Hollow Fires

By: Samira Ahmed

Narrated by: Samira Ahmed, Soneela Nankani, Amin El Gamal

This powerful, gripping thriller from a New York Times bestselling author shows the insidious nature of racism, the terrible costs of unearthing hidden truths—and the undeniable power of hope.

Safiya Mirza dreams of becoming a journalist. And one thing she’s learned as editor of her school newspaper is that a journalist’s job is to find the facts and not let personal biases affect the story. But all that changes the day she finds the body of a murdered boy.

Jawad Ali was fourteen years old when he built a cosplay jetpack that a teacher mistook for a bomb. A jetpack that got him arrested, labeled a terrorist—and eventually killed. But he’s more than a dead body, and more than “Bomb Boy.” He was a person with a life worth remembering.

Driven by Jawad’s haunting voice guiding her throughout her investigation, Safiya seeks to tell the whole truth about the murdered boy and those who killed him because of their hate-based beliefs.

This gripping and powerful book uses an innovative format and lyrical prose to expose the evil that exists in front of us, and the silent complicity of the privileged who create alternative facts to bend the truth to their liking.

Critic reviews

"With Hollow Fires, Samira Ahmed offers us an impossible-to-put-down thriller that is both spectacularly haunting and deeply thoughtful. Safiya and Jawad are not narrators we usually see, and their harrowing story is a wholly original commentary on perception, community, and the way society weighs one life against another." —Sabaa Tahir #1 NYT bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes

"A powerful, timely, and relentlessly compelling read. Hollow Fires burns brightly with Samira Ahmed's trademark blend of thought-provoking social relevance, heartfelt coming-of-age, and whip-smart plotting."—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

"The book presents a ripped-from-the-headlines story that will be an easy sell both in terms of theme and topic."—School Library Connection

"A deeply chilling, inventive, and timely page-turner."—Kirkus, starred review

Powerful

This book felt as though it was such a powerful piece! I loved how it blended a traditional narrative with something out of a true crime podcast

The plot twist

I like how this book gives us a view on things that are going on in the world. Something that is very much ignored but needs to be heard in more ways than one. I loved it!

Chilling and Sad

For me this book was hard to put down. I cried, heartbreaking story. Very upsetting but necessary. Check triggers.

Wow…WOW…WOW

This is where I would find the words to express how a book made me feel…but the only thing I feel is a hollow fire that welcomes me to step up and speak out against the injustices others face. This book is a great read and the entire story had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through!