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UK Edition
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The Janissary Tree
The Janissary Tree won the Best Novel category at the prestigious Edgar Allen Poe Awards, organised by the Mystery Writers of America and described as the Oscars of the mystery/thriller world.
The Janissary Tree is a fast-paced literary thriller set in Istanbul in 1836, starring Yashim, the Ottoman investigator. It’s the first in a series which has been translated into 38 languages worldwide.
The Janissary Tree is set in an extraordinary world– extraordinary, but real. It certainly features a most extra-ordinary sleuth. The New York Times calls it ‘the perfect escapist mystery.’
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US Edition
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Reviews |
Goodwin never fails to abide by the rules of crime fiction. There are chases, dramatic escapes, episodes of cruelty, delicious food, glamorous sex, and an elegantly achieved solution to all the mysteries. Intelligent, elliptical and beguilingly written, The Janissary Tree is a rare pleasure.'
The Times |
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'Goodwin's fictional debut is not only a first-rate historical whodunit, it's also a brilliantly complex re-creation of the melting pot of cultures that made up the declining Ottoman Empire of the mid-19th century. Goodwin meticulously describes the Istanbul of 1836, right down to the weave of clothing and ingredients in the food! Fans of historical fiction should devour this unusual mystery...'
Paul Goat Allen, The Barnes & Noble Review |
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'Goodwin's control of his characters' viewpoints is so precise that what in other hands would be marked out as the "then" and "there" of historical exoticism is simply the here-and-now'... The Janissary Tree is a tremendous first novel, born of a deep engagement with the culture of which Goodwin writes. It is beautifully written, perfectly judged, humane, witty and captivating.'
Daily Telegraph
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This terrific new novel…brings 19th-century Istanbul alive, and his descriptions of the city are a continual pleasure. Combine that with a protagonist whose own predicament gives him special insight into the complexities of power and sexuality, and it is a racing certainty that Goodwin’s Ottoman detective will be a winner.
Joan Smith, The Sunday Times |
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This congenial murder mystery, blending historical scholarship and deft characterisation, is upmarket crime fiction with a smile on its face.
Sunday Telegraph |
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The richly detailed evocation of the period, which gives The Janissary Tree such an authentic feel, is combined with a playful humour and a hero unconventional enough to rival Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin.
The Times |
