His peace doesn't last long as, due to circumstances beyond his wildest nightmares, Jay is once again drawn into the Jihadi life when he is forced to team up with Imy, the guy who tried to kill him, as they appear to have a common goal... To trust or not to trust, that is a very important question and, in the action that follows, Jay will have to have all his wits about him, and then some, if he is to achieve his goal and survive the experience...
Oh My! I love this series. I love all things Jay. And his character is even more enhanced by the predicaments that the author puts him through... It's a thrilling, exciting, and often perilous ride all the way through as Jay faces many challenges along the way to get his goal. But he's not the green, audacious, naive young man we first met in the series opener, no, he's matured and learned a lot in his time. Yes he does have his moments, and that is reflected in some of the humour interspersed throughout the story, but on the whole he's a much more serious lad.
Pacing is spot on and the story gets on with itself very well, the action and suspense ramps up towards the end and, oh my!, that ending... Leaving me satisfied with this episode by gagging for the next.
All in all, a cracking addition to an already great series. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The first two books in this series were excellent and Khurrum Rahman maintains that standard in Ride Or Die. It is another exciting, very well-written thriller with real moral weight and a continuing insight into the dilemmas and difficulties of a British Muslim confronted with jihadi terrorism. (It’s worth saying that you really need to read the first two to understand fully what is going on here, but that won’t be any hardship whatsoever.)

Following the traumatic events of the previous two books, Jay wants out from MI5 and all that...er...stuff (not exactly the word he would use). However, he is dragged back in by developments and the need to confront his father. An extremely involving and exciting story develops, taking him to places and people he’d much rather not go to in this country, Pakistan and Afghanistan. There are major and unexpected developments both politically and personally, but I won’t reveal any spoilers.

The book is narrated partly by Jay and partly by Imy whom readers will remember from Home Grown Hero. The two voices are excellently done, with Jay’s brash, expletive-strewn, egotistical but human persona contrasting with Imy’s grief-stricken, passionate, restrained voice. The humour of East Of Hounslow has largely gone as Jay’s small-time-drug-dealer past recedes and his life is dominated by the most serious of events and issues, but the serious analysis delivered in his still robust Honslow style is still there and still extremely shrewd and readable.

This remains a really classy and very enjoyable series, of which there is more to come. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment and I can recommend this very warmly indeed.

(My thanks to HQ for an ARC via NetGalley.)

I stumbled on this trilogy by winning the first novel in a competition, immediately buying the second and have just finished this, the third, thanks to Netgalley.
Mr Rahman is an outstanding talent and fully deserving of my (very rare) 5 stars.
Our hapless hero, a small time weed dealer but overall a pretty good egg is thrown into a situation out of his control and the flawed way he comes through it is a joy to read.
The friends and adversaries we come across throughout have depth, character and I found myself desperately rooting for them all.
The writer takes what could be a difficult subject and injects incredible humour (The Air Jordan's being stolen from the mosque made me laugh out loud , eg) whilst somehow managing to make us sad, angry and utterly gripped throughout.
The whole series made me think and opened my eyes from my safe, rural, middle England position. But I don't want to be educated when I read a novel. I want to be entertained and this, together with the others in the trilogy delivered in spades. It's primarily a thriller and if you like a roller coaster, gritty, edge of your seat ride, don't hesitate.
Possibly the best series I've EVER read.

3* You need a big pinch of salt to persevere with this - and that's me as an Asian saying this.

This book left a bad taste in my mind - it portrays an England and British Muslims like nothing/none I've seen in my 52 years living here. It makes me glad that this is entirely fiction, as I'd hate to live in a UK where people show one face and have another deep down.

I think it wants to be a glossy novel that gets translated onto the small screen but it lacked gloss and it was too British and low key to be believable. Yes, I know Hounslow and Southall but they're not as grim as described here and I can't see the indoctrination and the hate portrayed here - that'd more likely happen in Rochdale or Blackburn or Bury, given what's been seen in the news in years past, where bands of disaffected Muslim youths end up on the wrong path. Were the leads meant to be heroes of a sort, anti-heroes or guys who straddled a line, unsure of which side they were on? I ended the book not knowing and not believing in either. I'd have liked some background about these Muslim guys who drink alcohol and are happy to have Caucasian girlfriends, despite their outlook on Britain and its way of life. Things seemed more than a little hypocritical and as the tale ended, so much was left open ended and unsatisfied. The book also provoked a discussion between my Caucasian husband, myself, a UK-born Asian and our son. Hubs and I have never seen racism in our lives, thankfully, other than the one time, aged 7, when I was asked if I was a Paki. Son, 28, said that the only time he's ever encountered racism is online during Xbox Live, and it's always from 'up north', so no, this book didn't sit in its locale of west London.

