What do readers think of The Language of Secrets by Ausma Zehanat Khan? Write your own review.

"The Language of Secrets" by Ausma Zehanat Khan was a fascinating read for me. I learned much about Muslim culture, although not in a didactic way. The Muslim poetry, especially, was a lyrical way to appreciate the traditions of this religion. Khan was able to seamlessly weave the cultural points with a police procedural aimed at thwarting a terrorist attack in Toronto on New Year's Eve. The main character, Esau Khattack , is tasked with investigating the murder of an undercover agent, while trying to protect his family and his partner from discovery by the terrorist cell. This was a real page turner for me.

The villains of the 21st Century novels have become the hidden in plain sight community, replacing Nazis and Russians. The Canadian setting added an additional element. I don't believe I have read a novel set in Canada before. I found the characters to be one dimensional and predictable: the persecuted, conflicted and lonely hero, the misunderstood heroine, and the handsome charismatic villain. Overall it is a thought provoking book and an introduction to a culture that is currently much discussed.

While this book had some interesting aspects, I never could quite connect with the characters or the storyline. It is often frustrating to read books in a series and not start with the first book. I had so many questions and nearly all of them went unanswered. What happened between Khattak & his friend? How did Khattak's wife die? Why does Rachel dislike her mother? These may not seem important in the overall storyline, but they are important to character development. The actual mystery was alright, although not the type of mystery you could figure out yourself. The novel was woven with poetry and poetic references which I'm sure had hidden meaning, although not to me. It was a mystery but not one which I could try to decipher on my own and not one which would lead to an "ah ha" moment. Ultimately, it was just a story and the unraveling of the mystery became an afterthought.

"I came between a man and his thoughts, like a breeze thrown over the face of the moon." This is the opening sentence of this book and then there are the thoughts of the man who is murdered as he dies. It's a very good beginning to a book that doesn't live up to such a good start.
As a reader I could not get involved with the detective who was the main character because even though he solves the crime he is a victim of bigotry and office politics that he never resolves. The young woman who is his partner is much more interesting and I think the real heroine of the story. The confusion arises because the author has such a strong message about Moslems and their treatment in society at the moment. I think it is a good message, but it could be interwoven into the story in a more skillful way.
There also seemed to be an overabundance of sub-plots which were not all resolved. For example, had Khattak done something to Coale or was it cut-throat competition for position within the police. What happened with Khattak's old partner and was she really trying to help him now?

This well written detective/ police procedural is packed with intrigue, interesting characters and descriptions of Muslim life & traditions in the backdrop of Toronto, Canada ; it held my interest until the end. Interspersed within the narrative are political facts, past & current, about the Arab world which enhances the plot. Also, the use of poetry adds an unusual dimension in the telling of this tale.
I acknowledge that my knowledge of Muslim traditions is lacking,however, I wonder how much written here is accurate. Could anyone just walk into a mosque, undercover, without adequate background so that they 'fit in'? It seemed to be too easy for Rachel to just show up & not arouse suspicion.