Sami Sabiri is first-generation Iranian-American. His father fled his homeland as a child and grew up in Canada. Sami's dad is strict and has high expectations for his son. Expectations that Sami doesn't find all that easy to live up to. He is the only Muslim student at his private school, which he refers to as Academy Hell because of the bullying he goes through at the hands of Eddy, a football player with a father who covers a multitude of sins with his checkbook.
Sami's dad has invited him on a trip to Toronto that will be combined with a business trip, a nice father-son getaway. But at the last minute, he has to cancel the plans for Sami to join him. Not only does this make Sami mad, but it also makes him suspicious that maybe his dad is having an affair.
Several nights after his father returns from Toronto, Sami is webcam-chatting with his two best friends, Marty and Andy (who lives across the street). Andy reports to Sami that there are people dressed in black, with dogs, outside Sami's house. Sami goes to investigate, thinking that Eddy and his cronies have actually followed through with their threats toward him. Instead, the FBI bursts into the house and hauls Dr. Sabiri out of the house in handcuffs and separates Sami and his mom for hours, questioning them, and destroys their house and much of their belongings.
It takes a while for the Sabiris and their lawyer to find out where Dr. Sabiri is being held and what the charges are. In the meantime, the arrest of a research director (Dr. Sabiri) at a lab that stores anthrax, smallpox, and other viruses and linked to an alleged terrorist group, the Brotherhood of Martyrs, is all over the news. The only person linked to the terrorist cell who was not arrested was the alleged leader, Tariq Hasan. Despite their strained relationship, Sami takes it upon himself to try to prove his father's innocence, at any cost.
This story had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn't wait to see how it ended. There were a few surprises in store that I didn't see coming, which is always a refreshing change. This is definitely going on my list of recommendations for my students. It is a ripped-from-the-headlines story that will hopefully make them think.
Happy Reading!!!
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