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Rachel Getty & Esa Khattak #5
A Deadly Divide
From the critically acclaimed author Ausma Zehanat Khan, A Deadly Divide is the devastatingly powerful new thriller featuring beloved series detectives Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty.
In the aftermath of a mass shooting at a mosque in Quebec, the local police apprehend Amadou Duchon—a young Muslim man at the scene helping the wounded—but release Etienne Roy, the local priest who was found with a weapon in his hands.
The shooting looks like a hate crime, but detectives Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty sense there is more to the story. Sent to liaise with a community in the grip of fear, they find themselves in fraught new territory, fueled by the panic and suspicion exploited by a right-wing radio host.
As Rachel and Esa grapple to stop tensions shutting the case down entirely, all the time, someone is pointing Esa in another direction, a shadowy presence who anticipates his every move.
A Deadly Divide is a piercingly observed, gripping thriller that reveals the fractures that try to tear us all from the once-tight partnership between detectives Esa and Rachel, to the truth about a deeply divided nation.
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2019
61 people are currently reading
844 people want to read
About the author
Ausma Zehanat Khan
16 books921 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
October 31, 2019
This is the latest in Ausma Zehanat Khan's exceptional and thought provoking crime series set in Toronto, Canada, featuring the community policing detectives, the Muslim Esa Khattak and the Jewish Rachel Getty. This addition so often reads less like fiction and more like the terrors of our real life contemporary world and is indeed inspired by actual events. When a horrifying mass shooting takes place at a mosque in the small town of Saint-Isidore-du-Lac in Quebec, Esa and Rachel are dispatched to act as community liaison and be part of the investigating community police team. The atmosphere is febrile, volatile and out of control, as Esa and Rachel find themselves in a divided community, where racism, prejudice, bigotry, right wing radio hosts and the presence of white supremacist locals add incendiary elements to the fear, panic, sorrow and grief of a community tragedy.
The police themselves are not free of aspects of these dark and disturbing elements, threatening the integrity of the police investigation in a situation where little is as it appears. The shooter remains at large, a local Catholic priest, Etienne Roy, is found with a gun, yet is let go, whilst an Arabic speaking paramedic of an African background, Amadou Duchon, helping casualties, is arrested as a suspect. It is unsurprising that Esa should find himself under such great pressure and danger, given the nature of the conflicts laid bare in this novel. Matters escalate so much that it raises the question of his continuing role in community policing in the future. Rachel feels for Esa, whilst having to face challenges that push her to develop as a person.
Khan's latest addition is powerful and hard hitting, examining the outpouring of hate that so blights our troubled world, far beyond a small town in Canada. In this graphically realistic, complex and depressing portrayal of a mass shooting and a small town community, Khan focuses on the issues of race, religion, politics, culture, community and wider society that give rise to such horror with an acutely observant eye. This is a truly gripping read, could not be more relevant, although I admit to not being so keen on some of the romantic elements in the story. If you are looking for well written, brilliant and intelligent crime fiction with great characters, then I highly recommend this wonderful series. Many thanks to No Exit Press and Oldcastle Books for an ARC.
The police themselves are not free of aspects of these dark and disturbing elements, threatening the integrity of the police investigation in a situation where little is as it appears. The shooter remains at large, a local Catholic priest, Etienne Roy, is found with a gun, yet is let go, whilst an Arabic speaking paramedic of an African background, Amadou Duchon, helping casualties, is arrested as a suspect. It is unsurprising that Esa should find himself under such great pressure and danger, given the nature of the conflicts laid bare in this novel. Matters escalate so much that it raises the question of his continuing role in community policing in the future. Rachel feels for Esa, whilst having to face challenges that push her to develop as a person.
Khan's latest addition is powerful and hard hitting, examining the outpouring of hate that so blights our troubled world, far beyond a small town in Canada. In this graphically realistic, complex and depressing portrayal of a mass shooting and a small town community, Khan focuses on the issues of race, religion, politics, culture, community and wider society that give rise to such horror with an acutely observant eye. This is a truly gripping read, could not be more relevant, although I admit to not being so keen on some of the romantic elements in the story. If you are looking for well written, brilliant and intelligent crime fiction with great characters, then I highly recommend this wonderful series. Many thanks to No Exit Press and Oldcastle Books for an ARC.
May 5, 2019
Not only do I consider this series, featuring a Muslim officer and his young partner, a smartly written series, but the storylines are so relevant. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, and I always find them so powerful. Community police, this pair is usually based in Toronto, however, a shooting at a mosque will find them traveling to Quebec. Here they will confront racism and bigotry from many different quarters. The shooter still at large, the danger is pervasive. Who can be trusted?
Khan has no problem confronting the many issues current today. These are in your face stories, showing the full range of hatred by those who want and think they are losing their country, and will do anything to keep that from happening. Rachel and Esa have an unusual partnership based on caring and trust. As a Muslim, Esa sometimes has problems separating his feelings and remaining neutral, when he is confronted by outright hatred. This had a few more relationship issues, than the others, and to be fair I sometimes found them a distraction. I still consider this series one of the best written, and the issues they tackle relevant today.
Khan has no problem confronting the many issues current today. These are in your face stories, showing the full range of hatred by those who want and think they are losing their country, and will do anything to keep that from happening. Rachel and Esa have an unusual partnership based on caring and trust. As a Muslim, Esa sometimes has problems separating his feelings and remaining neutral, when he is confronted by outright hatred. This had a few more relationship issues, than the others, and to be fair I sometimes found them a distraction. I still consider this series one of the best written, and the issues they tackle relevant today.
August 22, 2019
Having binged all novels (and a short story) in the series to date, I can assert that Ausma Zehanat Khan seeks not only to tell a story to the reader, but to impact them with her powerful narrative and poignant topics. While the issues likely occur all over the world, Khan debunks the ‘Canada is a peaceful place of love and harmony’ with these novels, using her knowledge of Islam and through the genre of police procedurals. After a shooting at a mosque in a small Quebec town, Community Policing sends Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty to be part of the team to investigate. While the local priest was discovered with one of the guns in his hands, it was a paramedic of African descent who was seen fleeing soon thereafter and speaking in Arabic that garners the most attention. All this, while the Premier of Quebec is trying to balance new legislation that neutralises outward religious symbolism and practice with keeping everyone safe. While Khattak and Getty seek to work as part of the team, there are blogs and a call-in radio show that are fanning the flames about assimilation and vilification of all things Islamic. The community is torn, though the fires of xenophobia burn hot and no one is yet ready to douse them. While Khattak and the rest if the investigators seek to work on leads, they face a local white supremacist group that hides their views behind wanting to keep Quebec ‘pur laine’ or as traditional as possible. Getty sees that these sentiments may have leaked into the police force, compromising the investigation at its highest level. Meanwhile, Khattak receives some news that shakes him to the core, placing his spot in the investigation and personal safety at risk. Might this small community be a microcosm of the larger sentiment about the Muslim community in Canada? Could Khattak’s future with Community Policing be coming to an end? And what of his decision to settle down with a woman he only recently admitting to loving? Khan does not stop in her chilling tale and forces the reader out of their comfort zone as they explore the propagation of hate in Canada and the sparks that lit the fire. Highly recommended for fans of the series, as well as the reader who is prepared to invest the time and emotional effort it takes to understand all the issues on offer.
Khan seems keen to work outside the box and deliver a set of powerful novels that tell more than a simple police case with a killer on the loose. She wants the reader to see the deeper level of Islamic beliefs and the generalised treatment received in Canada and on the world stage. This novel really punches Canada in the stomach, deflating the ‘love everyone’ mentality that the country seems to have. With xenophobia on full display in other parts of the continent, Khan places the microscope on Canada and shows all the pitfalls that have emerged, particularly with the recent legislation in Quebec, shielded behind ‘Quebec values’. Esa Khattak returns to be both the face of the law and Muslim-Canadians, which proves to be the most difficult of all in this novel. Torn between trying to find the mass shooter and yet not compromise his personal or religious views becomes the struggle he cannot overcome. While sifting through the ashes of what’s happened, he is constantly a target of ridicule and generalisations. This only hurts his ability to do his job and causes insurmountable grief at the worst times. His need to decide about the future of his place within Community Policing is key and Khan uses this subplot as a real punch to series fans who have come to adore him. Rachel Getty is still on a steep learning curve when it comes to the job, though she knows all too well what it is like to be targeted. Bigotry and sexism are rampant in law enforcement agencies, something that cannot be stopped with a memo or two. That being said, Rachel has also become highly protective of her boss, Khattak, and seeks to shield him from the onslaught, whenever possible. Getty can no longer rely on her wit and intuition, but must challenge those who are outrightly fanning the flames, even if it costs her a position at Community Policing. This struggle is real and could lead to some major changes within the organisation. Khan uses a great cross-section of characters, each of whom plays an integral role in the larger narrative. The complexity of this story demands something out of the usual collection, though Khan handles it masterfully. The reader is taken on a wonderful ride throughout and can see first hand just how problematic things can become. From hate group members to those within the police, there is an inherent bias or racism that cannot be erased or hidden. The series reader will know that the stories take on a life of their own, with a narrative full of twists as the plot thickens. There is much to be gleaned from the story, with facts and sentiments woven into the fabric of the piece, which allows the attentive reader a more impactful story. Khan will not sugarcoat and rarely lets the reader sit back and ‘enjoy’ the progress of the case. She has a message and it is one worth hearing, even if it tells of something we do not want to admit.
