Sleuth. Cook. Ottoman. Lover. Have you met Yashim yet?
It’s Istanbul in 1839, and as the new sultan installs his harem in the palace, the intrepid investigator Yashim is set adrift on the swirling currents of loyalty and betrayal. The dramatic treachery of Fevzi Ahmet, the admiral of the fleet, brings Yashim up against the one man he has ever hated…the only man he has ever feared.
Drawn ever deeper into the closed and mysterious world of the Sultan’s harem, Yashim must search for a secret that could save a life or destroy an empire. An Evil Eye is a heart-pounding mystery of exotic Istanbul and a riveting journey into a veiled realm.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Edgar-winner Goodwin's masterful fourth mystery thriller set in Istanbul under the Ottoman Turks (after The Bellini Card) finds his series hero, the eunuch Yashim, attempting to navigate treacherous political shoals following the death of Sultan Mahmut II in 1840. International pressures heighten the uncertainty surrounding the empire's direction under Mahmut's youthful successor. In this tense climate, Yashim looks into the killing of an unknown man dumped in a Christian monastery's cistern. A flap of skin cut from the body bearing a death's-head brand, an item that someone tries to take from Yashim at gunpoint, may point to a Russian connection to the murder. While Goodwin excels at plotting, the book's main strength lies in the assured depiction of a nation restrained by a corrupt leadership far removed from the old traditions of transparency and justice. The details of how Yashim prepares meals may amuse Robert Parker fans. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review
“When you read a historical mystery by Jason Goodwin, you take a magic-carpet ride to the most exotic place on earth.” —Marilyn Stasio, *The New York Times Book Review
“Goodwin is an author of many strengths…[and his books] just keep getting better….The complicated plot that unfolds is deftly controlled throughout….Goodwin’s prose is sharp and surprising.” —The Washington Post*
“Exotic…An elegant meditation on the Ottoman psyche. Goodwin is as concerned with capturing the sights, sounds, and recipes as he is with the murders.” —Financial Times (London)
“Goodwin continues to create historical mysteries with an A-quality plot, excellent historical detail, and a strong sense of place….He is still at the top of his game.” —*Booklist
*
“A great addition to a superb series.” —The Globe and Mail (London)
“In Yashim’s investigations the stakes are high indeed….The bare outlines are enlivened by Goodwin’s skillful use of color and detail, especially Yashim’s recipes, which set the reader drooling. As a historian, Goodwin is scrupulous.” —The Independent (London)
Description:
Sleuth. Cook. Ottoman. Lover. Have you met Yashim yet?
It’s Istanbul in 1839, and as the new sultan installs his harem in the palace, the intrepid investigator Yashim is set adrift on the swirling currents of loyalty and betrayal. The dramatic treachery of Fevzi Ahmet, the admiral of the fleet, brings Yashim up against the one man he has ever hated…the only man he has ever feared.
Drawn ever deeper into the closed and mysterious world of the Sultan’s harem, Yashim must search for a secret that could save a life or destroy an empire. An Evil Eye is a heart-pounding mystery of exotic Istanbul and a riveting journey into a veiled realm.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Edgar-winner Goodwin's masterful fourth mystery thriller set in Istanbul under the Ottoman Turks (after The Bellini Card) finds his series hero, the eunuch Yashim, attempting to navigate treacherous political shoals following the death of Sultan Mahmut II in 1840. International pressures heighten the uncertainty surrounding the empire's direction under Mahmut's youthful successor. In this tense climate, Yashim looks into the killing of an unknown man dumped in a Christian monastery's cistern. A flap of skin cut from the body bearing a death's-head brand, an item that someone tries to take from Yashim at gunpoint, may point to a Russian connection to the murder. While Goodwin excels at plotting, the book's main strength lies in the assured depiction of a nation restrained by a corrupt leadership far removed from the old traditions of transparency and justice. The details of how Yashim prepares meals may amuse Robert Parker fans. (Apr.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review
“When you read a historical mystery by Jason Goodwin, you take a magic-carpet ride to the most exotic place on earth.” —Marilyn Stasio, *The New York Times Book Review
“Goodwin is an author of many strengths…[and his books] just keep getting better….The complicated plot that unfolds is deftly controlled throughout….Goodwin’s prose is sharp and surprising.” —The Washington Post*
“Exotic…An elegant meditation on the Ottoman psyche. Goodwin is as concerned with capturing the sights, sounds, and recipes as he is with the murders.” —Financial Times (London)
“Goodwin continues to create historical mysteries with an A-quality plot, excellent historical detail, and a strong sense of place….He is still at the top of his game.” —*Booklist
*
“A great addition to a superb series.” —The Globe and Mail (London)
“In Yashim’s investigations the stakes are high indeed….The bare outlines are enlivened by Goodwin’s skillful use of color and detail, especially Yashim’s recipes, which set the reader drooling. As a historian, Goodwin is scrupulous.” —The Independent (London)