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Inspector Ikmen #3
Arabesk
When the wife of one of Istanbul's best known popular singers is found dead and his baby daughter missing, the newly promoted Inspector Suleyman, scion of one of Turkey's most aristocratic families, finds himself plunged into the magnificently vulgar, overblown world of Arabesk music, dominated by an ageing star, the monstrous chanteuse, Tansu.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
58 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Nadel
60 books212 followersBarbara Nadel is an English crime-writer. Many of her books are set in Turkey. Born in the East End of London, Barbara Nadel trained as an actress before becoming a writer. Now writing full-time, she has previously worked as a public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's Good Companion Service and as a mental health advocate for the mentally disordered in a psychiatric hospital. She has also worked with sexually abused teenagers and taught psychology in schools and colleges, and is currently the patron of a charity that cares for those in emotional and mental distress. She has been a regular visitor to Turkey for more than twenty-five years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
May 22, 2014
I enjoyed this Cetin Ikmen mystery novel, even though I figured out 'Who-dunnit' (though I hadn't figured out why till the end). I don't read Nadel's 'Cetin Ikmen' series so much for the complex crime story (which they're not), but for its setting in Instanbul; and the author's interest in exploring the different cultures that are a part of this incredibly ancient cross-roads of a place. I'd never heard of the Yezidi before...will have to explore/research this somewhat persecuted and misunderstood cultural/religious group a little more.
June 2, 2016
A detective novel about poisoned wife of a popular singer turns into a story of multi-cultural contemporary Turkey, with its various religions and ethnicities. This time the background is the Yezidi community to which the murdered woman and her husband secretly belong, the poverty of the Kurds, and the story of a dying Greek woman confessing to murdering her eunuch husband and burying him under a fig tree many years go. And then part of the story is about popular music. Overall, as usual in these series, there is an amazing feel of the city - an ancient place with its prejudices, its tolerances, and its constantly emerging secrets. I love it.
March 16, 2025
3.5 rounding up. These aren't complex crime stories, but the background and backstory of the series is different from the norm, being set in Istanbul, and makes for good reading.
December 8, 2009
Another gripping, drop everything and read book from Barbara Nadel, this one dealing with a mysterious sect from the Kurds in Eastern Turkey. On top of the murder mystery, we are once again taken into the lives of Inspector Ikmen, Suleyman and Cohen, and we go through Inspector Ikmen's trauma of drying out and cutting back on cigarettes. We learn about eunuchs and their role in Turkish families, and we learn about the particularly prevalent Turkish song form, the Arabesque. Fast paced, once again you won't want to put it down.
January 30, 2018
This police procedural with a sense of humor is set in contemporary Istanbul and centers around singers of a popular style of music called Arabesk. I enjoyed the assorted and sometimes eccentric characters and the glimpses into another culture and place as much as the competently unfolded mystery.
August 21, 2024
The first book I have read by this author, Arabesk was a real slog until I reached the halfway point. I finally realized that the welter of unfamiliar names plus the constant chain smoking, despite sweltering heat, by every character in the book, was wearing me down. (I'm not a militant anti-smoker, but after reading Arabesk, I am unlikely to visit Turkey.)
What did finally grab me was the plight of the Yezidis, a persecuted religious minority within Kurdistan. Human beings just can't stand anyone with different belief systems, apparently.
What did finally grab me was the plight of the Yezidis, a persecuted religious minority within Kurdistan. Human beings just can't stand anyone with different belief systems, apparently.
November 3, 2024
Complex and deeply moving. The author skillfully tackles difficult subjects without making the story feel heavy or overwrought. The emotional depth and raw honesty of the characters make this a powerful, unforgettable read.
September 11, 2017
excellent story telling and beautiful historic background
July 1, 2013
When you travel do you try to read books that relate to your destination? I've done it a few times but it always had to do with Great Britain (surprise). My friend, Liz, directed me to Barbara Nadel who writes murder mysteries that take place in Istanbul. I downloaded her book, Arabesk, to my Kindle and read it during my visit there last summer.
Lots of fun to read about real neighborhoods and sites in a fictional book as I roamed around Istanbul. The star of the series is Inspector Cetin Ikmen, who is home on medical leave and getting pretty antsy. So his, protege, Mehmet Suleyman, is in charge of the newest murder investigation. Normally, these exotic names would be hard to keep track of but they became the norm during my travels.
