Black Amber

by Phyllis A. Whitney

Book by Whitney, Phyllis A.

Genres: Mystery, Gothic, Romance, Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Gothic Romance, Suspense

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Phyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".

She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 3 out of 5]

atmosphere to die for; and so she did, poor Annabel. off to Turkey followed her sister, investigating, in disguise, but barely. there are many illusions in Istanbul; and so the aloof Turks and the jaded Europeans who populate this city are well-acquainted with double meanings and new personas. a sheltered young American abroad will have little chance to fool anyone at all, including the cat. except herself, of course, because one can always fool oneself. both sisters do that well, fooling themselves about the other's nature, about their true goals, and about their own buried pain.

the air is warm and spiced in Turkey, the breezes cool and lulling; calls to prayer and the sounds of angry conversations may pass through walls but motivations remain hidden. the strange sounds of the Bosphorus murmur and ripple out into the night and into the subconscious, turning everything fluid, even identity. ruins are explored, both physical and intangible, both full of secrets. the author, like her players, keeps those secrets to herself, until at last they finally erupt, in violence, in a painful but suddenly freeing catharsis...

[Quirkyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my latest audio book.

This is the writing style of Phyllis A. Whitney that makes a story. I enjoyed this one over “The Singing Stones”.

This story was set in Türkiye and one of the main features of the story was the Bosporus. It has many twists and turns that lead to its suspenseful ending.

Give this one a try for its scenery alone.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phyllis Whitney knows how to weave an enthralling web: heroine thrust into a mysterious house and household, with very unsure alliances (or rivalries), hidden rooms, secrets galore. This book was written in 1964, yet it stands the test of time with nary a blemish.

Phyllis Whitney's work is often classified as "romantic suspense" which, at the outset (when I'd first picked up the first book of hers that I'd read), would have led me to believe it was heavy on the romance and light on the suspense. Not so, not by a long shot. Yes, there is generally a love interest, but it's not light and fluffy and the romance angle is not center-stage by any means. It's mostly mystery, intrigue, and this delicious edginess that I would have said could only be found in contemporary, 21st century fiction. Like a single ominous note played on a bass, half out of the range of audibility--a conveyance of the way your neck prickles when you're exploring some forbidden and possibly dangerous place where you know you're not supposed to be.

The locale of Black Amber is Turkey, and one of the things that Ms. Whitney's books have in common with my beloved Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax books is that both authors traveled widely, and each book takes place in a different place, with real landmarks, places, and culture woven in among the fictional story. Since I'm equal parts world traveler and bookworm, this has me tickled pink.

Black Amber is moody, deep, and dark, just as its title implies. It sucks you in, beguiles you, and as the intrigue ratchets the intensity up through several notches, it becomes impossible to put down.

My only qualm is that the ending seemed a bit rushed...but it's still a solid five stars to me. Excellent, colorful characters...lush, atmospheric settings...a twisted web of loyalties and agendas...I'm in!

[Christine PNW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot - great setting, in Istanbul on the Bosporus. The mystery was intriguing, and Yasmine, the white cat with the emerald green eyes, added a nice bit of drama. I liked it quite a bit better than Hunter's Green, as it turned out.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not PW's best, though like all her books it has a certain charming edginess. Whitney depicts families in the soapy, overwrought vein of VC Andrews -- lots of inbred guilt, unfinished conversations, & issues with older sisters or parents -- but without the lolzy-gross sibling incest. ;)

This was first published in 1964, & it feels a bit dated -- not so much in the ultimate conflict, or even the villainy itself, but rather the douchebag hero & Tracy's cheesy sense of empowerment compared to Nursel & Murat. This makes it even more annoying when Tracy rolls over to Miles' ridiculous mood swings or snide comments about how he likes quiet, demurely dressed women, then justifies his double-standard expectations that she reveal everything while he 'keeps her safe' by revealing only the most reluctant nuggets (made more annoying because despite her lack of worldliness, Tracy isn't an idiot & she deserved the truth). Did I mention having her sit on the floor & commanding that she not breathe too loudly? The dude takes 3 days to even *offer* her an office chair. 🙄 He's the kind of charmer who rolls his eyes at an innocent lack of knowledge, then derides her for trying to gain the knowledge so she's not innocent enough to ask about it. I just couldn't stand the guy.

Anyway. The beginning is great, & the root of Anabel's problems is pretty risqué for 1960s mainstream women's fiction...but the story spins its wheels throughout, as if there are too few characters & too many overly-murky motives to hold the story together. PW couldn't seem to decide whether to emulate Mary Stewart or DuMaurier with this plot, so the final product felt like a confused mashup. The writing itself is good, with plenty of quotable nuggets & the usual entertaining family dynamics (PW is much more subtle in her guilt & resentment than VC Andrews :P), but overall rather middling.

3.5 stars, rounded down for the wheel-spinning & asshat Miles.

[Allison Tebo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of the poetic, beautiful writing style that I love and very reminiscent of one of my favorite authors (Mary Stewart) as far as style. It is a sad fact that modern authors simply don't write like this anymore! Set near the Golden Horn in the 1960s, this book reeks of atmosphere and touches all those old romantic feelings the imaginative still harbor for faraway lands.

The story line was interesting and I do relish a closed door situation - but it wasn't quite as compelling, interesting or thrilling as I felt it could have been. There was more long conversations , and involved relationships more than anything - not quite constituting what makes up a "thriller."

The romance between the 23 year old heroine and the almost forty "hero" - is carried off with the usual panache of older authors - and the reader is swept along in the narrative and swallows the pill in the jelly - however, objectively speaking, it was pretty eyebrow raising, especially since our hero was a rather dubious Byronic character.

Still, 'Black Amber' possesses a wonderful tone, subterfuge, a twist ending, and a satisfactory, if not fabulous, conclusion.

If you are a Mary Stewart fan and are looking for a book that really shows true writing - the lyrical grandeur of old authors - unfolding in a magnificently atmospheric setting, then this is the book for you.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely one of Whitney's best. At times I felt I was reading one of Mary Stewart's books. The location is exotic and appealing, and the cast is interesting and fairly well-drawn out. The major revelation between the two leads, however, was rather hurried, as was the ending. But enjoyable, nonetheless.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such incredible detail in this book. I just love her work.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Phyllis Whitney is an author who has been on my radar since I was old enough to read and appreciate romantic suspense books…..so basically since like thirteen or fourteen. So for over 20 years I’ve been trying to motivate myself enough to read one of her books.

I mean she’s written tons and tons and tons of books so she must be doing something right. So why haven’t I picked up her books? I honestly have worried that they would be ‘dated’. I mean, Victoria Holt (my all time favorite romantic suspense writer), wrote books that were very clearly meant to be historical fiction. They were always set in the past even though she was a more modern writer.

Writers like Whitney and Mary Stewart tend to hope around between historical fiction and what would have been more ‘modern’ fiction by their standards and writing period. I just wasn’t sure that her books would live up to my expectations.

So why pick one up now? Well thanks to Open Road Media, many of Whitney’s books have been put on to Kindle and Amazon was having a sale a few weeks ago where they were all $2.99 each. I didn’t want to buy each one so I started researching some of the books. Whitney is notorious for having gone to each and every one of the locations in her books so she could write with more authority….so I wanted something exotic and Black Amber was set in Istanbul….so that’s what I went with.


I only really scanned the summary to see where the book was set, not necessarily when. This book is one of the ‘modern’ suspense novels which was a little disappointing for me, but I thought the location would possibly make up for the ‘when’.

This book was a little on the slow side for me. I didn’t necessarily like any of the characters. Tracy seemed a little boring and naive for me. Miles just seemed like an asshole, and the other characters were all rude and not endearing in any way. I had a really really hard time with the romance between Tracy and Miles. The entire time I didn’t really feel any sexual tension or romantic inclinations from Miles what so ever and then all of a sudden she was his darling? Just no.

Not to mention he was married to her sister—-it just didn’t work at all and I was kind of put off. All bad romance aside though, the mystery was interesting and enough to keep me reading but I just wasn’t flying through it in the way that I had hoped. I did guess the who of the mystery but not the why of the mystery. I didn’t mind guessing who the person was because the why was intriguing enough.

Now where did Whitney shine? The location. The Bosporus took on a role all its own in the story and I loved that. You could tell she spent a lot of time researching the location and making sure she got everything right. I felt like I was there and I loved reading her interpretation of the location and culture. This added a lot to the story for me and helped distract me from the blasé characters.

