A Dead Djinn in Cairo was a fun romp. I already knew I loved P. Djèlí Clark's word and his writing was as amazing as it always is so this was an easy four stars from me.

Like The Haunting of Tram Car 015 succeeding it, A Dead Djinn in Cairo is an alternate history steampunk mystery set on the streets of early 20th century Cairo. The novelette follows Fatma el-Sha'arawi a dashing Special Investigator with the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy as she uncovers the suspicious murder of an ancient djinn and unearths a deeper conspiracy along the way.

Like every other P. Djèlí Clark story I've read before A Dead Djinn in Cairo stars a fantastic protagonist. Fatma el-Sha’arawi is a bad bitch and an absolute legend from page one. Between her perfectly tailored suits, cane that doubles as a bludgeon, and razor-sharp observational skills, I was sold on her character from page one. Honestly, I'm not sure if I want to be her or date her.

Clark is a master of efficient storytelling. Every moment in this tiny book had weight and not a single line is wasted as he hurtled me at full speed through the plot. He effortlessly crafted tangible worlds and his integration of steampunk, fantasy, and history was seamless. I always leave his stories having not only been transported to a rich and vivid world but having learned a few things about our own.

While the novelette is a tad less polished than Clark's successive works his trademark excellent storytelling is still a tour de force. A Dead Djinn in Cairo was the perfect way to end the shitty year that was 2020. I am so hyped to see what Clark does with a full-length novel in A Master of Djinn coming out in May.