R C Retterer

Honor Among Thees R C Retterer

When Noor bint al-Sahn is absent from her high school ESL class for a fifth straight day without explanation, Ivan Podrosky, her ESL teacher, decides he must take action. Previous attempts to reach her father have been in vain. Podrosky learns that Noor has not been home and has not been heard from in at least ten days. Podrosky finally hears from the father, but the news is not good. Ivan learns that Noor's father believes that Podrosky is responsible for his daughter's disappearance. Sulieman al-Sahn has long been concerned about his daughter's rapid Westernization, including concern that she has a non-Muslim boyfriend. Friends of Noor's believe that she has been a victim of domestic abuse, but no one dares to risk accusations of Islamophobia by pursuing the matter with authorities. When a charred, headless torso is found by rabbit hunters in a tobacco field, Podrosky suspects that Noor has been the victim of an honor killing. The family and the local sheriff suspect Podrosky. News that a prominent feminist attorney and LGBTQ activist has intervened in the case cannot be good for Mr. Podrosky. Or can it?