Publishers Weekly
11/30/2015
Loosely based on a terrorist plot foiled by Canadian law enforcement in 2006, Khan’s engaging sequel to 2014’s The Unquiet Dead finds Esa Khattak, the head of Toronto’s Community Policing Section, investigating the murder of an estranged friend, Mohsin Dar, who, unbeknownst to him, infiltrated a Muslim terrorist cell that was planning a devastating attack. Khattak, who still mourns his late wife seven years after her death, struggles daily with his man-in-the-middle role between police and fellow Muslims. But as he and his personable partner, Sgt. Rachel Getty, sprint to uncover out what’s really going on in the cell led by the charismatic Hassan Ashkouri while being kept dangerously in the dark by Khattak’s nemesis, Ciprian Coale, about a larger antiterrorist operation, the stakes suddenly skyrocket with the engagement of Khattak’s headstrong sister, Ruksh, to Ashkouri. Those prepared to slog through the blizzard of poetry used to convey clues will be rewarded by a gripping climax in the snowy wilderness of Ontario’s Algonquin Park. Agent: Danielle Burby, Hannigan Salky Getzler. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"Khan delivers an action-packed police procedural complemented by strong characters with believable motives.”—Associated Press
“Exceptionally fine…A heartfelt novel for lovers of crime fiction and anyone interested in the complexities of living as a Muslim in the West today.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“Sophisticated…The characters are well-drawn and pleasingly varied: Khattak is a compelling protagonist, a cerebral, reserved Muslim comfortable with his faith but not ruled by it, and the buoyant, hockey-loving Getty is an endearing foil. The cell members are afforded fully dimensional personalities and varied passions, ideals, and justifications for their actions; everyone has their reasons, Khan understands, and her nuanced exploration of those reasons elevates her second novel above the general run of detective fiction. A smart, measured, immersive dive into a poorly understood, terrifyingly relevant subculture of violent extremism.”—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for The Unquiet Dead:
“Impressive…Throughout Getty and Khattak’s solid and comprehensive investigation, Khan’s talents are evident. This first in what may become a series is a many-faceted gem. It’s a sound police procedural, a somber study of loss and redemption and, most of all, a grim effort to make sure that crimes against humanity are not forgotten.” —The Washington Post
“The Unquiet Dead blazes what one hopes will be a new path guided by the author's keen understanding of the intersection of faith and core Muslim values, complex human nature and evil done by seemingly ordinary people. It is these qualities that make this a debut to remember and one that even those who eschew the genre will devour in one breathtaking sitting.” —The LA Times
“Ausma Zehanat Khan's gripping first novel tackles questions of identity, culture, revenge and war horrors in a strong police procedural…Khan illustrates her powerful storytelling through her well-sculpted characters…An intelligent plot and graceful writing make The Unquiet Dead an outstanding debut that is not easily forgotten.” —The New York Times
“This is Canadian-born Khan’s first novel and what a debut it is!...Khan knows her subject, knows her hometown, and knows how to keep the suspense building. This is a writer to watch.” —Th Globe and Mail
Library Journal
★ 12/01/2015
Khan's The Unquiet Dead debuted to rave reviews. This second installment is about the pursuit of a jihadist cell (you can't arrest them until you have proof), the search for a killer, and lastly and most significantly, the infighting, much of it driven by prejudice, among Canada's law enforcement agencies. Essa Khattak heads the Community Policing Section, an odd-duck agency set up to negotiate the confused politics of Canada's Muslim community. But Khattak's job just makes him a target for enemies in Canada's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET—think: Homeland Security). All Muslims are suspect to them. Khattak's partner, Rachel Getty, is an attractive second banana: robust (she plays hockey on the side), devoted to her boss, and a competent, even inspired bloodhound. Khattak and Getty negotiate their way through one minefield after another, with only some of the traps set by the jihadists. Part of the search hinges on Khattak's knowledge of Arabic poetry, but this isn't a puzzle mystery; rather it is a novel of character and mores, and an exceptionally fine one. VERDICT A heartfelt novel for lovers of crime fiction and anyone interested in the complexities of living as a Muslim in the West today. [See Prepub Alert, 8/10/15.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Kirkus Reviews
2015-11-18
Khan's winning Canadian cops return—and this time, it's really personal. Khan's hero, Detective Esa Khattak, a second-generation Canadian Muslim, and his young partner, Rachel Getty, are back from her debut novel (The Unquiet Dead, 2015) to investigate a terrorist cell planning a series of devastating attacks. The stakes for Khattak become agonizingly personal when an estranged friend is murdered by the cell, his relatively green partner goes undercover as a convert, and his difficult-at-best little sister becomes engaged to the cell's handsome, charismatic leader. Soap opera elements abound, but Khan's sophisticated grasp of the religious, political, and social issues at play grounds the narrative in a thoughtful dissection of the conflicting motives underlying the various players' actions; thoughtful to a fault, occasionally, as the characters tend to pedantically verbalize these complex ideas in lieu of engaging in recognizable human dialogue. Still, rhetoric comes with the territory, and the story functions effectively as a mystery thriller, as Khan deploys an impressive depth of knowledge about the subject matter (the cell's plot is based on a real-life scheme by the so-called "Toronto 18," an extremist group that intended to attack Canadian Parliament in 2006), trusting the reader to keep up with context cues when confronted by unfamiliar ideas and scenarios. The characters are well-drawn and pleasingly varied: Khattak is a compelling protagonist, a cerebral, reserved Muslim comfortable with his faith but not ruled by it, and the buoyant, hockey-loving Getty is an endearing foil. The cell members are afforded fully dimensional personalities and varied passions, ideals, and justifications for their actions; everyone has their reasons, Khan understands, and her nuanced exploration of those reasons elevates her second novel above the general run of detective fiction. A smart, measured, immersive dive into a poorly understood, terrifyingly relevant subculture of violent extremism.
