Anti Muslim Author wrote fake ' honour killing ' novel

Bestseller on honour killing 'is a fake'

Literary Editor Malcolm Knox uncovers Australia's latest hoax author.

Her tragic story stole readers' hearts and triggered an international outcry. She became a best-selling author in the same league as J.K.Rowling and Michael Moore. She petitioned the United Nations personally, was published in 15 countries, and Australians voted her memoir into their favourite 100 books of all time.

But Norma Khouri is a fake, and so is Forbidden Love.

With Australian sales approaching 200,000, the book told of her lifelong friendship with a girl named Dalia in Amman, Jordan. In their 20s, Khouri wrote, she and Dalia started a hairdressing salon together. Dalia met and fell in love with Michael, a Christian army officer. When their chaste affair was discovered, Dalia was murdered - stabbed 12 times - by her father. Norma fled Jordan to Athens, where she said she wrote her book in internet cafes, and ultimately to Australia, where her publisher Random House sponsored her for a temporary residence visa.

Khouri, now 34, spent much of 2003 retelling this story, reducing listeners to tears and anger, in interviews, book festivals, bookshops and other events. She toured the world with the story, from appearing on network television in the US to being selected for a citywide book club in Adelaide.

The Whole Stroy:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/23/1090464854793.html

More from The Guardian:

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,1268998,00.html