Kudos, Madam Khan, for putting this topic out there. It needs to be discussed and the current situation in Canada is turning your work of fiction into something of a reality with each passing day!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Khan seems keen to work outside the box and deliver a set of powerful novels that tell more than a simple police case with a killer on the loose. She wants the reader to see the deeper level of Islamic beliefs and the generalised treatment received in Canada and on the world stage. This novel really punches Canada in the stomach, deflating the ‘love everyone’ mentality that the country seems to have. With xenophobia on full display in other parts of the continent, Khan places the microscope on Canada and shows all the pitfalls that have emerged, particularly with the recent legislation in Quebec, shielded behind ‘Quebec values’. Esa Khattak returns to be both the face of the law and Muslim-Canadians, which proves to be the most difficult of all in this novel. Torn between trying to find the mass shooter and yet not compromise his personal or religious views becomes the struggle he cannot overcome. While sifting through the ashes of what’s happened, he is constantly a target of ridicule and generalisations. This only hurts his ability to do his job and causes insurmountable grief at the worst times. His need to decide about the future of his place within Community Policing is key and Khan uses this subplot as a real punch to series fans who have come to adore him. Rachel Getty is still on a steep learning curve when it comes to the job, though she knows all too well what it is like to be targeted. Bigotry and sexism are rampant in law enforcement agencies, something that cannot be stopped with a memo or two. That being said, Rachel has also become highly protective of her boss, Khattak, and seeks to shield him from the onslaught, whenever possible. Getty can no longer rely on her wit and intuition, but must challenge those who are outrightly fanning the flames, even if it costs her a position at Community Policing. This struggle is real and could lead to some major changes within the organisation. Khan uses a great cross-section of characters, each of whom plays an integral role in the larger narrative. The complexity of this story demands something out of the usual collection, though Khan handles it masterfully. The reader is taken on a wonderful ride throughout and can see first hand just how problematic things can become. From hate group members to those within the police, there is an inherent bias or racism that cannot be erased or hidden. The series reader will know that the stories take on a life of their own, with a narrative full of twists as the plot thickens. There is much to be gleaned from the story, with facts and sentiments woven into the fabric of the piece, which allows the attentive reader a more impactful story. Khan will not sugarcoat and rarely lets the reader sit back and ‘enjoy’ the progress of the case. She has a message and it is one worth hearing, even if it tells of something we do not want to admit.
Kudos, Madam Khan, for putting this topic out there. It needs to be discussed and the current situation in Canada is turning your work of fiction into something of a reality with each passing day!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
February 8, 2019
Here I go, jumping into a series late in the game.
Oh, friends, it did not matter. Rachel Getty and Esa Khattack have such good detective chemistry, I bought into the storyline instantly.
There’s been a mass shooting of twelve people at a Quebec mosque. Immediately things go awry when the police release Etienne Roy, a priest who had a weapon on him, and then arrest Amadou Duchon, a Muslim man who had been present helping those hurt during the shooting.
At first glance, it seems like the shooting could only be a hate crime, but Esa and Rachel’s gut instincts tell them it’s not that simple.
The community grapples with fear and unrest in the shooting’s wake, along with outright racism and hate, and with that as a backdrop, the pair try to solve what happened. There is also concern that the situation could escalate due to the chaos, and solving this case would hopefully lead to understanding.
A Deep Divide was so more than just a mystery. It presented social issues in a considered and thoughtful way. Khan’s writing is direct, and the pacing is strong. Overall, this book was timely, thought-provoking, entertained me from beginning to end, and addressed important cultural and racial dynamics. I definitely plan to spend more time with this series in the future as I can fit them in.
Thanks to Minotaur Books for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Oh, friends, it did not matter. Rachel Getty and Esa Khattack have such good detective chemistry, I bought into the storyline instantly.
There’s been a mass shooting of twelve people at a Quebec mosque. Immediately things go awry when the police release Etienne Roy, a priest who had a weapon on him, and then arrest Amadou Duchon, a Muslim man who had been present helping those hurt during the shooting.
At first glance, it seems like the shooting could only be a hate crime, but Esa and Rachel’s gut instincts tell them it’s not that simple.
The community grapples with fear and unrest in the shooting’s wake, along with outright racism and hate, and with that as a backdrop, the pair try to solve what happened. There is also concern that the situation could escalate due to the chaos, and solving this case would hopefully lead to understanding.
A Deep Divide was so more than just a mystery. It presented social issues in a considered and thoughtful way. Khan’s writing is direct, and the pacing is strong. Overall, this book was timely, thought-provoking, entertained me from beginning to end, and addressed important cultural and racial dynamics. I definitely plan to spend more time with this series in the future as I can fit them in.
Thanks to Minotaur Books for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
September 2, 2022
This is a powerful police procedural/ thriller, but much more than that. It explores social and cultural beliefs and the tensions which arise which may provoke violence.
Published in February 2019, it predates the Government of the Province of Quebec passing the controversial Bill 21 in June 2019. This law prevents public school teachers, police officers, government lawyers, judges and others employed by the provincial government from wearing religious symbols while at work. The Montreal public school board already refused to enforce it, and the ruling may be headed for the Supreme Court.
The premise for the novel has a tragic precedent. In 2017, when a young man opened fire in a mosque in Quebec City. Six worshippers were killed and others wounded. He was believed to have been radicalized by what he chose to read on the internet. This included anti-immigration, Islamophobic sites, and white supremacist writings.
Popular detective partners, Esa Khattak a Moslem man and Rachel Getty from Community Policing in Toronto are sent to a small town in Quebec where there has been a mass shooting in a mosque, leaving many deaths and injuries. Their task is to liaison with the shocked and panicked community and be part of an investigative team. Something does not seem right. A young Moslem man of African descent who rushed in to help has been arrested, while a dazed Catholic priest found sitting with a rifle has been released. An online chat group is stirring up anti-Islam sentiment, as is a popular shock jock host. There is a radicalized group of young male University students who have formed a hate group targeting the Moslem community, but with no criminal background seem to be ignored by the police.
Esa and Rachel make a great team, with deep friendship respect, and are protective of each other. Because of his ethnic and religious background, many feel Esa cannot be impartial, but his fairness wins over many of his opponents. Both Rachel and Esa feel that there has been something ongoing in the town that does not constitute a regular hate crime. Some unknown person has been stalking Esa in his personal life and overseas work-related travels and secretly photographing him, adding to an already complex mystery. Both are involved or becoming involved in romantic relationships which I thought detracted from the criminal investigation. As they both try to puzzle out the murders in the mosque, both Rachel and Esa find their lives in peril.
This is a thought-provoking novel, with much to say about racial, religious, language, and cultural differences, and the danger of being too rigid and inflexible about history and heritage in an increasingly multicultural society. This series is new to me, and I definitely plan to read the previous books.
Published in February 2019, it predates the Government of the Province of Quebec passing the controversial Bill 21 in June 2019. This law prevents public school teachers, police officers, government lawyers, judges and others employed by the provincial government from wearing religious symbols while at work. The Montreal public school board already refused to enforce it, and the ruling may be headed for the Supreme Court.
The premise for the novel has a tragic precedent. In 2017, when a young man opened fire in a mosque in Quebec City. Six worshippers were killed and others wounded. He was believed to have been radicalized by what he chose to read on the internet. This included anti-immigration, Islamophobic sites, and white supremacist writings.
Popular detective partners, Esa Khattak a Moslem man and Rachel Getty from Community Policing in Toronto are sent to a small town in Quebec where there has been a mass shooting in a mosque, leaving many deaths and injuries. Their task is to liaison with the shocked and panicked community and be part of an investigative team. Something does not seem right. A young Moslem man of African descent who rushed in to help has been arrested, while a dazed Catholic priest found sitting with a rifle has been released. An online chat group is stirring up anti-Islam sentiment, as is a popular shock jock host. There is a radicalized group of young male University students who have formed a hate group targeting the Moslem community, but with no criminal background seem to be ignored by the police.
Esa and Rachel make a great team, with deep friendship respect, and are protective of each other. Because of his ethnic and religious background, many feel Esa cannot be impartial, but his fairness wins over many of his opponents. Both Rachel and Esa feel that there has been something ongoing in the town that does not constitute a regular hate crime. Some unknown person has been stalking Esa in his personal life and overseas work-related travels and secretly photographing him, adding to an already complex mystery. Both are involved or becoming involved in romantic relationships which I thought detracted from the criminal investigation. As they both try to puzzle out the murders in the mosque, both Rachel and Esa find their lives in peril.
This is a thought-provoking novel, with much to say about racial, religious, language, and cultural differences, and the danger of being too rigid and inflexible about history and heritage in an increasingly multicultural society. This series is new to me, and I definitely plan to read the previous books.
February 7, 2019
A timely and intriguing crime thriller that really made me think 💭
Ausma Zehanat Khan has taken today’s important issues pushed them to the forefront of this mystery and did not hold any punches... hate is so ugly and so uncomfortable and there were so many parts of this book that were just that, uncomfortable and ugly.... this is the fifth book in this series set in Canada, but the first book I have read from the series, it worked perfectly fine as a standalone.... I found the political issues of Quebec quite interesting, I really had no idea... unfortunately these are the same problems we have in the US, hate appears to know no boundaries... BUT in this book just as in the real world there were more good honest people than haters...
There was a shooting at a Muslim mosque in a small town in Quebec... it appears to be a hate crime, but Esa and Rachel who have been sent to investigate the case think there is more to this than it appears... A group of white supremacist, a group of girls calling themselves the lilies (and I’m still not sure what their purpose was), A priest, and a stalker all make for a compelling read... add in some complicated romantic entanglements in both Rachel and Esa lives, and there is not much more you could ask four... but for me the true brilliance of this book and what set it apart was the honest and real look at today’s political and cultural environment....
The mystery was interesting and I liked following along with the investigation... my only little niggle with this book was I was sometimes a little overwhelmed with the characters, I couldn’t always remember who was who, but this could be a me problem... it also probably would have helped had I read the previous books in the series, and it definitely did not detract from the overall story.... and it certainly didn’t stop me from donning my detective hat!
This was a relevant, perfectly paced, interesting crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end! Recommend!
🎧🎧🎧 I really am so excited to get back to my roots and have the privilege and opportunity to listen to so many wonderful audiobooks. This was another book that was truly enhanced by a rich narrator. Peter Ganim gives his wonderful voice to this series, I just checked and he narrates the full series. He did a wonderful job with all the different characters especially when it came to the female voices, I also was impressed with his French. Now if I’m being completely honest I would have no idea if he was pronouncing it correctly but it sure did sound good!
🎵🎵🎵 song running through my head! We didn’t start the fire🔥
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
Rosenbergs, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I" and "The Catcher in the Rye"
Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Joseph Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu falls, "Rock Around the Clock"
Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team
Davy Crockett,…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw...
*** many thanks to Minotaur and Macmillan Audio for my copies of this book ***
Ausma Zehanat Khan has taken today’s important issues pushed them to the forefront of this mystery and did not hold any punches... hate is so ugly and so uncomfortable and there were so many parts of this book that were just that, uncomfortable and ugly.... this is the fifth book in this series set in Canada, but the first book I have read from the series, it worked perfectly fine as a standalone.... I found the political issues of Quebec quite interesting, I really had no idea... unfortunately these are the same problems we have in the US, hate appears to know no boundaries... BUT in this book just as in the real world there were more good honest people than haters...
There was a shooting at a Muslim mosque in a small town in Quebec... it appears to be a hate crime, but Esa and Rachel who have been sent to investigate the case think there is more to this than it appears... A group of white supremacist, a group of girls calling themselves the lilies (and I’m still not sure what their purpose was), A priest, and a stalker all make for a compelling read... add in some complicated romantic entanglements in both Rachel and Esa lives, and there is not much more you could ask four... but for me the true brilliance of this book and what set it apart was the honest and real look at today’s political and cultural environment....
The mystery was interesting and I liked following along with the investigation... my only little niggle with this book was I was sometimes a little overwhelmed with the characters, I couldn’t always remember who was who, but this could be a me problem... it also probably would have helped had I read the previous books in the series, and it definitely did not detract from the overall story.... and it certainly didn’t stop me from donning my detective hat!
This was a relevant, perfectly paced, interesting crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end! Recommend!
🎧🎧🎧 I really am so excited to get back to my roots and have the privilege and opportunity to listen to so many wonderful audiobooks. This was another book that was truly enhanced by a rich narrator. Peter Ganim gives his wonderful voice to this series, I just checked and he narrates the full series. He did a wonderful job with all the different characters especially when it came to the female voices, I also was impressed with his French. Now if I’m being completely honest I would have no idea if he was pronouncing it correctly but it sure did sound good!
🎵🎵🎵 song running through my head! We didn’t start the fire🔥
Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
Rosenbergs, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I" and "The Catcher in the Rye"
Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Joseph Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu falls, "Rock Around the Clock"
Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team
Davy Crockett,…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw...
*** many thanks to Minotaur and Macmillan Audio for my copies of this book ***
January 5, 2019
I have enjoyed Zehanat Khan’s previous books. They are part of a mystery series set in Canada, and they typically deal with recent events and contemporary issues. The last one involved a mystery amidst Canadian relief workers working with Syrian refugees in Greece. In this case, the mystery is centered on a shooting in a mosque in a small town in Quebec just outside of Ottawa. With this setting, the author again takes on some important and complicated issues. Her afterword is brilliant, reflecting on the recent shooting in a mosque in Quebec City and its relationship to the recent political climate. Despite the topic, I must say that I struggled with the story and delivery in this case. There was far too much focus on the overwrought emotional and romantic lives of the two main detectives, Rachel and Esa. I struggled a bit with this in her last book, but this time I found it hard to take the story seriously. Every step in their investigation seemed to be affected by their respective romantic entanglements. I also found the solution a bit disappointing. I won’t give up on this series quite yet. The very end points to the next mystery, and I confess that my curiosity is piqued. But I wish that the author focused more on what makes her novels so engaging and less on the romantic turpitudes of her detectives. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
February 11, 2019
A Deadly Divide feels like the most timely book yet in Khan’s Khattak and Getty series. It faces squarely the identity politics that have been roiling through Europe and North America especially in recent years.
Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty are called to a small town in Quebec after a shooting at the local mosque leaves many dead and injured, a young Muslim man in custody, while a priest found at the scene holding a gun is released. They are present under their Community Policing mandate with approval from the capital, but with suspicion from the Québécois, including the local police. Fueled by local right wing radio, many local citizens are wary of losing their French Canadian culture, their language and way of life to what they see as an onslaught of immigrants. Even immigrants who have lived among them for more than a decade become suspect.
There are many forces at play here, including the emotional fatigue of having fought so many of these battles before. At times it seems to be eroding Khattak’s ability and desire to continue this work. And this is devastating to Rachel who understands her partner so well from their close work together.
Then there is the difficulty of identifying the enemy. There are some obvious possibilities among the new young pseudo-Nazis and shock jocks promoting themselves and hate. There are some odd hangers-on who are difficult to classify. And there are people it is difficult to trust.
As Khan has written in her Author’s Note:
I wrote this book because I have long studied the
incipient and incremental nature of hate and the fatal
places hate often takes us. I wrote it to illuminate the
connections between rhetoric, polemics, and action.
To suggest that the nature of our speech should be
as thoughtful, as peaceable, and as well informed as
our actions.
I have enjoyed this series from the first book. I appreciate the way Ausma Zehanat Khan meets today’s headlines head on and allows her characters to address all the different ways cultural and international change impact all of us, even those tasked with helping and protecting us. I am looking forward to seeing where she goes next.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty are called to a small town in Quebec after a shooting at the local mosque leaves many dead and injured, a young Muslim man in custody, while a priest found at the scene holding a gun is released. They are present under their Community Policing mandate with approval from the capital, but with suspicion from the Québécois, including the local police. Fueled by local right wing radio, many local citizens are wary of losing their French Canadian culture, their language and way of life to what they see as an onslaught of immigrants. Even immigrants who have lived among them for more than a decade become suspect.
There are many forces at play here, including the emotional fatigue of having fought so many of these battles before. At times it seems to be eroding Khattak’s ability and desire to continue this work. And this is devastating to Rachel who understands her partner so well from their close work together.
Then there is the difficulty of identifying the enemy. There are some obvious possibilities among the new young pseudo-Nazis and shock jocks promoting themselves and hate. There are some odd hangers-on who are difficult to classify. And there are people it is difficult to trust.
As Khan has written in her Author’s Note:
I wrote this book because I have long studied the
incipient and incremental nature of hate and the fatal
places hate often takes us. I wrote it to illuminate the
connections between rhetoric, polemics, and action.
To suggest that the nature of our speech should be
as thoughtful, as peaceable, and as well informed as
our actions.
I have enjoyed this series from the first book. I appreciate the way Ausma Zehanat Khan meets today’s headlines head on and allows her characters to address all the different ways cultural and international change impact all of us, even those tasked with helping and protecting us. I am looking forward to seeing where she goes next.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 14, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
A Deadly Divide by Ausma Zehanat Khan has a mystery, some romance, plus speaks to hate in our nation. There are a lot of heavy themes in this book, but it was incredibly enlightening for someone that doesn't know too much about what is happening in Canada.
What it's about: There has been a shooting at a mosque in Quebec and partners Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty are called in to help solve the case. A priest is found with a gun and is let go, while a young Muslim man that is helping the wounded gets arrested. Tensions are high in a city that is divided by fear and hate, and on top of that Khattak seems to have a stalker. Can Khattak and Getty find out who the shooter is and find Khattak's stalker, while also dealing with love interests? We will find out!
I'll be honest, this isn't the type of book I would normally read. I tend to stay away from books that have strong political and cultural themes. Not that I don't think it is important for authors to write about these things (because it obviously is), it's just that I've never really been interested in reading books about them. A Deadly Divide is the first novel related to these themes that I have ever read, and I really did like it. Enough in fact, that I definitely want to read the other books in this series.
The book did get a bit confusing for me at times, especially with all the names, plus the switching back and forth from Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty's first and last names. At first when I saw Khattak in one paragraph and then Esa in the next, I kept thinking it was a different character. I finally got used to that though and was able to keep up with those 2 characters at least. As the book went on it was easier to keep up with the rest of the character names as well, though I still found it a bit much overall.
A Deadly Divide is book 5 of a series, but the case itself is unique to this novel. It was a bit like Criminal Minds to me; if you don't start at the beginning you will be a bit lost on the character relationships, but the case itself is easily understood and a standalone.
Final Thought: If you are interested in books that discuss racial, political, and cultural themes then I would recommend reading A Deadly Divide. Even if you are just looking for something different than what you normally read, this would be a good one to try. I liked the mystery and had no idea who it was until it was revealed, and the romance aspect was there but not overwhelming. I am going to have to go back to read the first 4 books so I can get caught up on the relationships between characters, but the book can definitely be read on it's own with minimal confusion in that respect.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!
A Deadly Divide by Ausma Zehanat Khan has a mystery, some romance, plus speaks to hate in our nation. There are a lot of heavy themes in this book, but it was incredibly enlightening for someone that doesn't know too much about what is happening in Canada.
What it's about: There has been a shooting at a mosque in Quebec and partners Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty are called in to help solve the case. A priest is found with a gun and is let go, while a young Muslim man that is helping the wounded gets arrested. Tensions are high in a city that is divided by fear and hate, and on top of that Khattak seems to have a stalker. Can Khattak and Getty find out who the shooter is and find Khattak's stalker, while also dealing with love interests? We will find out!
I'll be honest, this isn't the type of book I would normally read. I tend to stay away from books that have strong political and cultural themes. Not that I don't think it is important for authors to write about these things (because it obviously is), it's just that I've never really been interested in reading books about them. A Deadly Divide is the first novel related to these themes that I have ever read, and I really did like it. Enough in fact, that I definitely want to read the other books in this series.
The book did get a bit confusing for me at times, especially with all the names, plus the switching back and forth from Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty's first and last names. At first when I saw Khattak in one paragraph and then Esa in the next, I kept thinking it was a different character. I finally got used to that though and was able to keep up with those 2 characters at least. As the book went on it was easier to keep up with the rest of the character names as well, though I still found it a bit much overall.
A Deadly Divide is book 5 of a series, but the case itself is unique to this novel. It was a bit like Criminal Minds to me; if you don't start at the beginning you will be a bit lost on the character relationships, but the case itself is easily understood and a standalone.
