Twin sisters Leily and Laila burst back into the series with their infectious joie de vivre as they throw a dinner party and reveal that they are mermaids. (One of those things is less true than the other, but not by much.)

It'd be a five-star book if they had stuck around for the second half just chatting or doing chores or whatever, but instead we follow Henry Smith and Talas as they attempt a treacherous transit through a war zone to visit the main couple of the series, Amir and Karluk, as the final part of Smith's Central Asian sojourn. There is some actual action and adventure for anyone who worries that the series spends too much time on embroidery and meaningful glances.

And, oops, I just realized that my library has received the books out of order, so I have accidentally skipped Vol. 12. Given the episodic nature of the series with different volumes focusing on different members of the ensemble cast, I don't think it will matter much. ( )