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Banner of Souls by Liz Williams
It is the distant future. Humanity has spread throughout the solar system; Earth is a drowned wasteland, a minor power ruled from Mars. The two planets are connected by "the Chain", a mysterious artifact of haunt tech, machinery so advanced and alien as to seem like magic--necromancy, to be exact. And men are extinct, no longer needed for companionship or reproduction.
The Martian warrior Dreams-of-War is hunting "the remnants of men" when she is suddenly surrounded by the ghosts of long-extinct life-forms, antelope-like women so long gone from the martian landscape that even her haunt-tech armour cannot remember when they were alive. Returning to her clan tower, she is sent on a mission to Earth--to find and protect a young girl who is soon to be born, who will have powers that may change the solar system.
Yskatarina Iye is born on Nightshade, at the far end of the Chain, on the edge of the solar system. Her people have kept the principle of masculine/feminine joinings, so since birth Yskatarina has been paired with an Animus, a nameless insectile creature that is made of the same genetic stuff as her but is tougher and superior to a mere human male. Yskatarina's aunt, the leader of Tower Cold, where Yskatarina was born and somehow transformed, sends Yskatarina down the Chain to Earth, where she is to kill a particular child . . .
Earth, as was noted, is a literal backwater, a few islands (perhaps former mountaintops) above water; cities have crept up the mountainsides to keep to the surface. Dragon-Kings haunt the seas. Kappas serve, not noticed much by those who consider themselves their betters. Somewhere, a pair of fugitives have gone to ground, trying to breed their last hope.
I wanted to say more about this book, but it's too strange; anything I could say that would make sense of the plot would probably be as long as the book itself. It is strange and beautiful, and probably not for everyone, but I highly recommend it.
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie
Nurse Amy Leatheran travels to Iraq with the Kelsey family, and leaves their employ there to stay with the Leidner expedition, which is engaged in archaeological work. Dr. Leidner's wife is having a small nervous breakdown, brought on by the fact that she believes someone is plotting to kill her. Some of the expedition don't believe that anything of the sort is going on, but the issue is settled one night when Mrs. Leidner is beaten to death. Fortunately, Hercule Poirot is in the area. Can he solve the mystery? Of course he can. But can he do it before another person dies?
Moderately recommended.