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Happy Thursday, all! Today I am super excited to share my review of another book I group read, A Deadly Divide by Ausma Zehanat Khan, publishing on February 12, 2019 by Minotaur Books.

My Thoughts:

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. 

Synopsis:

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 apart: from the once-tight partnership between detectives Esa and Rachel, to the truth about a deeply divided nation.

Check out these reviews by the other Book Besties:

Berit at Audio Killed the Bookmark

Mackenzie at PhDiva

Have you read A Deadly Divide, or is it on your TBR? Happy Reading! ~ Jenni THR