Blood Business

Inspector Ikmen #22

by Barbara Nadel

Brothers Ugur and LokmanBulutare locked in a bitter inheritance battle and need a sample of their mother's DNA to contest her Will. But when her body is exhumed, her corpse is found to be missing and a fresh body, with its heart removed, has been put in her grave. Assigned to the case, Inspector Mehmet Süleyman quickly realises that the heart has been illegally harvested, and his team has a murder inquiry on its hands.

Meanwhile, retired inspector Çetin Ikmen is tracking down a missing person: Sevval Kalkan, a once-famous actress, who has joined an underground movement called the Moral Maze, whose mission is to help the destitute living on Istanbul's streets. The unidentified body in the grave cannot be Sevval's, but her shocking reappearance leads Ikmen to fear that she, too, is a victim of organ harvesting...

Joining forces, Süleyman and Ikmen confront Istanbul's darkest underbelly to expose the horrifying truth of a city in crisis.

Genres: Mystery, Crime

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2020

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

[Ondarious Mateo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Ms. Nadel for somehow reading my review of the previous instalment and then going back in time to address those points in this book even though I read both well after they were published.

Like the previous review… you have this almost nondescript set of crimes. Bodies being replaced in cemeteries eventually linking in with mobsters that were essentially buying babies from the destitute to sell. Ends up getting solved with a confession.

But… unlike last time, the colour is back.
Inspector Ikmen is still mourning the loss of his wife and communicating with her spirit and it’s frustrating members of his family. His daughter Cicek is dating Inspector Suleyman and is becoming increasingly needy/possessive in the relationship (qualities she identifies in her self and hates). She’s pressured in to a tryst that’s driven by his need to relieve stress and her concern that if not getting the relief from her, he may go elsewhere…. And it starts to fall apart.
They go on a break and Suleyman almost immediately starts wondering to a previous lover. All throughout novel Suleyman struggles with the growing reality that as he’s gotten older, he’s less of an Adonis and less appealing then he always has been. The man’s vanity is hurt. Mehmet is a compelling character and obviously a favourite but he’s a bad man and he knows it. Cant wait for the fall out.

Ikmen’s former deputy gets caught up in a love triangle and struggles with his own sexuality… the incredibly conservative Police Chief Puppet of the new regimen struggles with the ethics of getting results with mediocre, results based police work that doesn’t move the needle… even the gangsters. The main bad is a seemingly autistic male who is genuinely altruistic in his intentions that is being manipulated by his elders to do their bidding and be the fall guy.

All of it is fantastic.

The big winner however is that thematically this book is about the idea of the children of the failed revolution/attempted coup in Turkey and how bleak future is for them now. Outcasts of society, not trusted, generally scorned by society and ignored by those of the political beliefs as they don’t want to be guilty by association.

Welcome back Ms. Nadel.

We missed you.

P.S. If you could just combine of this colour with a good mystery, it would be perfect. It’s still perfect but would be even perfecter

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Nadel exposes a trade in human organs that has been prevalent in rural Turkey and now has become part of the underworld trade in Istanbul. Connected tightly to the desparate, the poor, and the addicted, the secret activity flourishes . In this novel, Suleyman, Kerim Gursel, and Omer Mungen, with the insights of the retired Ikmen, try to make a dent in the organ trafficking world.

[Christine Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m love this series …stories and characters,I don’t think I’ve ever pursued one for so long. Always seem exotic to the western mind although I guess these situations arise most places

[SG Davison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise for the crime but although I like the Ikmen series I really struggled to keep track of who was who in this story.

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliantly complex and thought provoking crime mystery which opens the mind to the darker side of the human being - solved by Ikmen and the series crime team

[Lissa Pelzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a completely new reader when it comes to Barbara Nadel or the Ikmen Mystery series so I opened this book with no preconceptions or expectations – which is sometimes the best way to go.
The story, which opens in an Istanbul graveyard during an exhumation, is immediately atmospheric, dripping with family tension, the threat of a grisly discovery and the suggestion of a mystery to be solved. The style, writing and pace of the first chapter also told me straight away I was reading something well crafted from a writer who knows her craft. Nadel writes fluidly and confidently and it was only afterwards I realised this is book 22! So no wonder really.
The point of view changes quite quickly and then again – as a new reader I was wrong footed here and started to panic a bit about the list of Turkish names at the front of the book, worried I’d have to memorize them all – an their nicknames but after a few switches I realised Nadel writes every character distinctly so even without their names in my head, I recognise who’s on stage.
That said, I did need to exercise patience, once the mystery has been introduced, the missing body of a rich woman replaced with that of a organ theft victim, retired inspector Çetin Ikmen doesn’t rush to uncover the mystery. Like Morse, he’s a thinker and a tinkerer, who takes time to drink tea and meet friends as he winds his way through the city. And this is where the book’s charm lies. One question leads to another in a surprisingly realistic way. I sometimes find story lines incredulous – jammed together to meet the plot points – but this ‘twist’ makes sense.

