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Nadel, Barbara - 'A Passion for Killing' (Unabridged Audiobook) read by Sean Barrett
Audio Cassette (Aug. 2007) Publisher: Chivers Audio Books ISBN: 9781405604420

A PASSION FOR KILLING is the ninth of Barbara Nadel's series set in modern day Istanbul. Billed as the Inspector Cetin Ikmen series, this episode, at least, gives almost equal time to his colleague Inspector Mehmet Suleyman.

Suleyman's case is to catch the serial killer "The Peeper", who had been at first targeting young homosexuals but who seems now to be extending his range to anyone he considers 'morally reprehensible'. Suleyman however has been instructed by the secret services to pretend to investigate, whilst they track down the man, who was one of theirs, before he went rogue. Suleyman's contact is the charming but untrustworthy, Mursel.

Meanwhile Ikmen is investigating the disappearance and then death of a carpet dealer. The dealer had been about to sell a "Lawrence" carpet, a carpet that Lawrence of Arabia had used to wrap around an injured soldier, which had become enormously valuable. Ikmen's investigations lead him into the diplomatic community as well as closer to home when the murder weapon is linked to a police officer.

A PASSION FOR KILLING was an incredibly gripping story as well as being very informative about another culture. Ikmen's investigation was a more classic whodunit whereas Suleyman's had more of a thriller element and though the two cases don't overlap, Ikmen does get to save his friend's life.

As well as the sense of place conjured by the author there is the bonus of the Turkish names being pronounced correctly by the ever-excellent Sean Barrett.

Barbara Nadel won the CWA Silver Dagger for DEADLY WEB, the seventh in this series.

Karen Meek, England
October 2007



last updated 21/03/2008 08:52