Tehran at Twilight

By Salar Abdoh

Extremely timely novel, given what is happening in Iran these days. This page-turner gives a fascinating glimpse into the daily life in Iran, though much of the book is also set in New York and California.

To be published simultaneously with Tehran Noir, which Salar is also editing.

Although the author lives in New York, he travels frequently to Iran.

The book also has some Jewish themes, though they don't really appear until late in the story.

Publicize to major dailies, weeklies, literary publications, alternative publications. Major radio and television push.

Akashic's promotion will have a strong social media component

Strong candidate for B&N Discover Program.

Promote to a general literary audience, but also to Middle East and Iranian-themed venues.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Akashic Books
• Release date: Sep 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781617753336

Salar Abdoh

Salar Abdoh is the author of the novels Tehran at Twilight, The Poet Game, and Opium and the editor of Tehran Noir. Born in Iran, he splits his time between Tehran and New York City, where he teaches in the MFA program at the City College of New York.

Reviews for Tehran at Twilight

[mohitgoel_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I got this book as part of LT early reviewers giveaway.I have been a big fan of books from various Iranian authors so I picked this up with a lot of hope. The book is pretty well written. However, the story just didn't do it for me. I failed to identify or empathize with the characters. While the author tried to convey suspense and mystery, it just didn't pull me enough. I liked the writing style though and I believe with a little polish this book would have earned another star for me.I will still like to read the future works from the author.

[snora_11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In 2008, Malek receives a phone call from a close friend in Iran asking him to return to Tehran. Malek returns to Tehran and becomes embroiled in his friend's espionage. Simultaneously, Malek is reunited with his long lost mother. There are many twists and turns in the plot as Malek travels back and forth to Iran. The setting is the strong point of this thriller. Tehran is as mysterious and convoluted as the story being told. Although a thriller, I never really felt the suspense. The plot was interesting, but flat. I, also, thought the dialogue between characters was stilted. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Iranian politics. If you are looking for a good thrill, you might want to try something else.

[lucas20_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good book that is fast moving without being unrealistic. Strong character development and plot progression. Seems to be an authentic portrayal of a complicated world where the truth has many faces.

[whitewavedarling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Abdoh's Tehran at Twilight is smart and artful, centering on a jaded academic who is both transplanted Iranian and American translator & professor. His interweaving of politics with intrigue, day-to-day frustration with basic emotion and common sense, and jadedness with idealism, make it a frighteningly realistic book, one which follows a man who does his best to remain impartial and jaded, and is still, irrevocably, swept up.The book's sole failing is that, if anything, protagonist Reza Malek is portrayed too believably as he moves between the chaos of Tehran and the stale politics of his barely-retained job at a small university in America. He is, absolutely, jaded and detached from all about him, and believably so given his position. The untenable position of the novel, though, is to make a character such as this engaging and human, and in a short span of time. Abdoh succeeds at the task, but it isn't a quick journey. As such, the first half of the book proceeds as something of a testimonial to events with Malek as the witness, but his lack of emotion puts the reader in a similar position--it's difficult, at best, to engage with the humanity behind the book. Yet, for readers who follow through, drawn on by the plot, the second half of the book is all but a one-sitting read, as Malek is forced to reckon with the fact that impartiality can only take him so far, and that his two countries will, very simply, force him to make choices and acknowledge his own humanity, and that of his family and friends.Simply, he cannot remain impartial and entirely detached in a world that refuses to view him as such.In the end, the book is powerful, but it is also a slow-burner. I went into the second half of the book acknowledging that it was well-written, but all the same, ready for it to hurry and finish. And then, after having plodded along slowly for more than a week, I couldn't put the book down for those last 115 pages. Call it political noir or a thriller or a drama or anything else you wish--this book truly does defy boundaries; and while it is, if anything, too realistic to move quickly in the beginning, it is also unfailingly impressive by the end.No doubt, I'll be looking for more of Salar Abdoh's work in the future, and if noir or the politics of a chaotic world could entice you to read anything...well, this comes recommended. Wander through the beginning, I'd say, and then hold on until you reach the end.

