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Review
Acclaim for Michael Pearce and the Mamur Zapt novels:
‘For sheer entertainment Michael Pearce’s A Cold Touch of Ice is one of the best in his Mamur Zapt series … his characters and the city itself are full of life … Highly recommended’ Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph
‘Very light-hearted and great fun’ Birmingham Post
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.Product Description
The latest novel in Michael Pearce’s award-winning series, set in the Egypt of the 1900s. ‘Irresistible fun’ Time Out
The world is changing around the Mamur Zapt, British Chief of Cairo’s Secret Police. It’s 1912 and there’s a war on that no one’s ever heard of. When an Italian man is murdered in the city’s back streets, there is concern that this could be some kind of ethnic cleansing. ‘One of us’ Morelli may have been, but was he ‘one of us’ enough? And were the guns in his warehouse anything to do with it? Gareth Owen – the Mamur Zapt – has to find out fast.
And then, as external pressures crowd in, there are other difficult questions. What is Trudi von Ramsberg really doing in Cairo? Not to mention that other noted traveller, Gertrude Bell, or the irritating little archaeologist, T. E. Lawrence? And why has the post of Khedive’s Librarian suddenly become so important? As Cromer’s Egypt gives way to Kitchener’s Egypt, Morelli is not the only one who has problems over where his allegiance lies. Maybe the solution is for Owen to go to Zanzibar…
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book in hardback, having hugely enjoyed the other Mamur Zapt novels, and can't recommend it enough. It's by far the best yet, mostly because in addition to the laconic, spare humour evident in the whole series, this novel introduces a much more compelling awareness of the political situation in Egypt and the Middle East at the outbreak of the First World War, and the awareness of the tragedy (still unfolding) as the agendas of colonialism and nationalism, and of the various ethnic and religious groups in cosmopolitan Egypt, violently collide permeates the whole book. Still enormously entertaining, and still with bucketloads of the enticing atmosphere of the earlier novels in the sequence.
Can't wait for the next one!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
strong early twentieth century Egyptian historical mystery
3 Aug 2004
Format:Hardcover
In 1912, Italy invades Tripolitania. Turkey declares war on Italy since Tripolitania belongs to them. Most of Europe wants to remain out of the conflict hoping that it will remain somewhat localized. British leaders choose a neutral path, but not all of the empire agrees. Though a British Protectorate, Egypt remains part of the Ottoman Empire and sympathies lie strongly with the Turks.
In Cairo, someone strangled to death an Italian-Egyptian Sidi Morelli, a resident for forty years and whose warehouse contained weapons. Gareth Owen, the Mamur Zapt, investigates the homicide wondering if this is the beginning of an anti-Italian movement or was the murder tied to the guns? As he digs deeper and looks into several seemingly unrelated other incidents, Owen struggles with what he should do with his beloved Zeinab, who as she turns thirty wants a deeper commitment from him. As his own loyalties are questioned even by himself and Zeinab demands more of him, Owen wonders if it is time to relocate to perhaps Zanzibar.
As usual, Michael Pearce provides a deep and entertaining early twentieth century historical mystery that brings to life Egypt under British control. The story line works on three levels (historical, investigative, and personal) that cleverly intertwine into a cohesive terrific who-done-it. Gareth is a fantastic protagonist who symbolizes the pull in two directions. He is at his witty, somewhat bewildered best as he ponders to Zanzibar or not to Zanzibar that is the question.
Harriet Klausner
In Cairo, someone strangled to death an Italian-Egyptian Sidi Morelli, a resident for forty years and whose warehouse contained weapons. Gareth Owen, the Mamur Zapt, investigates the homicide wondering if this is the beginning of an anti-Italian movement or was the murder tied to the guns? As he digs deeper and looks into several seemingly unrelated other incidents, Owen struggles with what he should do with his beloved Zeinab, who as she turns thirty wants a deeper commitment from him. As his own loyalties are questioned even by himself and Zeinab demands more of him, Owen wonders if it is time to relocate to perhaps Zanzibar.
As usual, Michael Pearce provides a deep and entertaining early twentieth century historical mystery that brings to life Egypt under British control. The story line works on three levels (historical, investigative, and personal) that cleverly intertwine into a cohesive terrific who-done-it. Gareth is a fantastic protagonist who symbolizes the pull in two directions. He is at his witty, somewhat bewildered best as he ponders to Zanzibar or not to Zanzibar that is the question.
Harriet Klausner
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A COLD TOUCH OF ICE
20 Sep 2005
Format:Hardcover
THIS IS A GREAT SERIES. A COLD TOUCH OF ICE IS THE 13th IN THE SERIES & THEY SHOULD BE READ FROM THE BEGINNING, STARTING WITH THE RETURN OF THE CARPET. I FIRST READ THE 3rd & 4th BOOKS IN THE EARLY 90s WHEN I FOUND THEM IN PAPERBACK. BUT AFTER THAT I COULD FIND NO MORE UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A WHOLE SERIES, PURCHASING MOST OF THEM FROM AMAZON. THERE IS A LOT OF HISTORY IN THESE BOOKS & GREAT ATMOSPHERE & A LOT OF RESEARCH HAS GONE INTO THESE BOOKS. I HIGHLY COMMEND THE AUTHOR & HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE BOOKS. THERE IS ALSO SOME SUBTLE HUMOR & SOME POLITICS OF THOSE TIMES.
7 GREAT ATMOSPHERE
7 GREAT ATMOSPHERE
mediocre
18 Jun 2008
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This isn't his best book but I always love reading about the relationship between Gareth and Zeinab.
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