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Blackwater Falls #1
Blackwater Falls
From critically acclaimed author Ausma Zehanat Khan, Blackwater Falls is the first in a timely and powerful crime series, introducing Detective Inaya Rahman.
Girls from immigrant communities have been disappearing for months in the Colorado town of Blackwater Falls, but the local sheriff is slow to act and the fates of the missing girls largely ignored. At last, the calls for justice become too loud to ignore when the body of a star student and refugee--the Syrian teenager Razan Elkader--is positioned deliberately in a mosque.
Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif of the Denver Police are recruited to solve Razan’s murder, and quickly uncover a link to other missing and murdered girls. But as Inaya gets closer to the truth, Seif finds ways to obstruct the investigation. Inaya may be drawn to him, but she is wary of his motives: he may be covering up the crimes of their boss, whose connections in Blackwater run deep.
Inaya turns to her female colleagues, attorney Areesha Adams and Detective Catalina Hernandez, for help in finding the truth. The three have bonded through their experiences as members of vulnerable groups and now they must work together to expose the conspiracy behind the murders before another girl disappears.
Delving deep into racial tensions, and police corruption and violence, Blackwater Falls examines a series of crimes within the context of contemporary American politics with compassion and searing insight.
Girls from immigrant communities have been disappearing for months in the Colorado town of Blackwater Falls, but the local sheriff is slow to act and the fates of the missing girls largely ignored. At last, the calls for justice become too loud to ignore when the body of a star student and refugee--the Syrian teenager Razan Elkader--is positioned deliberately in a mosque.
Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif of the Denver Police are recruited to solve Razan’s murder, and quickly uncover a link to other missing and murdered girls. But as Inaya gets closer to the truth, Seif finds ways to obstruct the investigation. Inaya may be drawn to him, but she is wary of his motives: he may be covering up the crimes of their boss, whose connections in Blackwater run deep.
Inaya turns to her female colleagues, attorney Areesha Adams and Detective Catalina Hernandez, for help in finding the truth. The three have bonded through their experiences as members of vulnerable groups and now they must work together to expose the conspiracy behind the murders before another girl disappears.
Delving deep into racial tensions, and police corruption and violence, Blackwater Falls examines a series of crimes within the context of contemporary American politics with compassion and searing insight.
375 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2022
249 people are currently reading
15621 people want to read
About the author
Ausma Zehanat Khan
17 books923 followersAusma Zehanat Khan is a British-born Canadian living in the United States, whose own parents are heirs to a complex story of migration to and from three different continents. A former adjunct professor at American and Canadian universities, she holds a Ph.D. in International Human Rights Law, with the 1995 Srebrenica massacre as the main subject of her dissertation. Previously the Editor in Chief of Muslim Girl Magazine, Ausma Zehanat Khan has moved frequently, traveled extensively, and written compulsively. Her new crime series debuted with 'Blackwater Falls' in November 2022. She is also the author of 5 books and 1 novella in the Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty mystery series, including the award-winning 'The Unquiet Dead'. And she is the author of The Khorasan Archives fantasy series, beginning with 'The Bloodprint'. She has also written a middle grade non-fiction book called 'Ramadan'.
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November 8, 2022
Blackwater Falls by Ausma Zehanat Khan
If you enjoy stories that are strong on politics and social justice issues, this might be a story for you. Lots and lots of bad things going on and you will quickly know this book's bad guys and good guys. Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif of the Denver Police have a murder to solve and they knock heads on how to solve it. This story is trigger warning heavy and part of it takes place in a meat packing plant, with all the body parts and fluids that involves. This is the first book in the Detective Inaya Rahman series so there will be more chances to watch her solve crimes in the future.
Pub November 1, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.
If you enjoy stories that are strong on politics and social justice issues, this might be a story for you. Lots and lots of bad things going on and you will quickly know this book's bad guys and good guys. Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif of the Denver Police have a murder to solve and they knock heads on how to solve it. This story is trigger warning heavy and part of it takes place in a meat packing plant, with all the body parts and fluids that involves. This is the first book in the Detective Inaya Rahman series so there will be more chances to watch her solve crimes in the future.
Pub November 1, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.
November 2, 2022
Blackwater Falls introduces Detective Inaya Rahman in the first book of a new crime series.
Inaya Rahman is part of the Community Response Unit of the Denver Police. When the body of a bright, young Syrian refugee is strung over the door of a mosque, Detective Rahman and her team investigate who might be behind this murder. She quickly learns that two other Muslim girls have recently gone missing and that the sheriff did not thoroughly investigate their disappearances.
Inaya looks at the major players in this community. Particularly those who are hostile to people of colour and those close to the victim.
Aside from the investigation, Inaya grapples with pleasing her mother, who desperately wants her to get married. She feels like an outsider to her community who views her job as a betrayal. And she receives harassment from the police department and church, which are predominantly white.
This police procedural follows a few POVs, but Inaya’s is the main character arc. As Inaya is the main character, her story is the most fleshed out. I would have liked more chapters from her team members, but maybe we’ll see that in future books.
I didn’t mind the burgeoning romance. It was a bit cringe at times but not totally awkward.
The book’s blurb, and hopefully my synopsis, are very clear that this is a book steeped in racial tensions and politics. It might seem like the author is going overboard to some readers, but this is not a novel experience for many BIPOC, especially women of colour. If it makes you uncomfortable, it should.
I cannot wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Inaya Rahman is part of the Community Response Unit of the Denver Police. When the body of a bright, young Syrian refugee is strung over the door of a mosque, Detective Rahman and her team investigate who might be behind this murder. She quickly learns that two other Muslim girls have recently gone missing and that the sheriff did not thoroughly investigate their disappearances.
Inaya looks at the major players in this community. Particularly those who are hostile to people of colour and those close to the victim.
Aside from the investigation, Inaya grapples with pleasing her mother, who desperately wants her to get married. She feels like an outsider to her community who views her job as a betrayal. And she receives harassment from the police department and church, which are predominantly white.
This police procedural follows a few POVs, but Inaya’s is the main character arc. As Inaya is the main character, her story is the most fleshed out. I would have liked more chapters from her team members, but maybe we’ll see that in future books.
I didn’t mind the burgeoning romance. It was a bit cringe at times but not totally awkward.
The book’s blurb, and hopefully my synopsis, are very clear that this is a book steeped in racial tensions and politics. It might seem like the author is going overboard to some readers, but this is not a novel experience for many BIPOC, especially women of colour. If it makes you uncomfortable, it should.
I cannot wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
October 2, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
Blackwater Falls is the first in a series about Inaya Rahman, a female Muslim detective in Colorado. Her initial investigation as a member of the Community Response Team is the murder of a young Muslim girl who was found crucified on the doors of a Muslim mosque.
I enjoyed Inaya and found her to be fully developed, with an interesting backstory. Inaya can also rely on two other women - her Hispanic partner and a Muslim attorney, who were also well developed. Khan has a lot to say about masculinity, and how many men confuse it with superiority. Initially, I was worried she was setting up all the men to be villains, but as the story goes on, she does provide differences.
The story focuses on hate crimes, those against minorities, refugees and Muslims. Khan does an excellent job showing the suspicion of these groups of anyone in the police force, based on prior experiences. Even Inaya has been subjected to these prejudices. She also takes the time to provide information about the cultures represented by the refugees which I also appreciated.