[gendeg-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Tehran at Twilight by Salar Abdoh is a bare-bones political thriller that alternates between New York City and Tehran. Malek, a journalism professor teaching in the Big Apple is contacted by his best friend, Sina, a former classmate at UC-Berkeley. Sina asks him to meet him in Iran to discuss a business arrangement. The request is shrouded in mystery and Malek is both intrigued and interested in helping his friend. Reluctantly Malek agrees and travels immediately to Tehran. Soon Malek gets sucked into the quicksand of politics and religion. A revolution is in the air and his friend Sina is wrapped up in a militant group clawing for more radicalization. The atmosphere in the book is tense, and a buzz of paranoia permeates Malek's world as he tries to navigate the shady clerics, agents, and fixers who try to push their agendas. Meanwhile things get complicated with the arrival of Clara, a fellow journalist with whom Malek has had an affair and for whom he does translation and guide work. Clara is on an assignment in Iran and wants Malek's help to uncover a story. Other subplots work their way in: Malek finds his long-lost mother; Malek runs errands around town, all the while trying to dodge spies, particularly one wily watchdog, Fani.The great thing about Tehran at Twilight is that it is a hard-nosed look at the Tehran underworld from the eyes of locals. The city comes alive in Abdoh's hands and he captures the machinations of all the special interests at play (and at war). As a no-frills genre read, it's pretty good. Abdoh manages to pack a lot of story into a slim book. Sadly, it doesn't have the complexity of your typical Le Carre book and lacks the lush prose that I crave, but I think that's the stoic, noir style coming through. Toward the end, the book reveals itself less as a traditional thriller and more as a prodigal-son-returns-home tour and quiet exploration of personal loyalties.

[litc-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tehran at Twilight, Salar Abdoh, Akashic Books, 2014, 236 pagesTehran at Twilight is a profound, and poignant novel written in an unhurried style that draws you into the story with a subtlety that is only realized upon reflection after you have finished the book. From the beginning, for myself, the characters came to life and I felt as I continued reading that I was getting to know them almost on a personal basis. In the course of my life, I have known few Iranians, and those only on a casual basis, and so I thoroughly enjoyed the windows into the souls of the Iranian characters afforded by this novel.Reza Malek, born in Iran, brought to the United States when he was a young boy by his father and educated here, is the central character. The novel is set in 2008 and Reza has a PhD in Middle Eastern studies, written a book, and lives in Harlem, New York where he has a teaching position at a local college and also is invited to Washington, DC think tanks where, as he puts it, he gets “to give his opinions to serious old men, retired warriors and Pentagon types ...”Reza realizes that it's not a bad spot in life for a young Iranian immigrant and he feels hopeful for his future .But, of course, life doesn't always follow the direction that we might expect and want, and a phone call from Reza's best friend, Sina Vafa, asking him to come to Iran to help him with legal issues, sets the stage for Reza to embark on a journey not only back to the Middle East, but one also of exploring loyalties and relationships, both old and new, and learning things about his own and Sina's past. Even though he feels that there is nothing to attract him back to Iran, Reza, out of a sense of friendship and loyalty, agrees to return to Iran, to help Sina.Besides Sina, Reza's life intersects with many characters and in those encounters we learn more about Reza himself and his current and past life. The action moves back and forth between the Middle East and New York. In New York, Reza has befriended an Afro-American student who he has been mentoring and become friends with a fellow teacher, the former Marine officer named James McGreivy. In Iran, the mysterious, and perhaps sinister, Mr. Fani, who has his own reasons for being interested in Sina's legal affairs, makes demands on Reza. Also in Iran, Reza meets Azar, Sina's mother and her second husband Afshar who are living a dire existence as well as meeting his own mother Soaad whom he had believed was in Australia and her Jewish friend Anna. And from his past there is Clara Vikingstad, a reporter for whom he acted as an interpreter and with whom he had a brief affair and who now wants him again as interpreter. All of the characters in this novel are deeply human and there are no simple stereotypes. There are scenes which genuinely touch the heart and there are revealing pictures of life in Iran and in the US that deliver insight into people in both countries. More than that the novel explores attitudes and views found in both countries. Tehran at Twilight is a serious well-written novel which both entertains and educates. I give it a 5 star rating.According to the jacket blurb, the author, Salar Abdoh was born in Iran and spends time in New York and Tehran. I hope that there will be more novels written by him.

