Set in an alternate Cairo of 1912, this novella by P. Djèlí Clark was a finalist for the 2020 Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. Set in the world of the author's previous novella "A Dead Djinn in Cairo", the world diverged from ours when a magical event "punctured" the wall between the world of man and djinn. This enabled Egypt to become a world power and Cairo a nascent utopia where man and djinn live in harmony and mutual assistance. The techno-magical Cairo has a steampunk feel as its djinn-magic-powered devices include intelligent automata, dirigibles, and the aerial tram cars of the title.

Our protagonists are two buddy-detective agents of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. Called upon to investigate a haunted tram car, they discover unexpected complexity and challenge. As they work, Cairo at large is swept up in a women's suffrage movement. The senior detective finds his world views challenged by his work and wider events as he strives to solve the mystery ... without overspending his limited budget.

It's a brisk 130 page read, a character-driven mystery in a world where Egypt's rise to power forced European colonials to withdraw, enabling a fascinating blend of cultural influences. I enjoyed it and hope the author returns to this setting. Strongly recommended!

References

I borrowed it from the Toronto Public Library and just finished it.
You can read the first chapter at Tor books.

While the last novella I reviewed also featured djinn, the novellas are in no way alike. (Except they're both great!)

~270 Brevity Quest 2020