In present-day Pakistan, in the far corners of Lyari in Karachi, or Hingol in Balochistan, or Thatta in Sindh, tightly knit groups of women keep alive the folklore, songs and legends of Sati—their name for Sita in the Ramayana. The way they sustain the attendant rituals and practices in a nation state with a fixed idea of what constitutes citizenship and who gets to be a primary citizen is at the heart of this book. In Sita under the Crescent Moon, author Annie Ali Khan travels with women devotees—those without resources, subject to intense violence—who, through the bravest and simplest act, that of a pilgrimage, retrace what they remember of the goddess. Who are these pilgrims? How did this relationship with Sati start, and why is she so significant? How do their oral mytho-histories compare to colonial narratives or mainstream definitions of Sati? Even while retelling the stories of these pilgrims, Sita under the Crescent Moon studies how worship has altered the mores of a land—and how the sacral site, made up of clay and thread and tumble weed, grants a woman power to fight against her circumstances.

It is April 2018 when Raymond Lester Morone is arrested and held at the New Orleans Parish Prison on suspicion of the murders of three single women. If convicted, he faces execution. Unfortunately, Raymond’s arrest reveals more questions than answers. According to the police report, he doesn’t exist. Justin Lancer, an investigator for a local tabloid, is Raymond’s only hope. After Justin is pressed by his boss to partner with hard-nosed detective, Dominic DeAngelis, the investigation reveals new information that forces the detective to reopen his file in search of missing tattoo artist Andre LeBlanc. As Justin struggles with Dominic, his boss, and his relationship with his college sweetheart, his investigation sends him to the dark side of New Orleans where his search for truth and moral justice is further complicated by reappearing astrological symbols and his realization that LeBlanc may hold a critical piece of the missing puzzle. But when Justin crosses paths with an unusual street preacher, a proclaimed ragpicker, and a lady from Morone’s past, his hope for a resolution is finally renewed. In this exciting mystery, a tabloid reporter must partner with a stubborn police detective in search of the secrets that lurk in the shadows after a New Orleans man is accused of three murders.

Traditional swords & sorcery fantasy with an authentic middle-eastern spin. The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, land of djenn and ghuls, holy warriors and heretics, Khalifs and killers, is at boiling point. A power struggle between the iron-fisted Khalif and the mysterious master thief known as the Falcon Prince is reaching its climax. In the midst of this brewing rebellion, a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. Only a handful of reluctant heroes can learn the truth, and stop the killing. Doctor Adoulla Makhslood just wants a quiet cup of tea. Three score and more years old, he has grown weary of hunting monsters and saving lives, and is more than ready to retire from his dangerous and demanding vocation. But when an old flame's family is murdered, Adoulla is drawn back to the hunter's path. Raseed bas Raseed, Adoulla's young assistant, a hidebound holy warrior whose prowess is matched only by his piety, is eager to deliver God's justice. Zamia Badawi has been gifted with the near-mythical power of the Lion-Shape, but shunned by her people for daring to take up a man's title. She lives only to avenge her father's death. Until she learns that Adoulla and his allies also hunt her father's killer. Until she meets Raseed. When they learn that the murders and the Falcon Prince's brewing revolution are connected, the companions must race against time to save the life of a vicious despot. In so doing they discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn the city, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin.

Maera and Vikrant are close - really close - and everyone thinks it will only be a matter of time before they become ‘a couple’. But Vikrant has a past which haunts him and he won’t let go. He makes a decision which changes everything but the what-ifs still remain. They say the past is history but what if they’re repeating it? A tale of love, loss and finding life, ‘Under the Crescent Moon’ is a story to move the soul and offer hope to the heavy-hearted. Fast paced, set in today’s times, it brings together the everyday stumbles of relationships - heartbreaks, lost friendships, strained filial bonds and death.

Historical sketches so irresistibly readable, they might have been lifted straight from the Arabian Nights.

This sweeping historical romance follows Mallory Irving, a talented musician who becomes entangled in a forbidden affair that spans centuries and clashes between cultures. When Mallory and Harriet cross paths in modern day Toronto, their connection defies logic and time itself. Harriet finds herself drawn into Mallory’s mystical world as his concert tour heads for the Middle East, the setting of Mallory’s intricate past life at the height of the Crusades. There, Harriet witnesses the reincarnation of Mallory’s epic love with an alluring Arab peasant girl named Yasmina, which ended in tragedy centuries ago. As violence rocks Mallory’s concert and tragedy strikes once more, Harriet must uncover the truth of Mallory’s tortured soul and their shared destiny before history repeats itself. Their journey through time reveals a poignant truth: love transcends the ages, and the echoes of history reverberate in the depths of the human heart. This novel is a mesmerising blend of historical richness and emotional depth, a story that captures the enduring essence of human connection across the sands of time.