Book Log 2013 #9: The Last Secret of the Temple by Paul Sussman

The second book in the series featuring Luxor police detective Yusuf Khalifa, it starts with an investigation into the murder of an elderly hotel owner with a shady past whose interest in ancient artifacts is tied into the search for the missing treasures of the Temple, long considered lost after it fell to the Romans. This naturally interests Khalifa, who has an interest in history and antiquities as well, and he digs into the case, even in the face of opposition from his superiors.

Complicating matters is a militant Israeli group who is reoccupying buildings in Jerusalem and a crusading Palestinian reporter who dogs them. The Israelis would like the treasures for obvious reasons, and the reporter gets on the trail thanks to some documents sent to her by an unknown party. As the case broadens, Khalifa has to turn to the Israeli police for help, and winds up working with a detective whose dislike of anyone Muslim stems from the death of his girlfriend in a terrorist bombing a few years before. Can this odd couple solve the murder and discover if the treasures exist (and keep them out of the wrong hands - whoever they may belong to)?

I liked this more than I expected, and while I was able to guess a couple of the book's twists ahead of time I didn't think that detracted from the overall experience. There's a good chemistry between Khalifa and Arieh Ben-Roi (the Israeli cop), even if their relationship normalized a little quickly for my taste (it's a plausible result given the way the book turns out, I just would have liked the tension to last a little longer).

Anyway, as a thriller it's good, and I did like its treatment of the subject better than The Columbus Affair. It's a series I'll go back to.