Dead Man in Istanbul

I quite liked this book. I bought it on a whim, after reading many of the "Mamur Zapt" series (which I also quite like). There is a degree of similarity, not surprisingly, between them. The action in both involves a Britisher in a foreign land, dealing with a local problem that may (or may not) have international implications. The characters are, as another reviewer suggested, a bit stereotyped, but so are the characters in dozens to hundreds of other mysteries (how many Miss Marple look-alikes are there out there?). Seymour has his individuality, nevertheless, and Pearce constructs him in a believable manner. A negative reviewer found the book humorless; I'd disagree, although the humor is decidedly low key. With current international affairs crossing borders and making (and unmaking) alliances among multiple entities, this book seems right much more apposite than one might imagine. Plus the writing is generally quite good. Pearce can do dialogue well, for example, and one finds few to none of the typos and grammar mistakes that seem to mark so many present-day books. Want to give it a low cost gander? Buy the first one used and see if you like it.

I just finished listening to this book from BBC Audio Books. I'm sure I enjoyed it more than I would have had I read it, as the narrator on the CDs was superb. He is remarkably adept with accents and this made listening very enjoyable. I visited Istanbul for the first time 18 months ago and fell in love with this exotic city so filled with history. The author evokes the exoticism and mystery very effectively. I recommend the book for pure escapism.

I have long enjoyed Michael Pearce's "Mamur" series. The "Man in" series, like those, convey the atmosphere and pace of times long gone in lands far away. The mystery exists as backdrop for describing an era, a geographic region, a way of life. The pace is usually even, with no wasted chapters. The characters are developed to represent, in a useful way, stereotypes of the times and/or to offer insights into attitudes of a particular social class of the era. If you don't need gunfire in the night or car chases, these books should appeal to you too.