Muslim Writer releases ultra-violent, sexual psychological crime thriller
4 December 2009

"I am not backing down. I am not staging a retreat. Let people say what they want to say." When 27-year-old author Kia Abdullah's first novel caused a furore over its criticism of the Asian community, she responded with the insouciant words above. Now with her second novel, a violent sexual thriller called 'Child's Play', set for release on 4 December 2009, Abdullah may have to reinforce the steely determination she exhibited in 2006.

Described by New York Times best-selling author Thomas Perry as "a brave and intriguing novel, which showcases Kia Abdullah's vivid imagination and flair for suspense," 'Child's Play' centres on Allegra Ashe, a young woman recruited into a covert government unit that entraps and convicts paedophiles. As a Field Agent, Allegra must pose as a young girl and bait suspected paedophile, Joseph Drake.

Allegra's relationship with Drake grows increasingly physical and so begins her descent into the darkness and depravity of the human mind. As her life spirals out of control, we find ourselves voyeurs in a twisted world of lust, danger, deceit and revenge. With several recent high-profile cases of sexual abuse and paedophilia, 'Child's Play' taps into a subject that repulses and fascinates in equal measures. It places a telescope into the mind of a paedophile and invites the reader to take a look.

'Child's Play' breaks the Asian writer stereotype

One of the first Asian authors to write genre fiction that doesn't tout ethnicity, Abdullah is critical of the 'Asian writer' stereotype: "It seems as though if you happen to be brown, then you have to write about being brown, otherwise no one is interested in what you have to say." She continues: "Some writers are unashamed about using the race card because it's the one thing they have - the one way to get your foot in the door - but once you're through that door, what if you don't want to continue writing about ethnicity?"

Asked what inspired her to write 'Child's Play', the twice-married author and journalist replied "I wanted to write a book that stretched my skills as a storyteller. My first novel, Life, Love and Assimilation, was very much based on my life and so required little imagination - it was more an exercise in recollection than creation. 'Child's Play', however, is totally different. It completely subverts one's expectations of what an Asian writer is 'meant' to write."

Most Asians writer 'misery-memoir-lite' or epic literary novels

"I'm not saying that all Asian writers write this kind of story, but most of them are writing either 'misery-memoir lite' or sweeping, epic literary novels", she added. "To me, it seems that unless you fit neatly into one of those boxes, you can't get published as an Asian writer"

No stranger to criticism, Abdullah shrugs off the vitriol poured on her first novel 'Life, Love & Assimilation'. "Well, yes, but that was ridiculous. The novel had a few sex scenes and was mildly critical about certain sections of the British-Asian community, but it wasn't the stinging indictment people made it out to be. It was purely a personal story; a collection of events that I have seen and experienced. But I didn't mind. You know what they say: there's only one thing worse than being talked about, and that's not being talked about."

"Should a good little Muslim girls write about sexual deviancy'?

So does she deliberately set out to court publicity? The recent spate of cases against paedophiles does mean that the author is venturing into new territory as a Muslim writer. Does she fear the backlash and offence that 'Child's Play' might cause? "It's ultra violent and ultra sexual, and there are some morally ambiguous sex scenes in there, so I don't know how people will react to that. But from an Asian community point of view, I think I should be safe since it doesn't discuss Asian people at all. Unless, of course, they think a good little Muslim girl shouldn't be writing such filth, in which case, I'm without a paddle."

But then again, there's nothing 'Asian' or 'Muslim' about her writing. 'Child's Play is loosely based around paedophilia and sexually deviant habits. "It has a few harrowing scenes, but they're not just there for shock value. They raise some interesting questions: what is the root of sexually deviant habits? Is it nature or nurture, and if it's nature, to what extent can we blame those who practice those habits?" Abdullah explains.

"The book also examines the psyche behind female sexuality and discusses certain discomforting phenomena like rape fantasies for example. All of this is wrapped up in a thriller that is genuinely absorbing so it's up to the reader how deeply they want to look at the underlying themes". Bold and subversive, sexy but smart, Kia Abdullah isn't exactly what you would picture a British-Asian Muslim writer to be.

About Kia Abdullah

Kia Abdullah is a 27-year-old author and journalist from London. She has written two novels, Life, Love and Assimilation (2006) and Child's Play (2009), a dark psychological thriller that challenges the delicate sensibilities and stereotypes that seem to govern output from British-Asian writers. Abdullah contributes to a variety of popular programmes, from BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show to Channel 4 News. She writes for numerous publications in her typically subversive style, and is one of the youngest journalists to write comment for the Guardian newspaper.

Click here for Kia Abdullah's profile.
Click here to read about Kia Abdullah's book 'Child's Play'