In WWI Egypt, a murdered girl and her runaway sister lead the Khedive’s head investigator to an underground slave trade in this “deftly plotted” mystery (Booklist, starred review).

Cairo, 1913. Pasha Ali Maher has received an unexpected gift: a traditional Bride Box. But what should contain treasures anticipating a marriage instead contains the body of the would-be bride herself. At the same time, a little girl is discovered riding under a train from Luxor—having escaped from her captors—and the Mamur Zapt, Head of the Khedive’s Secret Police, is called in to investigate.

Though the two girls are discovered to be sisters, the Pasha and his lady insist they have no connection to the crimes. And as British rule begins to falter, throwing the Mamur Zapt into political turmoil, his investigations uncover a still-thriving slave trade that was supposed to have been stamped out in Egypt long ago.

“This is a deftly plotted, cleverly written, highly entertaining mystery, but it’s the gentle humor and the warmth of the characters that earns it two thumbs decisively up.” —Booklist, starred review