'Supermarket by Bobby Hall is a mind-boggling murder mystery'

Talking about books with Muhammad Kashif, law student in Middlesex University, Dubai

What are you reading now?
I'm currently reading Supermarket by Bobby Hall, a talented rapper who makes his debut novel a murder mystery revolving around a supermarket, which is mind-boggling. The book takes you on a roller coaster ride of sorts with insights into the mind of a killer and what leads him to become one. It's an enthralling read with great access into the minds of characters.
What are the books that changed your life and shaped your outlook?
One book that shaped my outlook is Freedom Is Not Free by Shiv Khera. I once attended a seminar by Shiv Khera at the Sharjah Book Fair and fell in love with his ideologies and views. The explanations the author gives on the realities of society and how people sometimes live in an illusion of freedom when they are chained down by ideologies and traditions and are unable to break out of them, was eye-opening.
A book that you think is underrated (and why)?
The Long Road Home is really an underrated beauty, written by war journalist Martha Raddatz. It is about an army squadron on regular rounds in Iraq getting trapped on a rooftop and being surrounded by enemy fire. It swings between the families back home, the squadron on the roof with limited ammunition and the tension at base camp. The book does a good job of putting you in the place of the American soldiers who are stuck on the roof. The fear that the families have and the uncertainty of the volatile situation will keep you hooked till the end.
Your favourite book quote.
A quote from Freedom Is Not Free by Shiv Khera where he says, "Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness" struck a chord with me. It reminded me that true happiness is a quest that everyone is on and finding happiness in what we do is essential.
- Staff reporter