A review by bgg616
The Golden Scales: A Makana Investigation, by Parker Bilal
4.0
Definitely a 4.5 star book for me. Makana is a Sudanese ex-cop who fled his country and ends up in Cairo. To get by he works as a private investigator. Makana is described as a scruffy character, living in a precarious, slapped together house on a riverbank - all he can (barely) afford. When he gets behind on his rent, his landlady, a widow with several children, sends one of them up the power pole to disconnect his electricity.
One day Makana has a well-dressed visitor. He is the right hand man of one of the wealthiest men in Egypt, Saad Hanafi, who wants Makana to find the missing star player from his football (soccer) team. At the same time, Makana meets a desolate British woman looking for her daughter missing since she was seven years old and disappeared in a near by market. For reasons I never quite understood, Makana becomes convinced that the two disappearances, though many years apart, are connected.
The Cairo of Makana is corrupt (not a surprise) and delapidated. Everywhere Makana's investigations lead him are studies in contrast - either super luxurious, private and gated communities, or dirty, impoverished and dangerous places. Makana has big losses in his past that we learn about in this book. He is still pursued by Sudanese militia members who forced his exile. Yet despite his poverty and constant threats from all sorts, Makana is an upbeat man with a keen intelligence, which makes this series attractive and one I will read more of.
One day Makana has a well-dressed visitor. He is the right hand man of one of the wealthiest men in Egypt, Saad Hanafi, who wants Makana to find the missing star player from his football (soccer) team. At the same time, Makana meets a desolate British woman looking for her daughter missing since she was seven years old and disappeared in a near by market. For reasons I never quite understood, Makana becomes convinced that the two disappearances, though many years apart, are connected.
The Cairo of Makana is corrupt (not a surprise) and delapidated. Everywhere Makana's investigations lead him are studies in contrast - either super luxurious, private and gated communities, or dirty, impoverished and dangerous places. Makana has big losses in his past that we learn about in this book. He is still pursued by Sudanese militia members who forced his exile. Yet despite his poverty and constant threats from all sorts, Makana is an upbeat man with a keen intelligence, which makes this series attractive and one I will read more of.