A LIFELONG passion for writing led Iqbal Hussain to pen his acclaimed debut novel, Northern Boy, which was published in June 2024.
Described as a coming-of-age novel about being a “butterfly among the bricks,” the book has marked the beginning of an exciting new journey for him, including his forthcoming debut children’s book.
The London-based British writer is also a keen reader and shared his top 10 favourite books with Eastern Eye.
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh: Harriet likes to spy on her friends and neighbours, jotting her observations down in a notebook. When she loses it and her friends read all the mean things she has written about them, trouble follows. I first read this as a child, and Harriet was unlike any character I had come across – snarky, rude, and unrepentant. It is no surprise that some libraries in the US banned it in the 1960s, deeming Harriet a bad role model .
Sheep’s Clothing by Celia Dale: From dialogue that jumps off the page to a 1980s-set storyline rich in period detail, I could not put this one down. It takes real skill to centre a novel around an unlikeable protagonist – here, Grace, a 60-year-old ex-con who drugs and robs vulnerable elderly people. She is assisted by a younger ex-con, Janice, whom she describes as “a jellyfish in a tepid sea.” Beautifully written and one to revisit just to admire the craft.
The Cloisters by Katy Hays: A dark academia novel set in an offshoot wing of the Met Museum in New York, with added tarot and Renaissance mysticism. I loved its languid descriptions of a world I knew nothing about. It also features a classic favourite – an unreliable narrator, Ann Stilwell, a recent graduate from a small town in Washington. As the hot, sticky summer unfolds, so does the tension behind the scenes at the museum.
The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker: What better way to spend a cold winter night than with a book about Victorian séances, tabletapping, and unearthly manifestations? A remarkably assured debut that kept me reading into the early hours. Again, we have a not-entirelylikeable narrator, the eponymous Mrs Wood, yet we find ourselves rooting for her as she faces competition from Emmie, her protégé turned monster. One of those rare books where the ending does not disappoint.
Boy, Everywhere by AM Dassu: This children’s book tackles a difficult and topical issue, pulling no punches as it follows Sami and his family’s journey from war-torn Syria to the UK. The writing is simple and clear, yet devastating and heartbreaking. Many times, I had to put the book down to absorb what I had just read and imagine what I would do in such a situation. This should be required reading for all of us.
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Sutanto: I laughed all the way through this joyous crime mystery. Sixty-year-old Vera Wong finds a dead man in her tea shop. Convinced the police don’t know what they’re doing, our bossy and forthright heroine sets out to solve the mystery herself – in the process, making new friends and asking us to question what it means to be old and how others view us.
The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou by Eleni Kyriacou: Based on a real-life story of murder in 1950s London, this is unputdownable. Grandmother Zina faces death by hanging, with time running out and her refusing to explain the circumstances in which she allegedly killed her daughter-in-law. It’s often a difficult read, as you realise how much the cards are stacked against someone like Zina, who is barely literate and doesn’t know how to give herself the best chance of being heard. It left me with many questions about how we deal with the truth and whose voice we believe.
Northern Boy by Iqbal Hussain: My own novel begins in 1981 in the suburbs of a Lancashire town. Rafi’s mother reminds him daily that the family moved there from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But he longs to follow his own path: he wants to be a Bollywood star. Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever wanted – leading roles in musical theatre, the perfect partner and freedom from expectation. But returning home is the ultimate test – can he show his true self to his community?
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent: I love stories about outsiders (such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine). This book is very much in that vein. Early on, Sally does something that generates unwanted attention from the press and others. It’s a dark, witty and often unsettling read, but one where you root for our heroine and her refreshingly black-and-white outlook on life.
The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi: T The Centre is a mysterious organisation where you pay a vast sum of money to come out, a week or two later, fully fluent in another language. A strange, but riveting, read – lots of “what if” scenarios, and a storyline reminiscent of an episode of Black Mirror. You’re quickly immersed in the claustrophobic but alluring world of The Centre – with its promises of a quick fix. But you soon realise that nothing comes without a price.
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