Bruder Kemal

Kayankaya #5

by Jakob Arjouni

Der Frankfurter Privatdetektiv Kayankaya ist zurück: älter, entspannter, cooler – und sogar in festen Händen. Ein Mädchen verschwindet, und Kayankaya soll während der Frankfurter Buchmesse einen marokkanischen Schriftsteller beschützen. Zwei scheinbar einfache Fälle, doch zusammen führen sie zu Mord, Vergewaltigung, Entführung. Und Kayankaya kommt in den Verdacht, ein Auftragskiller zu sein.

Genres: Crime, German Literature, Fiction, Germany, Mystery

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Jakob Arjouni (alias of Jakob Bothe) published his first novel Happy Birthday, Türke! (1985) at the age of 20.Later he wrote his first play Die Garagen. He became famous after publishing his criminal novel Kayankaya, which was then translated into 10 different languages.

In 1987, he received the Baden-Württembergischen Autorenpreis für das deutschsprachige Jugendtheater for his play Nazim schiebt ab. In 1992, he received the German Crime Fiction Prize for One Man, One Murder. He died, aged 48, in Berlin, after a long fight against pancreatic cancer.

Reviews

[Ilknur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich wills nicht all zu lang machen, aber:

Das war mein erstes Buch, welches ich von diesem Autor gelesen habe. Es ist ein Krimi. Und ich fand‘s eigentlich echt gut.
Zu Beginn hat sich das Lesen für mich persönlich zwar schleppend angefühlt, lag glaube ich aber daran, dass der Schreibstil des Autors schon eher anders ist, gerade weil es eigentlich ein Krimi ist.

Denn Arjouni hat diese Geschichte sehr pointiert dargestellt. Er hat es geschafft die Spannung, die für einen Krimi notwendig ist, mit Humor und vor allem Gesellschaftskritik, ebenfalls auf eher witzige und sarkastische Art und Weise, zu verbinden und daraus dieses Werk niederzuschreiben.
Die Story war auch spannend und 2 eigentlich voneinander unabhängige Fälle, wurden von dem Autor schließlich doch verbunden, womit man als Leser eher kaum gerechnet hat.

Im Großen und Ganzen hat’s mir schon gefallen und es wurde immer besser :)

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent introduction to Kemal Kayankaya a German Turkish detective, and like all good detectives a complete outside. This is the first time this novel has been translated from German into English and it is easy to see why Jakob Arjouni was such a revered writer in Germany.

The premise of the book is quite simple; Kayankaya is hired to find the 16 year old daughter of Valerie de Chavannes who lives in the diplomatic quarter in Frankfurt. He has been hired as he us Turkish and maybe able to move in the circles required to find her. On the way to liberating the kidnapped child, Kayankaya stumbles over a dead body of a pervert, drugs and the nephew of an important Imam in Frankfurt.
Once he has finished with one case he is hired to protect a Muslim writer who has written a controversial book and will be at the famous Frankfurt Book fair. What he doesn’t count on is that the two cases will merge in to one through abduction. He is able to finally clear both cases as long as the police do not look too closely.

This is an excellent book and a very welcome translation in the popular series of Kayankaya series. It is a shame that there will be no new books due to the untimely and early death of writer Jakob Arjouni. This is a magnificent book well worth reading and very enjoyable, fast moving and doesn’t hang around. Written in the first person we see the world through Kayankaya eyes.

I recommend this book whole heartedly as it brings northern European crime novels through a true outsiders eyes to the conscience. Have a read and I am sure you will be buying the rest of the books in the series.

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost thirty years after the first book in the series, over ten years since the fourth, and just before his early death, Jakob Arjouni revisited his Turkish migrant PI character Kemal Kayankaya to demonstrate the new round of suspicion and persecution non-Aryan Germans are faced with in Germany in a post 9/11, post Jyllands-Posten controversy world.

