Pearce, Michael - THE MAMUR ZAPT AND THE RETURN OF THE CARPET

[LJ Roberts]

THE MAMUR ZAPT AND THE RETURN OF THE CARPET - G
Michael Pearce – 1^st in series

Set in 1908 Cairo, Captain Gareth Owen, the Mamur Zapt (head of Cairo’s CID, focused on political, not police, matters), investigates the attempted murder of prominent politician and philanderer Nuri Pasha. Ostensibly the target of revenge by an enraged relative of his newest conquest, the attack on Pasha takes on different dimensions when the weapon turns out to have been stolen from the British Army, leading Owen to fear that a terrorist organization is planning something special for a forthcoming religious ceremony marking the return of the Holy Carpet from Mecca.

This was a bit slow-going for me, mainly as I am unfamiliar with the history of Egypt during this time. That said, I did find it fascinating to read about the social structure and customs. The characters were interesting and it was a pretty good mystery. I wouldn’t put it on the same level as Barbara Cleverly, but I shall definitely read another.