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Seymour of Special Branch #2
A Dead Man in Istanbul
When the second secretary of the embassy in Istanbul dies under suspicious circumstances, an officer of the Special Branch, known as Seymour, investigates the murder site at a passage between the European and Asian continents and discovers that the victim may have been involved in a politically charged operation.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2005
11 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Michael Pearce
92 books52 followersMichael Pearce grew up in the (then) Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. He returned there later to teach, and retains a human rights interest in the area. He retired from his academic post to write full time.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 4, 2019
Gallipoli, Turkey in 1911 was preparing for war.
A British national had been swimming the Straits when he was shot.
Seymour of the Special Police is sent to investigate.
Istanbul - Constantinople
Up here on the heights the houses were stone. Down there, in the little, dark, crowded streets by the Galata Bridge, they were wooden. On his way up to the Embassy that afternoon he had gone through them. They had been full of people: street sellers trying to sell him peanuts and roses and sweets, beggars putting out their hands for bahkshish, men in vests and skull caps lounging in the doorways, veiled, dark-gowned women in bare feet with bread ringlets round their arms, children, everywhere. He had been assailed by smells: the sweet scent of jasmine and roses, mixed with the less sweet smell of donkey dung; the more exotic smells of sandalwood and incense; and, for some reason, strongly, the smell of new leather.
At the Embassy party Seymour is discussed by the staff...
At one point he overheard a conversation that, he was pretty sure, was about him.
‘… Leander… Didn’t know…’
‘Didn’t know?’
‘Never heard of him.’
‘Not a classicist, then.’
‘Clearly.’
Slight pause.
‘Cambridge?’
‘Afraid not.’
‘Well, Oxford…’
‘Not even Oxford.’
‘Surely not… London?’
‘I don’t think he went to university at all.’
‘Really? Educated privately?’
‘He’s a policeman.’
‘Good Lord! What’s he doing here?’
A good question, thought Seymour.
An unexplained shot in the dark
According to Ponsonby, Cunningham had reached the shore and was just standing up when the shot was fired.
The murderer had been identified but because of his status he could not be charged. But there are other ways of dealing with him...
‘I have decided,’ she announced at breakfast, ‘that I shall go on safari in Africa, and I have invited Prince Selim, as a former friend of Peter, to come with me.’
‘Is this a good idea, Aunt Syb?’ said Felicity uneasily.
‘Certainly, my dear. I am an expert shot.’
Murders and international intrigue are ably dealt with by Seymour in this fascinating puzzle.
Enjoy!
A British national had been swimming the Straits when he was shot.
Seymour of the Special Police is sent to investigate.
Istanbul - Constantinople
Up here on the heights the houses were stone. Down there, in the little, dark, crowded streets by the Galata Bridge, they were wooden. On his way up to the Embassy that afternoon he had gone through them. They had been full of people: street sellers trying to sell him peanuts and roses and sweets, beggars putting out their hands for bahkshish, men in vests and skull caps lounging in the doorways, veiled, dark-gowned women in bare feet with bread ringlets round their arms, children, everywhere. He had been assailed by smells: the sweet scent of jasmine and roses, mixed with the less sweet smell of donkey dung; the more exotic smells of sandalwood and incense; and, for some reason, strongly, the smell of new leather.
At the Embassy party Seymour is discussed by the staff...
At one point he overheard a conversation that, he was pretty sure, was about him.
‘… Leander… Didn’t know…’
‘Didn’t know?’
‘Never heard of him.’
‘Not a classicist, then.’
‘Clearly.’
Slight pause.
‘Cambridge?’
‘Afraid not.’
‘Well, Oxford…’
‘Not even Oxford.’
‘Surely not… London?’
‘I don’t think he went to university at all.’
‘Really? Educated privately?’
‘He’s a policeman.’
‘Good Lord! What’s he doing here?’
A good question, thought Seymour.
An unexplained shot in the dark
According to Ponsonby, Cunningham had reached the shore and was just standing up when the shot was fired.
The murderer had been identified but because of his status he could not be charged. But there are other ways of dealing with him...
‘I have decided,’ she announced at breakfast, ‘that I shall go on safari in Africa, and I have invited Prince Selim, as a former friend of Peter, to come with me.’
‘Is this a good idea, Aunt Syb?’ said Felicity uneasily.
‘Certainly, my dear. I am an expert shot.’
Murders and international intrigue are ably dealt with by Seymour in this fascinating puzzle.
Enjoy!
August 21, 2016
Not really a 4-Star effort from Michael Pearce but here and there gems of beautiful writing and descriptions of Istanbul before World War I. Pearce is an excellent writer and Seymour of Special Branch one of his finer creations; Pearce's knowledge of colonial diplomacy and his tongue in cheek delivery are wonderful, but here in this whodunnit I found the to's and fro's of the dead man, swimming the Bosphorus, to be rather unexciting. A little more action and less dialog, but still enjoyable.
