Lots of historical context to a good story. ( )

Detective Esa Khattak, a Muslim, has taken time off from the Toronto community policing department to travel to Iran to explore his cultural heritage. But, his exploration is interrupted when he is asked by an Canadian governmental agent to look into the murder in Iran of a Canadian film-maker. Khattak is soon deep into the investigation, treading very carefully, and communicating back to Detective Rachel Getty, his work partner back in Toronto.

I enjoyed following Khattak on his tour, and, as with the previous two installments in this series, I was interested in the experience of a practicing Muslim who is also a cop. And it was interesting to see how someone investigates in a country that is less open.

I read the first two books when they first came out some years ago, so it took a bit to settle back in with the characters. These books are intelligent, complex, enjoyable crime novels…they seem to offer far more than the average crime novel; I might dare to say they transcend the genre. ( )

This is the second book by Ausma Zehanat Khan that I have read this year. After I read her first book, The Unquiet Dead, I knew I wanted to read more about this crime-solving duo of Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty. They are located in Toronto but for this book Esa is in Iran recovering from whatever happened in Algonquin Park in the second book (note to self: must read that one). Rachel is in Toronto for most of the book and she teams up with Nathan Clare who figured in the first book and who may become a romantic interest.

Esa went to Iran to visit various sites sacred to the Muslim religion. When the book opens he has been in Esfahan which is known for its Persian architecture which dates from the 17th century. On a tour of a neighbouring village he is approached by a woman who identifies herself as Touka Swan, a Canadian who does work for the Canadian government in Iran. She tells Esa that a Canadian-Iranian filmmaker, Zahra Sobhani has been killed after being tortured and raped by people acting for the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. The Canadian government wants Esa to look into her death and Touka tells him he is not at "liberty to refuse [his] duty". Reluctantly, because this could put him in danger, Khattak agrees. He contacts his partner Rachel and asks her to talk to Zahra's son in Toronto. Zahra had gone to the notorious Evin prison and was taking pictures outside of people protesting the imprisonment of family members in the prison. It was a risky move and it proved fatal for Zahra. Esa and Rachel surmise that Zahra, who had met with a representative of the Supreme Leader, must have been assured that she would be safe. They also surmise that Zahra had some information that, if disclosed, would cause the government much embarrassment. Esa and Rachel must try to find out what that could have been. In Esfahan Esa starts receiving anonymous letters that give some clues. They are probably from a prisoner who is associated with the Green Birds of June, an activist group that was formed to protest the 2009 election results. Esa meets with some of the local members of the group although he fears he is being watched by a member of the Intelligence and Security department. As his situation gets more precarious Rachel becomes more concerned about him and she decides to fly to Iran to join him. After deciphering a code left behind by Zahra they believe she learned something about the Iranian National Jewels. Between jailed activists, murdering security officials and rare jewels this book has it all.

At the very beginning of the book the author has placed a timeline of Iran's history in modern times (i.e. from 1900 on). That alone is worth taking a look at this book. Those of us in the western world know about the deposing of the Shah and the religious extremists taking control of the country but there is a lot before and after that I, at least, did not know or maybe don't remember. ( )

"A few miles from where he took tea in a courtyard, screams sounded against the walls of a prison, darkening the skies. A graveyard scarred the hills, witness to the truth. Khattak knew of no way to measure these realities, or to grapple with their contrasts. He felt an unbearable pity for (spoiler), even as he felt the weight of judgment." This is what Ausma Zehanat Khan does so beautifully. She provides a detailed juxtaposition of unspeakable evil and cruelty against a backdrop of peace and beauty. The reader is left feeling the same pity and weight of judgement that Khattak feels.

The mystery is solid, with twists that I did not anticipate, and a believable ending. Another thing that I appreciate so much is AZK's ability to present a window into a culture completely different from my own and unknown to me, as a female American WASP. Her insights into Iranian culture are fascinating. Read the author's note at the end of each of her books. I come away from each one feeling as though I've not only been entertained for hours with a thrilling tale, but I've learned something as well and just might be a slightly better person for having read the novel. I cannot wait for the next one. ( )

In the third volume of the Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty series, author Ausma Zehanat Khan once again explores current and past events that have shaped Canada's pluralistic society. Khattak, originally from Afghanistan, has left Canada to search for peace. Fluent in Farsi, he has traveled on his Pakistani passport and wants to explore the beauties of the country as a tourist. But a strange letter has been delivered to his guest house door, one that promises he will soon have a story to tell – and advises him to hide the letter or risk great danger. Someone knows who he is and wants something from him. "We are bound together, chained" it says.

While he wants only to heal himself, he soon meets a Canadian woman who has a job for him to do - an official job, but done in secret. A Canadian-Iranian filmmaker whose documentary about the stolen election of 2009 and the fate of young protestors who thought they could make a difference has recently returned to Iran to make another film. She was arrested when filming outside a notorious prison. Days later, her body was left outside her family's house in Teheran, with signs that she had been tortured, raped, and beaten to death. The Canadian government is quite sure who is responsible for her murder, but they need proof. Khattak's vacation is over, but having a case to pursue may be just the redemption he seeks.

With the help of his partner, Rachel Getty, digging up clues at home and the assistance of a group of brave young dissidents in Iran, he begins to untangle the clues that reach back to the reign of the Shah and the legacy of Western intervention, all while courting invisible threats. Meanwhile the letters keep coming, describing what it's like inside the prison where the filmmaker was killed, describing what happens there with devastating detail.

Khan has created a twisty mystery and a well-paced investigation, but the portrayal of Iran is the heart of this story. The author, who holds a PhD in international human rights law, doesn't hold back as she brings the country's contradictions vividly to life – the serene beauty of ancient mosques and classic poetry alongside the savage brutality of a repressive regime – providing just enough of modern Iran's recent history to give readers grounding as they travel with Khattak through the slippery, shape-shifting society where somebody is always watching and things are rarely what they seem.

Reposted from Reviewing the Evidence