Flowers from the Black Sea

Asked by a friend to track,down a man in a quiet resort in Turkey, PI Matt Quillan senses that he’s being deliberately kept in the dark. And sure enough, there’s not just more about the man he has been asked to find but the reasons behind his quest look set to lead him down some very dark allies. Before Matt can start making enquiries though, he is handed something by a stranger and this could be the most dangerous thing of all.

Set in Turkey, the narrative always has the ring of authenticity about it and the settings are lovingly described. Istanbul is on my travel wish list and this book just secured its’ spot at the top. Populated with shady figures who may be protecting their own agendas, the story flowed impeccably and gave a spicy mix of spy fiction, thriller and mystery. A very strong read in every respect.

This book was a joy to devour. A great read. The author is as significant as Eric Ambler, Ian Fleming and Graham Greene in bringing the vivid, often brutal, setting of Turkey alive almost as an additional character. Straddling cultures and continents Turkey has long been a honeypot for espionage and crime fiction authors.
The plot is ceaselessly gripping. The style is evocative with characters one instantly gets to know and have a deep empathy for. There's a pervading sense of unease throughout, in the claustrophobic setting of a town on the Turkish coast, where intrigue and suspicion is never far away.
It's rare these days to find an author so ready and able to embrace the tropes of traditional thriller writing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Book Guild for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Matt owes his old friend Ben a favor after Ben helped him get sober. Matt is a private investigator who Ben asks to locate a specific person in a small beach town in Turkey. Ben agrees without even knowing why Ben wants to find this person. On the bus from Istanbul to the small town, he starts to realize there may be more to this than he thought but he continues his pursuit.

I requested this book because I have a trip booked to Turkey in the fall, so I was interested in the landscape and I love international intrigue. Overall this book was good, but not as exciting as I thought it would be. It was a it slow at times and didn't have the twists and turns as much as I had hoped it would. But I would consider reading more from this author.