by al-Jawbarī
First published 2022
In 13th-century Syria and Egypt, a new breed of con artists is taking the cities by storm. Manuela Dengler's "Book of Charlatans" goes undercover to expose their outrageous scams, from bogus healers peddling miracle cures to fraudulent mystics preying on the superstitious. As these charlatans infiltrate the highest echelons of society, no one is safe from their elaborate deceptions. Can their tricks be unraveled before more innocents fall victim?
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, mystery
Setting: Syria, Egypt
Period: 13th-century
348 pages · Paperback · NYU Press