"True crime enthusiasts and anyone willing to delve into the unsettling world of guilt versus innocence will find Adnan’s Story an enjoyable, but heart-wrenching ride. Chaudry has an impressive command of style–using the perfect balance of compassion and investigation to open Syed’s case to the world." —The Lineup
"Rabia put her heart and soul [into this]. This isSerial come to life. If you liked the podcast, you will love this book." —Daisy Khan, WISE
“Chaudry's book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how media — particularly social media — came to play such a powerful role in this case . . . Chaudry's passion clearly drives Adnan's Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After 'Serial.' But it's the mix of media skills and legal education that makes her book such an illuminating firsthand report from the front lines of social media change.” —Baltimore Sun
“Chaudry’s clear, vivid and highly readable account of the case will bring the story to life for readers unfamiliar with the podcast, and even the most devoted 'Serial' fans will find fresh insight and a vast amount of new material. Chaudry’s legal training serves her well as she marshals her defense, but so too does the Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith she shares with Syed.” —Washington Post
“Crisp, powerful prose...Chaudry’s description of the PCR hearing in Adnan’s Story is utterly riveting—high stakes, a breakneck pace, brilliant expert witnesses.” —Entertainment Weekly
"Any 'Serial' fan should eat up this heavily researched book." —New York Post
"Rabia Chaudry is a woman on a mission . . . It was easy to forget, listening to 'Serial,' that it was a true story about real people. Adnan's Story adds context and humanizes it in a way that could change how you think about the case, and about 'Serial' itself." —Los Angeles Times
“Adnan's Story should satisfy those who can’t get enough of this perplexing case.”—Newsday
"You’ll find yourself tearing through the book as quickly as you binged on episodes of the podcasts." —Bustle
"Lays out new details that [Chaudry] believes exonerate Syed...[they] already have produced results." —People
"As stories of wrongful convictions go, Adnan’s Story is hands down a certain winner." —New York Journal of Books
"Chaudry is uniquely qualified to tell this story." —Elle.com
"A skillfully written account of injustice that will have wide appeal to fans of Serial and readers of human interest stories, and is especially timely as Syed's conviction was vacated in July 2016 and a new trial granted." —Library Journal
"Readers new to the story will have no trouble following—the narrative is outlined extensively from the beginning—and podcast listeners will find plenty of previously undisclosed material...She strongly makes the case for cultural and religious bias in the investigation and conviction and presents damaging evidence of police misconduct, including tampering with evidence and a witness. She also examines other suspects and their possible motives and alibis." —Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"A page-turner...[Chaudry's] writing is clear, eloquent, and engaging, and her case is convincing." —Kirkus, Starred review
★ 2016-05-31
"If there is one takeaway from this story, it should be this—the criminal justice system is not just deeply flawed, it is broken." That is how attorney and U.S. Institute of Peace senior fellow Chaudry summarizes the murder conviction and appeals of Adnan Syed, the subject of the Serial podcast.The author, whose brother was Adnan's best friend, approached Sarah Koenig with Adnan's story to set in motion the popular podcast, "an international phenomenon and the most successful podcast ever produced." With more than 100 documents and letters spread throughout the book, Chaudry walks through the state's case, issues with Adnan's attorney (who was disbarred a few months after her client's conviction), and other pieces of the story that don't stack up. She gives the readers more background on Adnan's family and how his conviction tore them apart, the reward paid to a key player in his prosecution, and how Adnan has survived his incarceration. The author peppers the narrative with Adnan's letters, which provide his perspective and reflections on the legal process and his life behind bars. Chaudry, who works to counter violent extremism, outlines the bias that pervaded Adnan's prosecution and provides context for the Muslim community and how first-generation American-Muslim teens navigate its strict cultural mores. Her writing is clear, eloquent, and engaging, and her case is convincing. After Serial, Chaudry recruited accomplished legal and investigative minds to track down mistakes, conflicts, and new evidence for Adnan's case. These insights seem to exonerate Adnan and point to a different suspect. Any murder is a tragedy, but a young, potentially innocent suspect sentenced to life in prison after a cursory, slipshod investigation full of cultural bias—and defended by an inept attorney—only magnifies the travesty. For Serial and true-crime fans, this book is a page-turner perfect for a quiet weekend.
