The Messenger Boy Murders [Paperback]

Perihan Magden (Author), Richard Hamer (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

Unwillingly charged with investigating mysterious deaths among the city's fleet of seemingly perfect, ageless messenger boys, Stravrogin encounters the city's strange, charismatic characters and its even stranger secret—a program of genetic engineering.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Perihan Magden, a graduate of Istanbul's prestigious Bosphorous University, is a popular and provocative Turkish author of novels, short stories, and poetry who also contributes to prominent Turkish newspapers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Milet Publishing; 1 edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840593644
• ISBN-13: 978-1840593648
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,049,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Messenger Boy Murders, April 8, 2005

By 

Jerel Flournoy - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Messenger Boy Murders (Paperback)

In an unnamed city, genetically engendered seemingly ageless messenger boys are being killed. At the request of an old bookstore owner, the also nameless protagonist (on the back cover he is called Stavrogin, and later in the book, Stavrogin is revealed to be his mother's maiden name sets off to solve the murders. Along the way, he runs into some of the city's more interesting characters in his quest to stop whoever is killing the messenger boys. That in a nutshell is the plot of The Messenger Boy Murders.
This book is an interesting read. When a book starts with a gigolo dwarf who seemingly has psychic powers and is in love with his pet monkey, then you know your in for a memorable read, or that you have entered a David Lynch movie. The characters in this book lend a great deal to its charm. Most if them don't have names, and are called little quirky names by the protagonist, such as The Irish cap man, who does nothing but drink every time he shows up, in fact there is only once he isn't drinking. There is Wolfscientist; a scientist who became a stockbroker to make ends meet.
The main character is not a very heroic character. He drinks, extremely too much, he doesn't form good first impressions of people, and he's an all around spoiled brat who thinks too highly of himself, but he is kind and truly wants to stop the murders. All in all, The Messenger Boy Murders is a quick and interesting read.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GENDERLESS PROTAGONIST, March 20, 2008

By 

Mohamjip - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Messenger Boy Murders (Paperback)

Perihan Magden, a talented Turkish writer, keeps the protatonists of her books genderless; it is up to the reader to decide whether the story is being told about a woman or a man. This is an unusual, funny, spellbinding story of a person who has been expelled from school.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meet Kafka of Istanbul, May 8, 2010

By 

the reader (london, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Messenger Boy Murders (Paperback)

Great dark humour, an alice in wonderland setting with a Nazi reminding plot, this novel is a true gem! Easy to read, hard to foregt! I wisk it will be re-released by AmazonEncore to a wider audience... Orhan Pamuk described her the most inventive writer from Turkey...