Khan makes no secret of her politics, which align with my own. It would be easy to think her depiction of the evangelical church in the story was overdone. But I’ve been witness to the same beliefs she details here. And her writing is a strong reminder about what our shared God really teaches.
The book got somewhat bogged down in the middle and at times, it felt garbled. Khan provides multiple suspects and I will admit to not having a clue how it would play out.
I wasn’t as enthralled with the romantic subtext. It felt rushed and too soon in the series. But I will definitely seek out the next in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
Blackwater Falls is the first in a series about Inaya Rahman, a female Muslim detective in Colorado. Her initial investigation as a member of the Community Response Team is the murder of a young Muslim girl who was found crucified on the doors of a Muslim mosque.
I enjoyed Inaya and found her to be fully developed, with an interesting backstory. Inaya can also rely on two other women - her Hispanic partner and a Muslim attorney, who were also well developed. Khan has a lot to say about masculinity, and how many men confuse it with superiority. Initially, I was worried she was setting up all the men to be villains, but as the story goes on, she does provide differences.
The story focuses on hate crimes, those against minorities, refugees and Muslims. Khan does an excellent job showing the suspicion of these groups of anyone in the police force, based on prior experiences. Even Inaya has been subjected to these prejudices. She also takes the time to provide information about the cultures represented by the refugees which I also appreciated.
Khan makes no secret of her politics, which align with my own. It would be easy to think her depiction of the evangelical church in the story was overdone. But I’ve been witness to the same beliefs she details here. And her writing is a strong reminder about what our shared God really teaches.
The book got somewhat bogged down in the middle and at times, it felt garbled. Khan provides multiple suspects and I will admit to not having a clue how it would play out.
I wasn’t as enthralled with the romantic subtext. It felt rushed and too soon in the series. But I will definitely seek out the next in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
November 10, 2022
The Publisher Says: From critically acclaimed author Ausma Zehanat Khan, Blackwater Falls is the first in a timely and powerful crime series, introducing Detective Inaya Rahman.
Girls from immigrant communities have been disappearing for months in the Colorado town of Blackwater Falls, but the local sheriff is slow to act and the fates of the missing girls largely ignored. At last, the calls for justice become too loud to ignore when the body of a star student and refugee—the Syrian teenager Razan Elkader—is positioned deliberately in a mosque.
Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif of the Denver Police are recruited to solve Razan’s murder, and quickly uncover a link to other missing and murdered girls. But as Inaya gets closer to the truth, Seif finds ways to obstruct the investigation. Inaya may be drawn to him, but she is wary of his motives: he may be covering up the crimes of their boss, whose connections in Blackwater run deep.
Inaya turns to her female colleagues, attorney Areesha Adams and Detective Catalina Hernandez, for help in finding the truth. The three have bonded through their experiences as members of vulnerable groups and now they must work together to expose the conspiracy behind the murders before another girl disappears.
Delving deep into racial tensions, and police corruption and violence, Blackwater Falls examines a series of crimes within the context of contemporary American politics with compassion and searing insight.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Look at that rating above. Now, listen to me: I am heartily sick of reading about men who abuse, rape, and murder girls. It's imagery I don't want in my head...real life provides more than enough examples of this disgusting, evil, inexcusable, reprehensible thinking and behavior.
Now are you more impressed that this story earned four stars from me?
Author Zehanat Khan is a talented wordsmith, and a very adept plotmonger. Her hate crime in this story is so extremely nauseating to me that I seriously thought about just not going forward with the read. A young Muslim immigrant girl's body is found crucified on the doors of a local mosque.
That was it for me. I closed the Kindle and just barely didn't delete the DRC. But, as people I know posted reviews that were equally appalled but full of praise (though sometimes they intended it to be condemnation), I thought I should pick up the read. I'm not pleased I did, but I'm glad I've read it.
I am in sympathy with Author Zehanat Khan's politics so I didn't feel it necessary to whinge about them. Her deeply felt disdain for the evangelical christian congregation in this story is short of the religion-blaming game that so many "christians" indulge in (despite their own "savior"'s injunctions not to judge others). I was pleased by that. I'd've been equally pleased had she indulged in christian bashing, though. The fact that she has Inaya ruminating on the *people* who committed this heinous act is a step up from the run-of-the-mill thriller.
The girl-posse that works together was, I suppose, fan service. It didn't make me feel any warmer towards that gynergy-celebrating stuff. It also led me to wonder if, in her authorial haste not to bash men as a whole, she hadn't rushed the possible romantic stuff she's hinting at between Inaya and Lieutenant Seif. It feels too soon to me. I want to get to know her as a person before thinking there might soon be a part-of-a-couple vibe.
More especially I want to see Inaya grow into her own powers as an investigator. This is a rookie's case. Let her get past this, move into a more confident footing, before saddling her with a man. That isn't what's going to happen, it seems, but it was an issue I felt needed to be addressed in my four-star review...as you're beginning to see, I liked the read but wasn't mad for it. I rated it higher than my first instinct said to rate it because it's very important to make these kinds of crimes public. I don't, as said above, like reading about violence against women. I am rather fond of a fair few women and don't wish to think of this kind of horror being perpetrated on them. But it's not like it doesn't happen, and disproportionately to immigrants and women of color; swallowing down my visceral disgust for the kind of sick fuck who could conceive of this crime as an act to be brought to fruition is necessary.
We need, as a society, to have the horrible, painful conversations that are the only way to get past the us-v-them divides that animate these haters. Books, novels most especially, are the premier way to give us permission to discuss hate and its dreadful consequences. I hope a few of y'all will see that opportunity and seize it.
Girls from immigrant communities have been disappearing for months in the Colorado town of Blackwater Falls, but the local sheriff is slow to act and the fates of the missing girls largely ignored. At last, the calls for justice become too loud to ignore when the body of a star student and refugee—the Syrian teenager Razan Elkader—is positioned deliberately in a mosque.
Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif of the Denver Police are recruited to solve Razan’s murder, and quickly uncover a link to other missing and murdered girls. But as Inaya gets closer to the truth, Seif finds ways to obstruct the investigation. Inaya may be drawn to him, but she is wary of his motives: he may be covering up the crimes of their boss, whose connections in Blackwater run deep.
Inaya turns to her female colleagues, attorney Areesha Adams and Detective Catalina Hernandez, for help in finding the truth. The three have bonded through their experiences as members of vulnerable groups and now they must work together to expose the conspiracy behind the murders before another girl disappears.
Delving deep into racial tensions, and police corruption and violence, Blackwater Falls examines a series of crimes within the context of contemporary American politics with compassion and searing insight.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Look at that rating above. Now, listen to me: I am heartily sick of reading about men who abuse, rape, and murder girls. It's imagery I don't want in my head...real life provides more than enough examples of this disgusting, evil, inexcusable, reprehensible thinking and behavior.
Now are you more impressed that this story earned four stars from me?
Author Zehanat Khan is a talented wordsmith, and a very adept plotmonger. Her hate crime in this story is so extremely nauseating to me that I seriously thought about just not going forward with the read. A young Muslim immigrant girl's body is found crucified on the doors of a local mosque.
That was it for me. I closed the Kindle and just barely didn't delete the DRC. But, as people I know posted reviews that were equally appalled but full of praise (though sometimes they intended it to be condemnation), I thought I should pick up the read. I'm not pleased I did, but I'm glad I've read it.
I am in sympathy with Author Zehanat Khan's politics so I didn't feel it necessary to whinge about them. Her deeply felt disdain for the evangelical christian congregation in this story is short of the religion-blaming game that so many "christians" indulge in (despite their own "savior"'s injunctions not to judge others). I was pleased by that. I'd've been equally pleased had she indulged in christian bashing, though. The fact that she has Inaya ruminating on the *people* who committed this heinous act is a step up from the run-of-the-mill thriller.
The girl-posse that works together was, I suppose, fan service. It didn't make me feel any warmer towards that gynergy-celebrating stuff. It also led me to wonder if, in her authorial haste not to bash men as a whole, she hadn't rushed the possible romantic stuff she's hinting at between Inaya and Lieutenant Seif. It feels too soon to me. I want to get to know her as a person before thinking there might soon be a part-of-a-couple vibe.
More especially I want to see Inaya grow into her own powers as an investigator. This is a rookie's case. Let her get past this, move into a more confident footing, before saddling her with a man. That isn't what's going to happen, it seems, but it was an issue I felt needed to be addressed in my four-star review...as you're beginning to see, I liked the read but wasn't mad for it. I rated it higher than my first instinct said to rate it because it's very important to make these kinds of crimes public. I don't, as said above, like reading about violence against women. I am rather fond of a fair few women and don't wish to think of this kind of horror being perpetrated on them. But it's not like it doesn't happen, and disproportionately to immigrants and women of color; swallowing down my visceral disgust for the kind of sick fuck who could conceive of this crime as an act to be brought to fruition is necessary.
We need, as a society, to have the horrible, painful conversations that are the only way to get past the us-v-them divides that animate these haters. Books, novels most especially, are the premier way to give us permission to discuss hate and its dreadful consequences. I hope a few of y'all will see that opportunity and seize it.
November 1, 2022
3 immigrant stars - now available
This book is set in Blackwater Falls (a fictional town) near Denver and is the beginning of a new series with Inaya Rahman, a Muslim detective with the Community Response Team. She’s sent to Blackwater Falls to investigate the murder of a Muslim girl. Rounding out the characters -- Inaya has a Hispanic partner, Catalina, and her boss is Waqas Saif. The team soon hears rumors of other missing girls.
The political environment is thoroughly explored with immigrant issues, church intervention, a potentially dirty sheriff, and questionable work practices at the nearby meat packing plant. The evangelical pastor in town seems to be behind some of the malice directed at the immigrants in town and suspicion is focused on them and the biker club that serves as the muscle for the sheriff and pastor.
The book dragged in a few places for me, and I’m not bought into the romance angle. I liked the diversity of the characters but would have preferred more character development and explanations.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this one.
This book is set in Blackwater Falls (a fictional town) near Denver and is the beginning of a new series with Inaya Rahman, a Muslim detective with the Community Response Team. She’s sent to Blackwater Falls to investigate the murder of a Muslim girl. Rounding out the characters -- Inaya has a Hispanic partner, Catalina, and her boss is Waqas Saif. The team soon hears rumors of other missing girls.
The political environment is thoroughly explored with immigrant issues, church intervention, a potentially dirty sheriff, and questionable work practices at the nearby meat packing plant. The evangelical pastor in town seems to be behind some of the malice directed at the immigrants in town and suspicion is focused on them and the biker club that serves as the muscle for the sheriff and pastor.
The book dragged in a few places for me, and I’m not bought into the romance angle. I liked the diversity of the characters but would have preferred more character development and explanations.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this one.
October 5, 2022
3.5 stars
I appreciated the cultural aspects of this mystery novel which lead to some interesting social commentary within the novel. As for the mystery setup, I thought the murder and case were compelling. I certainly felt for the young victim.
However I struggled with the main character. I have a preference for stong female characters and so this protagonist was not my kind of lady. Perhaps she is a realistic depiction of a new rookie female cop, but even if that's true, I didn't enjoy seeing her lack of confidence and lack of experience.
I probably won't continue on with this detective series but I liked the author's storytelling enough that I'd be interested to try her backlist titles.
I'd recommend this mystery to readers looking for an ownvoices story with some diverse cultural elements.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I appreciated the cultural aspects of this mystery novel which lead to some interesting social commentary within the novel. As for the mystery setup, I thought the murder and case were compelling. I certainly felt for the young victim.
However I struggled with the main character. I have a preference for stong female characters and so this protagonist was not my kind of lady. Perhaps she is a realistic depiction of a new rookie female cop, but even if that's true, I didn't enjoy seeing her lack of confidence and lack of experience.
I probably won't continue on with this detective series but I liked the author's storytelling enough that I'd be interested to try her backlist titles.
I'd recommend this mystery to readers looking for an ownvoices story with some diverse cultural elements.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 11, 2022
My biggest regret. Requesting this book. It started out well with diverse characters and a promising plot. But once the author's political bias started to emerge, it was downhill from there. I could not read anymore after that and ended up not finishing the book. Too bad because the novel had promise if it were not for the insertion of politics into the equation.
I'm not going to rule out this author because I like her writing style. I'll probably read an earlier book of hers before I pass judgement. But for now, Blackwater Falls was a disappointing one star.
I received a digital review copy from Minotaur Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
I'm not going to rule out this author because I like her writing style. I'll probably read an earlier book of hers before I pass judgement. But for now, Blackwater Falls was a disappointing one star.
I received a digital review copy from Minotaur Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
June 14, 2022
I'm a big fan of Zehanat Khan's Rachel Getty and Esa Khattak detective series so I did actually drop everything to read this one when I got my hands on a galley. While we move from Canada to Colorado for this series, we once again get another fantastic pairing between two detectives. One of my favorite things about Zehanat Khan's writing is how different the characters are, even when containing many similarities. Immigrants and marginalized people so easily and constantly get painted and viewed as a monolith and it's comforting to not only avoid that in Zehanat Khan's novels but also find nuance.
The mystery is in a town in Colorado where a teen from a Syrian Muslim refugee family is found murdered and deliberately positioned in the local mosque. Detective Inaya Rahman—who comes with a past she's trying to shake and is sent to places with high complaints against officers—is investigating along with Lieutenant Waqas Seif. Rahman is American, half Afghan and half Pakistani with a loving family who may drive her up a wall sometimes and are split on supporting her career but are close and always there for her. Seif has been raising and supporting his two younger brothers and unlike Rahman keeps his culture/ethnicity to himself. Enter a motorcycle gang, the discovery of missing girls the police have done nothing to look for, and a community that isn't all welcoming and it's a race against time to figure out who is responsible.
If you're a fan of police procedurals don't miss this new series and getting to know Detective Inaya Rahman.
(TW scenes of assault to rip off a hijab/ racism, xenophobia, islamophobia/ police brutality stories / brief mention past domestic abuse, not graphic/ brief recount of groping, not graphic, mentions stalking/ scene in a meat packing plant)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://view.e.bookriot.com/?qs=0284f...
The mystery is in a town in Colorado where a teen from a Syrian Muslim refugee family is found murdered and deliberately positioned in the local mosque. Detective Inaya Rahman—who comes with a past she's trying to shake and is sent to places with high complaints against officers—is investigating along with Lieutenant Waqas Seif. Rahman is American, half Afghan and half Pakistani with a loving family who may drive her up a wall sometimes and are split on supporting her career but are close and always there for her. Seif has been raising and supporting his two younger brothers and unlike Rahman keeps his culture/ethnicity to himself. Enter a motorcycle gang, the discovery of missing girls the police have done nothing to look for, and a community that isn't all welcoming and it's a race against time to figure out who is responsible.
If you're a fan of police procedurals don't miss this new series and getting to know Detective Inaya Rahman.
(TW scenes of assault to rip off a hijab/ racism, xenophobia, islamophobia/ police brutality stories / brief mention past domestic abuse, not graphic/ brief recount of groping, not graphic, mentions stalking/ scene in a meat packing plant)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://view.e.bookriot.com/?qs=0284f...
November 19, 2022
Blackwater Falls is the initial book in a new series from Ausma Zehanat Khan, whose Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty Mysteries, set in Canada, became a favorite of mine. This new series features Inaya Rahman, part of the Community Response Unit of the Denver Police Department seconded to Blackwater Falls to work on a particularly grim murder, one staged as the crucifixion of a local Muslim high school student. Inaya herself is Muslim, as are other newcomers to the town, Somali refugees important to local businesses. Conflicts around race, gender and color are prominent among some elements in town.
Among the rest of the team are Lieutenant Seif, her superior, somewhat of an enigma at times especially in his dealings with Inaya; Catalina Rivera Hernandez, known as Cat, a third generation Chicana with knowledge of criminal psychology; and Jaime Webb, the junior on the team. The pool of suspects includes much of the town which has a sheriff’s department rife with corruption, a local church that doesn’t appear very welcoming of new people; and prominent industry and schools.
I enjoyed getting to know these new characters though there were a few hiccups. Some romantic elements might have been better left on the shelf for a later episode perhaps, though I realize some of these people are meant to have known each other for a while. Also, Seif’s behavior occasionally became unexplainable. Perhaps too much was attempted in the first book. But Khan did pull it out nicely and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Among the rest of the team are Lieutenant Seif, her superior, somewhat of an enigma at times especially in his dealings with Inaya; Catalina Rivera Hernandez, known as Cat, a third generation Chicana with knowledge of criminal psychology; and Jaime Webb, the junior on the team. The pool of suspects includes much of the town which has a sheriff’s department rife with corruption, a local church that doesn’t appear very welcoming of new people; and prominent industry and schools.
I enjoyed getting to know these new characters though there were a few hiccups. Some romantic elements might have been better left on the shelf for a later episode perhaps, though I realize some of these people are meant to have known each other for a while. Also, Seif’s behavior occasionally became unexplainable. Perhaps too much was attempted in the first book. But Khan did pull it out nicely and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
November 29, 2023
Possible Triggers: Extreme Violence
It seemed that almost the entire population of this small mountain town was Xenophobic and raciest. Not a place that anyone that didn't look like them and think like them was welcome in any way, shape or form. Needless to say, that tension was always high thanks to the evangelical, anti-immigrant Resurrection Church, and the motorcycle-riding vigilantes that called themselves "The Disciples". Members of several minority groups had filed multiple but useless complaints against the church...but thanks to its "Resurrection Church supporter, Sheriff Addison Grant and his like-minded deputies, they went into "file 13" never to be seen again or acted on in the first place. When the corpse of 16-year-old Syrian refugee, Razan Elkader is found stripped of her hijab and nailed to the door of her local mosque in a “gruesome representation of the crucifixion, the Denver Police Department’s Community Response Unit takes over the investigation. Led by Lt. Waqas Seif, the CRU’s mandate is to provide accountability and transparency to overpoliced communities. Seif taps Det. Inaya Rahman to head locally though she, her parents, and her younger sisters only moved to the area six months ago, and they worship at the Blackwater Mosque. Inaya has had prior experience working homicide with success. With the help from Det. Catalina Hernandez and civil rights attorney Areesha Adams, Inaya probes Razan’s murder while searching for two missing Somali girls whom Grant previously dismissed as runaways. Lots of immigrants mysteriously "disappear" from this town. Seif pushes back on efforts to implicate Grant, prompting Inaya to question his allegiance. The author's third-person narrative tells the story mostly from Inaya’s perspective, showing the difficult details of her struggles to fairly combine her faith with the realities of her law enforcement career. Occasional chapters from Seif’s point of view add context and help to heighten the tension. The mystery is very convoluted, and the characters are rampant with stereotypes. All that seems to lessen the tale’s impact that the author was obviously striving so diligently for...but Inaya's character is completely wonderful, complex, and compassionate. I believe that it will maybe be nearly impossible for readers, including myself, that have never experienced the prejudices and challenges that some people of different nationalities and religions have been subjected to will completely understand what the author is trying to show with this story...but they will see that those things are alive and thieving where we least expect them.
It seemed that almost the entire population of this small mountain town was Xenophobic and raciest. Not a place that anyone that didn't look like them and think like them was welcome in any way, shape or form. Needless to say, that tension was always high thanks to the evangelical, anti-immigrant Resurrection Church, and the motorcycle-riding vigilantes that called themselves "The Disciples". Members of several minority groups had filed multiple but useless complaints against the church...but thanks to its "Resurrection Church supporter, Sheriff Addison Grant and his like-minded deputies, they went into "file 13" never to be seen again or acted on in the first place. When the corpse of 16-year-old Syrian refugee, Razan Elkader is found stripped of her hijab and nailed to the door of her local mosque in a “gruesome representation of the crucifixion, the Denver Police Department’s Community Response Unit takes over the investigation. Led by Lt. Waqas Seif, the CRU’s mandate is to provide accountability and transparency to overpoliced communities. Seif taps Det. Inaya Rahman to head locally though she, her parents, and her younger sisters only moved to the area six months ago, and they worship at the Blackwater Mosque. Inaya has had prior experience working homicide with success. With the help from Det. Catalina Hernandez and civil rights attorney Areesha Adams, Inaya probes Razan’s murder while searching for two missing Somali girls whom Grant previously dismissed as runaways. Lots of immigrants mysteriously "disappear" from this town. Seif pushes back on efforts to implicate Grant, prompting Inaya to question his allegiance. The author's third-person narrative tells the story mostly from Inaya’s perspective, showing the difficult details of her struggles to fairly combine her faith with the realities of her law enforcement career. Occasional chapters from Seif’s point of view add context and help to heighten the tension. The mystery is very convoluted, and the characters are rampant with stereotypes. All that seems to lessen the tale’s impact that the author was obviously striving so diligently for...but Inaya's character is completely wonderful, complex, and compassionate. I believe that it will maybe be nearly impossible for readers, including myself, that have never experienced the prejudices and challenges that some people of different nationalities and religions have been subjected to will completely understand what the author is trying to show with this story...but they will see that those things are alive and thieving where we least expect them.
February 28, 2022
In the timely novel BLACKWATER FALLS by Ausma Zehanat Khan, a trio of women investigators face an onslaught of discrimination and racial tensions not only from within their own ranks but also their small-town community, making the task of solving two disappearances and the murder of a teenage girl incredibly dangerous. With multi-faceted characters you’ll cheer for, and a taut, propulsive storyline BLACKWATER FALLS is as surprising as it is evocative. This is crime fiction at its absolute finest.
