Short novel set in PARIS
Mystery set in 1988 ALGERIA
2nd September 2026
The End of the Sahara by Saïd Khatibi, mystery set in 1988 ALGERIA
TR: Alexander Elinson
Hidden stories revealed as killer’s identity becomes secondary
The End of the Sahara starts off as a murder mystery after a young shepherd discovers the body of Zakia Zaghouani, a nightclub singer known as Zaza, on the outskirts of an Algerian town in 1988. Predictably, her lover is the first suspect but, as the police begin their investigation, the murder becomes secondary to the secrets of a community damaged by secrets, resentments and hidden histories.
The backdrop is the run-up to Algeria’s 1988 riots, which saw mass protests and violent unrest as the country faced a severe economic crisis. Protesters targeted symbols of wealth and state authority, expressing anger over corruption, inequality and economic hardship. This was a society on edge.
Zakia, despite not actually being alive during the whole of the novel, remains the central character, dominating the narrative. Through the recollections of those who knew her—family members, colleagues, former lovers and rivals—she emerges as a complex, elusive figure. The collection of voices as they speak about her reveals as much about each of her acquaintances as they do about her – she comes across as both beautiful and ambitious to some but unattainable to others, notably the hapless and corrupt local police chief, Inspector Hamid.
Each has his or her own reasons for their recollections of the singer and, intriguingly, none of them really match up so it’s left to the reader to make up their own minds as to which of the many protagonists wanted to do away with her. It’s not so much who wanted her dead but why there were so many people in a small town who wished her ill.
One of the great strengths of The End of the Sahara is its setting. The desert town feels vividly real, alive with gossip, frustration, dreams and disappointments. The author captures the mood of the times and a community suspended between old traditions and an uncertain future. The approaching riots lend the story an air of inevitability, as though the entire town is moving towards a reckoning.
This is no ordinary murder mystery but rather looks at the intertwined emotions brought about by power, race, class and ambition. The mysteries of Algeria are vividly portrayed as the country faces an entire societal change and it is this, rather than the identity of the murderer, that forms the backbone of this book.
Val for the TripFiction Team
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