The story is about the murder of a young mom with connections to a famous music star and an aging actress. Lots of interesting characters who I think are part of the series with a few side stories that also kept my attention. I'm needing an Istanbul fix so I will add another of Nadel's to my reading list.
Lots of fun to read about real neighborhoods and sites in a fictional book as I roamed around Istanbul. The star of the series is Inspector Cetin Ikmen, who is home on medical leave and getting pretty antsy. So his, protege, Mehmet Suleyman, is in charge of the newest murder investigation. Normally, these exotic names would be hard to keep track of but they became the norm during my travels.
The story is about the murder of a young mom with connections to a famous music star and an aging actress. Lots of interesting characters who I think are part of the series with a few side stories that also kept my attention. I'm needing an Istanbul fix so I will add another of Nadel's to my reading list.
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June 13, 2017I'm afraid I'm not much impressed with this book. Nadel clearly knows and loves Istanbul and Turkey, which is sweet. However, textually the narrative is stuck in liminality, whereby the story is very Turkish but the voice/tone is very English. Not that it's wrong or bad, it's just that it's odd and somewhat out of place. Another issue is about the city narratives of Istanbul. Many writers, enchanted by Istanbul, seek to portray its exotic, mysterious, romantic, dark, etc. nature (because they love the place and I can't help but agree with them). Yet, despite the appropriateness of the setting for detective genre, the contemporary novelists try to do too much at once. (I feel the same way for most of Ahmet Umit's crime fiction set in Istanbul.) Tough balance to keep, especially since, as by nature, crime fiction should be tightly and neatly narrated to keep the focus and tension.
Still, non-Turkish readers might find the work a bit more impressive than I have as a nice, light read.
Still, non-Turkish readers might find the work a bit more impressive than I have as a nice, light read.
September 15, 2012
I never wanted to go to Istanbul before reading Barbara Nadel, but now it's top of the list. She beautifully captures the uneasy coexistence of Ottomans and Turks, major religions and obscure sects, and weaves the complex stew of alliances and enmities into her characters' motives. I especially love how Nadel takes readers beyond the tourist sights into the hearts and minds of people living in a place where the weighty history of Constantinople permeates everything from criminal motives to the food sold in the marketplace. Recommend all of these, although the early ones are my favorites.
June 4, 2013
Inspector Ikmen's third outing is as wonderful as his previous. Barbara Nadel's Istanbul is as mysterious and colourful as always. This time, the secret wife of a famous Arabesk star has been poisoned and a child stolen, and Inspector Ikmen is on sick leave. The suspects include jealous women, devil worshipers, neighbours, and the strange husband of the murdered woman. The Inspector is on sick leave, so it is up to newly promoted Suleyman to solve the case. The Inspector Ikmen series is quickly becoming one of my favourites, and this wonderful mystery series continues to impress.
August 3, 2013
This is the third book in a mystery series set in Istanbul with a Turkish police inspector. It was ho hum. I never really got interested in the characters or the plot.
January 19, 2018
The spoiled, ageing brat of an Arabesk singer, Tansu Hanim, and her sycophantic, dependent family did not capture my attention, nor did her manager or lawyer. Arabesk is described as "an uneasy blend of traditional Turkish tunes and ornate Egyptian laments," a Turkish version perhaps of Portugese Fado, the music of exile and longing. Erol Urfa, Tansu's lover and a handsome exponent of Arabesk, stirred passing "younger man/sex symbol" interest that only intensified after it was revealed that he was a Yazidi, an oppressed Christian sub-sect that was much in the news recently after it was revealed that ISIS was kidnapping Yazidi women and girls to be sex-slaves for its soldiers in Syria. Yazidis keep a low profile in conservative Muslim Turkey as they are derided as Satan-worshippers. It is Erol Urfa's desire, indeed need, to conceal his Yazidi background that impedes and distorts this story and the investigation, after Ruya, Erol's peasant, "village" wife is found murdered, and her 10-weeks old baby is missing from her home. Erol and his wife were betrothed when both were children, a Yazidi practice. The stars of Barbara Nadel's oeuvre, Inspector Cetin Ikmen, as well as his aristicocratic protege, Inspector Mehmet Suleyman and their team set out to unravel the tissues of lies and insinuations to find out who murdered a young woman whose existence was known to only a few people.
Along the way, they speak to a diverse cast of characters, including Suleyman's lover, Zelfa Helman, an Irish-Turkish psychologist. Unfortunately Madame Kleopatra, who had once been part of that rare phenomenon, "a Graeco-Turkish marriage," is in the last days of her decades-long journey on the "death-bed" she took to, to mourn the passing of her husband It later transpires that she was married to a Eunuch, who had been blessed with a mouthful of gold teeth. She is Greek Orthodox and was a kind mother figure in the lives of Cetin Ikmen, and Cohen, the Jewish policeman, and their brothers,when all were young boys. The care-giver of the dying Madame Kleopatra, as well as her daughter, may both have information to share with the police. The early, main suspect is Cengiz Temiz, a 45-year old Down's syndrome man who found the body of Ruya Urfa, the young wife. Unravelling this Arabesque, Byzantine puzzle appears to be impossible at times, but Ikmen, Suleyman and co. persist in a riveting story where the characters' non-stop smoking, and Istanbul itself and its diverse populace are vivid characters.
Along the way, they speak to a diverse cast of characters, including Suleyman's lover, Zelfa Helman, an Irish-Turkish psychologist. Unfortunately Madame Kleopatra, who had once been part of that rare phenomenon, "a Graeco-Turkish marriage," is in the last days of her decades-long journey on the "death-bed" she took to, to mourn the passing of her husband It later transpires that she was married to a Eunuch, who had been blessed with a mouthful of gold teeth. She is Greek Orthodox and was a kind mother figure in the lives of Cetin Ikmen, and Cohen, the Jewish policeman, and their brothers,when all were young boys. The care-giver of the dying Madame Kleopatra, as well as her daughter, may both have information to share with the police. The early, main suspect is Cengiz Temiz, a 45-year old Down's syndrome man who found the body of Ruya Urfa, the young wife. Unravelling this Arabesque, Byzantine puzzle appears to be impossible at times, but Ikmen, Suleyman and co. persist in a riveting story where the characters' non-stop smoking, and Istanbul itself and its diverse populace are vivid characters.
August 7, 2024
What Am I Reading 25 – Arabesk (Inspector İkmen Mystery 3) - by Barbara Nadel
Oh, no: Çetin İkmen is ill and hors de combat. All that brandy and puffing on the fags has resulted in duodenal ulcers. Sympathy. I sympathise having had one in 1985 after moving to Bermuda, when even a tomato would upset me. The acid, you know. Ah well, I survived. Keep reading in my novels and you may discover the whys and the wherefores.
Now, with Mehmet Suleyman promoted to Inspector, as the years tick or grind by, as is their wont, we have a more Istanbul based mystery. Interesting to read. Also, Çetin İkmen and Mehmet Suleyman, both inspectors, are on first name terms. “’Oh, and by the way, my name is Çetin from now on,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye, as he proffered his hand to his colleague. ‘Hello.’” Pg 160 Ah, but are they really equals? I have my doubts.
The Turkish / Kurdish conflicts are laid bare. “You do know that he’s not speaking Turkish into that phone, don’t you?” Pg203 In the last book it was the Armenians; in this one the Kurds. Turkish society is interesting. One up to Rory who has some of this theme in his latest film in production, T E R R A. The real interest is in the more obscure Yazidi peoples, also the subject, in part, of There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak, which I am yet to read, but it is on my list.
As a simple exposé of some of the divisions in Turkish society, the İkmen Mystery 3 is a more rounded read than the first two but it teases at the edges rather than lays bare. The sister and sister scenario was always self-evident. The explanation was written rather than revealed. The moral dilemma summarised: “But the human condition, whether one is Turkish, American, Greek or whatever, is nothing if not entirely idiosyncratic.” Pg 402.
Calder Tsk 7th August 2024.
Oh, no: Çetin İkmen is ill and hors de combat. All that brandy and puffing on the fags has resulted in duodenal ulcers. Sympathy. I sympathise having had one in 1985 after moving to Bermuda, when even a tomato would upset me. The acid, you know. Ah well, I survived. Keep reading in my novels and you may discover the whys and the wherefores.
Now, with Mehmet Suleyman promoted to Inspector, as the years tick or grind by, as is their wont, we have a more Istanbul based mystery. Interesting to read. Also, Çetin İkmen and Mehmet Suleyman, both inspectors, are on first name terms. “’Oh, and by the way, my name is Çetin from now on,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye, as he proffered his hand to his colleague. ‘Hello.’” Pg 160 Ah, but are they really equals? I have my doubts.
The Turkish / Kurdish conflicts are laid bare. “You do know that he’s not speaking Turkish into that phone, don’t you?” Pg203 In the last book it was the Armenians; in this one the Kurds. Turkish society is interesting. One up to Rory who has some of this theme in his latest film in production, T E R R A. The real interest is in the more obscure Yazidi peoples, also the subject, in part, of There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak, which I am yet to read, but it is on my list.
As a simple exposé of some of the divisions in Turkish society, the İkmen Mystery 3 is a more rounded read than the first two but it teases at the edges rather than lays bare. The sister and sister scenario was always self-evident. The explanation was written rather than revealed. The moral dilemma summarised: “But the human condition, whether one is Turkish, American, Greek or whatever, is nothing if not entirely idiosyncratic.” Pg 402.
Calder Tsk 7th August 2024.
October 28, 2024
I was really surprised by Arabesk. At first I was reluctant because the story and the case didn't really grab me, but as I read on, at 30 or 40%, I finally got into it. What a great thing!
I was extremely surprised by the plot. Although I had guessed the criminal before the author finally revealed it, I wasn't able to guess the reason for the murder (which is obvious in the plot). And the author was clever and manages to perfectly deceive the reader and guide them through the story of the shaitan. The best thing so far in the series. It really surprised me. I'm really excited for the next one!
In addition, Barbara Nadel shows her greatest talent, which is character building, which is simply FABULOUS.
---
Fiquei realmente supreso com Arabesk, no inicio fui bem relutante porque a história e o caso não me prendeu, mas com o passar da leitura promixo aos 30 e 40% finalmente consegui engajar que coisa boa!
Fiquei extremamente surpreso com o plot, apesar de ter adivinhado o criminoso antes da autora finalmente revelar, não fui capaz de adivinhar o motivo do assadinato (que é obvio no plot). E a autora foi pespircaz e cosnegue enganar perfeitamente o leitor e guia-lo com a história dos shaitan, o melhor até o momento da série, me surpreendeu poditivamente. Muito animado para o proximo!
Além disso, Barbara Nadel se mostra em seu maior talento que é a construção de personagens, que é simplismentr FABULOSA.
I was extremely surprised by the plot. Although I had guessed the criminal before the author finally revealed it, I wasn't able to guess the reason for the murder (which is obvious in the plot). And the author was clever and manages to perfectly deceive the reader and guide them through the story of the shaitan. The best thing so far in the series. It really surprised me. I'm really excited for the next one!
In addition, Barbara Nadel shows her greatest talent, which is character building, which is simply FABULOUS.
---
Fiquei realmente supreso com Arabesk, no inicio fui bem relutante porque a história e o caso não me prendeu, mas com o passar da leitura promixo aos 30 e 40% finalmente consegui engajar que coisa boa!
Fiquei extremamente surpreso com o plot, apesar de ter adivinhado o criminoso antes da autora finalmente revelar, não fui capaz de adivinhar o motivo do assadinato (que é obvio no plot). E a autora foi pespircaz e cosnegue enganar perfeitamente o leitor e guia-lo com a história dos shaitan, o melhor até o momento da série, me surpreendeu poditivamente. Muito animado para o proximo!
Além disso, Barbara Nadel se mostra em seu maior talento que é a construção de personagens, que é simplismentr FABULOSA.
October 7, 2019
Another adventure of Cetin Ikemen, I did not warm to the first book I read, however I had brought three of them, and as I got into them I ordered three more, and I am glad I did. Reading all out of sequence, but one does warm to the characters. I have also learned much about Turkey and the countries peoples through the books I have read, which has since given me an interest in following their politics and reading up on the country. So thanks Barbara Nadel for that, I have learned something.
Story, a young pop star in Turkey finds his wife murdered. He belongs to a religious sect that is frowned upon, and to keep from persecution, most members have their I.D. cards marked that they are Muslim, though they are not. Their beliefs and customs are alien to the rest of the country. Not only has the music stars young wife been murdered, his child has been stolen. To further complicate the case, he is living with his lover a Turkish Pop singer, who is old enough to be his mother. He can not marry out of his religion, hence his wife from his village.
Cetin is on sick leave, but that does not mean he is going to stay out of this mystery, as the plot
thickens, Cetin is able to pull back on his childhood memories of a family his mother new, and as always, able to figure it all out. Enjoyable.
Story, a young pop star in Turkey finds his wife murdered. He belongs to a religious sect that is frowned upon, and to keep from persecution, most members have their I.D. cards marked that they are Muslim, though they are not. Their beliefs and customs are alien to the rest of the country. Not only has the music stars young wife been murdered, his child has been stolen. To further complicate the case, he is living with his lover a Turkish Pop singer, who is old enough to be his mother. He can not marry out of his religion, hence his wife from his village.
Cetin is on sick leave, but that does not mean he is going to stay out of this mystery, as the plot
thickens, Cetin is able to pull back on his childhood memories of a family his mother new, and as always, able to figure it all out. Enjoyable.
May 4, 2020
When the wife of one of Istanbul’s most popular Arabesk singers is poisoned and his baby daughter disappears, newly promoted Inspector Suleyman is put in charge of the case. The obvious suspect is the singer’s much older mistress, Tansu, an aging star prone to temper tantrums, though the presence of a neighbour with Downs Syndrome in the apartment is muddying the water. In addition, his mentor, Inspector Cetin Ikmen, although ill and notionally off work, can’t help meddling in the case, and one of his officers seems to have more loyalty to the singer than this boss. The third book in the Ikmen series, is as much about the religious make-up of Turkey as the mystery. Indeed, the mystery element is quite thin given the limited cast and the direction of the story. As such, the interest in the tale is driven by interactions between the characters and the sense of place than the mystery. Which works fine if you’re interested in the culture, politics and social relations of life in Turkey, and the interwoven personal lives of a small murder team, rather than simply wanting a compelling police procedural. And that worked just fine for me.
May 7, 2017
Istanbul is as much a character in Ms Nadel's books as any of the humans. Having lived in that exciting city for a while, I think she captures its nuances and everyday life as much as its "exoticism" perfectly. As such, the setting will make this (and the rest of the Cetin Ikmen police procedurals) attractive to many lovers of the crime genre. However, Ms Nadel does not stick just to the exotic image of tourist Istanbul, but takes you down its alleyways and into its darker sides.
Nadel is billed as "the Donna Leon of Istanbul", which tells you which market the publishers are pitching for. This is not without justification, and I think Ms Nadel exceeds in brining her location, and characters to life.
There is a likeable cast of ongoing characters and her mysteries are well plotted and intriguing. Blathazar's Daughter was a fine debut. This is the third (the second is "A Chemical Prison"), and as a crime genre addict I was not disappointed.
Nadel is billed as "the Donna Leon of Istanbul", which tells you which market the publishers are pitching for. This is not without justification, and I think Ms Nadel exceeds in brining her location, and characters to life.
There is a likeable cast of ongoing characters and her mysteries are well plotted and intriguing. Blathazar's Daughter was a fine debut. This is the third (the second is "A Chemical Prison"), and as a crime genre addict I was not disappointed.
July 10, 2023
Gentle crime series set in Istanbul.
The story based around a style of popular music, Arabesk. A young singer's wife is found murdered. The singer is having a well documented affair with an older performer - think Madonna of the Arabesk World. The couple's child is abducted at the same time. One witness, an adult with downs. One witness, a prostitute.
An ever increasing assortment of characters gets added to the police procedural until all is revealed in 400 pages.
The main reason for continuing with such an unchallenging series is the forensic examination of Turkey's culture - bringing in race, nationality, customs, culture, locations, food. Everything really.
The crime story is superfluous to the travelogue and merely a weapon to provide structure. Although I wasnt exactly racing to get back to the book, it was decent enough and I will continue with the series at some point in the future.
The story based around a style of popular music, Arabesk. A young singer's wife is found murdered. The singer is having a well documented affair with an older performer - think Madonna of the Arabesk World. The couple's child is abducted at the same time. One witness, an adult with downs. One witness, a prostitute.
An ever increasing assortment of characters gets added to the police procedural until all is revealed in 400 pages.
The main reason for continuing with such an unchallenging series is the forensic examination of Turkey's culture - bringing in race, nationality, customs, culture, locations, food. Everything really.
The crime story is superfluous to the travelogue and merely a weapon to provide structure. Although I wasnt exactly racing to get back to the book, it was decent enough and I will continue with the series at some point in the future.
September 5, 2023
I enjoy this series more for the setting than the satisfaction of reading a complex psychologically laden intricate mystery and my ratings usually hover around 3 stars, which for me is an okay/pleasant read. In this third book, Barbara Nadel has cranked it up a notch setting up a murder against the backdrop of Turkiye’s cultural melting pot of communities. We get a glimpse of the beliefs of various communities, as well as ignorant falsehoods attributed to many communities that have been perpetuated over the years. The murder mystery is set solidly within the context of this melting pot of Istanbul, including social class and urban/rural challenges. And of course, there’s always the irascible Inspector Cetin Ikmen and now his equal in rank Mehmet Suleyman, who despite his promotion has a lot yet to learn, but is still an endearing character. This book earned a solid 4 stars.
January 28, 2024
It's been much too long since I immersed myself in one of Barbara Nadel's Çetin Íkmen mysteries. The author always takes me right into the heart of the culture and history, not only of Istanbul but of Turkey itself.
Arabesk is the third book in this series, and the title is layered with meaning. It introduces readers to the world of Arabesk music, a magnificently vulgar, overblown world hugely popular with the masses, and it also refers to the complicated patterns of form or calligraphy known as Arabesque, a nod to the plot of the book.
If you're a reader who's allergic to even fictional cigarette smoke, you might want to give this one a miss because it seems as though everyone is constantly lighting one up. But if you're willing to brave the nicotine haze, you'll be greatly rewarded.
First, there's the strong plot that keeps you guessing. It's a mystery steeped in Turkish culture and history, and it's this look into another world that keeps me coming back for more. It's a world in which Kurds, Jews, Christians, and Muslims sometimes live together in harmony or sometimes brutally clash. If you're a police officer in Istanbul, you need to know the ins and outs of all these various factions.
Inspector Çetin Íkmen has an encyclopedic knowledge of the city of Istanbul, but he's been put on the sidelines due to stomach ulcers and other health concerns. He'd much rather be on the job than trying to bribe his sons to bring him forbidden alcohol... or trying to figure out why one of his sons is being so moody. Íkmen's easy-going personality as well as his knowledge serves him well. He's no bigot and can get along with people from all walks of life-- something very helpful for successful investigations.
On the other hand, the newly promoted Inspector Suleyman, who was trained by Íkmen, can antagonize others simply by sounding patrician. It makes his work harder, especially since he's trying not to bother Íkmen too much. He'd much rather solve this case on his own merit.
If you enjoy history, culture, strong mysteries, and nuanced characters, you really need to give this series a try. I suggest beginning at the beginning with Belshazzar's Daughter. Armchair traveling sleuths are in for a treat!
Arabesk is the third book in this series, and the title is layered with meaning. It introduces readers to the world of Arabesk music, a magnificently vulgar, overblown world hugely popular with the masses, and it also refers to the complicated patterns of form or calligraphy known as Arabesque, a nod to the plot of the book.
If you're a reader who's allergic to even fictional cigarette smoke, you might want to give this one a miss because it seems as though everyone is constantly lighting one up. But if you're willing to brave the nicotine haze, you'll be greatly rewarded.
First, there's the strong plot that keeps you guessing. It's a mystery steeped in Turkish culture and history, and it's this look into another world that keeps me coming back for more. It's a world in which Kurds, Jews, Christians, and Muslims sometimes live together in harmony or sometimes brutally clash. If you're a police officer in Istanbul, you need to know the ins and outs of all these various factions.
Inspector Çetin Íkmen has an encyclopedic knowledge of the city of Istanbul, but he's been put on the sidelines due to stomach ulcers and other health concerns. He'd much rather be on the job than trying to bribe his sons to bring him forbidden alcohol... or trying to figure out why one of his sons is being so moody. Íkmen's easy-going personality as well as his knowledge serves him well. He's no bigot and can get along with people from all walks of life-- something very helpful for successful investigations.
On the other hand, the newly promoted Inspector Suleyman, who was trained by Íkmen, can antagonize others simply by sounding patrician. It makes his work harder, especially since he's trying not to bother Íkmen too much. He'd much rather solve this case on his own merit.
If you enjoy history, culture, strong mysteries, and nuanced characters, you really need to give this series a try. I suggest beginning at the beginning with Belshazzar's Daughter. Armchair traveling sleuths are in for a treat!
August 7, 2019
Op dit uur van de dag, als zachte, koperkleurige zonnestralen het blauw en wit van de Bosporus raken, is de rivier zo mooi. Juist we zitten in Turkije en wel in Istanbul. Het is een klassieke politieroman met een moord en een ontvoering. De volgende vragen zullen moeten beantwoord worden door de inspecteurs Ikmen en Suletman. Waarom? Welke wapen? Motief? Wie is de dader? Allemaal niet zo eenvoudig in deze samenleving van Turkije . Tijdens deze zoektocht naar de antwoorden op deze vragen krijgen we ook veel info over de samenleving in Turkije. Deze info hindert echter het verhaal niet maar verklaart de daden van sommige mensen.
besluit: Goed en spannend tot het einde.
besluit: Goed en spannend tot het einde.
January 18, 2019
A nice book to read. Interesting because in the story the Turkish culture and background plays a role and is interwoven in the motive of the perpetrator and the actions of the police and other characters.
I had trouble with the names for a while, because alternating first, last and full names were used.
All in all a book that invites to read more of them, when I come across books by this writer.
7 out of 10
My night time reading book at the moment. Must say that I have some difficulty with the names and keeping track of the relationships of the characters.
Maybe that's because it's the third one in the series, maybe I'm not so used to Turkish names... Will see where I end.
I had trouble with the names for a while, because alternating first, last and full names were used.
All in all a book that invites to read more of them, when I come across books by this writer.
7 out of 10
My night time reading book at the moment. Must say that I have some difficulty with the names and keeping track of the relationships of the characters.
Maybe that's because it's the third one in the series, maybe I'm not so used to Turkish names... Will see where I end.
September 21, 2017
Arrivati al terzo volume della serie, finalmente il tono e il ritmo si fanno più scorrevoli e serrati. I primi due erano un po' troppo lenti, qui si comincia a godere di una mole ridotta e di maggiore leggerezza. Questo capitolo non è certo un capolavoro e alcuni di quelli che vengono dopo sono molto meglio, però è gradevole e rilassante. Come sempre, da leggere sorseggiando infuso di mela con un quadratino di baklava!
December 5, 2020
The goodreads abstract notes one character as monstrous, but truly, most characters who are not police are monstrous. Nadel's writing here is vivid and frightening. Whether enslaving children or taking advantage of them, manipulating friends and relatives or ancient, societal hatred of a remote religious sect, Arabesk shows a side of Turkey that is awful and monstrous. Ikmen, Suleyman, Coktin and Cohen redeem the place with integrity, honesty and love.
August 26, 2023
Interesting book, set in Turkey and using the blend of cultures,religions,superstitions et veterans to enrich the mystery at its center. Characters are just complex enough to be interesting and psychology seems believable.
A warning that the depiction of the character with Down syndrome may be upsetting for some people, but does raise awareness of an issue faced by law enforcement that many may not have considered
A warning that the depiction of the character with Down syndrome may be upsetting for some people, but does raise awareness of an issue faced by law enforcement that many may not have considered
June 30, 2021
A Turkish Delight.
The endearing Inspector Ikmen is o of on sick leave. Suleyman is holding the fort. Death strikes, local singers, one young, one an aging icon are involved as is religious prejudice. A gorgeous dish of lacoum to savour. Wondefully exotic setting, people we have come to live and a great story. What more do you want? An absolute pleasure.
The endearing Inspector Ikmen is o of on sick leave. Suleyman is holding the fort. Death strikes, local singers, one young, one an aging icon are involved as is religious prejudice. A gorgeous dish of lacoum to savour. Wondefully exotic setting, people we have come to live and a great story. What more do you want? An absolute pleasure.
June 13, 2017
I was wandering in a second hand bookshop in Ireland, looking for an engaging mystery. This was what I found and I enjoyed it well enough. I always like books set in different parts of the world - this one is in Turkey in the current time. And it is a series, so I'll give it another few chances.
December 7, 2022
Toevallig stuitte ik op deze detective, een deeltje uit een mij onbekende reeks die zich afspeelt in Istanboel, een keer wat anders. Ik heb het met veel plezier gelezen en ga zeker, als ik behoefte heb aan ontspanning, nog wel een of meerdere delen lezen.
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