Kemal is older, wiser, more settled, hardly ever gets drunk, has quit smoking, basically the most boring private eye you could hope to meet in a dark alley, but he is still determined to stick to his principals, and as dogged and wise cracking as ever, even if that means he loses friends, faces jail or even death threats. Arjouni's style is light and fast paced, makes its point and moves rapidly along, meaning that despite being a novel of "social issues" it doesn't get bogged down in philosophical discussion in favour of solving the crime at hand.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sure, like many crime fiction fans, the announcement of the tragically early death of Jakob Arjouni this year was a source of sadness to us all. I have derived a great deal of reading pleasure from Arjouni’s wonderful Kemal Kayankaya series, featuring this unconventional, straight-talking and supremely witty Turkish private investigator, formed from the same clay as the stalwarts of the hard-boiled crime tradition. So it is now with some sadness that I now review the last of the series, Brother Kemal…

Tasked with finding the errant daughter of femme fatale Valerie de Chavannes, Kayankaya is drawn into a devilish plot of murder, rape and abduction, which places our hero under the gaze of the police as a murderer himself. Kayankaya is also hired to offer protection to an author under the threat of religious fanatics at the Frankfurt Book Fair, and sure enough his two cases become entwined with dangerous results. Although a slim read, I found the linking of the plots a balanced affair, with the build-up of tension lightened by Kayankaya’s involvement with the publishing fraternity and the humour this produces, a good counterbalance to the sinister and murderous abduction plot at the opening of the book. In the grand tradition of hardboiled noir, Kayankaya presents himself in the same world weary sense as some of the most recognisable protagonists from the pages of Chandler and Hammett, and I adore Arjouni’s depiction of him absorbing and dealing succinctly with the casual racism that his Turkish heritage raises in others. Once again, the book is suffused with some brilliant comical interludes, and speaking as someone who is not a fan of ‘comic’; crime per se, I would draw comparisons with the dark sardonic wit of the late, great Pascal Garnier in some of the moments of levity which to me lost nothing in translation. Also having some personal knowledge of the publishing world myself, I found the depiction of this within the book fair setting, particularly knowing and pitch perfect in its rendition. If you have not encountered this brilliant series before, I would urge you to seek them out, and experience the wonderful world of Kayankaya for yourselves in these perfect little packages of exceptional crime writing.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Frankfurt, the fifth Kemal Kayankaya novel, Brother Kemal, sees the private investigator hired for two separate cases. First Kayankaya is employed by Valerie de Chavannes, a woman who comes from money, to find her missing 16-year-old daughter. The second job is to provide protection to author Malik Rashid whilst at a local book fair from potential fanatics who disapprove of the content of his latest novel. Although Kayankaya initially believes both cases to be uncomplicated, he is soon proved wrong with his presumptions potentially causing disastrous consequences.

I hadn't read any of the previous books in the Kemal Kayankaya series from Jakob Arjouni, and this posed no problem when reading Brother Kemal. The only instance where I felt unprepared was at the point where I realised that Kayankaya is not one to abide by the rules of the law, which occurs early on in the novel. Perhaps if I had read some of the previous novels I would have already expected this, but at the time Kayankaya's actions did come as a bit of a shock.

Instantly I was struck by the detail laden prose and analytical narrative style, with Ajourni leaving no room for assumptions (even if his characters make plenty of them throughout the course of the book). Although in no way does this impact on the pacing of the plot, which is continually engaging, punctured with moments of violence that come quickly, almost out of the blue, but never read as obscene or gratuitous, and the touches of humour sprinkled throughout the novel. These wry moments further emphasise just how self-confident Kemal is and adding to the overall structure of a complex and fascinating character.

After enjoying reading Brother Kemal, I find it a shame that this is the last novel from Jakob Arjourni, as he sadly died earlier this year. However, I am going to seek out Jakob Arjouni's back catalogue, as I was really impressed by this last novel.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I received a copy of this book from RealReaders I was wondering just what to expect between the covers, as this is the fifth book in the series. Fortunately, it works well as a stand-alone read, as the author provides enough background description to allow you to understand the relationships between characters that have obviously appeared in earlier volumes.