Final Thought: If you are interested in books that discuss racial, political, and cultural themes then I would recommend reading A Deadly Divide. Even if you are just looking for something different than what you normally read, this would be a good one to try. I liked the mystery and had no idea who it was until it was revealed, and the romance aspect was there but not overwhelming. I am going to have to go back to read the first 4 books so I can get caught up on the relationships between characters, but the book can definitely be read on it's own with minimal confusion in that respect.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!
November 3, 2019
Of all the Khattak and Getty novels so far I think this one is either the best one or simply my favourite, being as it is a coming together of all the themes in previous stories and a throwing at the reading audience a hugely relatable event…
A mass shooting in a community already on the brink, Ausma Zehanat Khan shines a scarily relevant spotlight onto the world in which we currently live. Using sharp insightful writing, a keen eye for character and a disturbingly realistic outlook, this will grip and educate in equal measure and leave you with a lot to think about. It will also thoroughly entertain you with its twists and turns whilst still holding truth at the heart of it.
Our dynamic duo do indeed live in interesting times…this moves their own story along and adds many layers, the outcome may not be at all what you expect, on top of that the foreshadowing for what may be to come is cleverly immersed into the narrative.
A truly excellent addition to this already excellent series.
Highly Recommended.
A mass shooting in a community already on the brink, Ausma Zehanat Khan shines a scarily relevant spotlight onto the world in which we currently live. Using sharp insightful writing, a keen eye for character and a disturbingly realistic outlook, this will grip and educate in equal measure and leave you with a lot to think about. It will also thoroughly entertain you with its twists and turns whilst still holding truth at the heart of it.
Our dynamic duo do indeed live in interesting times…this moves their own story along and adds many layers, the outcome may not be at all what you expect, on top of that the foreshadowing for what may be to come is cleverly immersed into the narrative.
A truly excellent addition to this already excellent series.
Highly Recommended.
April 27, 2019
I'm a sucker for this series.
November 16, 2019
Another topical and emotive entry in this outstanding series which uses a crime novel format to tackle head-on big contemporary political issues: here Islamaphobia, the rise of far-right white supremacist groups, and a horrific massacre in a Canadian mosque. Yet, somehow, for once the story feels plodding, and the denouement is unconvincing.
Maybe moving Rachel and Khattak from their home ground strips the story of the personal interests which have been developing across the series; maybe the story just never develops the depths and complications of previous books? Make no doubt, reading the posts of neo-Nazi trolls in the story is sickening and Khan shows her astute intelligence throughout (and note the research and further reading given at the end).
Yet, for all the good stuff, something just didn't grab me here. I'd still recommend this series highly but this book is my least favourite to date. And that carryover at the end made me groan mentally and roll my eyes...😵
Big thanks to No Edit Press for an ARC via NetGalley.
Maybe moving Rachel and Khattak from their home ground strips the story of the personal interests which have been developing across the series; maybe the story just never develops the depths and complications of previous books? Make no doubt, reading the posts of neo-Nazi trolls in the story is sickening and Khan shows her astute intelligence throughout (and note the research and further reading given at the end).
Yet, for all the good stuff, something just didn't grab me here. I'd still recommend this series highly but this book is my least favourite to date. And that carryover at the end made me groan mentally and roll my eyes...😵
Big thanks to No Edit Press for an ARC via NetGalley.
February 16, 2025
This one starts with a mass shooting at a mosque, a black man offering CPR is arrested and a white man with a gun is let go. Spoiler alert: this is Canada!
Our investigators Inspector Khattak and Sgt. Getty are called to Quebec to get things solved.
We also find out there is a huge target on the Inspector's back that goes back a long time....who is it and are other people he loves in the firing-line as well?
Our investigators Inspector Khattak and Sgt. Getty are called to Quebec to get things solved.
We also find out there is a huge target on the Inspector's back that goes back a long time....who is it and are other people he loves in the firing-line as well?
January 28, 2019
When Allison Ziegler at Minotaur Books messaged me to offer an ARC of Ausma Zehanat Khan's next Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty mystery, I nearly lost my mind. I already had my digital and print copies pre-ordered, but a chance to get my hands on my favorite author's book early? Yes, please!
As promised, I dropped everything else I was reading and started this one. The prime case that brings our detectives together is a shooting at a mosque in a small town in Quebec. Twelve people are viciously gunned down while at prayer, and a young man is also disfigured. This turns out to be just the latest, and most horrific act of anti-Muslim violence perpetrated in this town. Esa and Rachel must contend with not only the fear in the Muslim community, but also a highly placed leak in the local investigation and the rampant racism.
Khan's stories are mysteries with a social conscience. The last, A Dangerous Crossing focused on the Syrian Refugee Crisis, and left me angry and wanting to help. Reading A Deadly Divide was even harder. For me, I think this is because I can convince myself that the events in Syria can't happen "here", but I live in a country "led" by Trump. I have watched the country I love be torn apart by hate and witnessed white supremacists become more emboldened with each passing day. Not only could the events of A Deadly Divide happen here, they have, and it breaks my heart.
As always, Khan does an excellent job laying out the clues and bringing the reader along on the journey as Esa and Rachel piece things together. The pacing was consistent throughout and the solution was both satisfying and believable. I am crossing my fingers for Rachel's potential romantic relationship, but the relationship between Esa and Alizah often felt forced or awkward. I would have preferred less of Alizah's angst. I'm truly terrified by Esa's stalker. I'm worried about what's going to happen with that storyline, how it will impact Sehr and Rachel, and I can feel the ulcer forming already.
Overall, I would say Ausma Zehanat Khan has done it again. She's written a compelling mystery that does what all good books should do: it makes the reader think, question, and feel. I look forward to picking up my print copy in February and mailing out more to friends and family as they catch up on the series. 4.5 stars
As promised, I dropped everything else I was reading and started this one. The prime case that brings our detectives together is a shooting at a mosque in a small town in Quebec. Twelve people are viciously gunned down while at prayer, and a young man is also disfigured. This turns out to be just the latest, and most horrific act of anti-Muslim violence perpetrated in this town. Esa and Rachel must contend with not only the fear in the Muslim community, but also a highly placed leak in the local investigation and the rampant racism.
Khan's stories are mysteries with a social conscience. The last, A Dangerous Crossing focused on the Syrian Refugee Crisis, and left me angry and wanting to help. Reading A Deadly Divide was even harder. For me, I think this is because I can convince myself that the events in Syria can't happen "here", but I live in a country "led" by Trump. I have watched the country I love be torn apart by hate and witnessed white supremacists become more emboldened with each passing day. Not only could the events of A Deadly Divide happen here, they have, and it breaks my heart.
As always, Khan does an excellent job laying out the clues and bringing the reader along on the journey as Esa and Rachel piece things together. The pacing was consistent throughout and the solution was both satisfying and believable. I am crossing my fingers for Rachel's potential romantic relationship, but the relationship between Esa and Alizah often felt forced or awkward. I would have preferred less of Alizah's angst. I'm truly terrified by Esa's stalker. I'm worried about what's going to happen with that storyline, how it will impact Sehr and Rachel, and I can feel the ulcer forming already.
Overall, I would say Ausma Zehanat Khan has done it again. She's written a compelling mystery that does what all good books should do: it makes the reader think, question, and feel. I look forward to picking up my print copy in February and mailing out more to friends and family as they catch up on the series. 4.5 stars
February 26, 2019
very good! khan continues to deliver timely stories of real-world traumas and cultural prejudices. her latest book offers a nuanced fictionalization of the 2017 québec city mosque shooting. i did find the flow of a deadly divide to be a little awkward as khan navigated three overlapping investigations, but that is my only (small) criticism. the personal lives of getty & khattak are becoming stronger presences as the series progresses. that development didn't work too well for me in the previous book, but there is a better balance now - with these arcs complementing the mysteries, instead of distracting from them. there is a cliffhanger to closeout book 5... which has left me a bit twitchy for the next instalment.
March 3, 2019
Senseless.
When he confessed to killing six people and injured nineteen others in an attack on a Quebec City mosque in 2017, Alexandre Bissonnette said: “I do not know how I committed such a senseless act.”
Yet Bissonnette, as Ausma Zehanat Khan points out in her Author’s Note in A Deadly Divide, was not charged as a terrorist. It would have too big a prosecutorial challenge to prove terrorist intentions or connections to terrorist organization. So why not just secure the conviction and lock up the perpetrator? (Bissonnette was sentenced to life—and won’t be eligible for parole for 40 years).
If not a direct act of terrorism, what fueled so much hate?With the Bissonnette case as inspiration, Khan dispatches Esa Khattak, the Toronto-based head of Canada’s Community Policing Section, and partner Sgt. Rachel Getty into the murky fallout of a mass murder. Khattak and Getty arrive mere hours after the attack to find a brutal scene. The sight is “more devastation at a single crime scene that Esa Khattak had ever witnessed.”
The small town is Saint-Isidore-du-Lac, in the Province of Québec. At least on the surface, it’s quaint. “In daylight, under the warm wash of sunlight, the town’s charm would have been apparent: Gabled houses and stone cottages jumbled together along narrow, cobblestoned streets. And at two opposite ends stationed on rolling green hills, the university and the church, the secular and the sacred, each carving out a sphere of influence.”
The attack takes place in a “small, bright mosque” that is trying to fit in. “No exterior arches, no dome or minaret. A uniquely Québecois mosque? Or the sign of a community in hiding?”
The local police are led by Inspector Christian Lemaire, a complex and complicated cop. A young Muslim man is quickly arrested. A priest, who is revered in the community and who was holding the murder weapon when authorities arrived, is briefly quizzed.
Khattak, a devout Muslim, knows he has been brought in to manage the perception of how the murder investigation is handled. He is to act as a buffer, perhaps, on behalf of the small-town cops and any pushback form the community. But readers know Khattak and Getty aren’t there to work up talking points or to explain cop work in fluffy public relations messaging.
