by Jason Goodwin
This is one of a series of mysteries set in Turkey. The new Sultan is taking over and the women of the deceased Sultan are bundled off to another palace. Yashim feels that he is lucky, he is not entombed in the life of the palace. He is asked to investigate the report of a body being found in the well of a monastery. There is some unrest as some people feel the dead person might be a muslim.
Yashim goes to examine the body and comes to the conclusion that the dead person must be Russian, partly based on a tatoo he finds on the body. He slices off the skin with the tattoo.
While this is going one we learn about the power struggles going on among the women in the harem.
Yashim is friends with a former Diplomat from Poland. The country no longer exist because of re-configuring of Europe but the gentleman is allowed to stay in Istanbul and receive a small living allowance from the Government of Turkey. The two men are drinking buddies and share other interests. One of the young boys being raised to be a scholar/soldier in the harem runs away, Yashim finds him and asks the Pole to take him in.
As Yashim is proceeding with his investigations he is shocked and saddened to meet a man who was formerly a mentor but whom he now despises for his brutality. The man has done a treacherous act, as leader of the fleet he has taken all the Turkish fleet and surrendered them to Egypt. The man asks Yashim's help in getting his daughter out of the Harem and Yashim agrees to help him. He is evenutally able to figure out why the original murder occured.
As a work of historical fiction and a mystery this was a nice read. The historical details and the descriptions of Turkey are interesting and colourful.
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