Kemal Kayankaya is a private detective in Frankfurt. His Turkish parents having died when he was young, he has been raised by his German adoptive parents and now lives with a former prostitute who owns a wine bar. He is almost the ultimate outsider, as he is seen as a Turk by the Germans, but he can't speak Turkish. His work in trying to find a missing sixteen year old girl brings him into conflict with the Muslim community, which he then makes worse by taking on a job protecting an author who has written a work about Muslim society where the main character is coming to terms with his homosexuality.

The book is written in the first person, which works well with the private detective persona, and the writing is very descriptive without being florid.

The story is well paced, and the characters well drawn, even if one or two border on becoming caricatures - but that is understandable in such a short, tightly paced book.

Although I did have problems at a couple of points in the plot, overall this was well written and enjoyable - and I will be looking out for the previous books in the series.

Regrettably, this was Jakob Arjouni's final work, as he died from pancreatic cancer after completing the book.

[Phil The · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankfurt’s Private Detective

This is the first Kemal Kayankaya mystery I’ve read and although it is the fifth in the series by Jakob Arjouni, I didn’t have any problems reading it out of sequence. Translated from his native German, the writing is crisp and sharp, with well-defined characters. The plot is standard private detective fare, set in Frankfurt, with Kayankaya taking on two distinctly different cases (finding a missing teenage girl and providing protection for a contentious author) and Arjouni gradually weaves them together.

Kayankaya is a German born, with Turkish ancestry and Arjouni illustrates the mild prejudice that ensues, where most people assume he must be Muslim and that he will bend the rules to get a result. Although Kayankaya does cross the line in order to see justice done, you get the impression that he is a well-balanced and honourable, if slightly world weary man. I liked the fact that his back story wasn’t full of angst, as is often the case with private detectives, instead he was in a long term, seemingly stable relationship.

The book is quite short but was an enjoyable read and I only stopped short of five stars because it wasn’t quite up to the high standards set by the likes of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.

[Carol MacInnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from a contest on Goodreads.

In Frankfurt, Germany, 16 year old Marieke de Chevannes is missing and her mother, Valerie, has hired Kemal Kayankaya, private investigator and personal proection (i.e. bodyguard) to find her. After discussing Kemal's contractual guidelines, Valerie explained that her rebellious daughter has been seeing an 'underground' photographer who has lured her with promises of taking fashion shots of Marieke. An impressionable girl of 16 with an older man should be easily found and Kemal thought this would be a smooth job. Things, unfortunately, never go as one expects.

Another job has landed in Kemal's lap with a Moroccan author, Malik Rashid, who needs protection at a Book Fair in Frankfurt. His last book has found Malik receiving several murder threats from Islamic organizations. Another job Kemal feels should go without a hitch. But, like so many other jobs of Kemal's, not all things go as according to plan.

Author, Jakob Arjouni, has an exceptional flair as a writer. The drama that Kemal experiences combined with his humour urges the reader to get to the next page along with the characters humour makes it highly entertaining. I was saddened to learn of his passing this past January.

[Maxine Wetherall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brother Kemal – Jakob Arjouni
I received this book to review from real readers. This is the fifth book in a series, so having never read any of the other books I wondered if any background knowledge of the detective was required to fully appreciate the book.

The author introduces the reader to the private detective Kayankaya who is sumonded by Valerie de Chavannes, a financier’s daughter, who lives in the diplomatic part of Franfurt to search for her sixteen year old daughter who may be with a man older than her Masquerading
as an artist. In the meantime the private detective is offered another job from a renowned publishers to protect a writer.
I would not say this is one of the best crime fiction books I have ever read – but it packs a lot of plot into a compact book. An ideal summer read, I read it in one afternoon.
The book is well written and the two stories interlock well together. Although I found this an easy afternoon read, I will not be seeking out the other books in the series to read.