Blackwater Falls
Blackwater Falls
April 13, 2023
4.5 stars. Was this created in a laboratory for me? No, but it could have been. By turns thrilling and astute, I found it thoroughly engrossing.
In Blackwater Falls, Detective Inaya Rahman investigates the murder of a young Syrian immigrant amid a backdrop of brutal yet painfully realistic bigotry, police corruption, religious fundamentalism, and potent industrial complexes. I loved so many things about this story! From the diverse cast of characters, particularly the strong and smart women, to Inaya's relationship with her family, to how her faith guided her. And, of course, her efforts to balance her ideals with her work. A very intriguing romantic subplot simmered on the backburner with her very intriguing boss, Lieutenant Waqas Seif.
Some parts were a bit clunky and sluggish, which is why I didn't round up to five stars. But consider me FULLY invested in this series.
In Blackwater Falls, Detective Inaya Rahman investigates the murder of a young Syrian immigrant amid a backdrop of brutal yet painfully realistic bigotry, police corruption, religious fundamentalism, and potent industrial complexes. I loved so many things about this story! From the diverse cast of characters, particularly the strong and smart women, to Inaya's relationship with her family, to how her faith guided her. And, of course, her efforts to balance her ideals with her work. A very intriguing romantic subplot simmered on the backburner with her very intriguing boss, Lieutenant Waqas Seif.
Some parts were a bit clunky and sluggish, which is why I didn't round up to five stars. But consider me FULLY invested in this series.
May 9, 2023
It's not often one wishes protagonists of a crime book were real people. In my case this has only ever happened with Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache and Frederique Molay's Paris Homocide series. So Ausma Zehanat Khan is in excellent company. Detective Inaya Rahman and Lieutenant Waqas Seif came alive for me while reading Blackwater Falls and I couldn't get enough of their dynamic. This is a book series I knew I'd be committing to for the long haul.
Blackwater falls managed to entertain and delve into some deep, heavy subjects which is not an easy feat. Inaya Rahman is fierce, driven, great at her job (the kind of female lead I absolutely love) but the story also allows us to join her on the journey of exploring her identity and searching for a place/space of belonging. Ausma Zehanat Khan skilfully incorporates themes of ethnic/religious identities especially in the context of (both overt and covert) racism and discrimination. Amidst murder and mayhem, Inaya's friendship with attorney Areesha Adams and Detective Catalina Hernandez was such a grounding, stabilizing element and I was there for it.
This book is perfect for fans of beautifully written police procedurals/murder mysteries with the right balance of character development and well paced plot. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on Blood Betrayal (book #2) and not just because Lieutenant Waqas Seif is my new book boyfriend.
A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
Blackwater falls managed to entertain and delve into some deep, heavy subjects which is not an easy feat. Inaya Rahman is fierce, driven, great at her job (the kind of female lead I absolutely love) but the story also allows us to join her on the journey of exploring her identity and searching for a place/space of belonging. Ausma Zehanat Khan skilfully incorporates themes of ethnic/religious identities especially in the context of (both overt and covert) racism and discrimination. Amidst murder and mayhem, Inaya's friendship with attorney Areesha Adams and Detective Catalina Hernandez was such a grounding, stabilizing element and I was there for it.
This book is perfect for fans of beautifully written police procedurals/murder mysteries with the right balance of character development and well paced plot. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on Blood Betrayal (book #2) and not just because Lieutenant Waqas Seif is my new book boyfriend.
A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
November 7, 2022
I wanted to like this book, but I was really frustrated by how little trust the author has in the reader's ability to interpret. I am HERE for a social justice narrative. Absolutely. I am not here to have every thought a character has or sentence they say interpreted for me. Honestly, it's infantilizing to have so much "explained" to us. When refugee characters speak about not belonging or not being able to find work, we already know racism is at play. We don't need the extra interruptions by the narrator to ensure we know what is happening. Being constantly told the message of the book made for a frustrating and pedantic reading experience. It's really too bad because I was genuinely interested in the story and the characters; I am not interested in a lecture. Please don't tell me when the "teachable moments" are happening. I'm 100% sure I can find them myself. Thanks.
January 17, 2025
What an amazing book and an amazing way to start the series! A crime fiction book that packs an impact and that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
August 12, 2022
Meet Detective Inaya Rahman, She is a American, half Afghan and half Pakistani descent and part of a police program to ensure vulnerable people are treated fairly by the police. She is called into take over for a sheriff in Blackwater falls where multiple girls from the community have been disappearing. Most recently a Syrian teenager that fled Aleppo with her family, has been found murdered and deliberty displayed in a mosque. Rahman is dealing her own professional issues, as well as personal issues with her traditional parents. She needs to make this case work for her career as well as for the young women.
Inaya works with her colleagues Areesha and Catalina to ensure that the mystery is solved - it is a complex race against time introducing many different characters of varied races, background and beliefs. Super enjoyable, interesting and thrilling! If you like strong female characters, multifaceted, multicultural characters and mysteries focusing on current topical events, Blackwater Falls is for you!
#StMartinsPRess #AusmaZehanatKhan #BlackwaterFalls #Netgalley
Inaya works with her colleagues Areesha and Catalina to ensure that the mystery is solved - it is a complex race against time introducing many different characters of varied races, background and beliefs. Super enjoyable, interesting and thrilling! If you like strong female characters, multifaceted, multicultural characters and mysteries focusing on current topical events, Blackwater Falls is for you!
#StMartinsPRess #AusmaZehanatKhan #BlackwaterFalls #Netgalley
April 4, 2023
What an actual disappointment! This felt way too long, and I literally cannot believe that this is from a seasoned author - it reads like an inexperienced debut author. I get what she was doing, and I think this book could’ve been so much better. It just had too many unrealistic over-the-top action scenes/forced plot moments, and trying to address so many issues that it made the book disjointed. I was hoping for so much more.
October 20, 2022
This is the first book in the Detective Inaya Rahman series, and it is a good one. This new detective has moved to Blackwater Falls after a traumatic experience at a police department in a large city. The book deals with a lot of issues facing Muslims - hate crimes, refugee issues, and religious issues/biases.
A girl is murdered and displayed on the door of a mosque. Detective Rahman of the Community Response Team is sent to the scene and immediately faces obstacles thrown up by the local Sheriff and his team. The Community Response Team will be the lead on this case, but the Sheriff tries to assert his presence and power.
There's a lot going on in this story than just one murdered girl and it is a very complex situation involving politics, maybe dirty cops, and prejudices. I feel I learned more about some of the problems facing Muslims and refugees from other countries. The characters in the book are well developed and I liked Detective Rahman as well as the Muslim attorney. I did find the scenes in the meat packing plant kind of nauseating, but to be expected from meat packing.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 8, 2022.
A girl is murdered and displayed on the door of a mosque. Detective Rahman of the Community Response Team is sent to the scene and immediately faces obstacles thrown up by the local Sheriff and his team. The Community Response Team will be the lead on this case, but the Sheriff tries to assert his presence and power.
