When the Birds Don't Sing
Updated: Sep 15
By: Imran Mahmood
Narrator: GM Hakim
ISBN: 9780593723616
Publisher: Ballantine
Publication Date: 10/06/2026
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: TBR (ARC)
DEC 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS
One man decides to reveal a festering, decades-long secret in this compelling dual-timeline novel that is equal parts revenge thriller and gripping coming-of-age story, from the acclaimed author of Finding Sophie.
He loved her from the day he met her. And now, he must find justice for the ones who killed her.
Caleb Silver—lovingly referred to as Silver—was never as warm, loving, or empathetic as his two best friends Honey Childs and Malaika Khan. And he never felt nearly as brave. But when a fire breaks out at their middle school, Silver brings his fellow classmates to safety. Except the individual responsible used Silver’s lighter to cause the incident. And as they barrel towards a nasty court case, it becomes clear that Honey knows more than she’s let on.
Decades later, Silver is living in London as a mycology professor. His wife has just died. Everything seems to link back to that day in the halls, when he let a bully take his lighter. As the net tightens, Silver must confront his past in a quest for truth—and vengeance—unearthing shattering secrets that may destroy them all . . .
This haunting, sweeping tale is about accountability, the cost of silence, the devotion of true love, and the courage needed to find beauty in even the most challenging times.
Praise
“Imran Mahmood masterfully deploys an ingenious plot with stunning writing and complex characterization in this epic novel of love, pain, loss, and grief spanning four decades. This is sure to be a massive hit.”
—Liz Nugent, bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond
About the Author
Imran Mahmood is a practicing criminal barrister in England and Wales with over thirty years’ experience fighting cases. His debut novel, You Don’t Know Me, was chosen by Simon Mayo as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice, longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year and the CWA Gold Dagger Award, and shortlisted for the Glass Bell Award. Its hugely successful television adaptation reached number three in the world on Netflix charts and received a BAFTA nomination for best actor. Mahmood was born and raised in Liverpool and now lives in London with his wife and two daughters. READ MORE
