The WSJ reviews:

His time-traveler is Ayman, an Iraqi whose life has been dominated by defeat, from the Gulf War of 1990 to the Islamic State insurrection. Stumbling upon an ancient formula for time-travel (which takes a lot of explaining), he decides he must restore Islam to its former glory.

But when did the balance of world power tip toward impoverished and perpetually squabbling Europe, and away from the empires of Asia? Ayman concludes that it was September 1683, when the Ottoman sultanate was defeated by King Jan Sobieski of Poland outside Vienna, never to threaten again. So all that's needed is dynamite, and a suicide bomb.

Would that really do the trick? Even if victorious at Vienna, the Ottomans would still have faced ever-improving European military technology: better guns, better ships, better tactics. Ayman accordingly has to stay in the past, to become the sultan's adviser. Until, that is, he needs modern medicine, and then he has to "time jump" forward-into the Paris of an Islamic 21st century.

Now we are back in an "alternate universe" plot. But though much has changed in Europe, much remains oddly similar. There is still a terrorist threat, in the Islamic Wahhabi sect, who crash an airliner into the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Across the Channel, there is a hostile and wary Britain, backed by the CRA, the Christian Republic of America. It looks as if the course of history is more stubborn than Ayman thought.

Meanwhile Ayman, arriving naked in Paris (it's what happens with time-travel jumps), attracts the attention of the secret police, and they want his formula. Now we are in a much more conventional thriller-chase plot, with Kamal, a counterterrorism officer, on the move, time-jumping from frying pan into fire-all the way back to 1683.

At the core of Mr. Khoury's complex multi-plot, nevertheless, is his vision of a modern Islamic state, with its good points-the duty of charity for all believers, without the indignity of street-begging-and its bad ones: rigorous repression, public beheadings. Good idea, bad idea? As with sci-fi at its best, the real excitement comes not from the thrills on the surface, but from the ideas underneath.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9 7:00 PM

Anne Perry  signs  Death in Focus  (Ballantine $28)

In its rave, the Wall Street Journal review adds: "With evocative flair Ms. Perry conjures the mixed emotions and misplaced optimism of a period when many Establishment figures were desperate to avoid another world war. Elena's father, an English diplomat, argues in defense of Hitler's Germany: 'Feed the hungry, house the homeless, create jobs to bring honor and a sense of purpose...Is that demagoguery?' In this context, Elena takes a photography trip to Amalfi, where she finds much more dramatic images than expected. 

Death in Focus, the start of a new series, is reminiscent of works by Eric Ambler and Graham Greene. Cameo appearances by historical figures including Winston Churchill and Joseph Goebbels enhance this thrilling work whose heroine proves fully up to the sort of hair-raising challenges formerly met by her illustrious grandparent."

SATURDAY OCTOBER 12 2:00 PM Mystery Tea

Minerva Spencer  signs Scandalous (Kensington $7.99)

Sherry Thomas  signs The Art of Theft (Berkley $16)

Lady  Sherlock

John reviews again: "Posing as Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, Charlotte Holmes's latest case takes her to France, where she, with some "assistance" from her friends and family, must help the Maharani of Ajmer, an old friend of Mrs. Watson's, by infiltrating a high society Yuletide ball and retrieve some very blackmailable secrets hidden in a valuable Van Dyck painting. Beginning with A Study in Scarlet Women ($15), Thomas successfully flipped the gender switch on the classic Sherlock Holmes books with her Lady Sherlock series."

Library Reads adds: "In this fun, playful series, Thomas has created a female version of Holmes who is vibrant, real, relatable, and intelligent. This fourth book has Holmes and Watson travel to France, with twists and turns the reader won't see coming. Perfect for fans of Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series and Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily series." We recommend ordering all 4 Lady Sherlocks and reading them in order

Thomas also signs The Magnolia Sword ($19.95), Mulan,  a YA Novel

Edwards, Martin. The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories (Poisoned Pen $14.99). 

A Christmas party is punctuated by a gunshot under a policeman's watchful eye. A jewel heist is planned amidst the glitz and glamour of Oxford Street's Christmas shopping. Lost in a snowstorm, a man finds a motive for murder. This collection of mysteries explores the darker side of the festive season-from unexplained disturbances in the fresh snow, to the darkness that lurks beneath the sparkling decorations. With neglected stories by John Bude and E.C.R. Lorac, as well as tales by little-known writers of crime fiction, Martin Edwards blends the cozy atmosphere of the fireside story with a chill to match the temperature outside. 

This is a gripping seasonal collection sure to delight mystery fans and copies can be Signed October 29 by Edwards

And two other British classics

Carr, John Dick. The Crooked Hinge (Norton $15.95).

Fellowes, Jessica/Julian . Downtown Abbey: A Celebration (St Martins $22.99) 

The official companion to all six seasons of TV.

Fellowes, Julian. The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book (Weldon Owen $25). 

Cocktails were introduced in the drawing rooms of Downton Abbey in the 1920s, when US prohibition inspired the insurgence and popularity of American-style bars and bartenders in Britain. This selection of recipes is organized by the rooms in the Abbey in which the drinks were served and spans everyday sips to party drinks plus hangover helpers and more. In addition to classic concoctions like a Mint Julep, Prince of Wales Punch, and Ginger Beer, this collection features character-specific variations such as Downton Heir, Turkish Attaché, The Valet, and The Chauffeur. The recipes reflect drinks concocted and served upstairs and down, as well as libations from village fairs, cocktail parties, and restaurant menus typical of the time. Features 40+ color photographs, including drink images photographed on the set of Downton Abbey. Imbibe some history with the drinks.

 

Gray, Annie/Gareth Neame. The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook (Weldon Owen $35) presents over 100 recipes that showcase the cookery and customs of the Crawley household-from upstairs dinner party centerpieces to downstairs puddings and pies-and bring an authentic slice of Downton Abbey to modern kitchens and Downton fans. 

Whether adapted from original recipes of the period, replicated as seen or alluded to on screen, or typical of the time, all the recipes reflect the influences found on the Abbey tables. Food historian Annie Gray gives a rich and fascinating insight into the background of the dishes that were popular between 1912 and 1926, when Downton Abbey is set -a period of tremendous change and conflict, as well as culinary development. With a foreword by Gareth Neame, executive producer and co-creator of the series, and featuring over 100 stunning color photographs, The Downton Abbey Cookbook also includes a special section on hosting Downton-themed dinner parties and presents stills from across the TV series as well as the latest film. Notes on the etiquette and customs of the times, quotes from the characters, and descriptions of the scenes in which the foods appear provide vivid context for the dishes. It's almost a Mrs. Beeton for the period.