I don't want to get all politic-y here, but this book almost encourages 'Muslims against everyone else', though it's meant to be about a couple of Muslims being undercover for MI5 and the greater good, though they didn't start on the right path. Too much fantasy and not enough believability.

ARC courtesy of HQ and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

<b>'Meet Jay...'</b><br>
<b>'Well, yeah, you already f***ing met Jay', quipped Jay impatiently throwing his phone on the seat of his black BMW</b>

It's extremely important to understand a number of things about Jay. Jay has a massive gob and equally big ego, but more about it in a minute. He's got a massive disdain for authority and hugely eventful 18 months behind him. He also has a proverbial heart of gold and a moral compass that hates him. And the feeling is mutual, let me hasten to add.

Jay Qasim saga is one of these series that immerses you in the world of the protagonist. In their loves, hates, heartaches and delusions. The series allows you to witness Jay's journey through self-discovery. From a small-time pot dealer from Hounslow to a weathered man of resolve.

In the third explosive instalment of Jay Qasim series masterfully crafted by Khurrum Rahman, we follow Jay on a mission in search for one of the most dangerous men in the world. Who incidentally is his father.

It's pretty difficult to review 'Ride or Die' without alluding to previous books in the series. In fact, two previous instalments are crucial to fully understand and appreciate the dynamics of our duo of protagonists. Oh, yes... The story revolves around Jay and Imran Siddiqui, also known as Imy, who has been introduced in book #2 'Homegrown Hero'.

Imy and Jay are not friends. Far from it. Without giving too much away, Jay is the very reason Imy has lost everything that ever mattered to him. Through no fault of there own, the two men were put at the loggerheads and pitted against each other, only to be united in the 3rd book working towards the same goal. But here's the complication... Same goal - different objectives...

The 3rd instalment of Khurrum Rahman's 'Meet Jay' series is the most emotionally mature. Jay is more mature. His mouth is still potty. His chatter is still inane and silly, but boy didn't he grow... Jay is finally coming to terms with who he is and where he comes from. His intrinsic need to do the right thing rules over his head. Jay's attitude towards life has changed dramatically, even though he still flippantly pretends he doesn't give a shit. But he does. He yearns closure as much as he desires the new beginning. He remains conflicted on many levels, but the conflict is more pronounced, better defined. He knows exactly what he feels. But he also knows what he is not supposed to feel, which pushes him further and further into the abyss of conflicting emotions.

Imran is a shell of man he used to be. We meet a man driven by revenge. A man corroded by rage. A man, we all carry around inside us but we're fortunate enough he hadn't had awakened. Imran, a man of strong conviction and even stronger resolve, is a polar opposite of Jay. Quiet. Disciplined. Deadly... By creating Imy, Khurrum created a perfectly crafted anti-hero in Hemingway tradition. Gritty and minimalist. Fleeing from the environment in which he can no longer function and finding solace in a desperate place past the point of no return. This juxtaposition, this almost hedonistic need for closure, whatever the price may be, makes Imran truly tragic, as he is ready to lose himself in the process.

<b>What About the Story?</b>

The narrative introduced an array of new characters and brings back some of the old favourites. The story is written mainly from the perspectives of Jay and Imy, but we get a glimpse of new faces. Faces that we would like to find out a bit more about. The story almost acts as a springboard for more books that may not be a part of the series, but by teasing some really interesting 'what ifs' and opening the doors for new characters, it can almost allow for creating a new literary universe. Which Khurrum Rahman has already proved he is more than capable of doing.

The story allows us to revisit places featuring in 'East of Hounslow' and 'Homegrown Hero'. Because of this alone, I would recommend reading previous books as they beautifully set the scene for 'Ride or Die'. In fact, reading the series in order is like devouring your favourite series on Netflix. You can't get enough of it and want to restart it the moment you put it down. 'Ride or Die' very heavily alludes to its predecessors, but it doesn't replace them. The pure emotional journey can only be completed by reading the series from the beginning.

Can it work as a standalone story? Yes. Yes, it can. Unfortunately, it won't have the same effect. It will allow you to understand the motivations of our dynamic duo, but it's not going to root for them the same way it does when read as part of the series. The character development of Jay and Imy has been largely completed through 'East of Hounslow' and 'Homegrown Hero'. 'Ride or Die' is taking it to the next level. A level that cannot be fully appreciated without knowing the full story.

With each novel, Khurrum Rahman is growing as a storyteller. His style becomes more pronounced. He constructs and executes a new aesthetic creed, on which he then expands. The most crucial elements of his "spy thrillers" are reactionary and seriously challenge the status quo of the genre. At times 'Ride or Die' is more of a psychological drama featuring two broken souls seeking love, closure and retribution.

What's next for Jay? Who knows! The tear-inducing, jawdropping ending leaves us yearning for more. Nearly screaming at the pages "Give us more!" This is a true testament to Khurrum's writing. He makes us want more...