Hoopoe

This fine portrait of two women is also a wonderful homage to Cairo’s past and present. Adly’s vibrant descriptions of the city in the 21st century and during the Napoleonic era brings rich urban street scenes to life and gives voice to Egypt’s successful resistance against French colonization.

This will mostly appeal to fans of the author’s previous works and similar crime novels that have sprung up in the Arab world since the 2011 uprisings.