Blackwater Falls deals with racial tensions, along with police corruption. The author includes current politics and immigration policies in the overall narrative. The mystery aspect of the story where girls are going missing was compelling. At times I felt overwhelmed by the characters and the political discussion. It detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book. That is a personal preference and readers who enjoy current events and politics will certainly find the story compelling.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press Minotaur for the arc copy. This is my honest review.

(3.5) Did not see the ending coming, win! Inaya (Detective) is half Afghanistan and half Pakistani and a Muslim. It was so awesome seeing Inaya close to her dad which is not the normal depiction. I appreciated that, and think so many times people see only the darker side (I know I had a stereotype idea). This jumps at the start with the body of Razan (star student and refugee) being left displayed at a mosque. I immediately had to reread the first chapter as I kept getting lost but was intrigued enough to keep on. There are so many people involved that are interesting and captivating in their own right. As this is book one there was a lot of world building, some necessary some not, IMHO. There is so many layers that I found myself absorbing information on different cultures, races, politics and immigration. They are woven throughout this mystery murder. Thank you for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. I also want to thank the author for intriguing me enough to learn. #Blackwaterfalls #Ausmazehanatkhan #stmartinspress #minotaur #netgalley

Book 1 in the Detective Anaya Rahman series currently set in the buccolic Blackwater Falls, CO. The only thing actually beautiful in this setting is the terrain. The old-style downtown is a façade of an imagined gentler time. The reality is young girls have gone missing and no one cares. The lives of refugees, police, the local Mega Church, and big business collide with murder being the outcome. In comes Detective Rahman and two other women of color and of at-risk backgrounds to conduct an investigation into the murder of a local teen while trying to be a liason to the community-at-large.
Hot button topics are explored from the angle of the refugee. A great first outing for Det Rahman by author, Ausma Zehanat Khan.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for an early copy. All opinions are mine.

Unfortunately DNF'ing at 2% due to personal triggers. The few pages that I read the writing was fabulous but I just can't put myself through reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley & St Martin's Press for an advance copy

I don't read many police procedural books but this was really entertaining. I liked the diverse characters, short chapters and it had enough twists and turns to keep me interested. It also deals with some sensitive topics including hate crimes and police brutality.

I really enjoyed the author's previous series so I was excited to jump into this new one. It starts off very well, but can get a bit overwhelming as it goes on. I did think the ending wrapped things up really well. I'll probably read the next in the series.

My biggest regret. Requesting this book. It started out well with diverse characters and a promising plot. But once the author's political bias started to emerge, it was downhill from there. I could not read anymore after that and ended up not finishing the book. Too bad because the novel had promise if it were not for the insertion of politics into the equation.

I'm not going to rule out this author because I like her writing style. I'll probably read an earlier book of hers before I pass judgement. But for now, Blackwater Falls was a disappointing one star.

I received a digital review copy from Minotaur Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

A great beginning to a new series. I quite enjoyed being introduced to this community and cast of characters. There is so much potential for where the series can go as it continues. There were a lot of layers in this story and at times I did feel a bit overwhelmed be all of the characters and everything that was drawn into the story. But ultimately it wrapped up in a satisfying way.

A piercing multi-genre read. A captivating well written book that's a combination of a mystery, psychological thriller and story of immigration in 21st century America. The main protagonist, Inaya is a young Muslim woman trying to survive and prosper as a community oriented police officer in a suburb of Denver, CO. While invesstigating the grisly crucifiction murder of a teen immigrant and the disappearance of two Somali girls, she is opposed by a crooked sheriff, an Evangelical megachurch and a defense contractor. With a rich suuporting cast of well drawn allies and foes the action never slows down.

Blackwater Falls is the first in a new mystery series with a Da Vinci Code feel. When a young Syrian refugee is murdered Detective Inaya Rahman is chosen to lead the case. Having a Muslim background and ties to the community, Inaya is determined to find the reason behind the religious message of the murder. The sensitive topics of hate crimes, police brutality and racism shape the case and its impact on the small Colorado community. I appreciated that the author did not shy away from these topics as they are so relevant today. There is so much depth not only to the story but to the layered characters as well. A great start to a new series!

