BLOOD AND OIL

Sub-titled 'Mohammed bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power.' The Al Saud family are absolute rulers of Saudi Arabia, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is one of the most powerful men in the world. The two authors, both investigative journalists, have focused on the part played by international finance in Salman's ruthless ascent to power. The book starts with his 2017 purge of hundreds of influential Saudi businessmen and politicians. Summoned to an audience with the King, Salman's father, the victims were diverted to the Ritz-Carlton hotel and in its incongruously luxurious surroundings were interrogated and tortured as enemies of the state. By the end of the process, Salman controlled the military, the police, intelligence agencies, government ministries and many of the country's largest businesses. Salman's father had manoeuvred himself onto the throne by outwitting the head of the previous king's court, Khalid al-Tuwaijri, and Muhammed bin Salman has inherited his father's ruthless cunning. One of the most controversial international incidents since 2017 was the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi had initially been a supporter of the regime and had been close to Osama bin Laden, embedding himself as a journalist with al Qaeda. However, Khashoggi had also occasionally criticised the Saudi government and became concerned for his safety, fleeing to the United States. Khashoggi had a huge following on Twitter, which was the only source of information for the Saudi royal family on their popularity, and on this basis they decided to act. The author describes the events leading up to the murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, and the international fallout followed by a renewed bid for international credibility in 2018. 346pp, paperback, colour photos.