The Jackal's Share
Chris Morgan Jones
Mantle
Author Chris Morgan Jones is neither a stranger to this newspaper nor this region. Previously interviewed by The National, he has been generously feted by some as the next John Le Carré and, according to his biography, has worked with several Middle Eastern governments.
His first novel, An Agent of Deceit (2011), was branded a "manila thriller", unravelling the inner workings of a business intelligence agency and draping its story across several European cities. Now, Morgan Jones returns with The Jackal's Share. This time he plots an alternative course and we soon find ourselves in what one of his characters describes as "the most entertaining place on earth" (a place you and I know more commonly as Dubai).
The author's familiarity with his surroundings shines through - certainly Dubai feels relatively authentic in his hands - as he unwinds the story of the mysterious Iranian businessman Darius Qazai, who wants to know why his profitable asset management company was not deemed fit and proper when he tried to sell up. Cue some forensic accounting and more turns than you might find on Sheikh Zayed Road.
* Nick March
