Finding Nouf: A Story of Bad Intentions

I've recently finished the book Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris.  Finding Nouf is a story of murder, religion, culture, and intentions.  Islam is ever present in the lives of the characters of this story. Nayir ash-Sharqi is a desert guide but is called by the family to lead a search party for Nouf, a girl of sixteen, who eventually was found dead by desert travelers.  She had everything going for her.  Her family was rich and she was about to be married. Why would someone want to kill her?  Life between men and women are separate.  Women are covered from head to toe, remaining a mystery to the male members of society. Nayir meets up with Katya Hijazi, who works at the coroner's office. Together they solve the mystery of Nouf's death.

I feel that the story is more about intentions and how painful life can be for those who are wronged.  Desperation can cause seemingly good people to do very bad things.  When Katya told Nayir that she would marry someone so that she could have the freedoms for which she longed for, it struck a chord with me.  This kind of thing happens all of the time in our world.  Heartless acts of desperation with no care for the innocent victim they have ensnared.  This is a good book and is well written.  I am currently reading her next book called City of Veils.