India, July 7 -- Intrigue and danger aren't the words that one would link with a pharmacist. Not at least when the primary need is to feed a family. But Idris Khan isn't your usual protagonist! On the outside, his life with his wife Mariam is idyllic. In truth, it includes dealing with a drug kingpin.

With this build up, author AA Dhand - known for his Streets of Darkness series - tries to create a potent crime thriller. However, the formula is truly trite - South Asian characters living in the UK, and trying to navigate racial and family dynamics while being presented with life-threatening circumstances.

By the time the hero (a term used loosely) is introduced, he is bruised and bleeding from an unspecified altercation. Following a ten...