The year is 1998. Nick Karolides is a marine biologist working on coral reef protection off Zanzibar
- the East African island of slaves, sultans & spices. Soon he meets Miranda Powers, an American who works in the US embassy in nearby Dar-es-Salaam. Nick & Miranda find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy of violence & political terror, one with which CIA veteran Jack Queller has an ancient connection. Zanzibar is both an investigation of the idea of paradise & a powerfully dramatic political thriller, it features Osama bin Laden & his Al Qaeda organisation long before ` September 11` made them notorious.