Can I recommend 3 books by Zoe Ferraris which had an quite an impact on me recently. They are brilliant "who dunnits" but more than that, they show the complexities of women's lives in Muslim countries such as Saudi, UAE etc. Set in Jedda the protagonists typify the ambivalent attitudes towards women and the frustrations of an educated woman trying to work in a man's world. The awful plight of immigrant workers who are treated worse than slaves also features in the 3rd book.They are Night of the Mi'raj, City of Veils and * Kingdom of Strangers*. I cannot recommend them too highly!!!
Allegedly, hanging one's washing out in the garden ruins the aesthetic look of the place [shock]