Hardly. Soon, Khattak and Getty are deep in the investigation. There are groups to explore, such as the neo-Nazi Wolf Allegiance, institutional veneers that need cracking, and a blowhard radio talk show host. Khan takes us straight into the chatter among the gutter-dwelling haters, who exchange their vile opinions in secret online chat rooms. Saint-Isidore, it turns out, has it all. Khan doesn’t flinch at recording the filth. (These sections are integral to the plot; skim at your peril.)
Tackling their fifth case, Khattak and Getty have changed and grown since Khan’s debut, The Unquiet Dead, a murder mystery that drew the pair into the horrors of the genocide at Srebrenica. There are nifty references to previous cases, both overseas and at home.
As outsiders to Saint-Isidore, Khattak and Getty measure and manage relationships with locals, with each other, and with their fellow police officers, too. Getty is at first drawn to Lemaire—his distrust of politicians is appealing. And she’s given reason to reconsider, shocked at her own inability to remain on guard. Khan writes about the interpersonal space between characters like few others; she's a keen observer of body language and nuanced dialogue, too.
A Deadly Divide is built for understanding, not cheap thrills.Getty, who is ever-protective of Khattak and respects his serene and heady approach to investigations, nonetheless is pushed to a point where she believes Khattak is in trouble. A Deadly Divide gives the reserved Khattak a chance to lay his cards on the table, both in his personal desires and with the case at hand.
Extremely well-populated with a rich cast of characters, A Deadly Divide explores one of the darkest issues of modern society, the conditions that make it acceptable to turn the idea of hate into destructive, senseless action. Unfortunately, anger and hate are in the air we all breathe. Not everyone is what they appear to be and, as Khan has taught us before, the language of secrets is a tough one to crack.
When he confessed to killing six people and injured nineteen others in an attack on a Quebec City mosque in 2017, Alexandre Bissonnette said: “I do not know how I committed such a senseless act.”
Yet Bissonnette, as Ausma Zehanat Khan points out in her Author’s Note in A Deadly Divide, was not charged as a terrorist. It would have too big a prosecutorial challenge to prove terrorist intentions or connections to terrorist organization. So why not just secure the conviction and lock up the perpetrator? (Bissonnette was sentenced to life—and won’t be eligible for parole for 40 years).
If not a direct act of terrorism, what fueled so much hate?With the Bissonnette case as inspiration, Khan dispatches Esa Khattak, the Toronto-based head of Canada’s Community Policing Section, and partner Sgt. Rachel Getty into the murky fallout of a mass murder. Khattak and Getty arrive mere hours after the attack to find a brutal scene. The sight is “more devastation at a single crime scene that Esa Khattak had ever witnessed.”
The small town is Saint-Isidore-du-Lac, in the Province of Québec. At least on the surface, it’s quaint. “In daylight, under the warm wash of sunlight, the town’s charm would have been apparent: Gabled houses and stone cottages jumbled together along narrow, cobblestoned streets. And at two opposite ends stationed on rolling green hills, the university and the church, the secular and the sacred, each carving out a sphere of influence.”
The attack takes place in a “small, bright mosque” that is trying to fit in. “No exterior arches, no dome or minaret. A uniquely Québecois mosque? Or the sign of a community in hiding?”
The local police are led by Inspector Christian Lemaire, a complex and complicated cop. A young Muslim man is quickly arrested. A priest, who is revered in the community and who was holding the murder weapon when authorities arrived, is briefly quizzed.
Khattak, a devout Muslim, knows he has been brought in to manage the perception of how the murder investigation is handled. He is to act as a buffer, perhaps, on behalf of the small-town cops and any pushback form the community. But readers know Khattak and Getty aren’t there to work up talking points or to explain cop work in fluffy public relations messaging.
Hardly. Soon, Khattak and Getty are deep in the investigation. There are groups to explore, such as the neo-Nazi Wolf Allegiance, institutional veneers that need cracking, and a blowhard radio talk show host. Khan takes us straight into the chatter among the gutter-dwelling haters, who exchange their vile opinions in secret online chat rooms. Saint-Isidore, it turns out, has it all. Khan doesn’t flinch at recording the filth. (These sections are integral to the plot; skim at your peril.)
Tackling their fifth case, Khattak and Getty have changed and grown since Khan’s debut, The Unquiet Dead, a murder mystery that drew the pair into the horrors of the genocide at Srebrenica. There are nifty references to previous cases, both overseas and at home.
As outsiders to Saint-Isidore, Khattak and Getty measure and manage relationships with locals, with each other, and with their fellow police officers, too. Getty is at first drawn to Lemaire—his distrust of politicians is appealing. And she’s given reason to reconsider, shocked at her own inability to remain on guard. Khan writes about the interpersonal space between characters like few others; she's a keen observer of body language and nuanced dialogue, too.
A Deadly Divide is built for understanding, not cheap thrills.Getty, who is ever-protective of Khattak and respects his serene and heady approach to investigations, nonetheless is pushed to a point where she believes Khattak is in trouble. A Deadly Divide gives the reserved Khattak a chance to lay his cards on the table, both in his personal desires and with the case at hand.
Extremely well-populated with a rich cast of characters, A Deadly Divide explores one of the darkest issues of modern society, the conditions that make it acceptable to turn the idea of hate into destructive, senseless action. Unfortunately, anger and hate are in the air we all breathe. Not everyone is what they appear to be and, as Khan has taught us before, the language of secrets is a tough one to crack.
February 25, 2019
Mystery writer Ausma Zehanat Khan has been navigating the difficult path of Muslims in the West through her Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty series. Each volume deals with cases taking place in different types of Muslim communities and the issues they face. The fifth novel, which is the subject of this review, is A Deadly Divide set in a small town in Quebec. I was provided with a digital copy free of charge from the publisher via Net Galley.
In Ausma Zehanat Khan's Quebec the French speaking Catholic community see themselves as an embattled minority trying to preserve their heritage in the majority Anglophone culture of Canada. Many readers are unlikely to be sympathetic to their perspective when we are presented in a A Deadly Divide with a number of right wing Quebecois characters who are intolerant racists. Yet there are also Quebecois who are respectful toward other minorities and mindful of cultural diversity. The local Catholic priest, Père Étienne , is most notable in this regard.
One of the reasons why I loved A Deadly Divide is because it gave rise to thoughts on the issues it raised, but it was also an excellent mystery. I was never really certain about whodunit until the reveal at the end of the book.
I consider A Deadly Divide the best book that Ausma Zehanat Khan has written since The Unquiet Dead. She continues to be one of my favorite mystery authors.
For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...
In Ausma Zehanat Khan's Quebec the French speaking Catholic community see themselves as an embattled minority trying to preserve their heritage in the majority Anglophone culture of Canada. Many readers are unlikely to be sympathetic to their perspective when we are presented in a A Deadly Divide with a number of right wing Quebecois characters who are intolerant racists. Yet there are also Quebecois who are respectful toward other minorities and mindful of cultural diversity. The local Catholic priest, Père Étienne , is most notable in this regard.
One of the reasons why I loved A Deadly Divide is because it gave rise to thoughts on the issues it raised, but it was also an excellent mystery. I was never really certain about whodunit until the reveal at the end of the book.
I consider A Deadly Divide the best book that Ausma Zehanat Khan has written since The Unquiet Dead. She continues to be one of my favorite mystery authors.
For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...
February 10, 2021
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars. The "loss" of 0.5 stars is that there were times when I lost track of some of the characters so that when the mastermind was revealed, I had to remind myself where that character fit in the storyline. There are books where you can say "Ripped from the headlines" and that is an apt description of this central plot of this book. I love this series.
January 24, 2020
This was my first encounter with Detective Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty. The situation – a small Quebecois community – grabbed me straight away, as did the set up: the aftermath of a mass shooting in a mosque.
A tough subject to deal with delicately, but the author presents it with a serious-minded mix of appalled revulsion and open-minded determination. She then tackles the tricky subject of radicalisation – of young white males by fascist influences – set against the background of long term tensions between local English and French influences.
Esa, an experienced Islamic community officer, is brought in the work alongside the local detectives working with his regular partner, Rachel. Esa certainly is an unusual character – ludicrously attractive, it seems, but oblivious to romantic opportunities as he’s entangled in his own delicate domestic situation.
Similarly, the sparks of sexual attraction fly between Rachel and the local lead detective. You can really feel the blistering heat of mutual attraction; part antagonism, part flirting, all uncertainty. Rachel can’t trust him on any level – officers from the neighbourhood may be a part of the radical network – but she can’t avoid her physical response to him.
Some of this ardour sits a little uneasily alongside the grim subject matter. This is a complex investigation that peels back the bitterness between different segments of the local community. A charming town is revealed to be a place where casual bigotry is part of everyday life. The cross-cultural situation is horribly convoluted.
The author has a deft ability to give her characters vivid, credible emotional responses. A genuine sense of spirituality balances the graphic reality of mass murder. The encounter between Esa and the town’s Catholic priest is genuinely touching.
Yet there may be too much going on in this book for its own good. At times the story seemed subservient to the politics, the plot buried beneath a metric tonne of good intentions. One of the most intriguing aspects of the entire novel – the stalker in the shadows with Esa in his/her sights – wasn’t resolved at all, but simply left dangling.
I certainly enjoyed seeing things from the perspective of a Muslim investigator, but felt that the policing and detection aspects of the story were pretty flimsy. And the cliché of ‘political pressure from above’ alienated me. So while I enjoyed many aspects of A Deadly Divide, there were several segments where I was thinking ‘just get on with it.’
7/10
There are more reviews of crime / thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
A tough subject to deal with delicately, but the author presents it with a serious-minded mix of appalled revulsion and open-minded determination. She then tackles the tricky subject of radicalisation – of young white males by fascist influences – set against the background of long term tensions between local English and French influences.
Esa, an experienced Islamic community officer, is brought in the work alongside the local detectives working with his regular partner, Rachel. Esa certainly is an unusual character – ludicrously attractive, it seems, but oblivious to romantic opportunities as he’s entangled in his own delicate domestic situation.
