‘The Chemist’ by A.A. Dhand

Published by HQ,
22 May 2025.
ISBN: 978-0-00864585-4 (HB)

Idris Khan, known locally as the chemist, is a local pharmacist working in one of the most deprived areas of Leeds. Much of his work involves dispensing methadone to hundreds of addicts. Most of them live in The Mews – a series of tower blocks housing drug addicts, convicts on probation and the largest community of illegal immigrants in Yorkshire controlled by the local drug lord, Jahangir Hosseini and his henchmen.  

Idris is a good man struggling to keep his business afloat. He helps people and they trust him telling him them their secrets. But they all underestimate ‘the chemist’ who knows not only how to save people but also how to kill them. When he discovers his childhood sweetheart is in trouble, he will do everything in his power to help her even if it means taking on two of the most powerful drug cartels in Yorkshire. 

I am not a great reader of thrillers, but The Chemist is compulsive reading – just when you think things couldn’t get more complicated, there’s another twist. The story moves with the speed of a bullet train and once I started reading, I was so caught up in the nail-biting tension, I couldn’t put it down. 

In so many of the action thrillers I’ve read previously, the characters can be somewhat two-dimensional, but that is certainly not the case here. Such is Dhand’s skill that the reader is on tenterhooks that the good will survive and the evil characters will get their comeuppance – no room for mercy here! 

I’ve read some great novels in the last year, and The Chemist is certainly up there with the best of them.
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Reviewer: Judith Cranswick   

A.A. Dhand was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired his Harry Virdee novels.

Judith Cranswick was born and brought up in Norwich. Apart from writing, Judith’s great passions are travel and history. Both have influenced her two series of mystery novels. Tour Manager, Fiona Mason takes coach parties throughout Europe, and historian Aunt Jessica is the guest lecturer accompanying tour groups visiting more exotic destinations aided by her nephew Harry. Her published novels also include several award-winning standalone psychological thrillers. She wrote her first novel (now languishing in the back of a drawer somewhere) when her two children were toddlers, but there was little time for writing when she returned to her teaching career. Now retired, she is able to indulge her love of writing and has begun a life of crime! ‘Writers are told to write what they know about, but I can assure you, I've never committed a murder. I'm an ex-convent school headmistress for goodness sake!’ Her most recent book is Journey to Casablanca  

http://judithcranswick.co.uk/