{"product_id":"the-end-of-the-sahara-9781916725225","title":"The End of the Sahara","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOn an early autumn morning in 1988, on the outskirts of an unnamed Algerian city, a shepherd stumbles upon the lifeless body of Zaza Zaghouani, a stunning nightclub singer who left her hometown seeking a brighter future. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe story is set in 1988 Algeria. It takes place in just forty days, ending as mass protests erupt in the country. In a small town on the edge of the desert, plagued by a locust infestation and a food shortage, teetering on the brink of uprising, the body of Zakia Zaghouani--the singer at the Sahara Hotel--is discovered. Suspicion immediately falls on her lover, who is thrown into prison. The incompetent and greedy Inspector Hamid begins an investigation. So does the defense lawyer of the main suspect. Family, friends, and close ones give their testimonies, finding themselves confronted with their past. Secrets, betrayals, grudges, but also dreams and hopes shed light on their connection to the victim: each person harbors, for one reason or another, the desire to take revenge on her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Elegant prose and a keen sense of place help bring the narrative to life. It's a solid whodunit that doubles as a captivating look at a country in transition.\" \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eKIRKUS STARRED REVIEW \u003c\/i\u003e \"In the fall of 1988, shortly before the outbreak of mass youth riots in Algeria over unemployment and a lack of basic goods, a town's collective anger over the murder of a nightclub singer reflects what's to come. An absorbing novel that should broaden Khatibi's following.\"\"Evocative, brooding, and perfectly hard-boiled!\"--- CrimeReads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Said Khatibi\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Bitter Lemon Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/24\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.66lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.72h x 5.04w x 1.18d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781916725225\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/12\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSaïd Khatibi\u003c\/b\u003e is a novelist, travel writer, translator, and journalist born in 1984 in Bou Saâda, Algeria. He currently lives in Slovenia. He writes in Arabic and French and translates between both. His novel \u003ci\u003eSarajevo Firewood\u003c\/i\u003e, was shortlisted for the 2020 International Prize for Arabic Fiction and was his first novel translated into English. His other novels are \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Errors\u003c\/i\u003e which was published in 2013, and \u003ci\u003eForty Years Waiting for Isabelle \u003c\/i\u003ewhich won the 2017 Katara Award for Arabic Novels. He has written a travel book about the Balkans, \u003ci\u003eThe Inflamed Gardens of the East\u003c\/i\u003e, 2015, and has written extensively on raï music, including a book (\u003ci\u003eWedding Fire\u003c\/i\u003e, 2010). \u003ci\u003eThe End of the Sahara\u003c\/i\u003e won the Sheikh Zayed Book Award Young Author category in 2023.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Said Khatibi \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47792942317725,"sku":"9781916725225","price":35.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_42d51a98-d17c-46f9-8028-29ba222c763e.jpg?v=1774985218","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/the-end-of-the-sahara-9781916725225","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}