[Carlo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro inserito in una raccolta noir curata da Carlo Lucarelli, e già questa è una garanzia per me.Un detective privato tedesco si destreggia fra due committenti che, quasi in contemporanea, gli affidano due compiti.
Da un lato deve recuperare una ragazzina finita nelle grinfie di un ambiguo "fidanzato", dall'altra deve proteggere uno scrittore musulmano che ha ricevuto minacce da movimenti religiosi integralisti.Il nostro Kamal si muove nel torbido di un ambiente legato alla prostituzione, con cui ha da sempre familiarità, e nel patinato della società culturalmente avanzata, che parla di letteratura, edita libri, ospita intellettuali.
In tutto ciò deve mantenere un equilibrio invidiabile quando le cose si complicano.
Bellissima storia, veloce, ingarbugliata il giusto, raccontata con un ritmo molto andante.
A ogni fine capitolo mi veniva voglia di proseguire subito con quello successivo.
Consiglio la lettura per passare qualche ora in leggerezza, nonostante i temi trattati.

[Michael Sailer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr typisch für die besseren Romane von Jakob Arjouni. Macht Spaß, ist witzig, schnell gelesen, aber nicht (so) schnell vergessen.

[Victor Vilchiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

sadly the last installment of Herr Kayankaya. they were all good, witty, short, and enjoyable.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arjouni ist speziell. Er geht die Dinge etwas anders an. Deshalb passt er nirgends so recht rein. Und genau das mag ich an ihm und seinen Büchern.

Arjouni ist ein Grenzgänger. Ein Grenzgänger zwischen sozial akzeptiert und absolut frech. Er kümmert sich nicht darum, was man tun darf, sollte oder muss. Und genauso ist es auch bei seinem Helden Kemal. Auch der ist ein Grenzgänger und definitiv kein Vorbild für allgemein eingehaltene Normen.

Und genau das macht das Lesen dieser Bücher so interessant. Man weiss nicht, worauf man sich einlässt, und man weiss auch nicht so recht, was man nun denken soll. Sehr gescheit gemacht von Herrn Arjouni.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brother Kemal by Jakob Arjouni

This is the fifth, and sadly last, book in a series written by Jakob Arjouni who died earlier this year. The 'Brother Kemal' referred to in the title, is a Private Investigator, of Turkish descent, living and working in Germany. Kemal is asked to take on two separate cases; finding a missing 16 year old girl and acting as a bodyguard for a Muslim writer at the Frankfurt book fair. I didn't expect to enjoy this book because I find that books translated into English from their original language often feel stilted but this was a pleasant exception. Kemal has a sarcastic sense of humour that appealed to me and made him feel very real as a character. The story touches on subjects that are topical and thought provoking; the sex trade and differing religious attitudes towards modern social issues, without labouring the points made. The characters surrounding Kemal made the story interesting and different. He lives with Deborah who has Jewish German ancestors, Kemal's parents were Turkish Muslims yet neither of them follow any religion. Kemal is working for a French woman and an Arabic novelist simultaneously and all in all the book has a very cosmopolitan feel to it.

Written in the first person, Kemal appear to the reader, as a steady, no nonsense character with a very complex past. Seeing his world through Kemal's eyes was refreshing and the depth of social detail made this book intriguing. Kemal's first experience of the Frankfurt book fair, as a bodyguard to the author; Rashid, was a vivid description that was very realistic.

The storyline at first seems like two totally unconnected cases in the life of a Private Investigator, both of them having seedier elements and both drawing the reader in. The interception of details of his private life making a rounded account of a week in the life of a PI. The ending was unexpected and added an element to the story that made me want to read to the last page. This may have been my first Jakob Arjouni crime novel but it won't be my last.

[Gill Chedgey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brother Kemal – Jakob Arjouni

I can remember the first book I read in translation. I was a child and I didn’t know anything about translations, I just knew that the book ‘read funny’. It was, in fact, Erich Kastner’s Emil and the Detectives, the Puffin edition translated by Eileen Hall. I loved the story and I read it many times. It was only when I grew older that I realised why it ‘read funny’ and that was of course the adaptation from German to English. I’ve since read a large number of books in translation and discovered some of my favourite writers that way. And I can remember whilst studying German ‘A’ Level where I had to translate some Thomas Mann that the impact of what is actually lost in translation really hit me.

And so whenever I read a book that has been translated I know I am only getting half the book in effect. I am only getting the story. Nuances of language, some humour, cultural references are lost no matter how good the translator is. So that is how I approach this book from Real Readers.

