The Land of Lost Gods: A Gripping Crime Fiction Thriller from Turkey

by Ahmet Ümit

“That is why I shall begin in the place you thought you had forgotten. Those that forget shall pay the price for forgetting. Those that did not show due respect shall be rewarded with the severest of those that tore me from their hearts shall have their hearts torn out…”

In 1879, a grand monument of stunning statues was bought from Bergama in Anatolia (Türkiye) to Belgium. These idols from the temple in Pergamon, ancient Izmir in Türkiye, were the last relics of the complex Ottoman mythology. Until one day, all legends began to come alive…

A brilliant assassin, inspired by the Gods depicted in the reliefs of temples in Pergamon, a poet who writes epics in Zeus’ name in human blood on parchments. A mortal that despises mankind, wishing to become a God. And a child preparing to climb Olympus to confront his father. Are all at the center of a chaotic, adventures chase across Europe and the Mediterranean, threatening to uncover the veiled darkness of mankind, in the pursuit of their own truths, which could end the world as we know it.

As Yildiz Karasum, a Turkish detective, and her mysterious assistant, Tobias Becker, investigates the suspicious murders, they uncover secrets that could destroy the city that stubbornly clings on to its diversity without forgetting its past. And just as they seem to grasp the core of the missing and imperfect pieces of the puzzle, a new name is revealed…

And a truth, that is beyond the reach of any mortal justice.
Because when the Gods demand a sacrifice, there is always one to be chosen….

536 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Ahmet Ümit was born in 1960 in the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey. He moved to Istanbul in 1978 to attend university. In 1983 he both graduated from the Public Administration Faculty of Marmara University and wrote his very first story. An active member of the Turkish Communist Party from 1974 until 1989 Ümit took part in the underground movement for democracy while Turkey was under the rule of a
military dictatorship between 1980-1990. In 1985-86 he illegally attended the Academy for Social Sciences in Moscow. Ümit worked in the advertising sector from 1989-1998 and is currently employed as cultural advisor at the Goethe Foundation in Istanbul. He has one daughter Gül. Since 1989 Ümit has published one volume of poetry three volumes of short stories a book of fairytales one novella and six novels. One of Turkey’s most renowned contemporary authors Ümit is especially well-known for his
mastery of the mystery genre as reflected in many of his bestselling novels and
short story volumes. Drawing upon the unique political and historical background of his home country Ümit delves into the psyches of his
well-wrought characters as he weaves enthralling tales of murder and political intrigue.

Reviews

[Mangai Somasundaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book even 6 stars out of 5 if I could. This is one of the most unique, amazing, fantastic, interesting, creatively crafted books, let alone thrillers, that I have ever read. The beautiful blend of mythology with reality, the structuring of the book itself, and the characterisation bringing out themes of identity, ideology, family and more were so wonderful to read. I deeply cared about the inspector team (Yıldız and Tobias) throughout the story, and was absolutely shocked at some of the twists in this novel. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves mystery or just a good read in general!

[Rahul Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-A Thriller Bolstered with Links of Love-
Review of 'Izmirli' by Firat Sunel, translated by Feyza Howell

Quote Alert
"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. 𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭, 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐈'𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤; 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫, 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞."

Izmirli is a journey a daughter takes to find out the past of her mother after she is found drowned in her own swimming pool. A lawyer, Eylul moves overnight from Berlin to Istanbul to cope with the loss of her highly successful mother who ran a law firm. She discovers a letter that sets her on a rollercoaster of emotions: guilt, curiosity, longing, grief, despair and resilience. She wonders about the word mentioned in the letter, the word that also shares itself with the title - Izmirli.

The story is a thriller grounded firmly into emotional space with the help of a passionate romance and a complex interplay of human relationships. It is as much a story of Eylul as it is of her mother, as much a psycholgical thriller as it is a saga of lost love. Above all, it's a coming of age story with a daughter at the centre who discovers the past life and love of her mother after her passing.

Sunel has masterfully crafted the feelings of remorse and guilt - "I would dream of scenarios to escape the painful reality: I would occasionally imagine that everything had turned out differently: I had never gone abroad, my father was in fine health, my mother hadn't been left alone; we were together just like in my childhood. Even a momentary belief in those dreams offered a respite, however fleeting. If only we appreciated what we had before we lost it.. If only we could rewind the clock to live time all over again..."

