The Naked Earth — Jonathan Decoteau

Evan "Sindbad" Al-Mohummad specializes in photographing dead bodies for the military in the current Iraq war. Investigating a bizarre double homicide in Basra, he discovers, piece by piece, that the murder is the beginning of a genocide Western governments did nothing to stop. Underworld warlords place the death mark upon him, impeding his investigation at every turn. Despite their efforts, Sindbad discovers that Basra's gangsters had complicity in the annihilation of his family's ancestral home, Jannah-Ri. Vowing revenge, Sindbad commits a crime against his fellow man so brutal that it costs him his humanity. Back in America, he must live with his conscience until God leads him on a quest of self-discovery and redemption that will forever change the naked earth of Iraq. Winner of the National Indie Excellence Award.