And Jakob Arjouni tells a good tale. This is a concise, structured story with an economic use of plot and language but that in no way detracts. All ends are tied up; nothing is left hanging, as can be the danger in a short crime tale. As detective yarns go it is not unusual to have two seemingly disparate cases linked in some way and it is done well here without appearing to be contrived. Characterisations are purposeful there is nothing gratuitous. And although this is the fifth tale in a series of books featuring Kemal Kayankaya it works fine as a stand-alone.

Jakob Arjouni (RIP) is new to me as is the genre of German, Turkish crime!! Whilst I enjoyed reading it I don’t think it will displace my current infatuation with the current trend of Scandinavian crime writing. I won’t actively seek Arjouni out but I wouldn’t pass his other books by if the opportunity to read them comes my way.

[The Bookish Wombat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turkish-born German private detective Kemal Kayankaya is hired to find a missing 16-year old girl who appears to have run off with an older artist, but soon also has a second case on the go – to provide protection for a controversial novelist during a book fair. What seem to be two straightforward cases rapidly become complicated and potentially deadly.

I hadn’t heard of Jakob Arjouni before I received a copy of this book to review from Real Readers, but I love a crime novel so was pleased to have been sent it. I was at first slightly concerned as this is the fifth story in the Kayankaya series, but my worries were unfounded as the book can stand alone with no knowledge of the previous tales necessary.

I also don’t think I’ve read a German-based detective novel before so was eager to see how it would compare to works from other European countries and the USA. The answer to that is that there is much that is familiar here and the book is very much in the hard-boiled school of detective fiction and not dissimilar from Raymond Chandler. However, the German setting and in particular the fact that the detective is himself seen as an outsider due to his ethnicity even though he is a German national adds an extra layer of interest.

Kayankaya is a wonderful character, he demonstrates a studied world-weariness and is never appears surprised or shocked by anything, though he has an acute sense of right and wrong, and of natural justice. Unusually for a fictional detective he has a happy (though unusual) home life and doesn’t seem dragged down by a tragic past or concerns about his place in the world. He'd much rather get on with things than brood about them.

Brother Kemal is a short novel that’s intricately plotted, but still has enough time for three dimensional characters (even minor ones) and to give a vivid impression of life in present-day Germany.

I found it a satisfying read and will certainly go back and read the earlier books in the series.

[Voluntarystress · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a life long reader of detective fiction, I was delighted both by this unusual novella which came as a breath of fresh air and by finding an outstanding author new to me in this genre. But it is a great sadness to learn that this huge talent has now been cut off at such an early age.

This book is the last in a series of five about a fifty year old Turkish born, German private investigator called Kemal Kayankaya, living in Frankfurt with his Jewish girl friend, a former prostitute and now owner of a thriving bar. The story is told in the first person by the protagonist, who, although he comes from a different ethnic background, is integrated into the system, and yet manages to remain outside it, playing it to his advantage, as does his girl friend. This is a highly intelligent, witty, sardonic, cynical and frequently ironic character. He sees the humour in every situation and handles it accordingly. It’s writing that wastes no words and turns up the corners of your mouth as you read.

Kemal Kayankaya is hired by a seemingly wealthy, attractive German Socialite to recover her abducted sixteen year old daughter which he swiftly does. But nothing is as straight forward as it seems. Next he is hired by a publishing house to act as a body guard for one of their authors at a huge book fair being held in the city. This would appear to be s straight forward publicity stunt with which he is prepared to go along for the fee. But when the two cases get twisted up together, things get messy. But the story is neatly rounded off, all the loose ends are tied in and again with a certain amount of irony.

Although this is the fifth of a series this can be read very easily as stand alone story.
I’m determined to read the previous four stories in this series and if possible some of Jakob Arjouni’s other writing too. I really, really can’t recommend this marvellous compact little book highly enough.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this book via Real Readers, so it's not one I would have personally picked, but it is of the crime genre that I tend to favour. Although it is the fifth in a series of books featuring private detective Kemal Kayankaya, it promised to be a stand alone book with no need for prior knowledge of the character.