All in all, a compelling read.

[Deotima Sarkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fırat Sunel's Izmirli ( translated from Turkish by Feyza Howell) is a complex narrative of loss, secrets, and the inexorable tug of the past. Central to it is Eylül, a young attorney whose life is set on a drastic course after the enigmatic drowning of her mother.
What initially appears to be a tragic accident gradually starts to disintegrate into something far more disturbing as Eylul discovers an ancient letter in her mother's hand alluding to Izmirli an individual connected with long-forgotten secrets.
Eylul is a potent and intriguing protagonist—brilliant, bold, yet suffocatingly vulnerable. She isn't merely seeking answers to what happened to her mother; she is trying to piece together her own shattered sense of self. Delving deeper, she becomes increasingly embroiled with mysterious characters each with their own secrets and fragments of the truth - be it her vegetative state father, or Neslihan, a friend she force made to drive away loneliness.
Among them, Izmirli is a shadowy, ghost-like figure, his true self shrouded in layers of history and deception.
The plot of the novel is a suspenseful, slow-burning mystery, moving between past and present, as Eylul uncovers events others have labored to conceal. Sunel weaves suspense perfectly, covering just enough ground to leave readers guessing along with Eylul. Psychological tension hangs in the air—grief, identity, and hidden histories converge to build an emotionally intense story.
What is standout here is the way it combines personal tragedy with echoes of history, so that it is not only a mystery but an investigation into memory and truth. The more Eylul digs, the more she understands that some truths are best left unspoken, and some ghosts never really sleep.
For those who adore richly nuanced tales with deeply complicated characters and a mystery that refuses to be neatly resolved like me, this is a brainy and atmospheric read that will stay inspite of a big reveal ending!

[Sulagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Izmirli by Firat Sunel was my first dive into Turkish literature and it did not disappoint. The story follows Eylul, a young lawyer who comes back to Istanbul after the news of her mother's mysterious death. Eylul's mother was an enigmatic lawyer and left away her legacy to her. But everything Eylul knew about her mother becomes questionable when she discovers a letterher mother had written to someone named Izmirli. While Eylul has always remembered her mother to be loyally devoted to her father, the letter proves something else. As Eylul discovers more and more, hundreds of letters written by her mother, addressed to Izmirli, she's entrapoed into her mother's life. Eylul tries to trace back time, travel to Izmir— her mother's hometown and unravel the mysteries.

This book was a wild dive into a full-blown psychological game of obsession and love. This 500 something book packed twists and turns in every chapter. As Eylul's obsession with her mother's past enraptured her, we can see her slowly ignoring her life, career and the family that she still has. This book packed a punch but it also made me slightly uncomfortable.

As the story progresses, I felt hypnotised. That's how the author made Eylul narrate the story. I think it was brilliantly done. As a reader, one can truly feel how slowly Eylul is sucked into the black hole that is her mother's past. The last leg of the book did make me question Eylul's choices and the author's choice to use certain things as the plot twist, but nevertheless it was an intriguing and heartracing read.

[Prince Arora · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Land of Lost Gods' by Ahmet Ümit is a masterfully woven narrative that intricately explores the complexities of secrets and the past. This crime fiction novel is a perfect blend of history, murder mystery, and mythology, making it a compelling read. What sets this book apart is its ability to transcend the boundaries of its genre. Beneath the surface-level mystery, Ümit tackles deeper themes such as Greek mythology, genocide, cultural assimilation, and the longing for homeland. These elements are skillfully interwoven, creating a rich and thought-provoking story.

The translation is seamless, making it easy to immerse oneself in the world Ümit has created. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to readers who appreciate complex, layered storytelling.

One of the most striking aspects of 'The Land of Lost Gods' is its ability to linger in the mind long after finishing the book. The themes and characters are so well-crafted that they continue to resonate, making it difficult to put the experience into words without spoiling it for potential readers.

Overall, I'm extremely glad I picked up this book, and I'm sure others will feel the same way. 'The Land of Lost Gods' is a testament to Ümit's skill as a storyteller, and I look forward to exploring more of his work.