Similarly, the sparks of sexual attraction fly between Rachel and the local lead detective. You can really feel the blistering heat of mutual attraction; part antagonism, part flirting, all uncertainty. Rachel can’t trust him on any level – officers from the neighbourhood may be a part of the radical network – but she can’t avoid her physical response to him.
Some of this ardour sits a little uneasily alongside the grim subject matter. This is a complex investigation that peels back the bitterness between different segments of the local community. A charming town is revealed to be a place where casual bigotry is part of everyday life. The cross-cultural situation is horribly convoluted.
The author has a deft ability to give her characters vivid, credible emotional responses. A genuine sense of spirituality balances the graphic reality of mass murder. The encounter between Esa and the town’s Catholic priest is genuinely touching.
Yet there may be too much going on in this book for its own good. At times the story seemed subservient to the politics, the plot buried beneath a metric tonne of good intentions. One of the most intriguing aspects of the entire novel – the stalker in the shadows with Esa in his/her sights – wasn’t resolved at all, but simply left dangling.
I certainly enjoyed seeing things from the perspective of a Muslim investigator, but felt that the policing and detection aspects of the story were pretty flimsy. And the cliché of ‘political pressure from above’ alienated me. So while I enjoyed many aspects of A Deadly Divide, there were several segments where I was thinking ‘just get on with it.’
7/10
There are more reviews of crime / thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
February 6, 2020
When an author sets really high standards right from the start of a series, I often wonder if they will manage to keep such a quality and balance in the long term. This fear never reaches my mind when I pick a book by Ausma Zehanat Khan.
Since The Unquiet Dead and the creation of Rachel Getty and Esa Khattack, her writing has never failed me. Neither has the accuracy and amount of research involved in all her storylines. A Deadly Divide is another hot and dangerous rollercoaster of action and emotion, the perfect stage for an acute exploration of the issues our society is faced with.
Esa and Rachel travel to a small city in Quebec after a mass shooting in a mosque. Even knowing the author always carefully picks the subjects she wants to tackle, this one took me by surprise. As a French woman with family living in Quebec, there is a special place for this territory in my heart. Yet I I realised I didn’t know enough about what goes on there. Again, this series opened my eyes and made me want to pay closer attention to our world.
Back to the story. Reading A Deadly Divide felt like listening to different hymns, low and powerful, but heard at the same time, so deafening no peace can be found. Flying above all groups so it hovers above everyone, an unbearable unease is omnipresent. A mosque was targeted, and this only rises multiple questions for which some have pre-made answers. Quickly, it becomes obvious that this terrible event is the result of turmoil in St Isidore. The top of the iceberg. The result of a disease that has spread in the city.
I remember pausing and thinking ‘How come I am reading about white supremacists, anti-Islam groups, religion gaps in 2020?’ Yet I know too well this is the world we live in, and events in the last twenty years have programmed many people to react a certain way when special words are muttered. Like terrorism. Ausma Zehanat Khan once again proved her talent by managing to explore such matters with respect, however without ever diminishing the impacts or views societies still bear on each of us.
It is obvious the shooting is going to create waves in town, so Rachel and Esa team up with local police to try and figure out what happened. For me, it was like looking at a mosaic. Rachel and Esa against their colleagues. The Muslim community against a radical nationalist group. A town tearing itself apart because of religion… or fear? I can’t get enough of this kind of read, where my mind must keep up with what is happening while doing its best to get a better understanding of what we have become as a society. Of course, this is a work of fiction, but with real and terrifying events at its centre. It blurs the lines, for the best, and forces us to at least be aware of our surroundings.
The town is a giant cloud of secrets. Secret groups, secrets between people. Secrets within the police force. This is where the relationship between Rachel and Esa is essential. Their partnership works so perfectly that it adds this thin layer of trust that is cruelly missing all around. Their friendship felt to me like a light at the window on a winter night. No matter where they land, what they deal with, there is hope, even behind all this hate and fear. This is a beautiful message and what I always carry with me after finishing a book from the Khattak and Getty series.
As if watching a town on the brink of of burning was not enough, Ausma Zehanat Khan plants the seed for a dark and personal threat on Esa Khattak. Who is following him? What do they want? I can’t wait to get answers! The hints we get in A Deadly Divide gave me goosebumps, and I can only hope that all ends well…
A Deadly Divide is not an easy read. It is an uncomfortable one. It is a superb, terrifying, and magnificently executed observation of humankind thrown in a giant pit of all kinds of monsters and mysteries.
Since The Unquiet Dead and the creation of Rachel Getty and Esa Khattack, her writing has never failed me. Neither has the accuracy and amount of research involved in all her storylines. A Deadly Divide is another hot and dangerous rollercoaster of action and emotion, the perfect stage for an acute exploration of the issues our society is faced with.
Esa and Rachel travel to a small city in Quebec after a mass shooting in a mosque. Even knowing the author always carefully picks the subjects she wants to tackle, this one took me by surprise. As a French woman with family living in Quebec, there is a special place for this territory in my heart. Yet I I realised I didn’t know enough about what goes on there. Again, this series opened my eyes and made me want to pay closer attention to our world.
Back to the story. Reading A Deadly Divide felt like listening to different hymns, low and powerful, but heard at the same time, so deafening no peace can be found. Flying above all groups so it hovers above everyone, an unbearable unease is omnipresent. A mosque was targeted, and this only rises multiple questions for which some have pre-made answers. Quickly, it becomes obvious that this terrible event is the result of turmoil in St Isidore. The top of the iceberg. The result of a disease that has spread in the city.
I remember pausing and thinking ‘How come I am reading about white supremacists, anti-Islam groups, religion gaps in 2020?’ Yet I know too well this is the world we live in, and events in the last twenty years have programmed many people to react a certain way when special words are muttered. Like terrorism. Ausma Zehanat Khan once again proved her talent by managing to explore such matters with respect, however without ever diminishing the impacts or views societies still bear on each of us.
It is obvious the shooting is going to create waves in town, so Rachel and Esa team up with local police to try and figure out what happened. For me, it was like looking at a mosaic. Rachel and Esa against their colleagues. The Muslim community against a radical nationalist group. A town tearing itself apart because of religion… or fear? I can’t get enough of this kind of read, where my mind must keep up with what is happening while doing its best to get a better understanding of what we have become as a society. Of course, this is a work of fiction, but with real and terrifying events at its centre. It blurs the lines, for the best, and forces us to at least be aware of our surroundings.
The town is a giant cloud of secrets. Secret groups, secrets between people. Secrets within the police force. This is where the relationship between Rachel and Esa is essential. Their partnership works so perfectly that it adds this thin layer of trust that is cruelly missing all around. Their friendship felt to me like a light at the window on a winter night. No matter where they land, what they deal with, there is hope, even behind all this hate and fear. This is a beautiful message and what I always carry with me after finishing a book from the Khattak and Getty series.
As if watching a town on the brink of of burning was not enough, Ausma Zehanat Khan plants the seed for a dark and personal threat on Esa Khattak. Who is following him? What do they want? I can’t wait to get answers! The hints we get in A Deadly Divide gave me goosebumps, and I can only hope that all ends well…
A Deadly Divide is not an easy read. It is an uncomfortable one. It is a superb, terrifying, and magnificently executed observation of humankind thrown in a giant pit of all kinds of monsters and mysteries.
February 19, 2019
This is the 5th book in the crime series featuring Inspector Esa Khattak, who is a Muslim, and Sergeant Rachel Getty. They are based in Toronto but with national jurisdiction as part of the Community Policing Section (CPS). The CPS handles “minority-sensitive” cases.
As this book opens, Esa and Rachel are called to the town of Saint-Isidore-du-Lac in Quebec following a mass shooting at a mosque. Twelve people were gunned down at prayer and as many were wounded. [In an Author’s Note at the end of the book the author says she was motivated to write the book after the January 2017 massacre at the mosque in Quebec (in real life) by a young man "inspired" by what President Trump was saying about Muslims.]
There are a number of issues Esa and Rachel must confront: fear in the Muslim community; the presence of an ugly strain of neo-Nazi white nationalism that characterizes the area; hostility toward the police both from the Muslims, who resent that the police haven’t acted against previous provocations and thus have allowed these white supremacists to feel emboldened, and the people of the town, who have responded to incendiary radio talk programs stoking fear of Muslims; the possibility that the local police has been infiltrated by these neo-Nazis; and personal, but anonymous, threats directed at Esa.
At the same time, both Esa and Rachel have to come to terms with their romantic feelings - not toward each other, but with respect to others in their lives. Esa is also dealing with the stress of coping with a job that hits him on such a personal level - can he continue to do this? He had wanted to make a difference, but does he? Is it worth the cost to his psyche?
The ending was a surprise: I kept wondering how Esa and Rachel could keep missing who the real culprit was! Alas, it’s because it wasn’t who I thought it was, of course.
Discussion: Khan does an excellent job in representing the horrific rhetoric that is used by neo-Nazi groups, as well as in calling attention to the uptick in bigotry, fear, suspicion, and hate all around the world. Mosques and Jewish centers have been vandalized, burned, marred with hateful graffiti, and tragically, have been targeted by mass shooters. Khan juxtaposes this outpouring of hatred and violence with the struggle of minorities just to live their lives, do their jobs, and celebrate family, friends, and faith, without harassment and even existential danger. She observes in her Afterword that she wrote this book “to illuminate the connections between rhetoric, polemics, and action.” She certainly succeeded, since her book sounded all too much like real life these days.
Evaluation: I did not read any previous books in the series, but that did not interfere with my enjoyment of the book. This is a good, nuanced story that takes on preconceptions, ignorance, and stereotyping to show - as Americans critical of Trump keep trying to emphasize - that words do have consequences, and they can be deadly. As one fictional radio host in the book said of his microphone: “That’s the only weapon I require.”
