Assembly of the Dead

A detective searches turn-of-the century Marrakesh for a serial killer in this mystery based on the true story of a Moroccan Jack the Ripper.

“Rouass is a dazzling writer, one who bridges East and West in the most exceptional and unusual way.” —Tahir Shah, writer and journalist

1906. As European interests bring change to Morocco, young women are disappearing from Marrakesh. The local authorities turn a deaf ear to the outcries of concerned families, dismissing the cases as ladies of ill repute simply moving elsewhere to ply their trade. The Sultan, however, does not ignore them. To look into the alleged abductions, he summons Farook al-Alami, a detective from Tangier experienced in modern investigative methods.

But in a country without a police force and in a city on the brink of chaos from famine and fear, Farook has his work cut out for him. He must rely on his wits and his skill as he searches in the twisted alleyways of Marrakesh for answers. Are the local officials truly indifferent or is it something more sinister? Are the disappearances the work of just one person? Where are these women? What happened to them?

Meanwhile, Farook is being watched from the shadows by a monster who dreams of becoming a legend. Until they reach their goal, they are not about to stop . . .

“This is a beautiful addition to the literature of Morocco.” —Richard Hamilton, author of The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco