Michael Pearce's police chief, Captain Owen - the Mamur Zapt - is now in his twelfth adventure in old Cairo. Pearce writes well about a society in transition, with its strains of old and new; Traditional Eygptian rule may be controlled and directed to an extent by the British colonial masters, but at the same time Brtina is trying to ward of the predatory interests of competing Great Powers -- who all want a slice of the action. Pearce's style is gentle on the eye, in the best tradition of the late Ellis Peters, yet for all this there is the occasional flash of steel beneath the elegantly gloved hand. Pearce writes with a real sympathy for the ordinary Eygptians in this world of the 1900s. A sympathy that his main character, Captain Owen shares. If you're looking for a mystery that takes you to the souks and bazaars of 1900s Eygpt, then this is for you.
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