The sleuthing adventures of transvestite Istanbul detective Hop-Ciki-Kaya might not teach you much about Turkey today, but they are a barrel of laughs, a camp tango around the fringes of Turkish society and a frenetic demolition squad of stereotypes, with fundamentalist villains and high-heeled heroics a-plenty. Humour has always had its place in crime fiction, but you would never expect it somehow from a Turkish author. Enjoy.

Synopsis

Devastated by the end of her relationship, our heroine swaps her catsuit for pyjamas and hides away from the world. But her friends from the nightclub refuse to let her waste away in self-pity and drag her out to make up the numbers for a party. Only full make-up will suffice, and there's serious grooming to be done before our girl's up to the challenge - her state of misery has left her so thin that even her favourite Audrey Hepburn number doesn't cling the way it should. At the soiree, she becomes entranced with a powerful married man, but it's unlikely their paths will cross again. Until a body is found in the street, stabbed to death - the victim, a gigolo, has connections to the object of her affection. And it seems that the gigolo lifestyle can leave one, ahem, exposed to hidden dangers. Our girl valiantly agrees to take on the case - any meetings with her beloved are an incidental added bonus.

Reviews

'A whip-smart Istanbul crime series' - Guardian

' Istanbul's Miss Marple - although he prefers leather catsuits to tweed skirts' - Daily Telegraph

'Murkier than the lighting in any transvestite nightclub. A delightful confection' - Time Out

About the Author

Mehmet Murat Somer was born in Ankara in 1959. After graduating from university, he worked for a short time as an engineer, for an extended period as a banker and, finally as a management consultant. When not working out in the hammam, he writes books in the Hop-Ciki-Yaya series, of which there are now eight and has started a new Champagne series. He says that writing books keeps him off the streets and open to life. He lives in Istanbul. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation