Inspired by his grandfather's service as a military policeman in Cairo and by the work of Gertrude Bell in the Arab Bureau Ash James has written a lyrical novel set in the months preceding General Allenby's advance to Jerusalem. Seen through the eyes of Laurie, a country policeman posted to Egypt and his New Zealand colleague Nooney investigate sugar smuggling in Cairo. However, this book is much more ambitious and includes a large swirl of issues from the treatment of women, class prejudice, Egyptian resentment against the minority Coptic christians, Jewish desire to return to their ancestral homeland, imperialism and resulting resentment against the British as well as fighting within the British army. This is also a parallel and connected story focused around a matriarch in Menorca smuggling art and wanting revenge for past wrongs, her son, who is a poet and the importance of love. This is a lot for one book to sustain and I think that James manages it. The plot is
less convincing than the character of Laurie who you are cheering for from the first page to the last.
I enjoyed the novel and will look out for more book by this author. Thanks to Netgallery for an ARC of this book

2.5 stars.

This book is the story of multiple characters, mainly of Laurie an honest, loyal policeman, and Llucia, a Menorcan landowner.

I have never read something that was set in the intersections of England, Cairo and Menorca.
The concept and the core idea, including the intentions are brilliant.

I do not feel fully qualified to judge if the research made by the author led to the writing of historically accurate plotlines, though, the writer mentions his family history as a starting point, and that is much appreciated. Moreover, the mood and the plot elements read authentic.

I liked 65-70% of the dialogue.
I liked the themes of loyalty, betrayal, love, the incompetence and the evil of those in power.

As for the execution, the characterisation, the underlying wit and the plot itself, I need to read this one more time to do it justice. But, most likely, my overall enjoyment will not change much. Still, this was an interesting read despite the writing style not being my favourite.