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Summary
Summary
When a brutal murder shocks Istanbul's rundown Jewish quarter, the Turkish police force unleashes their best weapon - the chain-smoking, brandy-swilling Inspector Cetin Ikmen, husband to a strict Muslim woman (who disapproves of his drinking) and loving father of eight (with another on the way). With such a colorful personality and unrivaled investigative powers, Ikmen will surely join the ranks of beloved foreign cops Aureilo Zen and Guido Brunetti.
Author Notes
Barbara Nadel was born and bred in London. Trained as an actress, she is now a public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's Good Companions Service. She loves Turkey and has been a regular visitor there for over 20 years.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
British writer Nadel (Belshazzar?s Daughter) delivers on the promise of her American debut in this second outing featuring Turkish homicide detective Cetin Ikmen. This time around, the chain-smoking, brandy-swilling inspector is investigating a young man?s murder in an apartment in one of Istanbul?s upscale neighborhoods. While the victim?s surfeit of scars points to drug abuse, a purple line around the base of his neck suggests it wasn?t the needle that finally did him in. When an autopsy reveals excessive amounts of pethidine (a synthetic form of heroin), Ikmen and his best friend, criminal pathologist Arto Sarkissian, fear unscrupulous members of the medical community may be involved. Sex trade workers are also questioned, and the crime scene itself becomes an important clue: it bears a striking resemblance to a Kafes apartment, "the place where the old Ottomans used to place their rivals in order to keep them out of the way." Domestic troubles plague Ikmen, too; his crazy father Timur may soon push Ikmen?s devoted wife over the brink. Nadel?s lively characters pop off the page?particularly tech-challenged Ikmen, who recalls Clouseau in his slapstick relationship with his mobile phone?and the author ably evokes the sights and sounds of Turkey, a country where ethnicity is destiny, and the present is shadowed by events of the past. This is a richly textured tale packed with earthy humor and intrigue. (Feb. 21) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Review
In modern-day Turkey, layers of mystery surround the discovery of a teenaged boy's body in an unlikely place. Istanbul police are called by an elderly woman to check out a tall, imposing house next door because the front door's been left ajar for several hours. In this affluent neighborhood--the house shares a wall with the famous Topkapi Museum--that alone is cause for suspicion. Responding, pretty Sergeant Farskagolu and taciturn little Constable Cohen see scant evidence of habitation except on a top floor. There they find a beautiful young man, dead of an apparent drug overdose, the windows in the room nailed shut. Inspector Cetin Ikmen (Belshazzar's Daughter, 2003) is as precise as Hercule Poirot in approaching the case, but there are numerous blind alleys. The owner of the house reports that no tenant lived on the top floor, a pair of distraught parents with a missing son who fits the corpse's description don't identify it as their loved one, estimates on age and nationality keep changing. A significant break comes when the victim is linked to an underground network of young men for sexual hire. The drama of the investigation is rivaled by shifting relationships among Ikmen and his team. Most significantly, unhappily married Sergeant Suleyman comes clean with Farskagolu about his long-unrequited love. Fascinating depiction of Turkish culture, tidbits of history, and a decent whodunit. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
When someone discovers a body in a -mansion-turned-boardinghouse in one of Istanbul's better neighborhoods, Inspector Cetin Ikmen's work is cut out for him. Neighbors think that the victim is probably Armenian like the mysterious landlord, who no one can describe. With the help of his colleagues--medical examiner Arto Karkissian, sergeants Farsakoglu and Suleyman, and officer Cohen--Ikmen tackles the case. As always, he chain-smokes, swills brandy, and gets lots of unwelcome input from his micromanaging chief. He also has to deal with problems at home. His wife is ill; he must provide for nine children; and his aging father, who lives in the family's cramped apartment, is slipping into dementia. As she did in Belshazzar's Daughter (2004), the series debut, Nadel combines a fascinating view of contemporary Turkish society--this installment touches on Armenian-Turkish relations, sexuality, and relationships--with a more personal, character--driven look at daily life in scenic Istanbul. Recommend Cetin Ikmen to fans of Inspector Espinosa, star of Garcia-Roza's similar series, set in equally scenic Rio. --Barbara Bibel Copyright 2005 Booklist
