Belshazzar's Daughter

Inspector Ikmen #1

by Barbara Nadel

Tourist brochures present Istanbul as a glamorous, modern city, but the brochures don't make much mention of Balat, a decrepit neighborhood of narrow, twisting alleys and crumbling tenements. Until recently it was home to Leonid Meyer, a reclusive elderly Jew who, like many of his neighbors, came here long ago to escape one of Europe's various bloodbaths. But Meyer's refuge ultimately became his coffin, the carnage crowned with a gigantic swastika.

A racist murder? Inspector Ikmen has his doubts, and begins tracking down the few people who might have known the old man, including a faded prostitute, a shadowy family of Russian emigres, a dispairing rabbi, and a high-strung young Englishman in the throes of erotic obsession.

The first in a stunningly atmospheric new series from a writer who has deservedly been compared with Michael Dibdin and Donna Leon.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Detective, Middle East

448 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 1999

About the author

Barbara Nadel is an English crime-writer. Many of her books are set in Turkey. Born in the East End of London, Barbara Nadel trained as an actress before becoming a writer. Now writing full-time, she has previously worked as a public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's Good Companion Service and as a mental health advocate for the mentally disordered in a psychiatric hospital. She has also worked with sexually abused teenagers and taught psychology in schools and colleges, and is currently the patron of a charity that cares for those in emotional and mental distress. She has been a regular visitor to Turkey for more than twenty-five years.

Reviews

[Beth]

Okay, folks, I am a former librarian. I read books, I lend books, I donate books to the local library, I keep books, etc. Not many people feel about books as I do. That said, now I must confess I threw this book in the garbage after reading it. I knew at that moment that I would not, could not suggest it to anyone I know, and neither would I wish it on anyone at the local library. When someone throws Czar Nicholas and his family into the story, late in the story, with the old fairy tale of a surviving daughter ending up in Turkey 80 years later---I know it's fiction---but I can't stomach it. I guess it's a 0 star book in the end. Good riddance!

[Jeffrey Keeten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was afraid it would be a bit of a cozy. Nadel does not shy away from descriptions of graphic violence and gratuitous sex, a much grittier book than expected. If you are looking for a book that will get you excited about vacationing in Turkey this would not be the best choice. Nadel explores the seedier side of Istanbul and introduces the world to yet another great detective Inspector Cetin Ikmen. The Inspector dabbles in mysticism, drinks too much, has 8 kids, and a dependent father. He approaches each day with a raging hangover and yet still manages to put the pieces of the case together. I found this view of Istanbul fascinating and will most assuredly read the next book in the series.

[Judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This mystery set in Istanbul has a powerful start, but the plot becomes increasingly far-fetched, with a ludicrous final twist. There are some over-the-top sex scenes thrown in and I found some of these offensive, especially those involving the main female character, Natalia. This author has a very readable writing style and her detective, Cetin Ikmen, is an interesting character, but it's not enough to save the book - I'm not quite sure why I read to the end and I won't be going on with the series.

[FicusFan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I heard about the book/series on LibraryThing. I Enjoy mysteries and having lived in Turkey for 3 years when I was a kid, I had to give it a try.

I enjoyed it, but the book does have some big flaws, and at least at the start of the series it does not live up to the banner on the cover "The Donna Leon of Istanbul".

The book was well written and meaty. I really like books that delve into what the characters are thinking, and their past, and why they are acting as they are. Nadel does that well, but perhaps goes into too much depth, because the story started to drag in the middle. The whole thing could have been tightened up and cut down in terms of page count.

There was also a lot of repetitive internal worrying by one of the main characters, Robert, it got boring. We seemed to follow him while he did the same things, and had the same thoughts over and over. Many of the other characters had a similar problem: this one was dominated by his mother, this one was randy, this one was a complaining wife. When the character was on stage it was the same theme with just the details changed. I didn't feel they were really fleshed out, and they were lacking in shading.

The main police character seemed to me to be unrealistic in the sense that he wandered around drinking openly from a bottle of booze. He did it in his office, he did it at crime scenes, and he did it when visiting suspects/witnesses to question them. It isn't the Muslim-alcohol (alcohol is allowed in Turkey) issue that bothers me, as the idea that the police force there has no rules or standards of behavior and that the public actions wouldn't draw unwanted outside attention (citizens, religious authorities, press).

In general all the characters seemed to be unlikeable and flat. They also used British-isms in their dialog and thoughts, so I never felt they were actually Turkish so much as reflecting the author's origin. The description of the city was so-so, with not a lot done to express it as an exotic foreign place other than that it had dark twisty alleys, and sections with unpronounceable names. A pronunciation guide would have been helpful overall, I knew some but was not sure of others.

