Almost Surely Dead

By: Amina Akhtar, Mindy Kaling - introduction

Narrated by: Kelsey Jaffer, full cast

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

“Amina Akhtar’s Almost Surely Dead is a witty, fresh psychological thriller that’s part stalker thriller, part ghost story. This book took turns I never saw coming. I was up all night, tearing through the pages as the mysterious pieces came together, leading to an explosive conclusion.”—Mindy Kaling

A psychological thriller with a twist, Almost Surely Dead is a chilling account of how one woman’s life spins out of control after a terrifying—and seemingly random—attempt on her life.

Dunia Ahmed lives an ordinary life—or she definitely used to. Now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. She’s been missing for over a year, and no one knows if she’s dead or alive. But her story has listeners obsessed, and people everywhere are sporting merch that demands “Find Dunia!”

In the days before her disappearance, Dunia is a successful pharmacist living in New York. The daughter of Pakistani immigrants, she’s coping with a broken engagement and the death of her mother. But then something happens that really shakes up her world: someone tries to murder her.

When her would-be killer winds up dead, Dunia figures the worst is over. But then there’s another attempt on her life…and another. And police suspect someone close to her may be the culprit. Dunia struggles to make sense of what’s happening. And as childhood superstitions seep into her reality, she becomes convinced that someone—or something—is truly after her.

Full Cast for Almost Surely Dead:

Dunia Ahmed: Kelsey Jaffer

Amanda Roberts: Whitney Dykhouse

Danielle McGuire: Amy McFadden

Detective Alvarez: Aida Reluzco

Kendra Wright: Jordan Cobb

David Anderson: Trevor Thompson

Nadia Chaudry: Soneela Nankani

Liz Small: Carly Robins

Zabir Mirza: Neil Shah

Directed by Jonathan Pennock

Engineered by Larry McKay

©2023 Amina Akhtar (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Akhtar’s novel has one foot set firmly in folklore and the other in fast-paced action as Dunia questions whom she can trust and what she will have to do to survive. Though the suspense is real, Akhtar deftly weaves in levity with the campiness of the podcast, and the earnestness of Dunia’s voice keeps the reader rooting for her to outrun her demons. A nimble and eerie thriller.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Amina Akhtar delivers a surprising and suspenseful ride. This is a winner.”—Publishers Weekly

“Twisty, chilling, and original, Almost Surely Dead is an absolutely addictive page-turner. I couldn’t put it down.”—Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

great start, disappointing ending

I was kept interested throughout most of the booke even though I had it figured out pretty fast...I kept thinking maybe I was wrong. I was not. The narrator was good. The ending was incredibly disappointing.

Interesting

Very unique story. I loved learning all the about the folklore and the culture. Most of the story was very intriguing. The ending let me down. I was expecting so much more.

Easy to follow I

I like that it was easy to follow and the voice was and it made it feel like I was there.

Well told

The narration was perfection. This is a wonderfully creepy mystery that keeps you guessing. I practically listened to it non-stop to see what would happen next. I have not yet been disappointed by a South Asian author. Such stories are some of my favorites.

I didn’t want it to end! So interesting.

I loved this story. It is relatable and educational. Also freaky and fun. The main character is so lovable. The cast is fantastic.

Fun and twisty!!

This book joined psychological thriller and supernatural very well! I enjoyed from start to finish!

Interesting

Interesting did like most of the book. I think some of the cultural challenges xxxx felt as a child and somewhat as an adult were explained in a respectful way. Sometimes it seems easy or cliche to assume things about a race or culture with little knowledge or close familiarity. Some of the characters were likable and relatable and others well that’s the fun of getting to the end!

Narration was really good adding depth to the story.

Definitely kept my attention

A page-turner for sure! Really enjoyed learning about some of the folklore of the culture.

Prepare to be taken completely in!!!

This book had me all in from start to finish. I enjoyed the podcast breaks throughout, but I felt some kind of way about everyone who treated Dunia badly, including her mother. Dunia's dad was the kindest, sweetest, most supportive person she had in her life, and I was devastated at what happened to him. Zabir was really sketchy to me for a while, and I hated the fact that the Podcasters wouldn't say Dunia's name correctly. One specifically said when corrected, "I don't hear the difference." They were really disrespectful, so it came as no surprise how they were handled in the end. Speaking of, the ending gave me second book vibes, and I hope I'm not wrong. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm hopeful for a continuation.

Amazing and totally different than anything I have read!

So well written , draws you in . The details are fantastic, like how the podcasters mispronounce the main character’s name every single time .