Better Left Unsaid, Tufayel Ahmed
Better Left Unsaid, Tufayel Ahmed
List: $35.99 | Sale: $25.20
Club: $17.99

Better Left Unsaid

Author: Tufayel Ahmed

Narrator: Shridhar Solanki, Sharmila Devar, Kemmer Keswani Cope

Unabridged: 7 hr 52 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/20/2023


Synopsis

Three siblings. Three promises. Three lifetimes of saying all the wrong things…“A family drama with a huge amount of heart… A powerful, hopeful read.” —Bobby Palmer“A layered and powerful story about family and identity. Tufayel Ahmed is a talented and vital voice.” —Lauren Ho“Entertaining, poignant, and eye-opening.” —Justin Myers (The Guyliner)Since their mother’s death, siblings Imran, Sumaya and Majid have drifted in three very different directions, trying to live up to the last promises they each made to her. But when a viral news piece throws an unwanted spotlight on the family, they’re drawn back into each other’s lives for the first time in years.With the media attention exposing the cracks in Imran’s already fragile marriage, he begs Sumaya to return from New York to help—but living under the same roof again after all this time brings up all the secrets they’d both thought long-buried. And now nothing can stop the truth from coming out…With the promises they once made in tatters, is this a chance for the siblings to finally live the lives they’ve always wanted and rebuild the bond they once had? Or has too much already been said?

About Tufayel Ahmed

Tufayel Ahmed is a journalist and lecturer who proudly hails from the streets of Tower Hamlets, East London. He has written for Newsweek, Vice, CNN, the Independent and more. This is his second novel. To find out more, visit his website, tufayel.co, or find him on Twitter @tufayel and on Instagram @tufayelahmed.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ritu on July 16, 2023

Now, you know me. I love a book centred around culture, and especially those books with Desi culture at its roots, so reading the blurb for Tufayel Ahmed's Better Left Unsaid made me hit that 'request' button. Three siblings, British Bangladeshi Muslims, and the fallout in their lives after losing bo......more

Goodreads review by Chelsea on May 04, 2025

awwwww this was really nice honestly and had me tearing up a lot. it did feel like we were addressing a number of social issues at once which sometimes feels really forced but i didn’t get that vibe too much here. the overall message and ending was touching and insightful to read. cant decide betwee......more

Goodreads review by Connor on July 11, 2023

3.25 It was a nice story but felt quite juvenile. The writing didn't stand out but flowed very nicely. Whilst the ending was nice, felt like it was a bit too wrapped up neatly but yeah......more

Goodreads review by Paul on October 14, 2023

Another lovely book by this talented writer. A very moving story about family that transcends culture and locale. I can't wait for his next novel!......more

Goodreads review by Alice on November 04, 2023

It’s fine. But it’s a lot. I feel like the author was trying to tackle too many things at once. It’s very didactic. Too much plot, not enough story. There needed to be more heart.......more


Quotes

“Shridhar Solanki, Sharmila Devar, and Kemmer Keswani Cope work together to bring to life this well-told family drama.… Well-versed in South Asian culture, the narrators enrich this listening experience with accurate pronunciations of the Arabic words and names scattered throughout.… Solanki, Devar, and Keswani, handle the various characters with a deftness that allows listeners to immerse themselves in the family drama without missing a beat.” AudioFile Magazine“With its vividly-rendered cast of characters and an intriguing plot that gives up its secrets with great emotional precision, Better Left Unsaid is a layered and powerful story about family and identity. Tufayel Ahmed is a talented and vital voice.” —Lauren Ho, author of Last Tang Standing and Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic“A family drama with a huge amount of heart, I tore through it in about two days. A powerful, hopeful read.” —Bobby Palmer