Baksheesh - (Kati Hirschel Istanbul Mystery) by Esmahan Aykol (Paperback)

About the Book

In Istanbul nothing happens without baksheesh. All fine until you're the suspected murderer of the man you've paid off.

Book Synopsis

Kati Hirschel, the owner of Istanbul's only mystery bookstore, is fed up. It all started when her lover Selim insisted that she behave like the Turkish wife of a respectable lawyer. Looking demure and making witty small talk were the only requirements. Then her landlord announced an outrageous rent increase on her Istanbul apartment.

She has no desire to move in with Selim. She'd rather learn the art of bribing government officials in order to find a new place. Kati is offered a large apartment with a view over the Bosphorus at a bargain price. Too good to be true until a man is found murdered there and she becomes the police's prime suspect. In her second novel Esmahan Aykol takes us to the alleys and boulevards of cosmopolitan Istanbul, to posh villas and seedy basement flats, to the property agents and lawyers, to Islamist leaders and city officials--in fact everywhere that baksheesh helps move things along.

Praise for the first Kati Hirschel Istanbul mystery:

"The heroine is an offbeat amateur sleuth with a distinctive narrative voice. Fans of such female detectives as Amanda Cross's Kate Fansler and Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher will find a lot to like."--Publishers Weekly

Review Quotes

'Author Aykol is adept not only at creating fascinating characters, but also at bringing a city to life.' Suspense Magazine

'In Aykol's impressive second Kati Hirschel mystery set in Istanbul the heroine once again turns amateur sleuth with aplomb.' Publishers Weekly

'Baksheesh" is a strongly recommended pick for lovers of international mystery, highly recommended.' MBR Bookwatch

'Kati sees Turkey and the Turks from the point of view of a sympathetic, affectionate outsider; and through her eyes, so do we--becoming more enchanted by the city with every dizzying step. Baksheesh was a pleasure from beginning to end.' Criminal Element

"Enjoy the journey which is recounted in a breezy, humorous and intimate way. BAKSHEESH is an enjoyable book which manages to immerse you in Istanbul, introduce you to some interesting characters and include a murder-mystery all in around 250 pages. Fans of Mehmet Murat Somer should also enjoy this series." Eurocrime

"Where the book really scores, however, is in Aykol's introduction to modern day Istanbul, a cosmopolitan city that is a magnet for the rural poor and their less than cosmopolitan traditional ways and where Islamists and secular modernists rub up against each other. Fancy making a trip to Turkey, but can't quite afford the airfare? This could be the next best thing." Shots Magazine

About the Author

Esmahan Aykol: Esmahan Aykol was born in 1970 in Edirne, Turkey. She lives in Istanbul and Berlin. During her law studies she was a journalist for a number of Turkish publications and radio stations. After a stint as a bartender she turned to fiction writing. She has written three Katie Hirschel novels. Hotel Bosphorus is the first and has been published in Turkish, German, French and soon in Italian.
Ruth Whitehouse: Ruth Whitehouse worked as a violinist in Ankara. She pursued her interest in Turkish culture and literature by doing by obtaining a PhD in Turkish Literature at SOAS in London. This is her first translation of a full novel but her work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2010 in a series called Young Turks, featuring translations of work by young Turkish writers.