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