In short, this is a well written, interesting and satisfying read but isn’t a novel for a reader with a short attention span. It’s not the kind of book you could easily read while being jostled about on the Tube, but would be better enjoyed on a Turkish beach holiday (next year perhaps) failing that on the couch or as a bedside table book.

[Lisa Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nadel uses the age old idea of sibling rivalry to explore what happens when the rich are so wealthy they can buy anything they need in a world where civil war, climate change and other upheaval have created a new class of poor who are so destitute and desperate, they’ll part with anything, even body parts. What loss is a kidney or even an eye if it pays their way to a safe haven? Unless of course they’re never paid and die from the operation.

In Blood Business Nadel continues her tradition of featuring minority and alternative communities whether as victims or perpetrators, caught up in criminal activities that take place in Istanbul. While for some the Istanbul she conjures is a simulacrum, the emotions, disappointments and dreams of her characters are very real, and therein lies the ongoing appeal of the Cetin Ikmen series.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ikmen, now retired, is researching two missing people both women. Suleiman is investigating a disinterred grave, a missing corpse, and an unidentified body in the grave. The body is missing its heart. Organ harvesting, gang activity, and persecution of political prisoners are the main focus here. Naturally Ikmen’s investigation leads into Suleiman’s and surprisingly the new commissioner thanks Ikmen (but not to his face) for his role. Of course a less than adequate resolution as the privileged ones get away with murder.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read the whole series of the Inspector Ikmen series and I thought this one was a bit wordy and the plot slow.
I finished the book but did not feel the satisfaction I get when I read a good book.
Some of the characters were very interesting which helped in getting me through the book.
I would recommend borrowing it from a local library. Hard to justify buying it. Hope her next book is better

[Jean Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tale was very gruesome featuring as it does the world of drugs and the desperation of addicts, organised crime, disfunctional families, grave robbing, a disabled child, a child sleeping in a cemetary, ghosts and djinns, rough sex, bereavement, corruption, loneliness and madness and an unsettled government. Yet our chain-smoking hero continues to stay true to his values and fight for the underdogs despite his own problems.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth book which I have read in this long running (23 books so far) police series set in Istanbul. I have clearly missed a couple of books as Ikmen is now retired from the police though he is still the main character. This is grim stuff involving drug addicts and illegal organ harvesting. Even though the reader discovers what has happened the rich and powerful avoid prosecution. A fascinating read though.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything that Barbara Nadel writes and Inspector Ikmen is a particular favourite. I feel that he is aging at the same rate as I am! One of Nadel's real skills is bringing the socio-political situation in Turkey to life for those of us who have not been there. Now I am waiting impatiently for the next novel. Thank you Barbara Nadel!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good one from ex-Inspector Ìkmen

It is always great to see what Íkmen is up to in modern day Istanbul. This mystery of grave robbers, body parts sellers, and iffy doctors is fast paced and full of our favorite characters from Çetin's crowd. Barbara Nadel hit the nail again.

[S Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good.

I like this book and this series,this is a pretty good specimen. Not the absolute best Barbara Nadel can do but a close second. The sense of the truly bizarre is not quite there in this book but you should read it .

[Mayur Patil · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book about any story from Turkey. This book is fun read. Lot of characters in parallel tracks, made it bit difficult at the start to understand the story. But later on, it succeeded in built good story. Main character Ikmen sounds humane and likeable.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another reliable instalment. I adore the adventures of Ikmen and Suleyman. No plot is ever too outlandish for the mysteries of old Istanbul. May they go on forever.

[Myza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book (as I have enjoyed the whole series). The characters are well written and makes me dream of Istanbul.

[M C McCullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A joy to read

I’ve been to Istanbul and have enjoyed all the Ikmen books set there. I’m hoping there are more to come.

[Tolkien InMySleep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little confusing, given the characters' multiple names, but definitely the best Turkish Crime story I've read, with it's heart firmly in the right place

[Steven Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great detective story in the Ikmen series

Another great detective story in the Ikmen series that continues to entertain readers who like crime drama and great writing.