First published 2014
A tanker ship docks at Port Newark carrying stolen antiquities that may fund Middle Eastern terrorists. FBI Agent Layla El-Deeb gets the assignment to trace the source. Born in Egypt's slums before escaping to America, she must return to Cairo posing as a wealthy heiress. The city has changed beyond recognition since her childhood. Layla infiltrates the elite art scene where millionaires trade looted relics from illegal excavations. The money flows to terrorist networks threatening both Egypt's heritage and American security. Her mission appears simple: follow the artifacts from their rich owners back to the criminal organizations selling them. But Layla becomes drawn into the luxurious lifestyle she's supposed to be faking. Worse, she develops feelings for the son of a primary suspect. When terrorists prepare an attack that will kill civilians in both countries, Layla faces an impossible choice between her birth nation and her adopted home.
Genres: adventure, suspense, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, undercover
Setting: Cairo, Egypt, Port Newark
Period: 21st-century
360 pages · Paperback · Adaptive Studios
Content warnings: violence