Kingdom of Strangers
A Novel
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A secret grave is unearthed in the desert revealing the bodies of 19 women and the shocking truth that a serial killer has been operating undetected in Jeddah for more than a decade.
However, lead inspector Ibrahim Zahrani is distracted by a mystery closer to home. His mistress has suddenly disappeared, but he cannot report her missing since adultery is punishable by death. With nowhere to turn, Ibrahim brings the case to Katya, one of the few women in the police department. Drawn into both investigations, she must be increasingly careful to hide a secret of her own.
Portraying the lives of women in one of the most closed cultures in the world, award-winning author Zov´ Ferraris weaves a tale of psychological suspense around an elusive serial killer and the sinister forces trafficking in human lives in Saudi Arabia.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The discovery of 19 female bodies with their hands cut off in the desert outside Jeddah propels Ferraris's beautifully crafted third mystery featuring Saudi forensic technician Katya Hijazi (after 2010's City of Veils). Lt. Col. Insp. Ibrahim Zahrani, who takes charge of the serial killer case, turns to Katya for help with a personal matter. Ibrahim's illegal Filipino mistress, Sabria, has disappeared, and he can neither investigate freely nor make his queries official for fear of harsh public punishment. Eager to move beyond her limited role in the female-only police lab, Katya agrees to visit the clothing boutique where Sabria worked in a women's shopping mall. Katya also faces her own personal crisis whether to marry the traditional Nayir, who's uneasy with her unconventional behavior. By the end, the two cases change both Ibrahim's and Katya's lives dramatically. With intelligence, patience, and meticulous detail, Ferraris evokes a complex culture profoundly ambivalent about female power.
Customer Reviews
well done, set in a great location
A well done, layered novel that explores Saudi culture through an investigation of a serial killing. The narration is largely through the eyes of 2 characters, although there are moments narrated by other key characters.
The key plot of the novel is about the pursuit of a serial killer by Detective Ibrahim Zahrani and a female lab worker Katya Hijazi. The details of the killings, and the investigation are well thought out and intriguing. The additional twist of the male/female interaction and relationship rules in Saudi Arabia adds complexity to an already difficult case, which is further compounded by the nature of the victims (foreign women, most probably illegally in the country).
The author Ferraris does draws excellent secondary characters who are more than stock - the passed over detective, the chief who is aware of the politics of the station, the daughter-in-law who is unhappy. Through them, we begin to see the complexity of a society largely unknown by and misrepresented to most Americans. She does this by giving us glimpses into them as people instead of just having them perform a function in the story.
Ferraris true success comes however by the complexity of the main characters. Hijazi is a intelligent woman who wants to help people by solving crime, but faces a system that has little place for her. We watch her not only struggle at work, but in her relationship with her fiancé, largely conservative man. How that would all turn out was a mystery on a different level. Likewise, Detective Zahrani is also complicated and flawed. He is not particularly religious, and has a miserable marriage. His relationship with another woman, an illegal worker, is a key plot point and that relationship's connection to the serial killer investigation is played out over the course of the novel. Ferraris manages to deftly weave the realistic personal stories, the societal complexities and the thrill of a serial killer investigation into one well written novel.
Fantastic!
***Spoiler alert***The reveiw below won't spoil the bok for you but if you like to be "surprised" then DON'T read this review!
The novel is well written, with the old and new characters fully rounded and intriguing. The images Ferraris weaves of the dessert, Saudia Arabian muslim and migrant culture, Islam, and the "modern/western" world colliding with tradition are seamlessly wrapped around a crime thriller of a novel. Readers of her earlier books will not be dissapointed!
If you have haven't read zoe ferraris's fantastic previous novels (Finding Nouf and City of Viels) don't worry you'll be able to read this as a stand-alone. However, if you love to see strong character development and enjoy mysteries this is a series of books well worth the investment.
Ran Out of Gas
I found the story to be fascinating at the beginning in its depictions of life in Saudi Arabia. The murder mystery was interesting as well. But then midway through, the story failed to hold my interest leaving me somewhat disappointed.