I don’t know if this one was really for me. I mean I am glad that I read it but I just didn’t love it in the way I had hoped. Am I put off by her writing? No. Do I plan on reading other books by Whitney? Yes. This one wasn’t her best I don’t think and though it wasn’t great, I can see why people love her books….she captures the location and culture so well on paper and the mystery is layered. So I will likely read other books by her but I think I will try one of her period novels next time.

See my full review here

[Kristina Coop-a-Loop · Rating 2 out of 5]

Phyllis A. Whitney’s Black Amber is not one of her best romantic thrillers. It’s not one of her best anythings. The plot itself is rather weak and not compelling—in fact weak and not compelling describes the book as a whole: the romance, the characters, the ghostly dead wife—none of it is all that interesting. I finished the book because I’d read it once before, a long time ago (I don’t remember if I liked it or not when I first read it) and it’s such an easy brain candy read so why stop?

Tracy Hubbard is a very young editorial assistant sent to Istanbul to help author and artist Miles Radburn with his latest book. Miles, however, does not want her assistance and has asked her to stay in New York. Tracey goes anyway. She needs to prove to her boss, Mr. Hornwright, that she can handle this challenge and get the book back on track. Tracy goes to Istanbul, determined to get Mile Radburn’s book sorted and get answers to her own mystery, one Mr. Hornwright—and Miles Radburn—know nothing about. Once in Istanbul, Tracy is confronted by a family with its own tensions and a silent, angry Miles. It’s assumed he is still grieving over the tragic loss of his young wife, but Tracy hears stories that suggest Miles and his beautiful wife were anything but a happy couple. While Tracy tries to solve her personal mystery, her secrets are revealed and that places her life in jeopardy.

I didn’t care for this. Tracy is a likeable character, but I found her dippy and annoying and her bravery unconvincing. Because she is so young (22/23) and a very junior editorial assistant, I find completely unbelievable that the publisher would send her to Istanbul to bully a writer/artist into finishing his manuscript, particularly one known to be difficult. She eventually wins Miles over, of course, because she’s pretty and young and this creepy romance has to happen somehow. Miles is twice her age and seems to have two settings: sullen and angry or slightly agreeable. His personality doesn’t make much of an impression on me and he’s really not around much. Tracy spends a good bit of time worrying about running into him and obsessing over how to soothe his cranky self and convince him to keep her there, but Miles as a person isn’t seen much and eh, so what?

Anabel, the dead wife, is the book’s ghost. At least, that’s what Whitney was going for, something like Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. It doesn’t work. Rebecca casts a pall over the lives of the characters in her namesake novel, but Anabel doesn’t. She’s not malevolent, mysterious and intriguing, like Rebecca. Mostly, she seems pathetic, flighty, and mentally unstable. The secret, of course, is that she is Tracy’s older half-sister. This shouldn’t surprise you. Obviously Tracy is there to solve some mystery, and she has such a preoccupation with Anabel that of course she was her sister. Anabel herself is a weak character and I don’t understand why Tracy’s father (Anabel’s stepfather) seemed to hate her so much. When she turned up dead, he said that she deserved her fate, which seems pretty harsh for a young woman who left home and eventually got married. She wasn’t even living in sin! Of course, Anabel’s fate is tied up in the greater mystery of the Erim family and the tensions between Sylvana Erim, a Frenchwoman who married into the Turkish family, and siblings Nursel and Dr. Erim. I didn’t really care about the plot, which seemed kind of messy and nonsensical. None of it made much sense, either. Nursel knew about Tracy’s secret all along—why didn’t she just confront her and send her home? It did her no good to keep her there. She played all those tricks on Tracy to scare her into leaving, but why bother? All she had to do was tell Miles and/or Sylvana about Tracy’s secret and they would have been pissed off and sent her home. All of Nursel’s nonsense wasn’t necessary and doesn’t make sense. She knew Tracy would cause problems for her; logically she would have taken the earliest and easiest opportunity to get rid of her. Dumb plot.

The romance is not convincing. For most of the book, Tracy is very uncomfortable around Miles. He treats her either like a child or a pain in his ass to get rid of as quickly as possible. Things change when they have tea together and he listens to Tracy’s story of woe about a birthday party and an attention-hogging sister. She thinks, oh, my, he’s so kind! Then she rather abruptly loves him and he loves her and it’s all great. I think this romance is creepy for two reasons: 1, he’s twice her age and 2, he’s the husband of her dead sister, who was also quite young. The guy really has a thing for sweet young innocent girls. Yuck. Miles is also patronizing. Granted, this book was published in the early 1960s so you have to expect this kind of man-knows-best bullshit, but the two major male characters in the book (and possible romantic match-ups for Tracy) seem to know what’s best for Tracy. Dr. Erim thinks she should dress in a frivolous and feminine manner and likes the dangle earrings that Nursel gave her, however Miles doesn’t think they suit her and actually takes them off of her ears. Both men are annoying and paternalistic in how they treat Tracy. She’s a woman who can decide for herself what she likes, but these men are more than willing to offer her their macho opinions on what’s best for her. In the end, of course, Tracy is more than happy to behave the way Miles likes and wear the earrings he bought for her because he knows what’s best.

This is not a great romantic thriller. It’s not very romantic and it’s not very thrilling. Try The Golden Unicorn or Listen for the Whisperer, both of which are better.

[Melissa Joulwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ridiculous, over-the-top, fun Gothic mystery-romance set in Istanbul, Turkey.

[Arismeire Fiedoruk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy Hubbard tinha uma vida boa, morando em Nova York, trabalhando em uma famosa revista e recebendo cartões no Natal de uma meia-irmã mais velha que já adorara e invejara. Ao saber da morte desta irmã, a moça consegue que a enviem para ser assistente do famoso artista Miles Redburn. Sua intenção era a de investigar a morte da irmã sem que lhe mentissem ou ocultassem algo ao saber de seu parentesco com a falecida esposa de Miles.
A protagonista chega a Istambul e se torna hóspede da exótica Sylvana Erim, dona da Villa e amiga de Miles, e de seu cunhado e cunhada, irmãos mais novos do marido já falecido. É divertido acompanhar a chegada da moça e sua interação com os demais personagens quando nós sabemos quem ela realmente é.
Miles Redburn é um artista famoso e jamais soube da existência de uma cunhada, pois sua esposa cortara contato com a família, exceto com Tracy, e contara a moça que mentira ao marido, dizendo-lhe que não tinha mais parentes vivos. Isso decepcionou Tracy de tal forma que, a medida que a irmã mandava cada vez menos cartas, ela se importava menos.
Tracy não consegue chegar a conclusão se Miles sofre pela morte da esposa ou se ele foi a causa de sua morte e a cada dia que passa se torna mais seduzida por ele e seus mistérios.
Durante um passeio pelo terreno da Villa ela descobre algumas ruínas e acaba por ouvir uma discussão acalorada em turco e, em meio ao idioma que desconhece, ela escuta seu nome ser pronunciado. Isso faz com que suspeite de que seu disfarce foi descoberto.O que reforça esta ideia é encontrar um colar de contas de âmbar marcando uma ameaçadora passagem de um livro, provavelmente com intenção de assustá-la.
Este é um dos meus livros favoritos de Phyllis A. Whitney (um dos Top Five), com uma boa dose de suspense, intrigas, romance contido, perigo, mortes e um cenário muito charmoso. Depois de ler Âmbar negro fiquei com muita vontade de conhecer Istambul. Altamente recomendado :-)

[C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews). · Rating 3 out of 5]

I regard Phyllis A Whitney as my mentor. When anyone learns the scope of her work, the jaw-dropping quantity of decades she lived to create it, they admire her too. A million personal preferences shape enjoyment of a book. The reasons needn’t be talent or lack of a superb story. I was swept into 1964's "Black Amber" immediately. There is much to rave about. A few aspects got under my skin nearer the end and descended my assessment to three stars.

Many writers do it but I find it irrelevant to specify “said softly”. Differentiate something abnormally loud, or hard but “softly” is a given. Let readers independently derive that much based on the image they conjure. The futile adjective also weakens a sentence instead of just boldly SAYING whatever it is. Exacerbating my dislike for this redundant cliché, Phyllis used it to excess in the last chapters of the novel; even descriptions of carpets and water were incessantly “soft” or “gentle”. I’m especially uncomfortable if an animal perishes in a story, which happens to be a deal-breaker for me. Finally, the 1900-1970 eras had a silly need for heroines to develop a crush and agree to marry a man instantly. Where I come from, you take years to develop a relationship regardless of attraction.

This is nonetheless an excellent novel of extraordinary cultural value. The sojourn to Turkey is unique even from this author famous for localized settings. The subject matter to discover is darker too, impressively outside Phyllis’ norm. Palpable research had to have gone into language, history, and modernized characters relinquishing old habits. I experienced Istanbul as an overwhelmed tourist. The serious plot keenly kept my interest too and there was no predicting what unfurled. I’m a fan with good reason and acquired more education than usual.

[Brittany Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a weakness for romance, and the exotic, so this grabbed my attention and stole it away forever. I nearly cried when I realized I would hear no more about these characters. This book could have been so much longer, and felt as though it ended abruptly, but the ending was still satisfying in a sense of all loose ends were tied.

[Sheri South · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much as I devoured romantic suspense during my teen years in the '70s, I'm finding now that many of the heroes are too "alpha" for my taste, and there's not enough romance to suit me. I still enjoy the exotic settings, but I find Mary Stewart holds up to re-reading better than Phyllis Whitney does.

[Julia B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

An intriguing tale of suspense set in '60s Istanbul, protagonist Tracy Hubbard investigates a very sketchy household to get the details surrounding the mysterious death of her sister Anabel. Unfortunately the circumstances that led to her death, and the romance that is awkwardly shoved alongside it, are super disappointing and causes any intrigue the novel has built up to fall apart.

The setting of the story is clearly what most inspired the author, not the actual plot or romance. Since I'm not in the most romance-friendly state of mind at the moment, I was so turned off by Miles, my eyes would roll when I realized where this was going. (Did no one think marrying your sister's brother-in-law was weird in the 60s? It was literally weird in Hamlet's early modern Denmark, so.........huh)

[girl writing]

A favorite reread from my childhood when I traveled vicariously through books. Once I went through Whitney's young adult novels, I was thrilled to discover she wrote romantic suspense adults books. The big draw for me was the exoticness of the setting…Turkey. There is very little action and lots of description and dialog…have to kind of change your mindset when reading these older books. A fun reading escape

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

See Quicksilver Pool.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love gothic romances with all of the mystery and the strong female characters. Phyllis A. Whitney is an amazing author incorporating an unforgettable story with amazing characters.

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun story but a little cheesy for me. I would not call this a romance but others think so. Little odd for that scenerio. Nice read. If the ending was different I maybe would have given it a 3 star.

[Gail Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as some of her other books. I thought it rather drawn out and didn't keep my interest as most of her other books have done.

[LillyBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for all the Gothic tropes, this is the book for you. And it was the book for me, because - and I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough - the author knew exactly what she was writing. (Although, interestingly, I’ve learned she didn’t like the word “Gothic” despite the fact she was a master at it. Interesting.) Gothic novels are not the genre for which one should practice moderation. Overindulgence is generally part of what makes them work.

Isolated mansion? Check. Moody weather and thunderstorms? Check. Mysterious death? Check. Everyone including the protagonist telegraphs they have a secret? Check. The protagonist presents as an earnest, naïve ingénue? Check. Moody, Byronic men? Check. Silent, sullen servants? Abandoned garden? Dangerous ruins? A painting with eyes that seem to be watching? A cat that may hold the soul of the deceased? A scientific laboratory in the lower level? Things disarranged in locked rooms? Unexplained noises in the night? Petty thefts? Overheard conversations in strange languages? Check, check, CHECK! This novel has it all!

This book is tingly and creepy, but it rides just this side of that all-important knife’s edge into cheesiness. The atmosphere is the star, as it should be in a good Gothic novel, and it’s aided by the exoticism of mid-20th century Istanbul which allows Whitney to logically dabble in the clash of East versus West and motifs of sultans, harems, and opium. The sense of place is very strong, with details so sharp and spicy it could read from a travelogue, not a novel about avenging a murder.

The greatest weakness for me was the romance element, although I gather that was Whitney’s signature. It was unnecessary and I don’t believe the two characters would have fallen for each other. However, it’s a small section of the book, which probably contributes to its rushed and unrealistic nature. Also rushed was the conclusion; I could have used a “here's what really happened” exposition. Yes, the murderer is uncovered but there are other shady dealings in the house, including probable accessory culprits, that weren’t fully explained nor were the consequences revealed.

But I will absolutely read more books by this author.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy is sent to Turkey by her publishing company to help famous artist Miles
Radburn finish his book on Turkish mosaics. But the real reason she is there is to find out the secret behind the death of her half sister Anabel. Although Anabel was estranged from the family, the sisters always remained close. Though lively, talented, and well liked by everyone, Anabel was fragile and needed protection from herself. Her younger sister Tracy always protected her, until the day when Anabel called Tracy all the way from Istanbul, hysterical, crying about 'black amber' and not wanting to die. Tracy refused to listen to her, thinking that it was the same old cry of 'Wolf!'. But Tracy was wrong. Anabel had died, and now Tracy owes it to her sister to discover the truth between her beautiful sister and her artist husband Miles Radburn.

Tracy is alone in a foreign land. She doesn't speak the language and doesn't know who to trust. Miles is staying at the home of a wealthy patron and resents her interference. He is constantly trying to get Tracy to go back home and she always has to come up with ways to stay. It's fortunate that no one knows that Anabel was her sister, especially since she was generally disliked for bringing scandal to the house. Until the day when Tracy happens upon a heated conversation in Turkish in an abandoned palace and hears someone say her name angrily. Could it be that someone knows the reason why she's there? But that was impossible. No one knew that Anabel had a sister, least of all her own husband. But what if someone did?

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

This 1960s romantic suspense novel set in Turkey is curiously uncompelling. Although the evocative setting should draw the reader in, the mystery at the heart of the story takes too long to develop. Editorial assistant Tracy has come to Istanbul to investigate the death of her beloved, wayward older sister Anabel. Untangling the mystery of Anabel's last year brings her into the orbit not just of Anabel's painter husband Miles, but also a wealthy Turkish family with secrets of its own. The overly slow pace of 7/8ths of the novel wears on the reader, despite flashes of Whitney's ability to create finely textured characters, witnessed here by a moving childhood memory that Tracy relates midway through the story. Otherwise, a fairly pedestrian effort by a writer who was much better at her craft than this example.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phyllis Whitney's writing is impeccable, and she captures the hostile, dusty, and superficially decorative charm of her far-off locations rather well. In this book, it's Istanbul. But, as in most of her novels, it's not a real city with people living their own varied lives, but a setting. The mosques, minarets, and tales of disposed-of harem dwellers serve as an eerie, foreboding backdrop that doesn't really impact the plot but creates a sense of dread.

Even if the reader sees the same pattern repeated in all of her novels, they're still enjoyable. Perhaps it helps that her characters are usually very young and very sheltered, so it's easy to excuse their impulsive behavior that practically asks for trouble. The characters' motivations and decisions are well thought out and realistic, even if they're sometimes a bit exasperating.

[Rainz ❤️rainnbooks❤️(on a break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha, Back to my comfort read! Agatha Christie,Mary Stewart, Phyllis A Whitney are all authors who have mastered the art of creating thrillers with a handful of characters the members more or less from the same family. It is probably similar to the psychological domestic thrillers that are available today except maybe for the heightened spine tingling drama.
The Black Amber has the same theme of a single female who goes to Turkey in search of the truth of her sister's death and finds herself mixed up in all kinds of intrigue without a single soul to trust wholly. Loved the atmosphere of Istanbul with the bloody history of Bosporus and the bazaars with the sweet tea.
As always a very cozy and comfy mystery!

[Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Mary Stewart-ish. I particularly enjoyed the setting, which is vivid and comes alive, and I liked that there are lots of locals who are well-realised characters, positive and negative. Our plucky young heroine is also fairly sensible in her reactions and in how she goes about her investigations. Things don't feel too dated, either, apart from the romance. That didn't work for me at all, but it was a more minor part of the plot, so I didn't mind.

I'd love to try more by Whitney, but looking at her backlist, there are all sorts of things there. So if you have any recs for this sort of book, adventures in exotic locations, then please tell me about them!

[Freeda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me very strongly of Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca." It was a bit of a slow-burner, but I appreciated that each of the characters, including the female protagonist, was flawed in some way, which made me want to finish the book rather than abandoning it, and is the main reason for giving it four stars instead of three. The plot did have some surprises in it, but very subtle ones. The setting was exotic, but I do wish more attention had been given to vivid descriptions of it. I would describe this as belonging to the drama genre more than to mystery, thriller, or suspense.

[Ra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read was a sentimental choice as I enjoyed Whitney's book in my younger days, but the story somehow fell flat for me.
There was mystery but the resolution was sort of pointless in the end, it did not make sense to me at all. The writing was okay and the setting atmospheric but I could not get over the aloofness of the writer towards the culture and the people. They felt stereotypical and two-dimensional.