January 14, 2015
A Dead Man in Istanbul is a historical mystery by Michael Pearce set in 1911 in the leisurely days before the First World War. Special Branch Officer Seymour is sent to Turkey by the Foreign Office to investigate the death of the Second Secretary of the British Embassy in Istanbul. Cunnigham had made a lot of romantic noise about Hero and Leander and the famous swim across the Dardanelles Straits and vowed that he would make an attempt to recreate the legendary feat. But instead of Hero it was the dark figure of Death waiting on the other side and as soon as he reached the far shore he fell down dead with a bullet in the center of his forehead. Did he really swim in memory of the famous lovers or was it a cover for a spying mission? Seymour must follow a winding trail from the music theatres of Istanbul to coffee shops and barber shops to the Palace full of princes jockeying for position as the current ruler fades physically. Is it a matter of political violence and have the legendary Flesheaters returned to restore the Empire to the old ways? Or is the motive far more personal?
This was a good solid introduction (although it is the second in the series) to Pearce's historical mysteries. He authentically evokes the time and setting and introduces an interesting investigator--I do hope he gives more descriptive passages about Seymour in the future. The bulk of the book is carried by dialogue. Pearce is very adept with dialogue, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. One quibble--probably a very personal one--is the overuse of "Old boy" in addressing one another. There is one character in particular who throws those around as often as a Valley Girl uses "like." In fact, if I had read just a few more "Old boys" from that character, I would have been looking for a way to enter the page and murder him--that would give Seymour a nifty little mystery to solve.
Overall, I enjoyed the story itself and look forward to reading more of the series. The culprit was a little too obvious to me--I just thought Pearce was making rather a point of a certain possible motive and that, therefore, that couldn't be the real motive. I wound up being correct but I don't know if everyone would have a similar reaction.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
This was a good solid introduction (although it is the second in the series) to Pearce's historical mysteries. He authentically evokes the time and setting and introduces an interesting investigator--I do hope he gives more descriptive passages about Seymour in the future. The bulk of the book is carried by dialogue. Pearce is very adept with dialogue, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. One quibble--probably a very personal one--is the overuse of "Old boy" in addressing one another. There is one character in particular who throws those around as often as a Valley Girl uses "like." In fact, if I had read just a few more "Old boys" from that character, I would have been looking for a way to enter the page and murder him--that would give Seymour a nifty little mystery to solve.
Overall, I enjoyed the story itself and look forward to reading more of the series. The culprit was a little too obvious to me--I just thought Pearce was making rather a point of a certain possible motive and that, therefore, that couldn't be the real motive. I wound up being correct but I don't know if everyone would have a similar reaction.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
November 30, 2017
Altogether entertaining! Istanbul, 1911. The 2nd Secretary at the British Embassy has been murdered in strange circumstances, so of course the Foreign Office dispatches Seymour of Special Branch. As the Ottoman Empire crumbles and greater Europe circles for the kill, while war seems ever nearer, a judicious investigation is required and Seymour is just the man!
The ambiance, the exotic locale, the delicious characterizations, and of course the mystery itself are all superb. The sort of book one wishes one was beginning, not finishing. If you like mysteries, you’ll like this.
The ambiance, the exotic locale, the delicious characterizations, and of course the mystery itself are all superb. The sort of book one wishes one was beginning, not finishing. If you like mysteries, you’ll like this.
August 31, 2012
The best of this series that I've read so far (the others are Trieste, Athens, Barcelona, & Malta). The others are good, but it seems to me that only this one comes up to the Mamur Zapt series, for plot, character, development, and know-the-place-intimately color. Perhaps Pearce is most at home in the most characteristic cities of the old Ottoman empire. I am, however, looking forward to seeing what he does with Naples.
December 8, 2018
An English diplomat in Istanbul is shot dead on one side of the Dardanelles when apparently copying the legendary exploits of Leander who swam across to visit his lover. Seymour of the Yard is sent to investigate. Was the death a result of a lover's jealousy? Was the diplomat shot near Gallipoli while bird-watching? Or was he a spy, suspicious of Turkish military activities in the area? Seymour finds out the truth, but he cannot stop the First World War.
November 25, 2007
I really liked Bill Wallis' narration of the Bobert Amiss series by Ruth Dudley Edwards, and Istanbul is one of my favorite places, so thought I'd give this book a shot, downloaded from Audible.com; I'm kinda sorry I did. The setting itself is done well, with a likeable protagonist; the plot was weak, and the supporting characters two-dimensional (for the most part).
