The Caretaker

February 18, 2013
Ahmad’s poignant debut, the first of a trilogy, introduces Ranjit Singh, a disgraced Indian army captain who’s eking out a living as a landscaper on Martha’s Vineyard with his discontented wife, Preetam, and his happy nine-year-old daughter, Shanti. Their fortunes take a turn for the better after Ranjit lands a job as the winter caretaker for the vacant house of Senator Clayton Neals in the African-American enclave of Oak Bluffs. Later, Ranjit and his family must flee the senator’s house, where they have moved from their squalid living quarters, after Ranjit interrupts a break-in involving two armed men. Powerful people believe that Ranjit holds critical information and will stop at nothing to get it, so he must not only discover what the information is but how to use it to prevent his family’s deportation and his own demise. Ahmad gradually reveals sordid political secrets and the story of Ranjit’s disgrace in this finely textured story of bravery and knavery. Agent: Stephanie Abou, Foundry Media.

June 24, 2013
Ahmad’s thriller focuses on Ranjit Singh, a disgraced former member of India’s army elite now residing on Martha’s Vineyard with his wife and young daughter. Singh finds himself spending a particularly cruel winter caring for the lavish summer homes of the island’s wealthy part-time residents. But when his own home is invaded by the weather, Singh takes a risk and moves his family into the unoccupied home of a powerful U.S. Senator. But this move coincides with the sudden arrival of mysterious men who began searching the house. The Singhs escape but are hunted, a pursuit that eventually separates Singh from his wife and daughter and finds him fighting for his life and a return to family unity. Sam Dastor provides this compelling audio edition with dramatic, crisp narration. He capably switches between a variety of appropriate and distinctive accents—primarily Indian (the protagonist, his family, his associates) and American (the growly senator; his friendly, soft-spoken wife; the gruff pursuers). Dastor’s careful, intelligent rendering enhances Ahmad’s novel and makes for great listening. A Minotaur hardcover.