The mystery was OK. There was a lot of pointless wandering in terms of the police solving it, and the suspects waiting for the other shoe to drop. As soon as it was presented that the suspect family was Russian and there was a tie back to the revolution it was clear to me what the mystery was. Nadel seems to be of the Alexanda-is-the-root-of-all-evil camp, which does not please me with its inherent sexism, and nationalism. The author also pulled a fast one by making a character magically exist when the murder was explained. There was a brief foreshadowing of the character's existence, but it was not done properly.

The ending has many explanations so the reader knows more than the police. It is explained, but not really wrapped up. I was fine with it. It seemed to address both schools of ending: those who want completion, and those who don't want a pat ending. Purists in either camp may be unsatisfied.

Over all it was not great, but not terrible. Perhaps because it was good, I thought it had the potential to be better than it was. I would rate it 2.5 stars, but don't knoiw how to do a half star here, or if they are even available.

I am going to read the second one, and possibly the third. I usually give a series 3 books to let the author get the kinks out before giving up.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Ikmen Mystery book 1: Inspector Cetin Ikmen story featuring Romanov family conspiracy in a dark and gritty Istanbul Turkey. I'm thinking more the setting and darkness earned Nadala a CWA Silver Dagger Award, because it is OK, but not award winningly so. 6 out of 12.

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted and expected to like this one more than I did. First of a series of 24 books, set in a place that fascinates me (Istanbul), book jacket compares author to Donna Leon but I was disappointed in the plot. The police detective characters, Cetin Ikmen and his sergeant, Suleiman, were interesting and we got to see their families. Ikmen has a pregnant wife, 8 children, and an elderly retired professor father (Timor) at home— Timor was the only one we saw much of (and he was a fun character).

Enjoyed the descriptions of the city and its neighborhoods. Wished for a map of Istanbul similar to the Venice maps in Donna Leon series. The mystery itself was the weak part of the book. Maybe the author got better with that as the series goes on. I will try another in series eventually. Seems later books are shorter; some compressing would have helped this one, it was too long at 448 pages.

[Otherwyrld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Belshazzar's Daughter is the first book in a series featuring inspector Cetin Ikmen of the Istanbul Police force, and the first novel written by Barbara Nadel. In this case, Ikmen has to deal with the nasty murder of an old man in what appears to be an anti-Semitic crime. Things soon become much more complicated, as details of a long-ago crime muddy the water.

First of all, what to like about this story - well, the characterizations of Ikmen, his family and his work colleagues are very well drawn. The Istanbul setting is exotic to most Western readers, but there is enough of a police procedural story here to make it feel familiar enough. I have no idea if the depiction of the Turkish Police force is in any way accurate, but given their current less than happy high profile in the news, anything that puts them in a better light is no bad thing.

Less enjoyable is the plot, which starts out well enough but rapidly become utterly ludicrous and far too complicated for a first novel, particularly the first part of a planned series. The author would have been far better off to have started with a more straightforward tale for her first story to ease new readers in.

The ugly nature of the crime is not an issue here, it is the way in which the author depicts some of the antagonists. Some reviews have called this book misogynistic - I would not go that far, but Nadel does seem to write some very bad things about her female characters, It almost feel like she hates herself rather than her gender. The anti-Semitic element was also heavy handed at time, and I got pretty fed up of hearing "the Jew" all the time - it felt like the author was saying it sneeringly. Again, I have no idea if Turkish people have an issue with Jewish people, but the way the author writes it makes it feel like she is the one with the problem.

Finally, the antagonists get together, and the whole sordid saga is spelled out for the benefit of the readers and then everybody who heard the story dies in a fire , leaving the police having to guess what really happened rather than tying the story up neatly. There is also a massive plot hole at this point as it seems that no one remembers how many people were in the building that burned down, including the police

This could have been a much better book, and the only thing that kept me reading was a single beautiful passage of just a few pages in the middle of the book. In it, Cetin and his heavily pregnant wife have a midnight chat that is just lovely to read. Now if only the rest of the book was like this - I may read the next book in the series, but the plot better be more realistic, otherwise I'm done with this series

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad beginning with the Turkish detective series. Inspector Cetin Iken is an interesting character. Chain smoking, heavy drinker and chaotic home life with 8 kids and a baby on the way. Mehmet Suleyman is colleague the opposite.