There's a lot going on in this story than just one murdered girl and it is a very complex situation involving politics, maybe dirty cops, and prejudices. I feel I learned more about some of the problems facing Muslims and refugees from other countries. The characters in the book are well developed and I liked Detective Rahman as well as the Muslim attorney. I did find the scenes in the meat packing plant kind of nauseating, but to be expected from meat packing.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 8, 2022.
Want to read
January 8, 2021January 08, 2021: a Muslim investigator looks into the death of a young immigrant woman? this crime series is going to be so good, I can feel it.
November 1, 2022
*Netgalley Audiobook
I liked the audio narrator on this one.
The story put a spotlight on the treatment that people of color receive when they are victims but also officers of the law or in power positions. It was written in such a way that it was productive and didn’t have heavy political or accusatory tones. It’s was more like…here is good, interesting story and also…society you need to do better. I appreciated that. There are so many books that are overly political and it can sometimes take away from the overall story.
So I think this was well done and stayed true to the point of the story while still giving insight into other cultures that people may not be as familiar with and the obstacles they overcome just to exist in the US.
I liked the audio narrator on this one.
The story put a spotlight on the treatment that people of color receive when they are victims but also officers of the law or in power positions. It was written in such a way that it was productive and didn’t have heavy political or accusatory tones. It’s was more like…here is good, interesting story and also…society you need to do better. I appreciated that. There are so many books that are overly political and it can sometimes take away from the overall story.
So I think this was well done and stayed true to the point of the story while still giving insight into other cultures that people may not be as familiar with and the obstacles they overcome just to exist in the US.
October 30, 2022
What a great start to a new detective/mystery series! The setting is the Denver, Colorado area, specifically a town named Blackwater Falls. There is a large immigrant/refugee population there, specifically a lot of Muslim newcomers, from Somalia and elsewhere, and that has exacerbated racial and religious tensions in the area, which is dominated by an evangelical Christian megachurch. Enter a squad from the Denver Police Department called the Community Response Unit. They have been instructed to take over an investigation from the local Blackwater Falls sheriff, who has had a lot of community complaints. To add to the tension, we have a female Muslim police officer with this CRU. So on top of all the other issues creating tension, we add misogyny.
I loved the characters of Inaya Rahman, the Muslim police detective, and her boss, Seif, who has downplayed/hidden his Middle Eastern heritage. They make quite an interesting pair. I really enjoyed several of the side characters as well, such as Cat (Caterina) Hernandez, Inaya’s partner, and Areesha Adams, a black community activist lawyer.
The story is heartbreaking is so many ways. A young Muslim Syrian refugee has been murdered and has been found “posed” in a very unusual way. There were a lot of twists and turns that kept both me and my husband guessing, as we listened to the audiobook on a long car ride. (I also had a copy of the ebook and consulted it in the evenings to make sure I hadn’t missed anything while we were listening - due to traffic, distractions, etc. - which also helped me with the spelling of a lot of the names involved. Grant and Brandt, for instance, sounds a lot alike!) The author included a lot of information on the cultural and religious practices of Muslims, as practiced by families from Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan or Pakistan, and we enjoyed the occasional use of an Arabic word or phrase, feeling that it added to the authenticity of the story. And the food descriptions made our mouths water!
Something that never got resolved in our minds involved Inaya’s family: we were confused as to why they lived in the area and were seemingly immersed in the community, as the story kept emphasizing that Inaya was new to the area. Did they follow her from Chicago to Denver? Maybe we missed something! The other thing that bothered us was the feeling that a recent immigrant like Razan would never have been granted a fellowship at such a company dealing with such security-sensitive programs. One of our sons had a similar internship while in college and he had to jump through a lot of security hoops just to be able to set foot in the place, so that whole setup seemed very unlikely to us.
While we still had these questions at the end of the book, overall it was a really good story and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
Warnings: The book espouses a particular point of view (politically speaking), so this may annoy some readers, as well as parts that can be construed as anti-evangelicalism. In addition, there is racism, misogyny, anti-immigrant sentiment/xenophobia, police brutality, etc.
The audiobook was narrated beautifully by Fareeda Pasha.
Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I loved the characters of Inaya Rahman, the Muslim police detective, and her boss, Seif, who has downplayed/hidden his Middle Eastern heritage. They make quite an interesting pair. I really enjoyed several of the side characters as well, such as Cat (Caterina) Hernandez, Inaya’s partner, and Areesha Adams, a black community activist lawyer.
The story is heartbreaking is so many ways. A young Muslim Syrian refugee has been murdered and has been found “posed” in a very unusual way. There were a lot of twists and turns that kept both me and my husband guessing, as we listened to the audiobook on a long car ride. (I also had a copy of the ebook and consulted it in the evenings to make sure I hadn’t missed anything while we were listening - due to traffic, distractions, etc. - which also helped me with the spelling of a lot of the names involved. Grant and Brandt, for instance, sounds a lot alike!) The author included a lot of information on the cultural and religious practices of Muslims, as practiced by families from Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan or Pakistan, and we enjoyed the occasional use of an Arabic word or phrase, feeling that it added to the authenticity of the story. And the food descriptions made our mouths water!
Something that never got resolved in our minds involved Inaya’s family: we were confused as to why they lived in the area and were seemingly immersed in the community, as the story kept emphasizing that Inaya was new to the area. Did they follow her from Chicago to Denver? Maybe we missed something! The other thing that bothered us was the feeling that a recent immigrant like Razan would never have been granted a fellowship at such a company dealing with such security-sensitive programs. One of our sons had a similar internship while in college and he had to jump through a lot of security hoops just to be able to set foot in the place, so that whole setup seemed very unlikely to us.
While we still had these questions at the end of the book, overall it was a really good story and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
Warnings: The book espouses a particular point of view (politically speaking), so this may annoy some readers, as well as parts that can be construed as anti-evangelicalism. In addition, there is racism, misogyny, anti-immigrant sentiment/xenophobia, police brutality, etc.
The audiobook was narrated beautifully by Fareeda Pasha.
Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 11, 2022
A brilliant start to a new mystery/crime/thriller series!
August 4, 2022
This is a tough one. I've read all of Khan's Khattak/Getty mystery series and really enjoyed them. In this book and the previous series, Khan skillfully writes about being Muslim, the community and balancing that with police work. This one is especially relevant because of police accountability (or lack thereof), the rise of white supremacists and the perpetual issue of missing BIPOC girls, whose disappearances don't get investigated.
Representation matters, but only if it's thoughtful and not a stereotype. Here, there are two East Asian women, who are just so stereotypically depicted. One is the principal and the other is the second in command of a corporation. Both are one dimensional and really come off as the inscrutable oriental and borderline dragon lady. And, given the town of Blackwater Falls, and the supporters of the private school. I really doubt that that character would be principal. Given the rise of AAPI hate crimes this last year, these stereotypical depictions are disappointing especially since Khan handles other issues with religious diversity and BLM so well. It's also not related in historical truth where AAPI have allied with various civil rights leaders, which is often overlooked (see Yuri Kochiyama, Helen Zia and Grace Lee Boggs for historical references).
I am just so disappointed, overall.
