The Night of the Mi'raj

I very much enjoyed The Night of the Mi'raj by Zoe Ferraris which is set in Saudi Arabia.  A pregnant teenage girl, Nouf, is murdered in the desert.  She comes from a wealthy family and was soon to be married.  One of her brothers asks his friend Nayir to investigate, as the coroner and the family have deemed her death "accidental drowning".  Nayir works with forensic scientist, Katya, to learn the truth behind Nouf's death.  As well as the story of the investigation, the book gives an insight into the culture of the Saudis which is very repressive towards women and intolerant to what are seen as "moral crimes".  It is understandable that some women if they have the means would seek a way out. 4/5