What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

The main character acts as a bodyguard in a middle east city. He gets pulled into the case by representing a dancer that wants out of her contract with a powerful businessman. They get another respected businessman to mediate and his word will be final. During the negotiation they sit down for small talk and coffee and the bodyguard explains that the main part of the meeting can not start until they have all had at least three cups of coffee and asked about each member of their families health. The book explain much of the history behind the culture of their day-to-day lives like when someone says "If it is God's Will".

After starting the investigation they get involved with three sisters (maybe witches) that also end up getting hurt or killed. It is set in the current day and there is some supernatural elements to the story. It takes place somewhere in the middle east, where most of the culture is traditional maybe Islamic.

Finding Nouf Could it be "Finding Nouf"?

Debra wrote: "Finding Nouf Could it be "Finding Nouf"?"
Nope, but thanks.

Sam, are you still looking for this?

Yes. Any ideas?

Nothing concrete. Would you call it a thriller? What year did you read it? What did the cover look like?

Sorry for the late response. I m still looking for this. I can't remember the cover. It was a strange mix of supernatural and detective story. I read it in the last five years but I don't know how old the book is. Unfortunately my library did not have reading histories available at this time although they do now. I have looked at the library and Amazon without any luck.

Sam, what kind of dancer is she and where does she perform?

Can you tell us more about the supernatural elements? (Spoilers are okay, just give us a warning first.)

Sorry but the details are beginning to fade. I think she was maybe a belly dancer. Don't think she was a prostitute.

Is it When Gravity Fails?

I just read the Wiki Paige on “When Gravity Fails” and this is not the book I was looking for, but thanks for the recommendation. I love Cyberpunk and have not read this yet.

Sam

The Wiki page doesn't mention it, but there's dancer/prostitute(?) Nikki who wants out of her contract and asks Marîd to negotiate for her, there's the mediating scene with the coffee and the talk:
You just can't expect business to start immediately, not until you'd drunk at least three cups of coffee. If you declined sooner, you risked insulting your host. All the while the coffee- and tea-drinking was going on, Hassan and I asked after the health of the other's family and friends, and called on Allah to bless this one and that one and protect all of us...

The three sisters were Nikki's roommates/friends(?), who beat him because she disappears and they think he is guilty? And (view spoiler)[ then they are killed, I think one by one (hide spoiler)]

Sam wrote: "The book explain much of the history behind the culture of their day-to-day lives like when someone says "If it is God's Will"..."

I looked at the google book (I read it some time ago and memory is not very strong) and that is probably inshallah:
The most frequent expression in the Muslim world is inshallah, if God wills. It removes all guilt: blame it on Allah. If the oasis dries up and blows away, it was Allah's will. If you get caught sleeping with your brother's wife, it was Allah's will.

...“Inshallah,” said the doctor. “As God wills.”...

I just started reading When Gravity Fails, and This is the book. Thanks so much.