At the beginning of the book, and up to the first half, I did not particularly like Kemal Kayankaya as a character, although I got that he is supposed to have a sarcastic sense of humour which is something I usually like in a character. I just didn't find him credible or likeable - perhaps something was lost in the translation for me, as i found that the sentences did not flow very well and it was quite hard going.

After the first half, with the introduction of Katja, I found the dialogue between her and Kayankaya much easier to read, and i found humour in Kayankaya's character. I especially liked the scenes between these two characters. I found the second half of the book much easier to read, and i wanted to continue reading to find out what happened next.

The story ended with a surprise that i was not expecting, which was good. I liked the unpredictability of the second half and ending much more than the first half, which i really struggled with. I think that this was perhaps due to the fact that I had not read Arjouni before, and found his style of writing more challenging than my usual read.

Although I would not deliberately seek out the other books in the series, If i came across them I would probably purchase them to read in the order they were meant. This would be my preferred way of reading this series, and I feel that my review would have been more favourable had i read the previous four books before this fifth one.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is the fifth in a series set in Frankfurt about a private detective called Kamal Kayankaya. This story revolved around two cases that he had been hired for. Even though it is the fifth book in the series, you get enough information regarding the background to the main characters that you can read it as a stand-alone book.

His first case involved the De Chavannes family and touched on the drugs and sex trade in Frankfurt. His second case however seemed a straight-forward one involving being a bodyguard to an author called Malik Rashid at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Both cases dealt with very different characters and they were all described so well that you could get a real feel for all the people involved in the story. The book seemed to be going on two separate pathways that came to a crossroads and joined to bring the book to conclusion.

As a reader, you were seeing the story evolve through Kamal’s eyes and almost felt like it was written in the first person at times. You warmed to him as the story went on and you felt glad that it had all worked out as it did in the end.

This book was a really good read and I enjoyed it. I will be looking for his other books in my local library or online due to them being translated from the author’s native language into English. I was saddened to hear that the author died recently and that this was his last book.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in a series written by Jakob Arjouni. Sadly I have found this great author too late as he sadly passed away earlier this year.
This German crime writer has totally escaped me until this book dropped through the letter box during the holidays- this was ideal and not too hefty a book to read in the garden. I devoured this in one sitting.

The author introduces the reader to the private detective Kayankaya who is summonded by Valerie de Chavannes, a financier’s daughter, who lives in the diplomatic part of Frankfurt to search for her sixteen year old daughter who may be with a man older than her masqurading as a artist. In the meantime the private detective is offered another job from a renowned publishers to protect a writer who has offended an islamic group at a book fair no less. So he becomes the authors bodyguard and and at one point is thought to be a contract killer
There are two strands to this crime story which interweave well together and coherently at all times.
This book is well written and the author tells a good crime story with good characters.
This is just the beginning for me starting on the last book I am now devouring the other novels.
Recommended- a great read.

[DarcyS · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first of the Kemal Kayankaya series that I have read. I enjoyed the book and read it easily within a few days.

The story follows Kayankaya, a private detective of Turkish decent, raised in Germany. The book touches on certain racial sensitivities, with both Kayankaya and other characters in the book. He is hired initially hired to return a wealthy womans's daughter who has ran off with an older Muslim man. Kayankaya also must protect a cocky, Muslim writer who has a controversial new book out. With plenty of complications thrown in, of course!

The book finished strong and at no point did I find it boring. I think the character often made foolish decisions, in the same vein of the woman running up the stairs in a horror film. The audience sit saying 'why would they do that?!' Which definitely brought a slight lack of credibility to the story. I would still like to read the other books in the series.

I was saddened to read of the author's sudden death, especially as at the end I felt that he had a following book in mind.

