Barbara Nadel’s Turkish series, which already has eight books, continues with A Passion for Killing. Her books feature Istanbul Police Inspector Cetin Ikmen. The situation in this volume is a divided one - while Ikmen investigates the death of a carpet dealer, his protégé, Mehmet Suleyman, is involved in the search for a serial killer who has just stabbed a man in his hotel room. The two cases, whilst seemingly separate, gradually appear to be connected. It is a complex situation since Suleyman had found himself severely limited by the Turkish Secret Service’s great interest in a serial killer who has apparently changed from his previous choice of gay men as victims.
The murky world of the Secret Service is contrasted with the privileged one of European diplomats in Turkey. The police personnel find that they are struggling to do Herculean tasks without a great deal of cooperation from the people surrounding the victims of crimes. The characters of the policemen and their families were nicely varied and the Turkish aspects of the ways of life and backgrounds were well conveyed. I thought this an exciting story, rising to a series of climaxes as the mysteries unravel. I have not read any of these Turkish tales before but lack of acquaintance with the dramatis personae did not hinder my enjoyment. I did find the names difficult so I found the cast of characters provided at the beginning very helpful and the glossary of specific Turkish terms was also useful.
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Jennifer S. Palmer