"A Killer in the Family" - Book Launch with Author Amin Ahmad

Talk Highlights:

• Discover how the Durst family — a powerful dynasty of New York City developers besmirched by their patriarch's murder conviction — inspired Ahmad's fictional tale of Ali Azeem, a bachelor from Mumbai who marries into a family of real-estate tycoons, the Khans, and finds that his new life of luxury might have a dark side
• See how landmarks like Grand Central Terminal play a central role in the book and how Amin's research into this historic site helped shape the narrative
• Find out which formerly derelict Gilded Age estate inspired the Khan family's mansion, ‘Sher Khan House,’ and which turn-of-the-century starchitect designed their Gatsby-esque summer home in the Hamptons
• Explore sites across New York City, from the Apthorp Apartments on the Upper West Side to an Indian immigrant neighborhood in Jackson Heights, Queens
• Learn how massive redevelopment projects in Hudson Yards and on ‘Billionaire’s Row’ have reshaped the city

About this Virtual Talk:

As an architect, author Amin Ahmad is drawn to environments as a way into writing fiction. Especially New York, which has so many secrets and places that are hidden away from the public eye...

Amin chose to make the Khan family real estate developers in NYC, as real estate is the obsession of the city and an expression of power and influence. Real estate developers are the ones who play fast and loose--yet they shape the form of the city.

Join Amin as he shares insights into the true stories behind this fictional tale!

About A Killer in the Family

An intoxicating drama set in the world of New York City’s elite, A Killer in the Family explores the underside of the American dream and asks, what happens when you marry into a family that keeps secrets?

It’s time for Ali, a good-natured Mumbai party-boy, to grow up. The first step to settling down is an arranged marriage to Maryam, the daughter of Abbas Khan, a New York real estate tycoon. She’s pretty, demure, and respectable—unlike her sister, Farhan, a sexy, rebellious divorcée.

After the wedding, Ali moves to New York and enjoys the privileges of being an honorary Khan: private helicopters, supertall skyscrapers, and a Gatsbyesque house in the Hamptons. But soon rumors begin to surface about Abbas Khan—accusations of corruption and hidden affairs—and Farhan hints that a violent secret underlies Abbas's success. Though Ali's wife insists the insinuations are unfounded, he can't shake the feeling that there's something he doesn't know.

To uncover the truth, Ali launches his own investigation, which takes him deep into Abbas’s dealings and past. As he closes in on the truth, Ali must decide: Can he remain part of the Khan family and pay the moral price demanded by unimaginable wealth and power?

About the Author:

Amin Ahmad was raised in India and came to America at the age of 17. He worked as an architect for many years before turning to writing. His first two novels (as A.X. Ahmad) were in the thriller genre, and he won the 2020 GS Chandra Prize for his book of short stories.

After a decade-long break, he is back with his debut book club novel, A Killer in the Family.

He now teaches creative writing at Duke University and lives in Durham, NC, with his family and a very mischievous cat. When he’s not writing, he can be found on his front porch, drinking tea and watching the world go by.

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