Historical Whodunnit, devilish goings on onboard a Dutch East Indies merchant ship sailing back to Amsterdam with a valuable cargo of spices – and more.
Felt like it should be part of a series.
Publisher page: The Devil and the Dark Water – Stuart Turton
Another excellent Istanbul investigation in the company of Ikmen and co, with the added twist that Mehmet’s now 16 year old son is staying with him for a fortnight. Handily, for not-natural-parent, an old case of Mehmet’s resurfaces when a TV star is found murdered at home, along with the husband of his convicted murderer.
Some ongoing plot lines surface too – Syrian refugees, Mehmet’s love life, the djinn in the kitchen.
Publisher page: Forfeit – Barbara Nadel
Kate Teltscher follows eighteenth century East India Company man George Bogle on his diplomatic trade missions to Bhutan and Tibet in the hope of opening up opportunities in Qing China, as British imperial ambitions emerge under Governer-General Warren Hastings.
Author page: The High Road To China – Kate Teltscher
Organ harvesting and trading. Corruption. Politics of power and privilege. 21st century Istanbul crimes. Another excellent novel featuring now retired ex-Inspector Ikmen and the team.
Publisher page: Blood Business – Barbara Nadel
I am loving these recent retellings of the Greek Myths from the women’s perspective.
Natalie Haynes’ A Thousand Ships is, not surprisingly, the story of the Trojan War and the siege of Troy, triggered by Helen whose face launched those ships, and Paris – and the golden apple, but primarily for the story of where it came from and the three Goddesses vying for its accolade.
Penelope, relentlessly weaving and unweaving – and – my favourite chapters – writing increasingly exasperated letters to her errant husband-with-wanderlust, the wily Odysseus. Andromache, Cassandra, Hecabe (Hecuba when I was at school), and lesser known women whose passing mentions are fleshed out into, well, flesh and bones.
Fab.
Author page: A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes