A criminal investigation plumbs the seedy underbelly of Oran in this heady psychological thriller spanning the history of postcolonial Algeria.

Oran, July 5, 2018. Algerian Independence Day. Colonel Soltani of the anti-terrorist unit reluctantly gives up his holiday after his superior officer tracks him down at his mistress’s house. A former National Liberation Front fighter and Algerian power broker has been found, his throat slit and face mutilated.

Set in a post-independence era marred by corruption, this dark, captivating novel unfolds in contrasting landscapes of dilapidated historic quarters and opulent new districts, revealing Algeria’s struggle against deceit and betrayal.