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Adnan's Story

The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

After more than twenty years in prison, Adnan Syed's murder conviction was overturned, and he was finally set free. Rabia Chaudry's New York Times bestseller and award-winner Adnan's Story reveals how the case was mishandled and became the subject of Sarah Koenig's Peabody Award-winning podcast Serial.
In early 2000, Adnan Syed was convicted and sentenced to life plus thirty years for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, a high school senior in Baltimore, Maryland. Syed has maintained his innocence, and Rabia Chaudry, a family friend, has always believed him. By 2013, after almost all appeals had been exhausted, Rabia contacted Sarah Koenig, a producer at This American Life, in hopes of finding a journalist who could shed light on Adnan's story. In 2014, Koenig's investigation turned into Serial, a Peabody Award-winning podcast with more than 500 million international listeners.
But Serial did not tell the whole story. In this compelling narrative, Rabia Chaudry presents key evidence that she maintains dismantles the State's case: a potential new suspect, forensics indicating Hae was killed and kept somewhere for almost half a day, and documentation withheld by the State that destroys the cell phone evidence—among many other points—and she shows how fans of Serial joined a crowd-sourced investigation into a case riddled with errors and strange twists. Featuring information about Adnan's life in prison, and weaving in his personal reflections with never-before-seen letters, Rabia's account is "a true story about real people. Adnan's Story adds context and humanizes it in a way that could change how you think about the case and about Serial itself" (Los Angeles Times).
"Chaudry's clear, vivid and highly readable account of the case will bring the story to life for readers unfamiliar with the podcast, and even the most devoted Serial fans will find fresh insight and a vast amount of new material. Chaudry's legal training serves her well as she marshals her defense, but so too does the Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith she shares with Syed." —Washington Post

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      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.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Fans of the podcast "Serial" will remember Adnan well, but the compelling story told through Rabia Chaudry's thorough examination of his legal case makes ADNAN'S STORY an exhilarating journey for any listener. Chaudry, a friend of Adnan Syed's family, has been tracking the case since he was first convicted of murder. Through the passion in her voice it's clear she cares deeply about him and his situation. "Serial" barely scratched the surface of Adnan's case, and Chaudry's writing and narration show her skilled legal mind at work as she tries to piece together what happened. She and her team uncover new clues and pivotal evidence that show the cracks in the case against Adnan, changing its course and, possibly, his life. A.G.M. 2017 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      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.

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