A Master of Djinn opens in Cairo in 1912. Djinn walk among men and women, serving as archivists and librarians, entertainers and saviors.

As an agent for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, Fatma el-Sha’arawi sifts through illusion and political treachery to solve crimes. For example, who murdered the twenty British aristocrats of the Brotherhood of al-Jahiz? The time-traveling folk hero they worshipped? Or a jealous human in a golden mask?

Agent Fatma and her partner Hadia pound the pavement of slums and fine marble galleries of palaces to find answers.

P. Djeli Clark fully realizes an Egypt that runs on grinding steampunk gears and magic, presenting the reader with mysteries that are neatly resolved, and some mysteries that remain unknowable. Though this novel stands alone, readers may want to borrow A Dead Djinn in Cairo to spend more time in Agent Fatma’s world.