First published 2006
Rakkim Epps receives an impossible mission from the security chief of the Islamic States of America. His secret lover Sarah Dougan has vanished after discovering evidence that could topple the government. Sarah, a historian, found proof that the nuclear attacks on New York, Washington D.C., and Mecca may not have been Israel's doing. These bombings split America into warring territories in 2040. Seattle now serves as capital of an Islamic republic while Christian forces control the South. Rakkim must navigate this fractured landscape to find Sarah, but Darwin stalks him. This psychopathic killer trained in the same elite unit as Rakkim and knows every move Rakkim might make. As Rakkim searches through veiled streets where mosques pierce the skyline and Jihad Cola replaces alcohol, Darwin closes in. The chase leads through abandoned cities and battle zones. Sarah and Rakkim must expose the truth about who really orchestrated the attacks while staying ahead of their hunter. Their survival depends on revealing secrets that powerful forces will kill to protect.
Genres: dystopia, historical-fiction, mystery, action, political-thriller, alternate-history
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Mecca, New York, Seattle, Washington D.C.
Period: 2040
416 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: violence