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  • The Fortune Men

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Nadifa Mohamed
  • Narrated by: Hugh Quarshie
  • Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (7 ratings)

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The Fortune Men

Written by: Nadifa Mohamed
Narrated by: Hugh Quarshie
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Publisher's Summary

BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • Based on a true event, this novel is “a blues song cut straight from the heart ... about the unjust death of an innocent Black man caught up in a corrupt system” (Walter Mosley, best-selling author of Devil in a Blue Dress).

In Cardiff, Wales in 1952, Mahmood Mattan, a young Somali sailor, is accused of a crime he did not commit: the brutal killing of Violet Volacki, a shopkeeper from Tiger Bay. At first, Mahmood believes he can ignore the fingers pointing his way; he may be a gambler and a petty thief, but he is no murderer. He is a father of three, secure in his innocence and his belief in British justice.

But as the trial draws closer, his prospect for freedom dwindles. Now, Mahmood must stage a terrifying fight for his life, with all the chips stacked against him: a shoddy investigation, an inhumane legal system, and, most evidently, pervasive and deep-rooted racism at every step.

Under the shadow of the hangman's noose, Mahmood begins to realize that even the truth may not be enough to save him. A haunting tale of miscarried justice, this book offers a chilling look at the dark corners of our humanity.

©2022 Nadifa Mohamed (P)2022 Random House Audio

What the critics say

BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • A COSTA BOOK AWARD NOMINEE • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: THE GUARDIAN AND THE NEW YORKER

“A potent, pointed novel . . . Mohamed is a big talent, and she’s only getting started.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times

“Equally informative and moving . . . The immediate allure of the novel is the vibrancy of Mohamed’s prose, her ability to capture the complicated culture of Cardiff and the sound of tortured optimism. . . . The horrific finale of The Fortune Men is never in doubt, but for more than 200 pages Mohamed still creates a sharp sense of suspense by pulling us right into Mahmood’s world as his life tilts and then crashes. . . . There’s a natural grandeur to her portrayal of this ordinary man caught in the city’s gears. Readers will hear echoes of Dostoevsky and Kafka in her re-creation of this nightmare. . . . With The Fortune Men, Mohamed has given us a clear vision of so many victims caught in the maw of racist legal systems.”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“Brilliantly depicts the complexities of community within the Black diaspora . . . Mohamed balances colonial history and violence with the evocative interior lives of Mahmood and Violet Volacki. . . . After Mahmood’s arrest, the novel shifts its focus to the British criminal justice system, providing a visceral account of the protagonist’s carceral experience. . . . Mohamed manages such tender detail even while zooming out on the British prison and court systems more broadly.”—Nicole R. Fleetwood, The New York Times

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Well read, powerful story.

I became utterly engrossed. All the more because it is based on a real person, with marvellous complex characters who had authentic and unique perspectives on the world.

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Excellent Rendition of the Life of Mahmood Mattan

An extremely well written account of Mahmood’s life - the detail and colourful imagery described made me feel as though I was there, walking with him or in his footsteps, feeling all that he was experiencing - thank you Nadifa for showing me this man’s rich story.

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