Azalea Heights

Book excerpt: Twenty-two students of Winston Elementary School are being held hostage. The gunmen are demanding the release of ISIS leaders held in Iraq. A rescue attempt by the FBI could get the children killed. Altaf Khan, a 48-year-old Pakistani American, may be able to help them infiltrate the terrorists’ network. However, one of the captors is his son, Zain. Azalea Heights is a clash-of-cultures story of a diverse cast of characters wanting to make a fresh start. Naina is recently divorced and is learning to live alone. Rohan is a small-time restaurateur with big dreams. Altaf, a proud American citizen, is struggling with the radicalization of his teenage son. Gerard is a retired Iraq veteran fighting with his inner demons and legacy of the war. When they move to a new development called Azalea Heights, their paths inevitably cross and result in a chain of events that upend their lives. Azalea Heights captures the escalating tensions within the neighborhood, but also recognizes the American spirit, when people with disparate ideologies, beliefs, and politics come together in a moment of crisis. Azalea Heights deals with multiple layers of racism in American society. It delves into the protagonists’ psyches, their hopes, fears, and biases, the shocking secrets they keep, and the terrible choices they make. In the end, it boils down to a single principle: doing the right thing, regardless of consequences. Fans of Little Fires Everywhere, An American Marriage, and There There will enjoy this riveting tale of intercultural conflict in these unsettling times when prejudices have come to be accepted as normal.