Deep Waters [Hardcover]

Barbara Nadel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 2002

A man's body, virtually decapitated, is found by the Bosphorus. His identity card names him as Rifat Berisha, an Albanian. The family is impenetrable but when Inspector Ikmen, whose mother was Albanian, consults his cousin, Samsun, he's left in little doubt that Berisha's death is likely to be the result of a fis, an implacable blood feud between rival Albanian families. Which means the blood already shed will have to be avenged. And if the Berishas or their enemies discover Ikmen is from a noted Albanian clan, some of the spilt blood might be his...

Editorial Reviews

Review

We've seen it happen so often: the auspicious debut novel, followed by a not so glittering career in which all the promise of the first book is frittered away. But the syndrome can be broken, as Barbara Nadel triumphantly demonstrates. Arabesk, A Chemical Prison and Belshazzar's Daughter were all splendidly atmospheric, cunningly plotted thrillers with a brilliantly evoked Middle East. That highly topical background is evoked once again in this powerful fourth novel. A corpse, virtually decapitated, is found by the Bosphorus. His identity card names him as Berisha, an Albanian. Inspector Ikmen is left in little doubt that his death is the result of a fis, an implacable blood feud between rival Albanian families. Ikmen is a brilliantly characterised protagonist, and this is splendid stuff.

About the Author

Trained as an actress, Barbara Nadel is now a public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's Good Companions Service. Her previous job was a mental health advocate in a psychiatric hospital. She has also worked with sexually abused teenagers and taught psychology in both schools and colleges. Born in the East End of London, she now lives in Essex and has been a regular visitor to Turkey for over twenty years.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Headline Library Hardbacks (March 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747269122
• ISBN-13: 978-0747269120
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Donna Leon of Turkey? Maybe so!, January 30, 2004

By 

Celia A. Sgroi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deep Waters (Inspector Ikmen Mysteries) (Paperback)

DEEP WATERS is a complicated, fascinating story of murder, revenge, and madness set in contemporary Istanbul, where people are still affected, not to mention haunted, by the 1999 earthquake. Inspector Ikmen and his team of police officers are investigating the murder of a young Albanian man and stumble into an ongoing blood feud. The solution seems obvious, but there are too many unanswered questions, including why the dead man has apparently donated a kidney to someone recently. While Ikmen-- married and with nine children-- struggles with his own past and present, including whether his mother was herself a victim of a blood feud, he follows the ever more complex trail of the murder case, which ends in a completely unexpected way. The story is rich with interesting and human characters and subplots, including Ikmen's transsexual cousin Samsun, who used to be Mustafa, and the city and Turkish life come alive on each page. The names are a challenge, but not too much more than the Swedish names in a Martin Beck mystery novel.

In fact, although the author is touted as the Donna Leon of Turkey, I think her hero is more reminiscent of Sjoewall and Wahloo's Martin Beck than of Leon's Guido Brunetti. Either way, the novel is a good read, and I'm looking forward to reading others by the same author.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absorbing read, April 4, 2004

By 

saliero (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deep Waters (Inspector Ikmen Mysteries) (Paperback)

If you love Istanbul, then you will enjoy Nadel's crime series, featuring experienced, perhaps somewhat jaded, police officer Cetin Ikmen. This story is well-paced and plotted, and muses on some interesting aspects of Turkish culture and history and contemporary mores.

You don't have to be a Turkophile to love the setting, but those who are will be especially delighted.

Sometimes Nadel is compared to Donna Leon. The settings for their crime stories are as much stars as the people. In that sense, both are equally successful. Both detectives also have family relationships with their wives and children which are brought to life and have a bearing on the stories. Both detectives also have internal conversations which are thoughtful and humane.

I believe if you enjoy Leon, you will also enjoy Nadel, though both are distinctive writers able to bring their characters and places to life.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep Waters, October 8, 2010

By 

Margot Johnston (California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Deep Waters (Inspector Ikmen Mysteries) (Paperback)

I read this book with great enjoyment. Not just the characters but to live again in Istanbul and remember what it was like when I was there. My father was the British Consul in Istanbul years ago.
Nadel writes beautifully. I am in the midst of rereading all her books for the beauty of her writing. Deep Waters is a surprise and full of ethnic intrigue. History beyond belief. A worthy read.