The Chemist

Hardback Published on: 22/05/2025
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Bookseller Reviews

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The Chemist
Amazing!!!!
The Chemist is a fabulous psychological thriller, fast-paced and gripping with a clever narrative full of adrenaline and I just couldn’t put it down. The s... READ MORE
Emma at Waterstones Blackburn

Synopsis

*The Sunday Times top ten bestseller*

*A Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month*

* Longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and The Ian Fleming Steel Dagger CWA award! *

*Pre-order The Kingpin now*
*****

Is revenge the most lethal dose of all?

‘Without a doubt the best crime thriller I’ve read this year … A story of loyalties and desperation. A brilliant read’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A. A. Dhand is masterful within the gangland genre. He grabs the reader’s attention from the start, and we remain gripped to the end' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* * * *

Local pharmacist and pillar of the community, Idris Khan, spends his days doling out methadone to the hundreds of addicts in his care. They trust Idris with their secrets, and so he knows more than his mild manner suggests. So when his childhood sweetheart, Rebecca, doesn't turn up for her daily methadone dose, Idris is worried. Worried enough to go looking for her in the most deprived area of Leeds, alone.

The mess Idris finds catapults him into the middle of a turf war between the two most powerful drug cartels in Yorkshire. Now, he must use every bit of intelligence and cunning he has to keep those he loves safe.

Because a war is on the way. And when Idris goes after his enemies, they won't see him coming.

* * * *

Praise for A. A. Dhand:

‘Dark, daring and utterly propulsive … blurs the lines between hero and villain’ Kia Abdullah, author of Those People Next Door

‘Terrific … dispensing thrills and tension from start to finish’ Trevor Wood, author of The Man on the Street

‘Gritty, dark, and visceral … If I read a better book in the next year, it's probably because I've read this one twice’ Neil Lancaster, author of Dead Man’s Grave

‘The Chemist is absolutely compelling, inventive and original … Simply brilliant. State of the art British Crime fiction. Read it as soon as you can!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher information

  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • ISBN: 9780008645854
  • Number of pages: 432
  • Dimensions: 240 x 159 x 40 mm
  • Weight: 640g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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The Chemist
Superb! Loved it!
Firstly, a very big thank you to the publishers for this early review copy which was obviously read on arrival! I have long been a fan of A A Dhand's thr... READ MORE
Fiona Sharp
The Chemist
Fast paced with short punchy chapters
A.A. Dhand is an author I hadn't read before but I was drawn to reading The Chemist after watching the DI Harry Virdee series on the television which I was... READ MORE
Nicola
The Chemist
Dark, pacey, brutal
This book starts with a bang! There's an armed siege just opposite the local chemist. Idris, the pharmacist there and pillar of the local community, ente... READ MORE
Nigel
The Chemist
Sorry, this wasn't for me
I’m sorry to say that I didn’t enjoy this book. I appreciate the research that must have gone in to it but it was all a bit too dark and far fetched for m... READ MORE
Carole Kendal
The Chemist
Unputdownable
The Chemist is an unputdownable read. It starts at a pace and keeps going at breakneck speed. Idris is the local pharmacist who hands out methadone to the ... READ MORE
Gerry Lee
The Chemist
Outright demons and compromised angels
On the mean streets of The Mews in Headingley, Leeds, Idris Khan is known as the Chemist, largely because he’s the local pharmacist, including the dispensi... READ MORE
Huttson Lo
The Chemist
A brilliant thriller!
Having watched the Harry Viridee series on tv and then read a couple of the books I was really pleased to be able to review AA Dhand’s latest novel, “The C... READ MORE
Annette Librarian
The Chemist
Another winner!
Idris Khan runs the pharmacy in Headingley, Leeds and is known to his customers as The Chemist. He dispenses many prescriptions including ‘blue scripts’ of... READ MORE
Celia Short
The Chemist
Gritty and realistic thriller
Idris is a quiet and hardworking chemist until his ex wife Rebecca pulls him into the world of rival drug gangs, people trafficking, prostitution and murde... READ MORE
Melanie Campbell
The Chemist
OMG this is brilliant.
Idris is a pharmacist in a rough area of Leeds. Part of his job is to dispense the methadone to the addicts on the Mews estate, The estate is ruled with ... READ MORE
Mikimoo
The Chemist
Addictive
Idris Khan runs a pharmacy which serves a run-down area of Headingley. Most of his clientele are drug addicts who take methadone and Khan makes money from... READ MORE
Jo-anne Atkinson
The Chemist
Dark, gritty and immersive
I was eager to delve into A.A. Dhand's latest novel, The Chemist, Known for his Harry Virdee series, Dhand shifts gears in this standalone thriller, offer... READ MORE
Mary Picken
The Chemist
Tense & addictive
I love the Virdee series by this author, so I needed no persuading to read this Leeds based thriller. A taut, fast paced plot follows the local communit... READ MORE
Deb Day
The Chemist
Outstanding
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the authors Harry Virdee series I knew i was in for a cracking read, however, this far exceeded any thoughts I might hav... READ MORE
Andy  wormald
The Chemist
Chilling and very very good
My first and most definitely not my last A A Dhand novel, The Chemist had everything I looked for in a great crime novel. Let’s start with the main protag... READ MORE
Amanda Duncan
The Chemist
Nail-biting British crime fiction.
The Chemist is the first book in the Idris Khan series by British pharmacist and author, A A Dhand. While most British pharmacists have their hands full co... READ MORE
Marianne Vincent
The Chemist
Just Wow! Fantastic read!
Wow! Excitement from the first word. AA Dhand has done it again. The Chemist is a superb novel set in the dark streets of Leeds rather than those of Bradfo... READ MORE
Psychoticpat
The Chemist
An Intriguing and Gripping Read
Local pharmacist and pillar of the community, Idris Khan, spends his days dolling out methadone to the hundreds of addicts in his care. They trust Idris wi... READ MORE
Louise Wilson
The Chemist
The Chemist
I really enjoy this author's series featuring Harry Virdee and also his stand alone book The Blood Divide, so I was quite excited to get my mitts on this, ... READ MORE
Ashrae
The Chemist
High Octane
The Chemist is a high octane thriller which will keep you turning the pages from first to last and is an excellent thriller which has been well researched.
Lee Carson
The Chemist
Thrilling read
The Chemist grabbed and held my interest from start to finish. Certainly an eye opening read centred around drugs, behaviour and addiction. I've loved this... READ MORE
Susan Hunter
The Chemist
I loved it.
This book starts with a hostage scene in a Leeds cafe, it's explosive and filled with action. The pace never lets up with this intricately plotted, origina... READ MORE
Martha Brindley
The Chemist
Great Page turner
After watching the TV series Virdee series based on the books by A. A. Dhand. I was excited to receive a copy of ‘The Chemist’, also written by him. Idris... READ MORE
Michelle De Alwis
The Chemist
Cracking read
A excellent read. Idris Khan a pharmacist old love doesn't come for her methadone he's worried about her and tries to find her. There's a drug gang war pla... READ MORE
The Chemist
A crime thriller that barely lets you breathe !
This one hooked me from chapter one and never let up. Packed with gangland wars, violence, addiction and relentless action, it's a crime thriller that deli... READ MORE
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