The story is very farfetched but I enjoyed it. The sex scenes ridiculously over the top but the backdrop of Istanbul and atmosphere of summer evocative. An elderly Jewish alcoholic is brutally murdered and Iken must determine whether it is anti Semitic or there is another motive. The action is fast paced and entertaining.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Turns out Maria is the third daughter of the Tsar and escaped death when the murdered Meyer helped her to escape to Turkey where she married a wealthy Turk. The English teacher Robert is infatuated with the beautiful Natalia the grand daughter of Maria who is from an incest relationship of Maria’s children. There is also a twin boy who is loony tunes and it is him that killed Meyer. Maria confesses all to Robert and then they all die in a fire leaving Ikmen in the dark thinking they all died in the fire. However, Natalia a manipulative and crazy woman escapes.

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came to this book via the recent TV series, which I wanted to like more, but found it to be a little lacking and a Kindle offer for the first book in the 20+ book series for 99p – too good to turn down?

First, I’d like to say the book is so much better than the series; it is much better on the detail of Istanbul and its various districts, and the characters are so much more realistic. The lead detective of the series, Inspector Ikmen is very well described – 8 children and wife pregnant with another, drinks too much (who wouldn’t?), but a razor-sharp mind and his own way or working.
The book starts with a very nasty murder – an elderly Jewish man is killed in what appears to be an ant-semitic crime.
The first 2/3 of the book is pretty good, but I found the ending to be rather unsatisfactory, and, looking at other reviews I’m not alone.
Would I read any more of the series? There was plenty to like, but I’m not sure.

[Kath B · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense crime novel set in a dramatic and stiflingly hot Istanbul and featuring Cetin Ikmen, a very different type of police inspector who, for the most part, uses a gentle approach to find answers but is likely to lose his temper when he feels he is being lied to.

The story follows his investigation into the violent and horrific killing of an old Jewish man found bludgeoned to death in a poor area of the city. He is ably assisted by his sergeant, Mehmet Sulleyman and together they follow up leads that bring them into contact with some decidedly eccentric characters and into some very seedy parts of town.

The plot moves along at a good pace and provides another murder which may or may not be linked to the original. It also shows the impacts of a passionate love affair on an expat living precariously in the city and introduces a potentially fascinating link into a significant period of late19th/early 20th century European history. The characters in this book are beautifully written, especially Ikmen himself and his long suffering wife.

The author also very adeptly paints a picture of a tired, dusty and dangerous Istanbul, in the throes of a heatwave and the many different people who live there. A very satisfying read.

[Gill Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the ending a bit unsatisfactory, but I enjoyed the book a lot.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is based in Istanbul, and follows in the footsteps of Inspector Cetin Ikmen and his Sergeant Mehmet Suleyman as they try to solve the mystery of an old Jewish man who has been murdered in a most horrific way. The twists and turns include interviewing an old Russian woman who never seems to leave her bed, and a fairly dramatic conclusion.

OK, but is the book any good? When I was about two-thirds of the way through, I would have said "No". The book starts off well, and brings the reader straight into the intriguing story, but it falls a bit flat in the middle, in the same way as the police seem to be getting nowhere in solving the mystery.

Unfortunately, the heavily stereotyped characters are also somewhat unsympathetic, from the misguided Englishman with a slightly dodgy past, via the young Russian girl with an unusual sexual penchant, down to the main police character, who seems to be permanently drunk. I know crime fiction policemen, such as Ian Rankin's Rebus, do tend to be haggard, overworked alcoholics, but usually they have some sort of redeeming features. Ikmen, on the other hand, did not get my vote, even choosing to ignore the fact that his wife was going into labour (admittedly with their ninth child) and carrying on working.

The novel's main redeeming feature is the plot, which although it drifts along in the middle and contained some holes and implausible aspects, does manage to redeem itself in the end. Also the setting in Istanbul and the descriptions of the locations do help to make the whole thing more exotic and bring it to life.

Which brings me to the rating - the book had some redeeming features, and was entertaining and intriguing in places, but I couldn't bring myself to give it a 4 out of 5, because its just not good enough. Will I read any more of her books? I'm undecided at the moment. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, this was her first novel so there is certainly the chance that she may have improved...

[okyrhoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

A disappointing read.
Turkey, and Istanbul in particular, has such a rich history that I felt it was a cop-out to base the story (esp. given that it's the first book in the series) on "foreign" characters - that is, not the usual Istanbullu residents. Instead of Turks, or other ethnic peoples "native" to the former Ottoman empire, the plot features Russian émigrés, British language instructors, former Bolsheviks and Nazis. Even the supposedly "local" Jewish characters' names in the novel are not quite historically accurate (although the author does make note of this discrepancy in the text).
Another irritating aspect is that the characters tended to use British idioms, or converse in a way different from the way I assume Turks speak amongst themselves. Something just didn't sound right during the intimate conversation between Ikmen and his pregnant wife, or the way the Russian family argued amongst themselves.
And what's this about Ikmen carrying a bottle of booze wherever he goes, even to the police station? No, I don't buy that at all.
Plotwise, the story is very weak, and even though the average murder mystery enthusiast can easily figure it all out early on, there is an extended scene towards the end where everything has to be explained and recapitulated, just in case there are readers who didn't "get it." But since the suspense has to continue, those privy to the full truth meet an untimely end, just before the authorities can get their hands on the truth and the proof... All this transpires in the most unrealistic way right at the plot's conclusion, and it's one authorial cop-out more than I am willing to forgive.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The unorthodox Inspector Çetin Ikmen of the Istanbul police force investigates a gruesome murder in the city’s Jewish quarter. That, taken alone, sounds like an unusual and interesting premise, in theory. In practice, things rarely work out so well.

The plot of Belshazzar’s Daughter is, by itself (appropriately) Byzantine in its complexity and ruthlessly draws the reader along. But the characters are, with the exceptions of the jolly Armenian Medical Examiner and Ikmen’s grumpy father, all either so frustratingly stupid that they seem to be in material danger of drowning in the shower or so insane that they can’t possibly function without professional care. Every voice is an unrealistic mélange of clichés that breaks immersion in the story with cringes.

Inspector Ikmen himself is the worst of these clichés. The author is at such pains to qualify him as being hardboiled in the Chandler-Hammett school that he comes off as a ridiculous clown. Nearly every thought he has is about cigarettes or liquor. If the novel was intended to spoof that style of detective, it would have done an excellent job. But that was not the intention here.

[Olivermagnus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Belshazzar’s Daughter is the first book featuring Inspector Cetin Ikmen, and is set in modern day Istanbul, Turkey. Ikmen's wife Is pregnant with their ninth child, his elderly father lives with them, and he's just been called to the scene of a horrific crime. An elderly Jewish man has been tortured and murdered and it appears that a bloody swastika has been drawn on the wall with the victim's blood.

Ikmen is a strange character in that he works slowly and meticulously, reconstructing each victim's life in an attempt to understand why the crime was committed. This brings him into direct conflict with his superiors who just want the job done quickly.

I really enjoyed the multicultural characters that surround Ikmen, especially his second in command, Suleyman, who is incredibly handsome and a devout Muslim. Nadel has a real talent for letting her reader's feel and experience the authentic streets of Istanbul in both it's beauty and squalor. I didn't love this book, but I'm still planning to read the next book in the series. I think it has great potential and Ikmen is a character worth spending a little more time with.

[Pat K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this book. The story had great potential, really good idea. Had the author concentrated a little more on the story rather than over describing the characters it would have been a passable book. The writing is pretentious and full of silly metaphors and dense with exaggerated descriptions. The book is 448 pages long. If it had lost 100 or more pages it would probably have been worth finishing.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing book. I wish the author would have kept to the solving of the mystery rather than the nauseating description of sex between a prostitute and her ignorant lover. No redeeming ending, either.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

SIgh. I thought, despite the very gory murder, that this was a promising series. I was put off by the slow pace (not much progess on the mystery 1/2 way through), gratutitious sex, and skanky characters. Gave up 1/2 way.

[Jane Rooth · Rating 1 out of 5]

An unsatisfactory thriller. Repetitive scenes, repeated descriptions of unpleasant violent murders, unattractive main characters and a muddled story. I skipped quite a chunk of it but read enough to decide that for me it only deserved 1 star.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too much dialogue and too many plots that really didn’t belong together. I’m contemplating reading the second book in the series because the setting was interesting and the characters seemed like they could expand in future books.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boring and slow in places. None of the characters were endearing except the police so was difficult to feel sympathy or care about what happened to them. Liked Ikmen and Suleyman and Istanbul as the main character!

[Stephen Jerrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did the unusual thing here of reading the book after seeing the TV version on the BBC iPlayer. I enjoyed the series on the iPlayer and really gives you a feel for Istanbul. This book has the same characters, but a different story which was pleasing as I thought that as the plot would follow the TV series.
A good thriller and the characters are well developed and interesting in their own right. Not sure how many books are in the Turkish detective Series but a plan to read them all.

