Book withdrawn from sale

THE Australian publisher of a top-selling book chronicling a Jordanian honour killing withdrew it from sale yesterday and advised bookshops to strip it from their shelves after a newspaper cast doubt on its authenticity.

Random House said Norma Khouri’s book, Forbidden Love, was being withdrawn until its authenticity could be proved.

In a statement, Random House said it had requested evidence from Khouri that the book was a true representation of her life and experiences.

Publishing details of an 18-month investigation that spanned three continents, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported that Khouri’s account of a Muslim woman stabbed to death in a so-called honour killing because of her relationship with a Christian man was “a fake.”