Death of an Effendi (Mamur Zapt Mysteries, 12)

The Mamur Zapt, British head of security, is a compassionate man who loves Egypt. Enjoy

Excellent story. Very interesting. Accurate historically.Need to have the entire series available.

Enjoyable read....must have more!

Fun murder mystery!

for college

The twelfth Mamur Zapt mystery, _Death of an Effendi_ is original and clever - one of the better stories in the series. At its core, it is a financial mystery, which is a new take on the genre, one in which I enjoyed tremendously. A foreign gentleman ("effendi") has been murdered, the motive apparently his connection to the world of international finance. As Peacre puts it, "In the world of low finance, you couldn't get away with anything. In the world of high finance, you could - sometimes - get away with murder." With this premise, Pearce takes readers into the complex nature of Egypt under the Khedive - ostensibly an independent state, but one closely managed and strongly influenced by Britain, whose excuse for (almost) governing Egypt was, on the surface, financial.In the previous Mamur Zapt mysteries, the tension between Egptian governance and British oversight (and governance) was ever present. Even the Mamur Zapt himself is an embodiment of this: the title and office are an Ottoman one, acting as chief of the political police; the person in that office, the fictional Gareth Owen, is a Welsh captain in the British army, put there by the British government. In _Death of an Effendi_, this tension comes front and center: where exactly do the loyalties of Owen lie -wIth the title and job description, or with those who placed him in the office in the first place? In wrestling with this convergence of interests, the Mamur Zapt must also delve into the world of finance to discover the connections and motives behind the murder and to find those responsible.The fictional plot points of the crime and the protagonist are brilliantly interwoven with larger factual issues: the immense agricultural potential of the Fayoum, of Egyptian national interests, and of course of the economic and political interests of the Great Powers, each seeking to beneift (as has Britain) at the expense of Egypt, each nation protected by the "capitulations" granting special legal privlidges to foreigners.As with the earlier books in the series, Pearce has a remarkable eye for the details of life in Egypt, and the interplay between characters and their motives (be it political, financial or romantic) is witty and clever. What makes _Death of an Effendi_ such a good read is the seamless manner in which history and fiction are blended together. Even though this story is well into the series, if you were to read only one of the books featuring the Mamur Zapt, this would be my recommendation.

In 1909 Egypt the Mamur Zapt, Gareth Owen, joins several VIPs on a shoot that makes him feel like a duck out of water as most of the effendi attending are financiers or royals. However, during the gala, someone shoots the Russian Tvardovsky. As expected by his position, Owen begins to investigate to determine whether the death was an accident or a homicide with his only clue being that the foreign victim discussed crocodiles in Egypt.Prince Fuad interferes with the Mamur Zapt inquiries trying to insure that an accident is reported if he cannot stop the investigation. However, Gareth continues to look into the matter with the diligence he always brings to his job though he worries about the repercussions from the royals, especially how Fuad will react. Fuad increases the pressure for Owen to conduct a sham, but he refuses.The Mamur Zapt series consistently provide some of the best early twentieth century police procedural tales on the market. The latest entry, DEATH OF AN EFFENDI, is a fabulous tale that as usual provides an intriguing glimpse at Egypt in 1909 where foreigners heavily influence what happens to the country. The investigation is top of the line as Gareth struggles with Prince Fuad's reluctance and with potential witnesses fearful of alienating foreigners and or the Mamur Zapt. Fans of historical mysteries will appreciate this tale that brings to life a bygone era whose impact remains strong almost a century later.Harriet Klausner

I liked it and will probably buy more by Michael Pearce,.Entertaining and reminded me of my egypian chilhood