Adnan's Story

Starred review from June 13, 2016
Launched into the collective consciousness by the podcast Serial, the investigation into Adnan Syed’s involvement in the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend continues to fascinate in this gripping account from attorney Chaudry, a friend of Syed’s family, who first brought the case to the attention of the podcast creators. Chaudry uses her unique perspective to craft a gripping and meticulously detailed account of the case including letters, court transcripts, and documentary evidence that fill in the show’s gaps and provide the latest updates. Readers new to the story will have no trouble following—the narrative is outlined extensively from the beginning—and podcast listeners will find plenty of previously undisclosed material. Chaudry explains what Serial missed, including a lack of legal perspective, and she argues that host Sarah Koenig failed to convey the enormity of Syed’s (later disbarred) attorney’s incompetence. She strongly makes the case for cultural and religious bias in the investigation and conviction and presents damaging evidence of police misconduct, including tampering with evidence and a witness. She also examines other suspects and their possible motives and alibis. Syed provides running commentary that creates a depiction of the damage inflicted on a person when the system fails. Chaudry’s version of a story of “justice, bigotry, faith, community, devastation, healing, and hope” points to an intentional, systematic framing of Syed by investigators, allegations that will surely spark controversy as his legal ordeal continues.

October 31, 2016
Attorney, scholar, and human-rights activist Chaudry tackles the audio edition of her book chronicling the ordeal of her younger brother’s best friend Adnan Syed, the subject of the first season of the popular true-crime podcast Serial. (Syed, who has spent almost two decades imprisoned in Maryland for the death of his former girlfriend Hae Min Lee, was recently granted a new trial.) Chaudry brings a palpable sense of passion and drive to the recording. When speaking in the first person with regard to being Muslim and her close connections to Syed, Chaudry’s delivery takes on an engaging conversational quality. When reading the complex maze of transcripts and evidence accounts, Chaudry’s manner seems a bit less polished. Yet fans of the radio-journalism style that the very case in question helped bring to the forefront will appreciate her thorough, no-nonsense approach. The audiobook also includes a special PDF of documents related to Syed’s case, a straightforward, no-frills display of the written record that presents the wide-ranging scope of Syed’s defense. A St. Martin’s hardcover.