First in a new series featuring Detective Inaya Rahman- I have read several books from the author's previous series (Rachel Getty/Esa Khattak) and enjoyed them so I was excited to read this one. The previous series is well written, it's more like literature than your standard mystery novels. This one is less so- writing still pretty good but it is more like a typical mystery- which isn't a bad thing necessarily. There isn't as much flowery language or long descriptions of other cultures, history, etc. However there is a good amount of detail and backstory given for the main character- in just this 1 book I had a good sense of who she was and knew a lot about her, her family, and was interested to learn more. Ditto to the secondary characters, especially Rahman's boss Seif, and Rahman's relationships with them.
Plot was good and moved pretty well. This wasn't as heavy subject matter as several books in the author's Getty/Khattak series however it still deals with racism, xenophobia, assault. One thing that really makes Khan's work interesting and sets it apart is how much one can learn about Islam, (main character here is Muslim) and giving the reader a chance to learn more about the religion and culture through the main characters.
A good and promising first book in what I really hope will be an ongoing series, as I'm anxious to read more!

This book opens with a bang and doesn’t let up. A young woman is found crucified on the door of the local Evangelical Church in Blackwater Falls, Colorado. The dead woman is a Muslim, which brings in Denver’s Community Response Unit, or CRU, who are called in on cases of racial sensitivity. The squad is headed by Lt. Seif, but the book centers on one of his officers, Detective Inaya Rahman. The local sheriff is annoyed that his case is being preempted by the CRU and does his best to be unhelpful.

Despite the beauty and apparent idyllic nature of Blackwater Falls, there are tensions, changes and shifts under the surface. The community is home to many Muslim refugees and they aren’t welcome, appreciated, or understood everywhere. Detective Rahman is a Pakistani who has left her previous job because things went south after a traumatic incident, and she and her family have all made the move. Her father is extremely supportive; her traditional mother is looking for a groom.

Khan tackles a lot in this book which for all intents and purposes is simply a police procedural. Because of recent issues with police, the turn in perspective that Khan brings to the story makes it both a more profound reading experience as well as a more complicated one. Much of it centers on the culture of immigrant families who are afraid to speak up – the father of the dead girl has been injured in the meat packing plant where he works, but he doesn’t want to make a fuss.

It appears there are also two missing Somali girls. The families had gone to the police but the police insist the two girls are runaways, and their parents do not want to make a fuss. However, local activist and attorney Areesha Adams is sure they are not simply runaways, and insists the CRU follow up. Inaya’s partner is Catalina Hernandez, another immigrant. While the two women have had different experiences, they also understand both each other and the communities they are trying to assist.

There are layers and layers to this beautifully rendered story. There’s an Evangelical biker gang; there’s the pastor and huge congregation of the local Evangelical church, the pastor’s sermons inciting members of his congregation to unfortunate action; and there’s the sheriff, who seems to have his hand in every pie. Inaya’s past is illuminated, as is the painful incident that caused her to leave her previous job in Chicago. This incident was so painful to read about – and the way Khan insists the reader experience it with her – that I actually had to set the book aside for a bit. Inaya’s trauma is similar to one experienced by the dead girl.

The sensitive and illuminating way that Khan writes about and illustrates the Muslim culture and the way “ordinary” Americans react to this culture in a time that is fraught with division as well as racial hatred and suspicion makes this book not just a good read, it’s a must read. The characters, the story, even the beautiful setting, pierced by violence and hatred, form a tapestry that’s impossible to look away from. The hatred and violence are balanced by the sense of community felt from Inaya’s culture to her faith to the ties of the families who have lost family members. This is definitely one of the reads of the year.

This murder mystery is written by an author I haven’t read before and it’s decidedly different from any crime drama I’ve ever read. Blackwater Falls is a small community located near Denver. The towns might as well be worlds apart. Detective Inaya Rayman has been dispatched to take over a case and take down the corrupt Sheriff Grant.
Blackwater Falls is home to two large plants requiring laborers, mostly migrant workers. Also home to The Resurrection Church and the Disciples bikers. There is racial diversity and tension with conflict between religions, worship and beliefs. There are Muslims and Christians with Afghans and Pakistanis, Lebanese, Somali, Ukrainian, and Syrian.
Inaya is a detective with the Community Response Unit. Some of the procedures, investigative methods and policies were unlike the ordinary police methods. The role was to coordinate with the community to assure just and fair results. Trust by the community in the current police force was non-existent.
Seif is Inaya’s boss, he’s secretive, guarded and working angles behind the scenes. There are threads of romance knotted deep under the surface. Areesha Adams is a local civil rights lawyer. She appears to want to be helpful, but Inaya questions which side she’s on. They all have a common goal – to find who’s responsible for a horrifically staged young victim at a Mosque.
The murder investigation involves corruption, intimidation, the plant management, the church and community members. The grief and loss is devastating. The disparity between residents in this community is evident. If you’re looking for a new genre of crime mystery/police procedural this should top your list. The characters are not run of the mill detectives. The issues are current and thought provoking, insightful and important. This is first in a new series that I would read more of and recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Blackwater Falls” Detective Inaya Rayman Series, by Ausma Zehanat Khan and to Minotaur Books. These are all my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I really enjoyed this book. It was an eye-opening, action-packed thriller from a perspective I had never really fully considered. Well written and articulate, it kept me on the edge of my seat, with twists and turns and a great ending.

