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Kia Abdullah

@kiaabdullah

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Author of Times Bestseller THOSE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR and others. Travels for @atlasandboots. Fellow of the @royalsocietyofliterature.

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What Happens in the Dark is out in paperback today! 🥳 If you need something to read on the beach (or on the couch while everyone else seems to be away), then do grab a copy! Link in bio.

Lily and Safa were best friends growing up. Now, Lily is the nation’s favourite breakfast TV presenter and Safa, once a renowned journalist, is reeling from a recent fall from grace.

When news breaks about suspicious bruises on Lily’s body, Safa attempts to rekindle their old friendship. But Lily claims the bruises are nothing to worry about.

And then one night the police are called to Lily’s home. Lily is strangely calm – and a body lies dead at her feet.

Lily pleads not guilty, and then says nothing more. Driven by her desire to give a voice to all victims, Safa begins her own investigation into what happened that night.

But Safa is not prepared for what her quest for justice will uncover…

#authorsofig #publicationday #books #bookstagram by @kiaabdullah

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6 months ago

When I heard that #ThosePeopleNextDoor was going to get a massive campaign on the London Underground, I told @atlasandboots that I was going to spend a day visiting all 90 of the billboards and posters. He said there was no way I could do it in a day. I was pretty cavalier until he schooled me with some maths. If each poster took (an optimistic) 15 minutes, it would take 22.5 hours to see them all. Turns out, it took 27 hours over 2.5 days. I was in a sort of daze by the end but I’m glad I did it. Please enjoy my journey from Uxbridge to Hatton Cross to Theydon Bois and the many – oh god, so very many – places in between.

@hqstories @harpercollinsuk @ManpreetEditor @global @atlasandboots @transportforlondon #TfL #tube

Royalty Free Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music
License code: GZHFNJJYERLUW8CC by @kiaabdullah

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3 years ago

Today marks five weeks in the Times Bestsellers chart. 🤯

#ThosePeopleNextDoor #bestsellers #timesbestsellers #timesbestseller Kia’s book, Those People Next Door, next to five copies of the Times. One is closed and the others are open to the bestsellers page, all of which show Kia’s book in the top 10. by @kiaabdullah

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3 years ago

Six literary events I wish I could rewrite – including a brutal initiation into the festival circuit.

midlist.substack.com (link also in bio).

Comments open on Substack.

#authorsofig #literaryfestival #literaryevent #publicspeaking #books by @kiaabdullah

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6 days ago

We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that The Diverse Book Awards 2026 shortlist includes not one but two brilliant books by two of our amazing authors - Kia Abdullah @kiaabdullah for What Happens in the Dark and Nadine Matheson @queennads for The Kill List.

Huge congratulations Nadine and Kia!! Winners are announced on 22 October, and we’ve got everything crossed for you both.

#TheDBAwards #thediversebookawards #NadineMatheson #KiaAbdullah by @kiaabdullah

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12 days ago

Read my latest my @substack at midlist.substack.com (link also in bio).

#substack #authorsofig #books #publishing #friendship by @kiaabdullah

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13 days ago

Wherever we went in the world, Kia could be found reading or writing books. After publishing five novels, she has launched a @Substack: Midlist, a side-eyed look at publishing from a sort-of successful novelist. If you’re a reader, writer or a fan of Atlas & Boots, you’ll find something interesting there. Subscribe at midlist.substack.com.

Pics: Maldives, Fiji, somewhere in Central America, Vanuatu.

#substack #substacknewsletter #substackwriter #authors #authorsofig by @kiaabdullah

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20 days ago

I‘ve launched a new @Substack! Midlist is a side-eyed look at publishing from a sort-of successful novelist. This week: the gross social rule that no one in media likes to admit. Link in bio (midlist.substack.com) and preview below. Please subscribe and share with the readers and writers in your life! 🙏

THE GROSS SOCIAL RULE THAT NO ONE IN MEDIA LIKES TO ADMIT 🔍

A couple of years ago, I read a blog post called Strangers at a cocktail party. It said that if you go to a party where everyone is a stranger, the conversation is likely to be forced and stiff. Guests are wary of serious or controversial topics, so everyone sticks to nice, safe things like the weather, sports and TV.

Get a group of old friends together, however, and the vibe is completely different: fun and lively with raucous laughter and heated debates.

I love the second type of evening, but it leaves little room for new friends in my circle. Instead, I try to follow the “cocktail party rule” where you introduce new people into your group, but not too many at once. This allows for the same convivial atmosphere with only the slightest friction.

The cocktail party rule shows consideration for everyone involved: the host, the existing circle of friends as well as the newcomers. I think we’d all agree that the rule makes sense.

What I want to talk about is a related but less palatable rule that exists in professional circles…

#substack #authorsofig #publishing #books #authorlife by @kiaabdullah

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20 days ago

This week, my little sleeper hit Next of Kin got its 10,000th review/rating on Amazon.

A while ago, I was listening to an author talk about their novel on a podcast. They said that after publication month, everything went quiet in terms of reviews, publicity, attention etc. They asked an author friend why the publishers weren’t pushing the book anymore. The friend replied, “You had an August book. It’s now September.”

This, unfortunately, is the reality of the publishing business. You get a brief window in which to make a splash and then it’s on to the next book… which is why it gives me great pleasure to see Next of Kin flying so long after its release. In fact, it got its 10,000th rating *exactly five years* after its hardback release. If you haven’t yet read it, it’s just 99p on @amazonkindle for the whole of September. Get it at bit.ly/nextofkin99.

#kmd #amazon #kindlemonthlydeal #99p #kindle by @kiaabdullah

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a month ago

This news about @newhambookshop is just so depressing. In a borough that’s littered with empty buildings and betting shops, forcing a bookshop to close is unconscionable. The old Barclays next door has lain empty for years now. Do we really need another derelict building on Barking Road? @newhamlondon

Newham Bookshop provides a vital service to the community. I love popping in for a book (pic 2 shows my haul over time 📚) and, of course, signing a few of my own (pics 3, 4, 5). The legendary Vivian Archer is always happy to have a chat and provides a much-needed social outlet for those experiencing loneliness in the borough.

If you’re based in Newham, please help save the bookshop by writing to the Mayor of Newham, Forhad Hussain, at MayorEnquiries@newham.gov.uk. And, of course, it always helps to buy a book from the bookshop. 🙌🏽

#newham #newhambookshop #uptonpark #bookshop #savenewhambookshop by @kiaabdullah

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2 months ago

A couple of stolen pics from @harrogatefestivals #TheakstonsCrime 2026.

#harrogate #authorsofig #literaryfestival #books by @kiaabdullah

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2 months ago

PRIZE NEWS 🤩🏆🎉

Congratulations to @queennads and @kiaabdullah who have been long listed for The Diverse Book Awards with The Kill List and What Happens in the Dark.

If you love compelling thrillers with plenty of twists to shock and scare you, these books and brilliant authors are a must-read.

@thediversebookawards #thediversebookawards by @kiaabdullah

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2 months ago