This collection of essays celebrates 10 years of the SI Leeds Literary prize for unpublished fiction by Black and Asian women writers. These are important words spoken by important women about the lives they have lived, their experiences, and all the things they’ve really wanted to write about but have had trouble getting commissioned, due to narrow expectations of the publishing industry. Essays include: Why I Write, Discouragement and Courage, The Versions of Me You Do Not See, Three Wise Women, Writing, Race and Sex. Contributing writers include Suad Kamardeen, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Gail Boland, Irenosen Okojie, Wenyan Lu, Amita Murray, Mahsuda Snaith, Shereen Tadros, Winnie M Li, Fiona Goh, Saima Mir, Huma Qureshi.

Be twice as good as men and four times as good as white men. Jia Khan has always lived like this. A successful lawyer, her London life is a long way from the grubby Northern streets she knew as a child, where her father headed up the Pakistani community and ran the local organised crime syndicate. Often his Jirga rule the old way was violent and bloody, but it was always justice of a kind. But now her father, Akbar Khan, has been murdered and Jia must return to take his place. In the past, the police relied on him to maintain the fragile order of the streets. But a power struggle has broken out amongst the various communities and now, nobody is safe. Justice needs to be restored, and Jia is about to discover that justice always comes at a price.

'Bold, addictive and brilliant.' Stylist, best fiction 2021 A Times Bestseller A Times & Sunday Times Best Crime Books of 2021 A Waterstones Best Crime & Thriller of 2021 Be twice as good as men and four times as good as white men. Jia Khan has always lived like this. Successful London lawyer Jia Khan is a long way from the Northern streets she knew as a child, where her father, Akbar Khan, led the Pakistani community and ran the local organised crime syndicate. Often his Jirga rule - the old way - was violent and bloody, but it was always justice of a kind. Now, with her father murdered, Jia must return to take his place. Justice needs to be restored, and Jia is about to discover that justice always comes at a cost. 'A fascinating glimpse into a world rarely portrayed in fiction.' Guardian, best crime and thrillers 'A once-in-a-generation crime thriller.' A.A.Dhand, author of Streets of Darkness

'Bold, addictive and brilliant.' Stylist, best fiction 2021 A Times Bestseller A Times & Sunday Times Best Crime Books of 2021 A Waterstones Best Crime & Thriller of 2021 Be twice as good as men and four times as good as white men. Jia Khan has always lived like this. Successful London lawyer Jia Khan is a long way from the Northern streets she knew as a child, where her father, Akbar Khan, led the Pakistani community and ran the local organised crime syndicate. Often his Jirga rule - the old way - was violent and bloody, but it was always justice of a kind. Now, with her father murdered, Jia must return to take his place. Justice needs to be restored, and Jia is about to discover that justice always comes at a cost. 'A fascinating glimpse into a world rarely portrayed in fiction.' Guardian, best crime and thrillers 'A once-in-a-generation crime thriller.' A.A.Dhand, author of Streets of Darkness