This was a new author for me. Ash Rashid is a detective who prays daily as a Muslim should but also one who consumes alcohol. A family man with a loving wife and a loveable daughter he is also a law student as he intends getting out of the police and into the law side of things.
Drawn into a homicide/murder when his own niece is murdered Rashid is unwittingly drawn into an even bigger net of so called vampires, business mafia and big money where a murder or murders of even teenagers is a very small problem for big sharks like what we are dealing with.
Ash's search for the truth behind his niece's killing leads him to so much danger to not just him but also his family. Even his own police department betrays him again and again and he cannot imagine the corruption that is found in the local police who not just turn a blind eye to what is happening but deliberately leak information so that more and more people are put in mortal danger. The brutality of police action is very clearly displayed and if they could act like this for one of their own, I dread to think how they would act against others.
A bit of the story also deals with the difficulties that people of the Muslim faith have in mainstream America. That in itself is a touchy topic and being a Muslim cop must be the most difficult balancing trick there is. Antagonism is high against Muslims everywhere - this we cannot deny and Culver handles the subject very delicately.
This is Culver's first novel and the story and writing was good. I found it very matter of fact, the style of writing that is and it took some getting used to. But I did finish the book.
This does sound like a fine balancing act of a good mystery, frustrating corruption and touchy faith issues. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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