Yassin Adnan

Another solid outing - this time, the setting is the exotic Marrakech. The city is one that is more prone to scandal than crime, and as such there is no tradition of noir. Fantastic storytelling is used to block out dark memories and dark tales are avoided. Even now, we are told, only 30 detective stories have been written in the last two decades!

So our authors, from a variety of different cultural backgrounds, have taken inspiration from old crimes, long hidden, as well as those crimes now show more prevalent in a modern city. Add a touch of spice and humour, and you have Marrakech Noir! show less

Marrakech is a magical city. Danger, if there is danger, is hidden in the fantastical. In his introduction to Marrakech Noir, editor Yasmin Adnan says “ Marrakechis are willing to read every type of story about the city — except those that are garbed in black”. And so this collection of noir fiction is unlike any you will find in any other city in the world. Many stories are cloaked in a style reminiscent of the Arabian Nights, tales woven with a comforting cadence that lulls you into show more the heart of a tale that can be as dark and seedy as any you are likely to read. This is one of the better collections of stories that I have read in the series, highly recommended. show less

From the start I was drawn into the story of Rahhal, a marginal character in this comedy of life and who over the years has built a double identity. That little internal voice that he virtually uses to clear his consciousness of his real thoughts and spit out his venom on his false enemies. From his school bullying to the establishment of his adult life, we follow the slow evolution of Rahhal and his "maturity" towards this serial commentator who reigns on social networks and Moroccan show more forums.

The rhythm of the novel is fast at the beginning but slow and heavy towards the end. I loved the description of the characters, this animal analogy helped to visualize the different characters better. It is undeniable that the author has an excellent command of the descriptive style and has paid homage to Marrakech, its corners and the various educational establishments. The description of life in Marrakech and the daily life of Moroccans before and after social networks is superbly described. It is an open window on life, the setbacks and adventures of different characters that we see in the street: from the waitress of the cafe to the vendor of fruits and vegetables.

Hot Maroc is an excellent debut novel by Yassin Adnan and will transport you in a way that only translated works can. show less

This is a fun collection of crime; Morocco has no tradition of crime writing so some of the stories are not traditional whodunits but they are all (or mostly) fun and enlightening to read. You get a vivid picture of Marrakech and its people, culture, food, atmosphere. I enjoyed the armchair travel aspect as well as the stories themselves. Another winner from Soho Crime.