As this book opens, Esa and Rachel are called to the town of Saint-Isidore-du-Lac in Quebec following a mass shooting at a mosque. Twelve people were gunned down at prayer and as many were wounded. [In an Author’s Note at the end of the book the author says she was motivated to write the book after the January 2017 massacre at the mosque in Quebec (in real life) by a young man "inspired" by what President Trump was saying about Muslims.]
There are a number of issues Esa and Rachel must confront: fear in the Muslim community; the presence of an ugly strain of neo-Nazi white nationalism that characterizes the area; hostility toward the police both from the Muslims, who resent that the police haven’t acted against previous provocations and thus have allowed these white supremacists to feel emboldened, and the people of the town, who have responded to incendiary radio talk programs stoking fear of Muslims; the possibility that the local police has been infiltrated by these neo-Nazis; and personal, but anonymous, threats directed at Esa.
At the same time, both Esa and Rachel have to come to terms with their romantic feelings - not toward each other, but with respect to others in their lives. Esa is also dealing with the stress of coping with a job that hits him on such a personal level - can he continue to do this? He had wanted to make a difference, but does he? Is it worth the cost to his psyche?
The ending was a surprise: I kept wondering how Esa and Rachel could keep missing who the real culprit was! Alas, it’s because it wasn’t who I thought it was, of course.
Discussion: Khan does an excellent job in representing the horrific rhetoric that is used by neo-Nazi groups, as well as in calling attention to the uptick in bigotry, fear, suspicion, and hate all around the world. Mosques and Jewish centers have been vandalized, burned, marred with hateful graffiti, and tragically, have been targeted by mass shooters. Khan juxtaposes this outpouring of hatred and violence with the struggle of minorities just to live their lives, do their jobs, and celebrate family, friends, and faith, without harassment and even existential danger. She observes in her Afterword that she wrote this book “to illuminate the connections between rhetoric, polemics, and action.” She certainly succeeded, since her book sounded all too much like real life these days.
Evaluation: I did not read any previous books in the series, but that did not interfere with my enjoyment of the book. This is a good, nuanced story that takes on preconceptions, ignorance, and stereotyping to show - as Americans critical of Trump keep trying to emphasize - that words do have consequences, and they can be deadly. As one fictional radio host in the book said of his microphone: “That’s the only weapon I require.”
May 14, 2021
Solid book; solid series. I’ve said this in my last review already but it’s such a pleasure to read a police procedural that’s inclusive and aware of the climate we’re in, here in Canada. Not to mention all the while being subversive of tropes in this genre. Both Esa and Rachel are well realized, they’re relationship doesn’t feed off of negative and zany sexual dynamics that too often mire series and plots like this. They themselves are against type and their lenses are both incredible useful for the full context of the plot every time.
This in particular is probably the one that hits hardest for me, as it’s based on real white supremacy flourishing in the country, particularly this brand in Quebec. And just this year the leader of the NDP, Jagmeet Singh was subjected to blatant racism from caucus members from Quebec! And then asked to apologize for calling them racist, which he did not, only to be chastised for it. I sometimes wonder if he was at all inspiration for the character of Esa, as Jagmeet’s public face is very much in character to Esa, in my mind.
But I digress. You can expect a highly nuanced portrayal of interactions between PoC and white people, code-switching and micro aggressions, to just out right racism. All of it with the overarching relevant themes, right up to political levels that are sometimes hard to parse. It’s really fantastic.
Really my only issue, we with others, is that the clarity is to overt that the prose are expository and nothing is left for the reader to infer. You want this for something like this, but it effected overall enjoyment. Also the scene with the killer was far too melodramatic for me, which solidified the 4 stars for me.
I highly recommend this series. It’s so good and pertinent and worthy of readers’ time. As usual there is the authors note explaining the real life events on which this is based and a suggested readers list, followed by the authors over qualifications for writing nuanced fiction like this.
This in particular is probably the one that hits hardest for me, as it’s based on real white supremacy flourishing in the country, particularly this brand in Quebec. And just this year the leader of the NDP, Jagmeet Singh was subjected to blatant racism from caucus members from Quebec! And then asked to apologize for calling them racist, which he did not, only to be chastised for it. I sometimes wonder if he was at all inspiration for the character of Esa, as Jagmeet’s public face is very much in character to Esa, in my mind.
But I digress. You can expect a highly nuanced portrayal of interactions between PoC and white people, code-switching and micro aggressions, to just out right racism. All of it with the overarching relevant themes, right up to political levels that are sometimes hard to parse. It’s really fantastic.
Really my only issue, we with others, is that the clarity is to overt that the prose are expository and nothing is left for the reader to infer. You want this for something like this, but it effected overall enjoyment. Also the scene with the killer was far too melodramatic for me, which solidified the 4 stars for me.
I highly recommend this series. It’s so good and pertinent and worthy of readers’ time. As usual there is the authors note explaining the real life events on which this is based and a suggested readers list, followed by the authors over qualifications for writing nuanced fiction like this.
January 8, 2025
Mysteries are one of my very favorite genres, but I rarely give a mystery novel a 5 star rating. The books in the Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty series by Ausma Zehanat Khan are an exception, with several in this series warranting the highest rating in my assessment. In this 5th in the series, the author takes a true event, a shooting at a mosque in Quebec in 2017 which killed 6 people and wounded 19, and weaves a story about a very similar circumstance. In this story, Khattak and Getty are called to a small town in Quebec after a shooter entered a mosque and opened fire, with 7 dead and many more injured. As they join the investigation to try to find the perpetrator, the possible suspects shift from members of a local Muslim hate group, to members of the law enforcement community who share the anti-Muslim sentiments, to someone within the Muslim community themselves. Khattak, also a Muslim, has to delve deeply into his own faith to sustain him in the face of so much hatred.
The author's notes at the end are as engrossing as the story. While researching for this novel, she learned that the shooter in 2017 was obsessed with then President Donald Trump's iterations of the Muslim ban in the U.S. The author further states: "I wrote this book because I have long studied the incipient and incremental nature of hate and the fatal places hate often takes us. I wrote it to illuminate the connections between rhetoric, polemics, and action". I admire her goals, and also her hope that people in powerful positions begin to realize that the thoughts and beliefs that are given voice can prompt others to take horrendous action.
The author's notes at the end are as engrossing as the story. While researching for this novel, she learned that the shooter in 2017 was obsessed with then President Donald Trump's iterations of the Muslim ban in the U.S. The author further states: "I wrote this book because I have long studied the incipient and incremental nature of hate and the fatal places hate often takes us. I wrote it to illuminate the connections between rhetoric, polemics, and action". I admire her goals, and also her hope that people in powerful positions begin to realize that the thoughts and beliefs that are given voice can prompt others to take horrendous action.
February 13, 2019
I’ve read all the Rachel Getty/Esa Khattak books so was interested in this one, the fifth in the series.
This time Rachel and Esa are called to Saint-Isidore-du-Lac in Quebec after a massacre at a mosque. Twelve people are killed. Christian Lemaire, the officer in charge, has a young Muslim man, Amadou Duchon, taken into custody though he was helping the wounded. On the other hand, Etienne Roy, the local Catholic priest, is found at the scene with a gun in his hands but he is not apprehended and never seriously considered a suspect. As the investigation continues, Esa and Rachel are convinced that the Wolf Allegiance, an ultra-nationalist group, and a right-wing radio host are connected to the mass shooting.
The mystery is interesting with several suspects with possible motives. The identity of the murderer is not easy to guess, though looking back there are sufficient clues. I understand the murderer’s initial motivation but there are subsequent actions that are less strongly motivated and so less convincing.
The novel tackles relevant issues in Quebec and Canadian society. It explores anti-immigration sentiments, Islamophobia, and white nationalism. Rather than focusing on the radicalization of young Muslim men, it examines the radicalization of young white men. The book mentions topics which have been in headlines in Quebec: biker gangs, discrimination in the Sûreté du Québec, Hérouxville’s Code of Conduct, Quebec’s Charter of Values. Some online chats and blogs which promote hate are included in the narrative; they are unquestionably realistic though disturbing to read.
In my review of the fourth novel in this series, I mentioned that the constant romantic tensions became tedious. In this novel, the romance element is also over-emphasized. Every woman who meets Esa seems to fall in love with him?! He is unmoved by such amorous yearnings, but the love of one person has a dramatic impact on his mood and attitude. Rachel, on the other hand, is attracted to someone with whom she has to work closely though she doesn’t know if he can be trusted. These romantic concerns serve only as an unnecessary distraction, especially over-the-top passages like this: “She struggled to regain her composure, blinking several times rapidly and running a dry tongue over her lips.”
Another aspect which is tedious and annoying is the many references to eyes: “Their eyes met and held, eloquent with fear” and “the answering flame in her eyes” and “that still-banked fury in his eyes” and “her eyes were locked on his” and “The priest’s eyes slid to his” and “something dark and nameless in her eyes” and on and on. Everyone communicates so expressively with their eyes?! Dialogue and actions should be used more to convey thoughts and feelings.
As with the previous book in the series, this one is also sometimes bogged down by lengthy passages of exposition that would be more appropriate in an essay: “But in effect, that’s what the Code of Conduct – and the succeeding legislation – stood for. It was dressed up in language about religious neutrality and the values of Québec – it resisted encroachment; it spoke of erasure – but at heart it was a repudiation, of what was considered different . . . other . . . barbaric. Debates about the Muslim veil had created the specter of a foreign invasion – an intolerable usurpation delivered by the hands of a community who sought religious freedom. The language of Bill 62 . . . suggested it applied to all communities equally. But its neutrality was a veneer. Its practical application was to exclude those in religious dress from joining in public life. In starker, more specific terms, the proposed legislation stripped a Muslim woman of her dignity and her choice.”
There is a lot of focus on the difficulties women face in a male-dominated workforce: “Unwanted, unwelcome attention that hindered a woman’s performance of her job” and “What do you think it’s like for me? For any woman who tried to slog her way to the top?” and “He’d heard it from many of his female colleagues, frustrated by unnecessary obstacles or by the difficulty they’d faced being treated with respect by the men who stood in their way.” The reader does not need to be reminded over and over again about this problem.