[John Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to receiving the book Brother Kemal by Jakob Arjouni from Real Readers, I had never heard of the late Jakob Arjouni let alone read one of his books.
This being the fifth outing for his Frankfurt PI Kemal Kayankaya I was a little dubious about jumping in at this stage, but I need not have been concerned. At no point in reading this excellent book was it a problem, so if you are new to this author don’t let it put you off.
Our hero is a throwback an old fashioned wise cracking “gumshoe” in the Marlow, Spade mould but set in the modern sleazy underworld of Frankfurt. He is an instantly likeable character a good guy willing to bend or even break the rules to help his clients. It is quite a short book at 192 pages but packs plenty of interest in, and I would recommend it whole heartedly.
I now intend to seek out and read the rest of the series

[CarolineFromConcord · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable mystery. I'll definitely try more books by Arjouni. I learned about him recently after he died of pancreatic cancer, in his late 40s. He had just written this book, having stayed away from mysteries for several years doing other writing. He launched the mystery series at about age 20.

Arjouni's detective is a Turk raised by a German family in Germany. Judging from the mystery I read, clients make assumptions about him because of his name and looks, but he is never what they expect. In *Brother Kemal,* he is hired first by a woman to find her teenage daughter, who may have gone off with a seedy drug dealer. Then he is hired by a publishing house to protect a Muslim author who says he has been threatened for writing sympathetically about a gay protagonist.

Kemal handles both assignments in unconventional ways and often with humor.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Kemal Kayankaya novel I've read, and it makes me want to read the others in the series. Private investigator Kemal, born in Turkey and raised in Germany by adoptive parents, may see himself as a regular German guy, but is continually pegged as an outsider by clients, the police, and criminals. Kemal takes on an assignment to return a wayward teenage girl to her parents only to be caught up in a murder. At the same time, he is asked to provide bodyguard services for an author who has published a book offensive to radical Muslims, so is seen as a terrorist target. The two cases get intertwined in ways that are intriguing and comical, with lots of misunderstandings. Well-written, fast paced, and a good read for a weekend.

[Carol Peace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read any of Jakob Arjouni's other books but it did not matter as I could thoroughly understand the dynamics of the characters and thier previous relationships.Kemal Kayankaya is a private investigator who is looking for a runaway socialite and also has a job as a bodyguard for a well known author. They seem like 2 very different assignments but unfortunately they drift into one anothers world. I didnt like Kemal at the beginning of the book and him not speaking turkish seemed strange but I soon warmed to him and the plot did meander down a couple of possible outcomes but I was surprised at the conclusion.Definately worth a read.

[Carol Peace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read any of Jakob Arjouni's other books but it did not matter as I could thoroughly understand the dynamics of the characters and thier previous relationships.Kemal Kayankaya is a private investigator who is looking for a runaway socialite and also has a job as a bodyguard for a well known author. They seem like 2 very different assignments but unfortunately they drift into one anothers world. I didnt like Kemal at the beginning of the book and him not speaking turkish seemed strange but I soon warmed to him and the plot did meander down a couple of possible outcomes but I was surprised at the conclusion.Definately worth a read.

[Dunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compact, well-plotted thriller this book was a pleasure to read and certainly makes me want to read the other books in the series. The strands of the plot were deftly woven together and the main character is charismatic with a delightfully deadpan sense of humour. The pace of the story keeps you hooked and while I wanted to get to the end, I didn't want the book to finish!

A highly recommended read.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book supplied for review purposes.
A German Turkish private eye has to find the run away daughter of a wealthy socialite, guard an author at a book fair,and deal with a drug dealing imam & his goons, all in a week's work for Kemal.
There's nothing actually wrong with this book (other than being quite short), it's got a decent plot and flows well, but unfortunately I just didn't feel any engagement with the characters.

[John Hatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant detective story by a brilliant author, the 5th and most recent of his books with private detective Kemal Kayankaya. I can highly recommend it. If you don't read German, wait until you can find a translation of it in your preferred language (it may take a while since it was only just recently published; meanwhile you could read one or more of the other 4).

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arjouni's Kemal Kayankaya adventure "Brother Kemal" was a fun, witty, and sharp detective novel. An extremely quick read at 200 pages. It was a fun read that was difficult to put down. It's too bad Jakob Arjouni has passed away because this would have been a great several book series. Try this one you'll like it !! It's a don't miss ! 5 stars out of 5 for Kemal !!