The Prisoner — Joan Fallon

When Ben-Yahya, a young Moorish prince, wakes to the filth and stench of his prison cell, he can't understand what's happened to him. Where is he? Then he remembers what his brother Hasan has done to him. The question remains, why? Hasan is the new caliph of Málaga but instead of welcoming his brother with open arms he has him arrested. Ben Yahya can only guess what Hasan is plotting, but one thing he does know is that no-one gets out of these dungeons alive. During this unsettled period in the history of Moorish Spain, life becomes even more turbulent as intrigues and treachery within the royal household threaten the stability of the city. Makoud's cousin, Salma, arrives in Málaga. She and her husband are scribes and hope to make new lives for themselves and their two daughters in the city. They soon discover that life in Málaga is not all they had dreamt of; she and her husband share a secret, which if discovered could mean they would face exile or even death. The Prisoner is an exciting, fast-moving murder mystery set in the exotic and vibrant medieval city of Málaga, and is the third and final novel in The City of Dreams series.