Representation matters, but only if it's thoughtful and not a stereotype. Here, there are two East Asian women, who are just so stereotypically depicted. One is the principal and the other is the second in command of a corporation. Both are one dimensional and really come off as the inscrutable oriental and borderline dragon lady. And, given the town of Blackwater Falls, and the supporters of the private school. I really doubt that that character would be principal. Given the rise of AAPI hate crimes this last year, these stereotypical depictions are disappointing especially since Khan handles other issues with religious diversity and BLM so well. It's also not related in historical truth where AAPI have allied with various civil rights leaders, which is often overlooked (see Yuri Kochiyama, Helen Zia and Grace Lee Boggs for historical references).
I am just so disappointed, overall.
January 25, 2023
To put it simply, this book is about a Muslim girl found dead and a town rife with prejudice of all kinds.
I loved the beginning of this book, but it really slowed down for me about halfway through and it became a little bit too complicated and convoluted for it’s own good (just in my opinion!)
There are SO many characters in this book. Usually that can work well for me but it just became overwhelming and confusing, unfortunately, in this one. I will note I did this on audiobook, so maybe that was part of it?
Last, but not least this is for some reason marketed as a thriller? It’s definitely more of a literary mystery! There was still a lot I loved about this book unfortunately, just fell a bit short in the end.
I loved the beginning of this book, but it really slowed down for me about halfway through and it became a little bit too complicated and convoluted for it’s own good (just in my opinion!)
There are SO many characters in this book. Usually that can work well for me but it just became overwhelming and confusing, unfortunately, in this one. I will note I did this on audiobook, so maybe that was part of it?
Last, but not least this is for some reason marketed as a thriller? It’s definitely more of a literary mystery! There was still a lot I loved about this book unfortunately, just fell a bit short in the end.
November 29, 2022
I thought this book tried too hard to be confrontational and whipping up Islamophobia, MAGA hysteria, and antipathy towards the defense industry and police. Too much going on in the plot with several undercover operatives unbeknownst to each other. I found some of the developments in the plot unrealistic to include the duplicity and repression of sexuality. And where was the media? That so much craziness was going on in this gorgeous mountain community was implausible.
Read
December 21, 2023A rich, nuanced procedural that deals with timely issues of police corruption, community policing, racism, intersectionality, and anti-immigrant discrimination.
June 11, 2024
This is a unique police procedural that deals with serious topics such as racial and religious prejudice and police corruption and violence. Detective Inaya Rahman is assigned to the horrifying killing of a Syrian student, Razan Elkader. During the investigation, Inaya must deal with the prejudices of the local citizens towards the victim and herself because they're Muslims. I enjoyed getting to know Inaya and learning about her culture through the scenes with her parents and sisters, and would like to read the next book in the series.
I'm glad I read the book and found it suspenseful and informative. Of all the people I suspected in Razan's death, I was surprised when the truth was revealed. However, it will not be for everyone because of the horrific nature of Razan's death and the detailed descriptions of violence throughout the book. 4.5 stars
I'm glad I read the book and found it suspenseful and informative. Of all the people I suspected in Razan's death, I was surprised when the truth was revealed. However, it will not be for everyone because of the horrific nature of Razan's death and the detailed descriptions of violence throughout the book. 4.5 stars
June 21, 2024
I liked this, but I don't think I'll be reading on in the series.
[3.5 stars]
[3.5 stars]
September 23, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for giving me an arc to review! Also big thanks to @kahaneewitches for posting about this book on their Instagram stories. I was immediately hooked when I saw the main character is a Muslim detective and just knew I needed to read it!
I don’t read adult mystery/thriller all that much. A lot of the mystery books I’ve read are historical fiction/mystery or more ya contemporary mystery/thriller, so I was excited to see what I would think.
To start off with, the plot of this book and the actual mystery was very complex with lots of twists and turns I was not expecting. And I loved every second of it! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved getting to know the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of Blackwater Falls. In a way, you kind of get to be Inaya as the reader. Inaya is pretty new to Blackwater Falls, so as the reader, you both go on this journey of learning the secrets the town and its people are hiding. The book was fast-paced and I couldn’t put it down. And instead of focusing on just one mystery—of Razan’s murder—we also get swept up in the disappearance of two Black Muslim girls, plus the ongoing investigation happening with Sheriff Grant. It’s all interconnected but also a confusing mess, but in a good way! I miss that when it comes to books. The delicious complexity of a plot really made me realize I need to read more adult fiction.
Inaya is part Pakistani and part Afghani. Her relationship with her family was so relatable it kind of hurt lol. Her younger sisters are “fashionable” and into boys, whereas Inaya is focused on her work and the murder of Razan. We have a whole scene in chapter ten of the book where Inaya’s mom tries to convince her to see this rishta and goes on a whole spiel about how important it is to get married, and how Inaya’s younger sisters can’t get married until she does, and she’s getting older now, etc etc. Like I said, painfully relatable. I do wish we got to see more moments of Inaya with her family. Her baba is honestly the best, sweetest, kindest man alive. To see someone in her family be so supportive of her dreams and her career made me emotional. And it was a nice balance when it came to her mom’s persistence.
One thing I think this book does well is address the complexities when it comes to being a visible minority while working in a system that is known for its systemic racism and violence. I hate the police. With a passion. And this book will make you hate them even more. But what’s difficult is seeing how Inaya is hated by members of her community for being on the “wrong side” and working within this system to try and bring people justice. It’s complicated and honestly I don’t know how I feel about it either. In one way, it makes sense that since we can’t immediately defund the police, having people who represent the community working within the system could be a way to make change. But at the same time, we’ve seen visible minorities working among the police and seen how they suppress their background and differences to fit in and be like everyone else. Seif, Inaya’s boss, is one such example since he’s white passing and also has twisted his name and past to suit his purposes. So all in all, it’s hard to say who’s right and who’s wrong and if the Community Response Unit is the way to go with dealing with police brutality and misconduct. I don’t think I’m educated enough on this topic to have a proper opinion, but I appreciate that this was addressed rather than ignoring it entirely.
Another interesting aspect of this book is the difference in how the disappearance of two Black Muslim girls is treated vs. Razan’s more public murder (as a white-skinned Syrian). Another thing I was glad was addressed and Areesha is definitely going to be a character many people will fall in love with. (I’m also obsessed with her fashion sense).
I do want to address a couple things though. I think this book needs trigger warnings, and I really hope the publisher sees this and can add this before the book is published. This book is disturbing and hard to read at times. We get Razan’s refugee backstory, the systemic racism and discrimination Muslim and refugee members of the Blackwater community are going through, plus there are two scenes where characters get their hijabs ripped off while being filmed and terrorized by white men. There’s also physical assault and what I would take to be sexual assault just the way they were touching the women.
The chapters in particular are: 18 and 53
While I’ve never personally experienced the horror that these two scenes describe, I think it’s a common fear for a lot of hijab-wearing Muslims. That and it being Muharram and my mind being back in Karbala when the women in the Prophet’s family were stripped of their hijabs, physically abused, and marched through the streets of Damascus…I was not mentally ready to be reading something like this. It was really difficult and triggering and I had to take a break from reading before continuing on. The only other scene that triggered me was something that was more personal and specific to my experiences, so I won’t mention anything except if you’ve had bad experiences when it comes to rishtas and matchmaking, that’s something you should have a heads up on.
