WINNER OF THE NEBULA AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
WINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL
ONE OF THE GUARDIAN’S TOP TEN 21ST CENTURY FANTASY NOVELS

‘Clever, wickedly fun . . . with an excellent balance of humour and heart. I loved it’ S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, Al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world fifty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be Al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city – or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems . . .

P. Djèlì Clark is the winner of the Nebula, Locus, and Alex Awards and has been shortlisted for the Hugo Award.