Headless In Kita

Someone is killing Kita's street beggars in the most brutal way imaginable, shaking the close-knit provincial capital to the core. When a mysterious glowing figure is seen in the hills above the town, the rumor quickly spreads that dark forces are at work. The elders and imams, convinced that the killings are divine retribution for the community's sins, pressure the local police force to close the case. Captain Dembélé, way out of his depth, requests urgent assistance from Bamako. Inspector Habib - like the author himself, a native of Kita - and his deputy Lieutenant Sosso are sent to lead the investigation, allying modern policing techniques and their intimate knowledge of local lore. Together they overcome ethnic tensions and cultural, religious, and administrative challenges toreveal the astonishing truth behind the murders. AUTHOR: Moussa Konaté (1951-2013) studied literature in Mali's capital, Bamako, and taught for several years before turning to writing, publishing numerous novels, plays, short stories and essays in Mali and in France, including the Inspector Habib series. He established Le Figuier, Mali's first publishing company specialising in indigenous-language children's books, to bring affordable and relevant books to young readers. His untimely death in 2013 at the age of sixty-two robbed Mali of a distinctive literary voice that shone with affection for his homeland while acknowledging its flaws and contradictions with wry humor.