I had problems with a few things in the novel. First, there’s the portrayal of the fictitious town, Sainte-Isidore-du-Lac. It is a “small town on the fringes of Gatineau Park” about “an hour and a half from Ottawa.” This small town has a mosque, a synagogue, and a university. What small town, especially one so close to a city that has two, would have a university? Then a character who works as a spokesperson for the premier of the province is summoned to Montreal? The provincial capital is Quebec City so it is more likely she would have to go there. A Muslim man speaks of the type of woman he would like to marry: “A girl I can take to the mosque who will stand by my side in prayer.” Perhaps I’m being too nit-picky but in a mosque, women pray separately from men!
This is not really a standalone novel. I would strongly recommend that it be read in the proper sequence. The relationships among the characters will be much better understood if the previous four books in the series have been read. In addition, all the investigations of these prior installments are mentioned. The next book in the series is foreshadowed at the beginning and the end with the appearance of a shadowy figure who follows and threatens Esa. The identity of this person undoubtedly lies in the previous novels.
This book examines the consequences of hate, and considering events in both Canada and the U.S., it is very relevant. A Muslim police investigator as a protagonist is a welcome addition to the mystery/crime genre, and the character of Esa continues to provide insight into the tenets of Islam and the mind of a devout but moderate Muslim. He and Rachel are an odd partnership but their working relationship is based on mutual understanding, respect, and affection. Though the book is not flawless, it is of sufficient quality that I will continue to follow the series.
Note: I received a digital galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
This time Rachel and Esa are called to Saint-Isidore-du-Lac in Quebec after a massacre at a mosque. Twelve people are killed. Christian Lemaire, the officer in charge, has a young Muslim man, Amadou Duchon, taken into custody though he was helping the wounded. On the other hand, Etienne Roy, the local Catholic priest, is found at the scene with a gun in his hands but he is not apprehended and never seriously considered a suspect. As the investigation continues, Esa and Rachel are convinced that the Wolf Allegiance, an ultra-nationalist group, and a right-wing radio host are connected to the mass shooting.
The mystery is interesting with several suspects with possible motives. The identity of the murderer is not easy to guess, though looking back there are sufficient clues. I understand the murderer’s initial motivation but there are subsequent actions that are less strongly motivated and so less convincing.
The novel tackles relevant issues in Quebec and Canadian society. It explores anti-immigration sentiments, Islamophobia, and white nationalism. Rather than focusing on the radicalization of young Muslim men, it examines the radicalization of young white men. The book mentions topics which have been in headlines in Quebec: biker gangs, discrimination in the Sûreté du Québec, Hérouxville’s Code of Conduct, Quebec’s Charter of Values. Some online chats and blogs which promote hate are included in the narrative; they are unquestionably realistic though disturbing to read.
In my review of the fourth novel in this series, I mentioned that the constant romantic tensions became tedious. In this novel, the romance element is also over-emphasized. Every woman who meets Esa seems to fall in love with him?! He is unmoved by such amorous yearnings, but the love of one person has a dramatic impact on his mood and attitude. Rachel, on the other hand, is attracted to someone with whom she has to work closely though she doesn’t know if he can be trusted. These romantic concerns serve only as an unnecessary distraction, especially over-the-top passages like this: “She struggled to regain her composure, blinking several times rapidly and running a dry tongue over her lips.”
Another aspect which is tedious and annoying is the many references to eyes: “Their eyes met and held, eloquent with fear” and “the answering flame in her eyes” and “that still-banked fury in his eyes” and “her eyes were locked on his” and “The priest’s eyes slid to his” and “something dark and nameless in her eyes” and on and on. Everyone communicates so expressively with their eyes?! Dialogue and actions should be used more to convey thoughts and feelings.
As with the previous book in the series, this one is also sometimes bogged down by lengthy passages of exposition that would be more appropriate in an essay: “But in effect, that’s what the Code of Conduct – and the succeeding legislation – stood for. It was dressed up in language about religious neutrality and the values of Québec – it resisted encroachment; it spoke of erasure – but at heart it was a repudiation, of what was considered different . . . other . . . barbaric. Debates about the Muslim veil had created the specter of a foreign invasion – an intolerable usurpation delivered by the hands of a community who sought religious freedom. The language of Bill 62 . . . suggested it applied to all communities equally. But its neutrality was a veneer. Its practical application was to exclude those in religious dress from joining in public life. In starker, more specific terms, the proposed legislation stripped a Muslim woman of her dignity and her choice.”
There is a lot of focus on the difficulties women face in a male-dominated workforce: “Unwanted, unwelcome attention that hindered a woman’s performance of her job” and “What do you think it’s like for me? For any woman who tried to slog her way to the top?” and “He’d heard it from many of his female colleagues, frustrated by unnecessary obstacles or by the difficulty they’d faced being treated with respect by the men who stood in their way.” The reader does not need to be reminded over and over again about this problem.
I had problems with a few things in the novel. First, there’s the portrayal of the fictitious town, Sainte-Isidore-du-Lac. It is a “small town on the fringes of Gatineau Park” about “an hour and a half from Ottawa.” This small town has a mosque, a synagogue, and a university. What small town, especially one so close to a city that has two, would have a university? Then a character who works as a spokesperson for the premier of the province is summoned to Montreal? The provincial capital is Quebec City so it is more likely she would have to go there. A Muslim man speaks of the type of woman he would like to marry: “A girl I can take to the mosque who will stand by my side in prayer.” Perhaps I’m being too nit-picky but in a mosque, women pray separately from men!
This is not really a standalone novel. I would strongly recommend that it be read in the proper sequence. The relationships among the characters will be much better understood if the previous four books in the series have been read. In addition, all the investigations of these prior installments are mentioned. The next book in the series is foreshadowed at the beginning and the end with the appearance of a shadowy figure who follows and threatens Esa. The identity of this person undoubtedly lies in the previous novels.
This book examines the consequences of hate, and considering events in both Canada and the U.S., it is very relevant. A Muslim police investigator as a protagonist is a welcome addition to the mystery/crime genre, and the character of Esa continues to provide insight into the tenets of Islam and the mind of a devout but moderate Muslim. He and Rachel are an odd partnership but their working relationship is based on mutual understanding, respect, and affection. Though the book is not flawless, it is of sufficient quality that I will continue to follow the series.
Note: I received a digital galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).
February 18, 2019
I keep waiting for Ausma Kahn's Getty/Khattak series to miss a beat--to have the occasional bad novel, or at least one not up to the standards set by the previous books. But this one is not it. A Deadly Divide is as exceptional as the first four books in the series. And, amazingly, each of the books breaks completely new ground. She does not just re-write the same book over and over again with new characters. The five books are five different kinds of books--all within the mystery genre, of course, but covering a broad spectrum of that genre.
The plot of A Deadly Divide revolves around a mass-shooting in a Quebec mosque. It brings up a lot of issues familiar to American readers: rampant Islamophobia, anti-immigrant nativism, the radicalization of white supremacists, and the problem of mass violence are the usual suspects. But also the tension between free speech and civil liberties and the very real problems that communities can have assimilating immigrant populations without proper support. To all of this is added the uniquely Canadian problem of Quebecois identity and the divide between French and English Canadians.
And, for all of this, it is not a social manifesto. It is a very good mystery novel, with a difficult puzzle and an elegant solution. And, even more than other novels in the series, it is an exciting, edge-of-your-seat thriller with a strong heroine (Rachel Getty) and a sympathetic and very believable Muslim protagonist (Esa Khattak).
I love this series and can't wait for the next one.
The plot of A Deadly Divide revolves around a mass-shooting in a Quebec mosque. It brings up a lot of issues familiar to American readers: rampant Islamophobia, anti-immigrant nativism, the radicalization of white supremacists, and the problem of mass violence are the usual suspects. But also the tension between free speech and civil liberties and the very real problems that communities can have assimilating immigrant populations without proper support. To all of this is added the uniquely Canadian problem of Quebecois identity and the divide between French and English Canadians.
And, for all of this, it is not a social manifesto. It is a very good mystery novel, with a difficult puzzle and an elegant solution. And, even more than other novels in the series, it is an exciting, edge-of-your-seat thriller with a strong heroine (Rachel Getty) and a sympathetic and very believable Muslim protagonist (Esa Khattak).
I love this series and can't wait for the next one.
April 2, 2019
I always look forward to a new book from Ausma Zehanet Khan. Her story telling is stellar and her characters are both interesting and complex, yet always believable. This book is no exception. Perhaps the Canadian content and context is the most compelling stimulus for me as I rarely find a book with such claustrophobic issues indemic to our life in Canada. It also helps that she has created an interesting , sensitive and threatened main protagonist in Esa Khattak.
And looking at Quebec today, it is depressingly reflective politically.
And looking at Quebec today, it is depressingly reflective politically.
April 8, 2019
3.5 stars. I'm fan of Khan's mysteries - glad I've found her when she published her first book, as the series need to be read in sequence. They are not perfect, but I appreciate Khan's tackling urgent cultural topics not only in the Canadian Muslim communities, but world-wide. Each of her mysteries highlights a different angle of the Muslim community-related events, oftentimes involve protagonists from specific countries or parts of the world. Deadly divide casts light on racists, white supremacists, and people taken by conspiracy theories. Writing is a little simplistic, and the story not completely plausible, however, the book is a good read. Rachel is a fun character, worthwhile following.
May 13, 2019
She just keeps getting better. A timely tale involving a mass killing at a mosque, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment and the rise of white nationalism in Canada; a look at personal relationships across religious and political divides, and so much more.
Really, this series is one of the best going right now for mysteries that actually deal with real life sociopolitical problems.
Really, this series is one of the best going right now for mysteries that actually deal with real life sociopolitical problems.
November 27, 2018
I got this as a arc e book from net galley. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. It is my first book by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
November 1, 2019
I'm all caught up in this series and my favorite book in the series to date. Hoping there will be more books to look forward to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews