A Dead Djinn in Cairo, and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (Clark)

A Dead Dinn in Cairo, by P. Djeli Clark (2016)
The Haunting of Tram Car 015, by P. Djeli Clark (2019)

(Not a review, just some notes to help me remember the things I've read. But written this way because it's the Internet, and some people will stumble across this page.)

First off, these are both novellas. The two of them together merit a separate entry as a single unit. The second book was released as part of Tor.Com's book of the month club almost impossibly coincidentally right after I read the original novella. Out of nowhere, I decided to look at my iBooks app instead of the Kindle app, then I opened Some of the Best of Tor.Com 2016, which I presumably downloaded close to four years ago. (It was likely released in early 2017.) And I started reading that novella even though I had skipped over an earlier novella in the collection because of the length. (I'll get back to it.) By the time I realized my mistake, I was committed to the story.

That book will get an entry when (and if) I finish it.

"Djinn" tells the story of Fatma el-Sha’arawi, special investigator with the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, who has to solve the mystery surrounded a large dead djinn. (I just looked up the department name to make sure I got it right.) She dresses "exotically" in English clothes, rather than standard Egyptian wear. Her partner for the case is Inspector Aasim Sharif, police liason with the Ministry.

The story is set in an alternate Cairo, 1912, some decades after the walls connecting realities was punctured and djinn and other supernatural creatures were able to come through. The other creatures include things that call themselves Angels but aren't really Angels. And there's something called The Rising that seem about to happen, but would be a good idea to prevent.

"Tram Car" is set in the same universe, but is not a sequel.It takes place a few months after the previous story, with a backdrop on a women's suffrage movement. Fatma gets mentioned early on, but doesn't get involved with this case. The Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities has to deal with a haunted tram car. Alternate Cairo has a very complex system of semi-intelligent tram cars running about the city, thanks to the presence of supernatural djinn. However, one of the cars appears to be haunting and attacked a mechanic and a female passenger. Agent Hamed Nasr and his new partner Agent Onsi Youssef are assigned to check it out. They soon learn that it's something that hasn't been catalogued before. Hamed is the department veteran, while Onsi is the new guy, who has his own unusual background and talents. Hamed tolerates most of that.

Their plan to exorcise the creature involves hiring a djinn, who don't work cheaply. The minister of transportation declines to pay for it and then informs them of the change in the law that requires MAESE needs to bear the cost. This sends Hamed and Onsi looking for alternatives as that would take a huge chunk out of their budget and leave them behind a desk for months. (The djinn haven't introduced air conditioning.)

Twists and turns lead to the discovery of what this creature is, where it came from, and how it got there -- and who is responsible for it getting there. Then there's the matter of getting rid of it, which leads to some interesting undercover work.

Both were interesting reads which immerse you into the setting. Of the two, I prefer the second, so they get better as you go.