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JAY QASIM

qasim_jay_bk_rod qasim_jay_bk_eoh qasim_jay_bk_hh
 
Full Name: Javid 'Jay' Qasim
Nationality: British
Organization: MI5
Occupation Agent

Creator: Khurrum Rahman
Time Span: 2017 - 2020

ABOUT THE SERIES

Jay Qasim is an agent with MI5.

Well, yes and most definitely no!

No, if you ask Qasim about it. Yes, if you ask MI5 about it although they might also say no just to cover their backsides. Internally, though, they know they can pull the right strings when they need to.

Jay Qasim is a British citizen of Pakistani descent who likes his life and would prefer to keep things as they are. As we learn from the blurb on his first recorded adventure, he is a dope dealer living in West London and as he tells us elsewhere, "business was ticking". He goes to mosque on Friday. He lives at home with him mum. His pride and joy is his BMW, a two-year old luxury car that he paid "over the odds" (I like that expression) for but which was worth it because it was his mobile office.

Qasim's real name is Javid but as he tells us, no one calls him that, not even his mother. "No self-respecting drug dealer is called Javid. No playa is called Javid. Girls don't wanna be giving out their phone number to a guy called Javid." He is at or near 28 years old and has not desire to move to his own place because, as he reasons, there is no real shame in living with your Mum, especially if you're Asian, and besides, have you see the house prices?

Calling someone a drug dealer definitely throws a bad connotation on the individual and while Qasim fits without a doubt, he is more of a "casual seller" than a hard-core pusher. He keeps his supply of marijuana in the trunk of his car and will make deliveries when asked. He does this illegal activity to give him a bit of spending cash, not to become rich. Well, he does need to pay for his new Beemer which is a huge step up from his old Nova. But Qasim is in the drug trade the small amount he is as more of a sideline than an occupation.

So we have a well-mannered, quite pleasant young man in his early twenties living a simple life selling a bit of weed on the side and living at home with his mum and not interested in making waves about anything.

Which is interesting because while there is really nothing in his life to be considered noteworthy by anyone, he is being watched very carefully from two different directions.

Homegrown terrorists, Muslims who have extremists views about either getting even with the "kafirs" who have treated them poorly or who want to bring Sharia law to the infidel West, start approaching him every so subtly at first and stronger later.

And MI5 has been watching his every move for a while and looking for the first opportunity to have him hauled in by the authorities to have a leverage to force him to work for them.

When the observations by both of these sides turn into actions, Qasim's life will change forever.

BOOKS

Number of Books:3
First Appearance:2017
Last Appearance:2020

1 East of Hounslow East of Hounslow
Written by Khurrum Rahman
Copyright: 2017

Jay Qasim likes his life as it is. Unfortunately, MI5 has been keeping a close eye on him because he was the sort of fellow they might have a use for. Now they do.
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2 Homegrown Hero Homegrown Hero
Written by Khurrum Rahman
Copyright: 2018

Finally back on his turf in West London, Jay Qasim wants his old life back, although the drug dealing has been replaced with working in an office. Still, at least he is not close to death like he has been in his previous escapade. That will change with the arrival of Imran Siddiqui, a Muslim trained in Afghanistan to carry out an attack in England. The path of these two will cross very soon.
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3 Ride Or Die Ride Or Die
Written by Khurrum Rahman
Copyright: 2020

Jay Qasim was out of the spy game and happy for it. Then he receives news that will severely affect him and will bring him back to MI5 headquarters and the man who once sold him out. Meanwhile, Imran Siddiqui, the man who once tried to kill Qasim, will learn the two have a common enemy and both of them have enough motivation to work together.
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MY COMMENTS

Oh, boy, did I take immediately to this series! Page one, really. Why wouldn't I since I have so much in common with the main character. He is a Paki (his words, not mine) aka a Pakistani-British citizen in his early 20s living in London selling weed on the side and having his whole adult life ahead of him. I am, well, none of those.

And yet I was truly hooked. The style of writing is excellent. The wit of the passages is incredible and able to be followed without any traces of bitterness on the part of Qasim. He is a good-hearted and I, as the reader, would like him to stay as innocent as he initially is (well, aside from the pot-peddling) but knowing there is no way that is going to happen. The way the characters are penned, I can feel I understand each one without having ever experienced anything like they have. When Qasim decides he is not going to be friendly with someone, I feel it, and when he gets worried about a friend, I feel that, too.

This is a terrific series that deserved a lot of applause and I am starting the clapping here.

GRADE

My Grade: A

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SpyGuysAndGals is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and links with the Buy from Amazon button are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.