The Fig Tree Murder: A Mamur Zapt Mystery
7 journalers for this copy...
Released 6 yrs ago (11/6/2017 UTC) at Book Box, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases
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Released as part of the NOVEMBER "THE" CHALLENGE (#9)
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Book burble: ‘Effortless funny and engaging. Packed, as ever, with fact, flavour and the kind of insouciance which makes history lighter than air’ PHILIP
OAKES, Literary Review
Why was the body put on the line? Did someone want to halt the progress of the new railway out from Cairo to the ‘City of Pleasure’ being built in the suburbs? Or was it just another traditional revenge killing?
To answer these questions the Mamur Zapt, British Head of Cario’s Secret Police, has to look both in the luxurious quarters of the dazzling New Heliopolis and in the more humble houses of the dead man’s village and in neither place are things quite as straightforward as they seem. What is the significance of the Tree of the Virgins? Does it matter that the gathering place for the Mecca Caravan is only a mile or two away? And what of the ostrich that passed in the night?
‘Michael Pearce’s, light touch and witty dialogue make this series a continuing delight’ SUSANNA YAGER, Sunday Telegraph
‘Urbane, intelligent and never patronising, Pearce writes about Egypt with the observant eye of the lover who sees yet forgives all faults’ VAL McDERMID Manchester Evening News
THE FIG TREE MURDER by MICHAEL PEARCE (1996) | ISBN: 9780006499688 | Publisher: Harper Collins
Released 6 yrs ago (11/26/2017 UTC) at -- Controlled Release 🤝 in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom
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Much more of a political administration procedural [OK yes I’ve just come up with that as a term] I’d say than an investigatory romp in the style of Agatha Christie’s, Hercule Poirot for example. I mention Christie’s Belgian fact-finder as Pearce’s Egypt is awash with Belgian financial speculators as well as French ex-patriates. So more of a low key, slow burn effort than a high drama, action-thriller but pleasingly delivered with a desert dry wit from a calm and perfectly reserved observer. Since finishing this I find it’s hovered in my mind much more than I had expected, perhaps that’s due to the feeling there are many layers to the plausibly detailed background provided which is rich in cultural references. If I had a great Uncle Edward, say an ex-Whitehall mandarin, to amuse over boxing-day I can imagine this is an author I’d make sure was introduced to him from under the Christmas tree. I could imagine reading another Pearce and I’d be sure to have greater patience on the next occasion. Probably not my next port of call though as it demanded a more reflective reading style than mine is at present. I appear to be in book guzzling mode!
More Scribbles: I think this must be set about 1912 30 years after the British occupied Egypt, if I have understood that correctly and Welsh Military Captain Gareth Owen is the Mamur Zapt. Owen purportedly works for the Kedhive, Egyptian Ruler, while Egypt is a protectorate under British rule [hmmm, autocratic us, oh dear!]. As far as I understand it at this time there is in effect a whole shadow government of British officials who actually control the Egypt. Looks like the Khedive is an Egyptian equivalent of the British Viceroy so I wonder where does the British Consul-General line-up in this hierarchy as its clear that Owen regularly ‘liaises’ with the Consul-General’s ADC Paul. “Aide-De-Camp = a military officer acting as secretary and confidential assistant to a superior officer of general or flag rank.” Well for sure it seems like this has sparked an interest in my finding out more it could be that I’m chasing more of this series up from the library sooner than I could have predicted!
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OK with much thanks I’m placing this back into Plum-crazy’s, WORLD OF CRIME BOOK-BOOOOOX
Released 4 yrs ago (3/27/2019 UTC) at Rushyford, County Durham United Kingdom
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Released 4 yrs ago (4/13/2019 UTC) at The White Swan Leeds in Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom
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Released 4 yrs ago (12/4/2019 UTC) at Leeds Meet @ City Museum Café in Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom
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Released 4 yrs ago (1/14/2020 UTC) at Phonebox Library☎️ in Roecliffe, North Yorkshire United Kingdom
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Released 3 yrs ago (11/29/2020 UTC) at Marina Way Little Free Library in Ripon, North Yorkshire United Kingdom
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