While I loved so much of this book, the one thing that just didn’t work for me was the romance. I was not a big fan. Inaya is religious. She doesn’t hide her faith, even though she doesn’t wear hijab anymore. And Seif…well he’s the complete opposite. I think the first proper pov we get for him he’s completely smitten and it feels out of nowhere, especially considering he knows Inaya is Muslim and practicing, whereas he’s not just the complete opposite, but he’s also pretending to be white in front of everyone else. It just didn’t work for me and felt awkward and almost one-sided. While Inaya is interested in Seif and her sisters keep hinting at the possible romance there, Inaya didn’t seem to feel the same way. And Seif’s commentary about Inaya and her beautiful hair and dark eyes…and we even get a moment when he’s “filled with lust” just made me uncomfortable. One thing I did like was how Inaya stays firm in her beliefs, and while it seems like Seif could be on the bridge of change for future books, I don’t know if how I feel about the two of them together changes much. It might be more me than anything. But I would have loved this book more without the romance since there’s already so much going on plot wise.
The end of this book did surprise me a little. I can never really guess mysteries lol so I’m always surprised. I’m not sure how I feel about all of it though, but it did tie things up well. The very last chapter was absolutely heartbreaking though and I almost cried.
Another difficult book to rate, but I think I’m going to give it 3.75/5 stars. I am interested to see what happens next since there are still some loose ends, and I did love Cat and Areesha and Inaya’s family a lot. Though I’m not sure if I’ll be rushing to pick up the next book.
I don’t read adult mystery/thriller all that much. A lot of the mystery books I’ve read are historical fiction/mystery or more ya contemporary mystery/thriller, so I was excited to see what I would think.
To start off with, the plot of this book and the actual mystery was very complex with lots of twists and turns I was not expecting. And I loved every second of it! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved getting to know the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of Blackwater Falls. In a way, you kind of get to be Inaya as the reader. Inaya is pretty new to Blackwater Falls, so as the reader, you both go on this journey of learning the secrets the town and its people are hiding. The book was fast-paced and I couldn’t put it down. And instead of focusing on just one mystery—of Razan’s murder—we also get swept up in the disappearance of two Black Muslim girls, plus the ongoing investigation happening with Sheriff Grant. It’s all interconnected but also a confusing mess, but in a good way! I miss that when it comes to books. The delicious complexity of a plot really made me realize I need to read more adult fiction.
Inaya is part Pakistani and part Afghani. Her relationship with her family was so relatable it kind of hurt lol. Her younger sisters are “fashionable” and into boys, whereas Inaya is focused on her work and the murder of Razan. We have a whole scene in chapter ten of the book where Inaya’s mom tries to convince her to see this rishta and goes on a whole spiel about how important it is to get married, and how Inaya’s younger sisters can’t get married until she does, and she’s getting older now, etc etc. Like I said, painfully relatable. I do wish we got to see more moments of Inaya with her family. Her baba is honestly the best, sweetest, kindest man alive. To see someone in her family be so supportive of her dreams and her career made me emotional. And it was a nice balance when it came to her mom’s persistence.
One thing I think this book does well is address the complexities when it comes to being a visible minority while working in a system that is known for its systemic racism and violence. I hate the police. With a passion. And this book will make you hate them even more. But what’s difficult is seeing how Inaya is hated by members of her community for being on the “wrong side” and working within this system to try and bring people justice. It’s complicated and honestly I don’t know how I feel about it either. In one way, it makes sense that since we can’t immediately defund the police, having people who represent the community working within the system could be a way to make change. But at the same time, we’ve seen visible minorities working among the police and seen how they suppress their background and differences to fit in and be like everyone else. Seif, Inaya’s boss, is one such example since he’s white passing and also has twisted his name and past to suit his purposes. So all in all, it’s hard to say who’s right and who’s wrong and if the Community Response Unit is the way to go with dealing with police brutality and misconduct. I don’t think I’m educated enough on this topic to have a proper opinion, but I appreciate that this was addressed rather than ignoring it entirely.
Another interesting aspect of this book is the difference in how the disappearance of two Black Muslim girls is treated vs. Razan’s more public murder (as a white-skinned Syrian). Another thing I was glad was addressed and Areesha is definitely going to be a character many people will fall in love with. (I’m also obsessed with her fashion sense).
I do want to address a couple things though. I think this book needs trigger warnings, and I really hope the publisher sees this and can add this before the book is published. This book is disturbing and hard to read at times. We get Razan’s refugee backstory, the systemic racism and discrimination Muslim and refugee members of the Blackwater community are going through, plus there are two scenes where characters get their hijabs ripped off while being filmed and terrorized by white men. There’s also physical assault and what I would take to be sexual assault just the way they were touching the women.
The chapters in particular are: 18 and 53
While I’ve never personally experienced the horror that these two scenes describe, I think it’s a common fear for a lot of hijab-wearing Muslims. That and it being Muharram and my mind being back in Karbala when the women in the Prophet’s family were stripped of their hijabs, physically abused, and marched through the streets of Damascus…I was not mentally ready to be reading something like this. It was really difficult and triggering and I had to take a break from reading before continuing on. The only other scene that triggered me was something that was more personal and specific to my experiences, so I won’t mention anything except if you’ve had bad experiences when it comes to rishtas and matchmaking, that’s something you should have a heads up on.
While I loved so much of this book, the one thing that just didn’t work for me was the romance. I was not a big fan. Inaya is religious. She doesn’t hide her faith, even though she doesn’t wear hijab anymore. And Seif…well he’s the complete opposite. I think the first proper pov we get for him he’s completely smitten and it feels out of nowhere, especially considering he knows Inaya is Muslim and practicing, whereas he’s not just the complete opposite, but he’s also pretending to be white in front of everyone else. It just didn’t work for me and felt awkward and almost one-sided. While Inaya is interested in Seif and her sisters keep hinting at the possible romance there, Inaya didn’t seem to feel the same way. And Seif’s commentary about Inaya and her beautiful hair and dark eyes…and we even get a moment when he’s “filled with lust” just made me uncomfortable. One thing I did like was how Inaya stays firm in her beliefs, and while it seems like Seif could be on the bridge of change for future books, I don’t know if how I feel about the two of them together changes much. It might be more me than anything. But I would have loved this book more without the romance since there’s already so much going on plot wise.
The end of this book did surprise me a little. I can never really guess mysteries lol so I’m always surprised. I’m not sure how I feel about all of it though, but it did tie things up well. The very last chapter was absolutely heartbreaking though and I almost cried.
Another difficult book to rate, but I think I’m going to give it 3.75/5 stars. I am interested to see what happens next since there are still some loose ends, and I did love Cat and Areesha and Inaya’s family a lot. Though I’m not sure if I’ll be rushing to pick up the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2022
(free review copy) Whew. This story is a powerful murder mystery set in an immigrant community near Denver with police corruption / brutality, and incredibly powerful anti-immigration sentiment being displayed by so many people in the community. It's a story of class and race and religion that held zero punches in its description of the brutality waged against minority populations. This normally isn't the type of book I listen to because my brain is so sensitive to trauma in this medium, but the narration was excellent and it kept me fully engaged for 2 long days of driving. I'm so happy we have this addition to the murder mystery genre, as often it seems like it's the same white-focused story written by the same white people over and over again. Please do take care with this story as there is so much hatred and abuse toward immigrants and people of faiths other than Christianity ~ know your limits before going in.
Source: free audio review copy from Libro.fm
Source: free audio review copy from Libro.fm
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