The End of the Sahara

Lounge singer Zakia Zaghouani is murdered in a politically unstable Algerian city in the late 1980s in this intricate mystery from Khatibi (Sarajevo Firewood). When a shepherd discovers Zakia’s body in a meadow, it sparks a police investigation led by Inspector Hamid, whose home life is marred by his crumbling marriage and strained relationships with extended family. Hamid quickly identifies Zakia’s troubled lover, Bachir Labtam, as the primary suspect, prompting Bachir’s cousin, lawyer Noura Arkoub, to launch an effort to clear his name. Other characters—including Ibrahim Derras, a down-on-his-luck video store owner and friend of Bachir’s, and Maimoun Belassal, operator of the Sahara Hotel, where Zakia worked—soon get roped into the investigation, sharing narration duties as the truth behind Zakia’s death comes to light. Meanwhile, political tensions simmer in the background, culminating with a fictionalization of the violent 1988 “Black October” protests against Algeria’s ruling party. While the pace occasionally bogs down under the weight of the sprawling cast, elegant prose and a keen sense of place help bring the narrative to life. It’s a solid whodunit that doubles as a captivating look at a country in transition. (Mar.)