[Carlos Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting who done it with a very surprising ending. A truly authentic detective story with a fresh portrayal of all characters especially the brilliant Inspector Ikmen of the Turkish police. At every step of the way i felt i was side by side with each character on the streets of Turkey. Now I am truly hooked and will be hunting for the next books in the series!

[Sally Edsall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nadel has written an excellent police procedural, and introduced an engaging cast of regular characters in this first Inspector Ikmen book.

More than that, she writes evocatively of Istanbul - its physical nature and social life, and the diverse people who make it their home - from 500 years of Jewish descent seeking asylum to latter day English language teachers looking for refuge in their own way.

I have lived in Istanbul myself amongst the foreign teacher expat community, and Nadel has captured this aspect perfectly. Some of the people fleeing their personal demons. She writes most sympathetically of those who have sought safe harbour from systemic persecution.

Nadel has successfully managed to weave an engaging modern-day crime novel together with a strong sense of place and with a fascinating historical background. Along the way, we learn to care about the characters who populate the series, most especially Ikmen's family.

I thoroughly recommend this book - all the elements have been 'got right' - plot, characterisation and location for a thoroughly diverting read.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep books on hand to reward myself for doing things I must do and don't want to do. This was one such book. I had started with the second in the series, and now I wanted to read the first book, Belshazzar's Daughter. Within the first pages, oh man, she hooked me.

Inspector Ikmen and his ever-pregnant wife Fatima, who he adores, Suleyman, his right hand man, Cohen, the Jewish Turkish playboy . . . Nadel weaves her story around their lives and characters as much as about the mysteries they are trying to solve.

This mystery involves the brutal death of an immigrant Russian Jew, a mysterious family with few - and contradictory records - and the streets, bars and locales of Istanbul. We get inside the heads of a variety of characters, good and bad, and experience the daily life, with all the influences of the past, of modern Turkey.

Warning - this is a gripper. Hard to put down.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, not great

As the first book in a series, this is promising. The main characters are established and interesting. For much of the book, the story was interesting as well. I found the ending rather disjointed and abrupt, however, and offered little surprise. To avoid spoilers I will refrain from specifics, but the crime committed by Robert Cornelius seems a forced plot point, random and awkwardly plotted, and not really necessary to the story. I'm also left with questions about a big hole in the plot - at the end, why is Inspector Ikmen unable to accurately count the members of the Gulcu household? I also wish that more attention had been given to t he setting. The novel is set in a fabulous ancient city - I wish that the flavor of Istanbul were more developed. Many first novels in a series are awkward, though, so I look forward to reading the subsequent books to see if the tremendous potential of the characters and setting are better realized.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, sir, I didn't like it. I took this out of the library and by about 50 pages in I was sure I'd tried to read it before. I decided to finish it this time because I didn't want to repeat the cycle a second time. May as well finish it. Flat, cliched characters. No sense of place. Stupid premise involving the possible survival of a Romanov brat. (When are we gonna shelve that?) Irritating woman with a non-consensual gun kink. Spineless, misogynistic character whose backstory comes way too late to make him relatable. An icky misogynistic overlay in general. The two main female characters are manipulative and overbearing and reviled by the men in their lives. The detective's sidekicks mother is a nagging, interfering caricature and the detective's wife is basically barefoot and pregnant for the umpteenth time. Wheee! Honestly, it was awful.

[Weavre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

The cover art's beautiful, and I liked the idea of "visiting" the exotic Istanbul setting. It turns out, though, that Istanbul's back alleys are too gritty to make a nice vacation even filtered through the pages of a mystery novel. The graphic violence near the beginning turned me off, but was expected in this kind of book, so I kept reading--but there's no real break in the oppressive environment of a seedy, unpleasant place where most people are exploiting everyone else around them for one reason or another.

The story's not bad--I won't type any spoilers--so if anyone's idea of fun summer reading includes hanging out in "Istanbul's decrepit Jewish quarter," then go for it. As for me, I think I may be more in the mood for something a little nicer.

[Sydney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. This book was recommended by a bookseller in Istanbul with whom I had had a nice chat (in English). I really trusted his judgment. And apparently the books by this writer are very popular with English-speaking readers of Istanbul. I like the detectives, but few of the other characters. I thought the plot was predictable — and dragging in one of the Great Mysteries of the 20th century seemed totally manipulative. (I should have been wary of the endorsement "The Donna Leon of Istanbul", as I don't care for Donna Leon's mysteries, either.) However, while I was in Istanbul I visited the neighborhood in which the murder takes place, which did give an extra pleasure to reading the good descriptions of place.

[Les Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good book but too wordy for me. I felt it used a Thousand words to say what could have been said in five hundred.