From Ausma Zehanat Khan, the critically acclaimed author of The Unquiet Dead and The Language of Secrets, comes Among the Ruins, another powerful novel exploring the interplay of politics and religion, and the intensely personal ripple effects of one woman’s murder.
On leave from Canada’s Community Policing department, Esa Khattak is traveling in Iran, reconnecting with his cultural heritage and seeking peace in the country’s beautiful mosques and gardens. But Khattak’s supposed break from work is cut short when he’s approached by a Canadian government agent in Iran, asking him to look into the death of renowned Canadian-Iranian filmmaker Zahra Sobhani. Zahra was murdered at Iran’s notorious Evin prison, where she’d been seeking the release of a well-known political prisoner. Khattak quickly finds himself embroiled in Iran’s tumultuous politics and under surveillance by the regime, but when the trail leads back to Zahra’s family in Canada, Khattak calls on his partner, Detective Rachel Getty, for help.
Rachel uncovers a conspiracy linked to the Shah of Iran and the decades-old murders of a group of Iran’s most famous dissidents. Historic letters, a connection to the Royal Ontario Museum, and a smuggling operation on the Caspian Sea are just some of the threads Rachel and Khattak begin unraveling, while the list of suspects stretches from Tehran to Toronto. But as Khattak gets caught up in the fate of Iran’s political prisoners, Rachel sees through to the heart of the matter: Zahra’s murder may not have been a political crime at all.
Praise for Among the Ruins:
“A fast-paced, heart-racing mystery with incredible details of Iran and its political upheaval as the backdrop.” - RT Book Reviews
“A lyrically written look into a country many think of as war-torn and bleak reveals many sides to the place and its people.” - Kirkus Reviews
“Deeply political without becoming pedantic, Khan’s crime novel offers a fictionalized yet very real look at a region that is steeped in both beauty and misery.” - Library Journal (starred review)
“An involving mystery in a vividly portrayed setting to illustrate unspeakable violations undertaken by governments in religious and political chaos. In Khan’s hands, mysteries carry powerful messages.” - Booklist
“An accomplished, multi-layered mystery from start to finish.” - Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“..this series just gets better and better, which is quite an achievement because Khan hit the ground running with her original and accomplished opener, The Unquiet Dead, and followed that with a stunning second novel, The Language of Secrets. Among the Ruins raises the bar with a tale of betrayal, greed and courage set in Iran....brilliantly realised.” - NB Magazine