This fantastic introduction to a Colorado-based crime series is exactly what discerning readers have been asking for!!!!! Set in fictional Blackwater Falls, it features lead characters who are police officers of colour and delves deep into police corruption and brutality.

A former lawyer, author Khan explores policing in the USA and attempts to answer why there are such polarizing views about it. She delves deep into (1) the struggles immigrants face and shows readers that assimilation is more difficult than it appears and (2) the struggles women face in a male dominant work environment. She highlights the roots of corruption, racism, and threats to feelings of masculine superiority before dipping into religious beliefs.

The characters! Oh, my. The lead character, Detective Inaya Rahman of the Community Response Unit, is an Afghan-Pakistani and former Human Rights lawyer from Chicago. She’s been transferred to quiet Backwater Falls and instantly falls into a case which challenges her and allows her fellow constables to see her worth. Her Latina partner, Catalina Hernandez, formerly ran her own NGO and fought for the rights of the undocumented. You’ve just gone bug-eyed, right?! Yes, powerful women. Intelligent women. These two are fierce fighters and Denver Police Department is lucky to have them. You’ll also be rooting for the Muslim Civil Rights Attorney, Areesha Adams, and the hunky Lieutenant Waqas Seif! What a fantastic cast of characters.

This police procedural is edgy, romantic, filled to the brim with suspense and Khan doesn’t hold back on raising the big questions nobody wants to ask! You’ll read about missing girls, symbolic murders, ethnic and minorities. This one deserves a re-read. It’s like a dessert buffet; a second lap of the table is needed to snag all the dainties you hadn’t seen before!

Thank you for this intelligent, thought-provoking read. I can’t wait for the next installment.

I was gifted this advance copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ausma Khan for offering the ARC of this book. I read the synopsis and had high hopes for this book, some of which were realized, some not.

The idea of a Community Response Unit as a division of a large police department seemed very of the moment and worth exploring as a unique arm of investigative support. However, to so clearly put it above and separate from the primary police department, as was the case in this book, sets up an adversarial rather than a cooperative relationship. Maybe that was the point?

Secondly, to comprise the unit of officers that you then feel you have to protect, as was the case with Inaya and Qas, is patronizing and does little to promote trust and confidence in the community.

Although the idea of a hate crime investigation did intrigue me, the two issues I mentioned above didn’t get this book on solid ground for me. Blackwater Falls then became a more difficult read.

Still, I persisted. I wanted to see how the story would resolve. Unfortunately, when it came to the lengthy interview and search of the meat packing plant it lost me. The unnecessary descriptions and observations did nothing for me except add to confusion. In my mind it was simply a misdirection. Again, maybe that was the point?

I thought this book had a lot of potential and the link to current day policing tools interested me. It still does. Hopefully, there is more to come.

As a new fan of Ausma Khan, I am eager to read all her work including new series. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher, I was able to read the first in her new series about a troubled Muslim detective trying to solve a gruesome murder(s) in a small Colorado town. This pushed all my buttons. an extremely enjoyable police procedural, mystery and political thriller with a focus on sexism and racism both in and out of the work place.. You don't want to miss this!! Highly recommended!

The author of the award-winning Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty mystery series is back with a new series -- this time set in Colorado. Like its Canadian counterpart, Blackwater Falls features a police unit formed to interface with minority communities. Detective Inaya Rahman is herself an immigrant and an observant Muslim. Her partner, Catalina “Cat” Hernandez, brings an understanding of psychology and undocumented immigrants from south of the border.