January 25, 2009
Another lively story set in Europe right before World War I. The detective has a gift for languages, and uses that to solve mysteries. What I like is reading a historical novel, because you learn so much about the everyday life in an intersting format. In this one, the author makes a reference to a Greek Myth, Leander and Hero, that I will have to reread, as I have forgotten it.
September 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, the characters were well-painted and intriguing, the plot suspenseful, the setting exotic. It is set 4 years before WW1 in, obviously, Istanbul and I would call it quasi-historical fiction because, although the characters and plot are completely fiction, it refers to the real upcoming events of WW1 and the Young Turks.
September 25, 2009
My husband bought on a whim from discount seller because Istanbul is in the title. We both enjoyed it. It's written almost entirely in dialogue, which sometimes makes it a little hard to follow. We'll probably look for more in this series by Pearce.
July 8, 2013
I would give this a 3.5. I listened and it took me a while to get hooked. It presents an interesting view of both the Brits and the Ottoman Empire just prior to WWI. The plot was interesting and not easy to figure out.
March 7, 2009
Gratuitous nighttime reading.
May 28, 2009
Slow going, but interesting interplay of differing elements of society in Istanbul.
March 19, 2012
I like this author even better after reading his second book. Great sense of time and place.
August 6, 2016
Lots of atmosphere, a slower non computer time.
October 15, 2025
The moribund Ottoman Empire in 1911 was on the verge of collapse. Revolutionary movements were gaining traction, the Balkan states were growing resistive, and tensions across all Europe were leaning toward war. Into this volatile mix Detective Seymour of Special Branch is dispatched to investigate the death of a member of the British Embassy in Istanbul.
More notable for setting, atmosphere, and historical references than character development, these novels present a glimpse into the life and times of foreign diplomats and everyday people caught up in the intersection of social and political changes and everyday human foibles.
More notable for setting, atmosphere, and historical references than character development, these novels present a glimpse into the life and times of foreign diplomats and everyday people caught up in the intersection of social and political changes and everyday human foibles.
September 24, 2021
The second in the “A Dead Man in…” series, “Istanbul” continues the fun of Pearce’s first Sandor-Seymour-of-Special-Branch spy thriller/murder mystery (“D.M. in Trieste”). Aside from decent govt. agent type adventures, these are great explorations of the cities and cultures Seymour is assigned to work in. There is also a nice sarcastic exploration of the British class system which has traditionally underlaid the British diplomatic/security services.
April 23, 2020
A Bit of a Slog
I found this book difficult to get through, probably because the tone and language came across as stilted. It is set In the early 1900s in Constantinople during the dying days of the great Ottoman Empire. In fact, my interest in the Ottoman Empire is what got me to the last page. Otherwise. the characters held no interest and came across as one dimensional.
I found this book difficult to get through, probably because the tone and language came across as stilted. It is set In the early 1900s in Constantinople during the dying days of the great Ottoman Empire. In fact, my interest in the Ottoman Empire is what got me to the last page. Otherwise. the characters held no interest and came across as one dimensional.
July 18, 2021
3.5*
Not as good as the first in series - the attempt to have a more interesting shape has resulted in a bitty, fragmented story and a loss of atmosphere
Not as good as the first in series - the attempt to have a more interesting shape has resulted in a bitty, fragmented story and a loss of atmosphere
March 10, 2022
6/10 6% BSet. Entertaining short read about pre First World War events. Not much of a plot but will try more in the series.
July 25, 2022
A bit slow for most of the way. The ending was inevitable about 2/3 of the way through. I didn't feel the author made the most of the story
December 28, 2019
A Dead Man in Istanbul by Michael Pearce is the second book in the Seymour of Special Branch historical mystery series, set in 1911 Istanbul, on the brink of the Great War. Cunningham, Second Secretary of the British Embassy in Istanbul was shot immediately following his supposedly romantic swim across the Dardanelles Straits. Seymour of Special Branch is sent to investigate. He's fluent in many languages, from his East London childhood. Seymour suspects the swim had nothing to do with romance; it was in the wrong direction to repeat the Hero/Leander myth. No doubt he was on a personal spying mission, but who shot him? It takes Seymour many interviews around town to reach a conclusion. Once he knows what happened, he still can't act, directly. But he knows the best person to summon. Very slow build up to an interesting ending. Still no character development; description of the historic port and its gathering political storm provide the interest.
April 25, 2012
Meh, not much more to say about it. I read it to get a feel for Istanbul but I wasn't impressed. I guess it was good enough to not throw out.
November 29, 2013
An interesting view of 19th century Istanbul, but the mystery was neither as gripping nor as interesting as I'd hoped it would be.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews