The Final Bet [Hardcover]

Abdelilah Hamdouchi (Author), Jonathan Smolin (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2008

Casablanca. Othman, a handsome young Moroccan man, returns home to discover his elderly French wife, Sofia, brutally murdered in their bedroom. Highly educated but chronically unemployed, Othman had been in desperate straits before meeting Sofia, who pampered him with fancy cars, expensive clothes, and access to her mansion in the most exclusive neighborhood in Casablanca. But living with a woman more than forty years his senior was too much for Othman--before his wife's murder he sought relief in a steamy affair with an attractive young aerobics instructor, Naeema. The Moroccan police quickly zero in on Othman as the prime suspect in his wife's murder. But is he guilty? Did he kill his wife for the money and his lover? Or is he an innocent man, framed by circumstance and an overzealous and brutal police force? Abdelilah Hamdouchi's The Final Bet is the first Arabic detective novel to be translated into English. With it, Hamdouchi joins the ranks of Yasmina Khadra and Henning Mankell, finally bringing the modern Arabic novel to the global stage of detective fiction. (Previously announced as The Last Wager)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Though very simple, and in part also naïve compared to standard American or European crime-fare, the conditions presented in The Final Bet make it a novel of some interest. It's not so much the exotic locale but rather the very different social and legal environment that make the work interesting, and Hamdouchi's perspective -- seeing it in Moroccan terms, not those of some Western writer -- also give it a more compelling feel. And even if the crime and how the case is resolved are unremarkable (and, in part, too facile), Hamdouchi has a nice, simple style that make it an enjoyable read. Worthwhile. Graded as B --The Complete Review

About the Author

ABDELILAH HAMDOUCHI is one of the first writers of Arabic-language detective fiction. The author of eight novels, Hamdouchi is also an award-winning screenwriter for Moroccan television and cinema. All of his police novels, including The Final Bet, have been produced for Moroccan television. He lives in Rabat, Morocco.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press (May 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774161505
• ISBN-13: 978-9774161506
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #827,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, January 12, 2009

By 

Rick Stockhill "roosteridge" (Kent City, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Final Bet (Hardcover)

Very good book. Not long. Can be finished in a day or two. Easy to read & will give you a rudimentary knowledge of Morocco.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars no spoilers in this review, June 17, 2008

By 

jibli - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Final Bet (Hardcover)

this is pretty thin gruel ( no depth to the characters/ no interesting material/ a plot full of holes--but i won't spoil the plot by going into that)....striking cover and quality paper.....why was this book chosen for translation?.....i suspect a political agenda because the writing has nothing to recommend it.