A Murder Mystery Filled With Political Intrigue and Sex and a
Eunuch As the Hero. It is 1836, Europe
is modernizing. Under the Sultan Turkey
too is modernizing. Goodwin who has
written a history of the Ottoman Empire has begun a mystery series featuring,
Yashim, a brilliant trustworthy eunuch as the hero. While he may not be able to effect a sexual
encounter, this is no dry eunuch. He
still has romantic inklings as born out in his interaction with the beautiful
but lonely wife of the Russian ambassador. Ten years earlier the Janissaries,
the Sultan’s version of the Roman Empire’s Praetorian guards had been crushed
by the “new guards.” Now ten years later
the mysterious disappearance of four members of the new guard and the murder of
one of the Sultan’s harem signals the possible return of the Jannissaries.
With access to all areas of the court and society because he
is a eunuch, Yashim works his contacts and his networks to solve these crimes.
The novel is populated by colorful characters including the dyspeptic Polish
ambassador, a transsexual dancer, and a creole born queen mother. This novel is the start of a mystery series
featuring Yashim in what promises to be a series read by fans of the mystery
novel.
I read this to prepare for a trip to Turkey. I am not a fan of mystery novels. The only mysteries I read are the No. 1
Ladies Detective Agency series. For fans
of the mystery novel this series promises to be filled with interesting
characters during a romantic, exotic interesting time and place in world
history.
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