[lnduff · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This ambitious book is at once a political thriller, a family saga, and examination of friendship and loyalty. His childhood friend Sina uses bonds of their shared past to summon the protagonist, Reza Malek, back to Tehran after many years. Tehran is described in all of its post-revolutionary chaos, hustles competing with principles for attention and prominence in a country defining itself anew.Malek’s mission there is both dangerous and obscure. Once in Tehran, Malek meets his mother Soaad, lost to him for many years, and becomes entangled in her political and economic drama along with those of Sina’s parents and of Soaad’s mysterious friend Anna. Malek is both intelligent and educated. Yet he seems to blunder his way around his hometown of Tehran and his adopted home in US academia without developing the necessary focus to succeed in either sphere.Characters of ambiguous morality and trustworthiness including a former lover and an on the make middle-man weave through the narrative, popping up with (sometimes too convenient) plot twists which reveal Malek’s ignorance and gullibility. Quite a bit of suspension of disbelief is required to swallow some of the relationships: you might take for granted lifelong closeness with a childhood friend, but the relationship between Malek and Sina is never clarified or fleshed out.Malek’s relationship with a fellow faculty member, hired in part upon his recommendation, is particularly impenetrable. While perhaps there’s a natural affinity of colleagues, this friendship felt artificial, as though James is a kind of sock puppet, pulled out to divert the reader when the plot needs an improbable development or boost. After an opening chapter that tries too hard, the writing is awkward in places, but moves the story along its winding path. As literature, I would like to have seen this writer go deeper. As a page turner, this book succeeded reasonably well.

[seeword · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reza Malek, an Iranian born American, returns to Tehran after a frantic call from his friend, Sina Vafa. Sina is vague about his problem but insists that he needs Reza’s help. He steps into a world of intrigue and double-dealing with shady characters as part of an apparent scheme to recover the assets of Sina’s family. But there is more going on than getting the vast Vafa holdings back from the revolutionary government. Sina is involved with an underground movement and he disappears leaving Reza with his power of attorney. With the aid of a less than honest lawyer, Reza works through the tangled bureaucracy and the slimy underworld where things get done with threats, violence, and money.Reza also reunites with his mother, Soaad, and wants to get her out of Iran. Sina’s mother and stepfather also need Reza’s help. A sub plot involves the story of Soaad's neighbor Anna, a Polish born Jewess turned Catholic turned Muslim.Reza’s activities highlight the muddle of Middle Eastern intrigue, American interference, Iran’s relationships with neighboring states, the religious divides, and the opposition parties in Iran itself. But the core of this story is in Reza’s relationships with his friend and with his mother. Amid all the lies and deceit, there is a code of loyalty to friends, family, and country. When loyalties collide how do we set our priorities?Salar Abdoh deftly leads us through this maze of custom, ethics, and morality that is often difficult for outsiders to comprehend. This novel is a worthwhile contribution to the understanding of contemporary Iran.

[bettytaylor56 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

“Tehran at Twilight” is very well written; however, I just could not get into the story. It really seemed to drag for me. The tone of the book is a combination of tenseness and mystery. Most of the book is on Malek trying to figure out what his friend Sina is up to. Sina has asked Malek to be the power of attorney on his assets, should the government finally turn them over to Sina. As the story is set in Iran, there is a lot of paranoia. I did enjoy the subplot of Malek finding his mother, a total surprise to him, and his effort to get her out of Iran. There is also an interesting subplot involving Anna, the friend of Malek’s mother. Anna was born a Polish Jew. While most of the “Tehran children” were sent on to Palestine, she was not. So she grew up as a Catholic and then converted to Islam in order to get married. I normally enjoy books with Middle Eastern politics but this one was just too slow for me.