[Harsh Tyagi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Izmirli (My Last Love) begins with a death, but it’s not only a story about loss - it’s about the kind of love that survives long after someone is gone. When Eylül, a young lawyer living in Germany, is pulled back to Istanbul after her mother’s sudden drowning, she finds herself not just grieving but questioning everything she thought she knew. A letter tucked away in the remnants of her mother’s life hints at a man, an Izmirli, and possibly a secret that unraveled everything.

As Eylül follows the trail of that name, the novel turns into something more than a mystery. Firat Sunel slowly reveals the cracks between memory and truth, and I found myself just as uncertain as Eylül. Was this about her mother’s past or her own unfolding present? The lines blur, beautifully and unsettlingly.

Sunel’s writing doesn’t rush. It lingers in silences, in glances, in the kind of grief that left me numb at first. There were moments I had to stop and reread, not because they were complicated, but because they carried so much weight in so few words. And through it all, the book took my heart. The book left me thinking about how little we sometimes know about the ones we love the most and how far we might go to understand them. Brilliant writing, brilliant translation.

[Krupa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Land of Lost Gods is a compelling and intelligently crafted novel that masterfully weaves together elements of mythology, history, and murder mystery. From the very first chapter, Ahmet Ümit pulls readers into a gripping narrative that keeps you guessing until the final reveal.

Set against a backdrop of political tension in modern-day Germany, the story isn't just about solving a series of murders—it's also a reflection on cultural identity, immigration, and the uneasy coexistence of ancient beliefs with contemporary realities. Ümit doesn’t just use mythology as decoration; instead, he integrates rich excerpts from Greek mythology in a way that deepens the narrative and adds symbolic weight to the unfolding mystery.

What truly stands out is the novel’s subtle complexity. Unlike more commercial mytho-fiction in the style of Dan Brown, Ümit's approach feels more literary and grounded. The mythology serves as both a metaphor and a lens through which we view the characters' motivations, rather than just a plot device. The historical context is also well-researched, enhancing the story without overwhelming it.

This is a book that rewards patience and close reading. It’s thought-provoking, suspenseful, and beautifully layered—a rare combination.

[Vipul Murarka · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mood changed as I went deeper into the book. I was excited when i was starting to read this. Into few chapters, I realized it is going to be a slow burner and not something I could finish quickly. And thankfully i was in the headspace where I needed a book that would take time.
Towards the middle of the book, I thought of leaving the book as I thought there were way too many unnecessary details and I am someone who enjoys plot more than the characters. At this point I was so irritated that I would give the book 2.5 or 3 stars at Max.
Then when I reached the end, boy was i not blown away. I do not know how i didnt see the end coming even when there were so many questions that lingered in my mind throughout. While this book has been clubbed under the thriller genre, but for me it felt more of a romance and finding yourself rather than anything "Thrillery"

A lovely slow read which you would enjoy. For me it would have been better if it was shorter and if there were some underlineable quotes in the book. Also, there are few repetitions which could have been done away with but overall absolutely loved the book.

[Pakhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was dreading picking up this book for so long .. bt now I feel like i should have read it earlier..

it played with my head really good.. indeed a psychological thriller.


picked up this book not knowing what it can serve now ami am completely traumatized by reading this ..

I kind of guessed a part of the truth bt oh my goodness that was not enough .. bt last few pages had so much to just scattered all my predictions ..hehe

long story short good book bt I would have liked it more if it would have made 300-400 pages instead. because of this at sometimes few chapters felt like unnecessary gibberish.

[Balaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

A female Inspector of Police of Turkish descent in modern Berlin arrives at the scene of a gory, ritualistic murder: a gay Turkish man, a savant in both tech and art. Who could have done this—a cult? Neo-Nazis? Family? Or was it a crime of passion by his lover?

This was such an enthralling read - chapter after chapter, page after page. It’s the best a mythology-history buff and a mystery fan could ask for.

[suriya prakaash j l · Rating 3 out of 5]

.

Izmirli my Last love - A predictable plot with no twists. I was not fascinated. I knew For a fact that This was how it was gonna end. I saw the twist miles away. I didn't even feel joy reading the Book but it had Good rethinking value.

[Shivangi Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a good book. I was constantly guessing but in some passages somehow the translation threw me off.. I am almost certain the original in turkish would be so much better.