Just recently, the heinous story from Iran made headlines when 22-year-old Masha Amini was arrested and killed by Iranian Morality Police  for "inappropriate attire" – wearing her hijab incorrectly.  Her death has sparked major protests around the world.

But "inappropriate attire" is just the tip of the cultural firestorm brewing in Islamic culture. "Honor killing" claims the lives of around 5,000 women every year according to the United Nations.  An "honor killing" is when a daughter or wife is murdered by a family member for their unchaste behavior that supposedly brings shame to the family. Only the murder of the "offender" is believed to salvage the family's honor.  

Some behaviors that have led to honor killings include:

• Talking or flirting with an unrelated male

• Not following a strict dress code

• Refusal to marry someone chosen by their family

• Engaging in premarital sex or having an affair after marriage

• Asking for a divorce, even in an abusive relationship

• Being a victim of rape

• Being on social media

While honor killings occur predominantly in Muslim countries, it is estimated that hundreds of honor killings have occurred in the United States. 

The exciting murder-mystery, Dishonor Thy Father, provides a chilling look behind the cultural curtain surrounding this brutal practice.  A brilliant female surgeon, an obsessed detective, and the bizarre murder that sparks their passion collide in this multicultural thriller that boldly explores contemporary issues of ethnicity, sexism, spirituality, and the little-understood horrific practice of honor killing.

The story begins as a 15-year-old Iranian girl is viciously attacked by her father for holding a boy's hand. In running to escape certain death, she undertakes a dangerous journey to a new land with unfamiliar customs, where she must hide the truth from everyone she meets.

Twenty years later, amid racial tensions in a Los Angeles hospital, a female Muslim doctor is murdered, sparking a controversial police investigation. The lead investigator, Detective Michael Tucci, finds himself compromising both his job and his life as he embroils himself in an affair with the brilliant Dr. Tara White, the victim's associate – who could be the killer's next target.

Dishonor Thy Father has garnered exceptional praise from readers and critics:

"From beginning to end, Dishonor Thy Father is an intuitive and riveting novel...that explores sexism, racism, and bigotry through a fresh lens..." -San Francisco Book Review

"...well rounded characters and thought-provoking plot twists...  saturated with romance, mystery perseverance, and commitment... five stars for its originality and command of language..." -Manhattan Book Review

"A persistently suspenseful crime drama...provocative commentary on how the past can haunt one's present." -Kirkus Reviews

"This story could have been ripped from the headlines. So relevant to what's going on today! The characters and plot fly off the page…"–Bill Taub, Writer-Producer, Friday the 13th-The Series

"Though this story is fictional, thousands of women across the globe are real life victims of honor killing.  Hopefully Dishonor Thy Father will help shed some light on this atrocity that is rarely addressed." -Yasmine Mohammed, Ex-Muslim, Human Rights Activist, Founder of Free Hearts, Free Minds

Dishonor Thy Father is available from Amazon and other retailers. The audiobook is available from Cherry Hill Publishing.