The body of a female Syrian refugee is discovered nailed to the door of the local mosque with five wounds resembling the crucifixion of Christ. The victim was a top student and winner of a coveted internship at an aeronautics company. During their investigation Inaya and Cat discover that two other young women, this time Somali refugees, have gone missing. The county sheriff showed little interest in their disappearance. Could the three cases be connected?

Meanwhile, the local evangelical church preaches Christian Nationalism. Their loosely affiliated motorcycle gang – known as the Disciples -- act as vigilantes, harassing the immigrants. The author explores the complexities of assimilation, of straddling two cultures, of realizing that people do not fit neatly into boxes and that we can be surprised by human decency as well as by human depravity. This is a police procedural with deeper understandings to share.

While the cases of the refugee women are concluded in the novel, there are enough unresolved details for a sequel or, better yet, a series … which I am eagerly here for.

3.5 stars, rounded up
Blackwater Falls is the first in a series about Inaya Rahman, a female Muslim detective in Colorado. Her initial investigation as a member of the Community Response Team is the murder of a young Muslim girl who was found crucified on the doors of a Muslim mosque.
I enjoyed Inaya and found her to be fully developed, with an interesting backstory. Inaya can also rely on two other women - her Hispanic partner and a Muslim attorney, who were also well developed. Khan has a lot to say about masculinity, and how many men confuse it with superiority. Initially, I was worried she was setting up all the men to be villains, but as the story goes on, she does provide differences.
The story focuses on hate crimes, those against minorities, refugees and Muslims. Khan does an excellent job showing the suspicion of these groups of anyone in the police force, based on prior experiences. Even Inaya has been subjected to these prejudices. She also takes the time to provide information about the cultures represented by the refugees which I also appreciated.
Khan makes no secret of her politics, which align with my own. It would be easy to think her depiction of the evangelical church in the story was overdone. But I’ve been witness to the same beliefs she details here. And her writing is a strong reminder about what our shared God really teaches.
The book got somewhat bogged down in the middle and at times, it felt garbled. Khan provides multiple suspects and I will admit to not having a clue how it would play out.
I wasn’t as enthralled with the romantic subtext. It felt rushed and too soon in the series. But I will definitely seek out the next in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

At its core, Blackwater Falls, is a murder mystery/police procedural. However, the story has strong overtones of racism, xenophobia, prejudice, discrimination, police brutality, etc. The body of teenager and Syrian refugee Razan Elkader is found mounted on the door of the local mosque, posed in an emulation of the crucifixion. Blackwater Falls, on the outskirts of Denver, has a small minority community, mostly refugees from Somalia and various Middle Eastern countries who are employed at the local meat-packing plant. The town is grateful for the cheap labor, but otherwise many of the residents want little to do with the "foreigners." The pastor of the local evangelical megachurch, Resurrection Church, regularly preaches against the evils of foreigners, especially those who are Muslim. A local motorcycle "social group", the Disciples, act as enforcers, intimidating and harassing minority residents. The local sheriff is corrupt and racist, and some of his officers participate in or openly ignore the harassment or are "overzealous" in their interactions with minority residents.

Because of the racial tensions and in response to protests nationwide in recent years in response to police brutality, a Community Response Unit (CRU) has been formed within the Denver Police Department. Lieutenant Seif, Detective Inaya Rahman, and Detective Catalina Hernandez are tasked with solving the case, which is made more difficult because Sheriff Grant does not appreciate being sidelined, especially by "minority" officers. In addition, the local minority community is not particularly trusting of the police. Leading the "resistance" is Areesha Adams, a community organizer and civil rights lawyer who has had numerous confrontations with the sheriff and his officers. Making things even more difficult, Adams and others believe the attention being focused on Razan is because she appeared "white." Two teenage Somali girls had disappeared, but the police had been largely dismissive, conducting a cursory investigation at best. The CRU was unaware of these disappearances, which does not help their efforts to build credibility with the community.

The story is fraught with tension -- between the minority community and larger community, between the sheriff and his officers and the CRU detectives, and between Seif and Rahman, as Rahman cannot understand why Seif is so subservient and deferential to Sheriff Grant (and which Seif is not at liberty to explain). There are some unexpected alliances in this story. The author incorporates interesting discussions of religious iconography, as well as various aspects of the different African and Middle Eastern cultures (Persian, Arab, Afghani, Syrian, Somali, etc.) that are represented by the major and some minor characters. The ultimate motive for the killing of Razan, and the identity of the killer, is both surprising and not surprising.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.