Some Justice: A Ghazi Ammar Medieval Mystery
912 CE, Baghdad. The dead body of an older man is found lying in the reeds in the Tigris River’s water marshes. He is identified as a well-known decorator, and the police consider it a natural death, although clues are pointing to a possible suicide. The deceased’s well-off family refuses to accept the official report and engages Ammar’s services, who, along with his partner, Zaytuna, has recently opened an investigations agency. Ammar has so far handled only minor probes and is finding it difficult to provide his family with the life they deserve. He thinks this case could be his big break, ending their calls for him to go back to goat farming. Zaytuna is also having trouble managing her large family, which needs individual attention. Yet she manages to keep their agency office running, though she often doesn’t see eye to eye with Ammar’s decisions. Ammar’s thoroughness uncovers some hidden enigmas that some do not wish revealed, but he hopes to achieve some justice.
This novel is the start of a new series by Laury Silvers, following her previous Sufi Mysteries Quartet, which was well received. Readers are transported to the streets and homes of medieval Baghdad as they walk alongside the characters, eavesdropping on their conversations and participating in the era’s daily life. The mystery surrounding the main event, the death, and the investigation into its causes, with its twists and turns, keeps us guessing and turning the pages up to the denouement. Silver’s thorough research and deep understanding of Islamic culture are evident throughout her writing. The novel includes not only a map of ancient Baghdad but also extensive, helpful notes on the characters’ backgrounds, Arabic terms, and their pronunciation. The delicate subject of suicide, particularly in the Islamic world, is handled most adroitly. Highly recommended.
