Deadly Web

Deadly Web is another great mystery by Barbara Nadel. Ms. Nadel provides a very clear story line and develops her characters in such a way that you feel like you know them by the time you are done. Her discriptions of life in Istanbul, Turkey are so good that if you have never been there the story will make you want to go. Not only do you get a good mystery from Ms. Nadel, you also get a fantastic travelog. Having lived in Istanbul, and other cities in Turkey, I can attest to her accuracy. If it has Barbara Nadel's name on the cover, I will read it.

The Ikeman series by Barbara Nadel is wonderful. Her books are interesting and complex, and bring Turkey to life. After reading them, you feel as if you personally know her characters and start thinking about their futures. I can hardly wait for the next book.

Never having visited Turkey, I found the location of this book to be exotic in the extreme. When several members of a group of young "Goths" are murdered in what appears to be ritualistic rapes and murders. Police Inspectors Cetin Ikmen and Mehmet Suleyman are attached to the case with orders from on high to clean up the city as soon as possible. An English friend of both the men, Maximillian, seems to be deeply involved and, as he not only has connections to the murdered teenagers but is also a magician, steeped in the traditions of Kabbalah, an ancient Hebrew practice, he is immediately suspected of involvement with the killings. Obscene drawings have been plastered over the walls of local churches, mosques and temples, adding to the general fear that Satanism is being practiced and that the local young people are being drawn into a cult that is more dangerous than romantic. It's an unusual story from another culture and one which I found to be most interesting.