An Evil Eye

I quite liked the other books by Jason Goodwin featuring Investigator Yashim: The Janissary Tree, The Snake Stone, and The Bellini Card.  This 4th installment in the series, however, I found to be extremely confusing and convoluted. We still get to deal with our two main characters, the eunuch Investigator Yashim and his friend, Palewski, the Polish ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. And the flavor of Istanbul is still rich although a map would have been tremendously helpful. We get glimpses into Yashim culinary skills once again and his diplomatic skills are on display throughout. We also get a chunk of Yashim's background that is new.  Even having read the 3 previous books, I found it hard to follow and The Historical Novel Society agrees, saying "I quickly discovered the need to have read the previous three novels to fully understand the author’s tale.As it stands, I had limited success. I also found the number of subplots and characters to be far too numerous for even the most ambitious reader to digest. I still wish to stand with Yashim as he searches for truth, but reading the series in sequence may be required."

The Washington Post has this to offer: "In "An Evil Eye," Goodwin's fourth novel, Yashim's world is the decaying Ottoman Empire of the early 19th century. The year is 1839, and a new sultan, Abdulmecid, has replaced the old one in Istanbul. In the novel's most atmospheric, least realized subplot, this change in monarchs occasions a corresponding change in the monarch's harem. In an echo of Goodwin's first book, "The Janissary Tree" (2006), the sultan's harem also contains a mystery that will eventually involve our detective. But in "An Evil Eye," the more immediate puzzle is posed by a dead body found on the island of Chalki in the well of the monastery....The complicated plot that unfolds is deftly controlled throughout, with dangers, chases, intrigues and frequent trips back to the harem. Goodwin’s prose is sharp and surprising..." Publishers Weekly notes in their review that "While Goodwin excels at plotting, the book's main strength lies in the assured depiction of a nation restrained by a corrupt leadership far removed from the old traditions of transparency and justice." Booklist offers a positive review "Goodwin continues to create historical mysteries with A-quality plots, excellent historical detail, and a strong sense of place, conveyed through vivid description of the sights, sounds, and foods of Istanbul. Series newcomers won't have a hard time picking up the backstory here, and established fans will be thrilled to see that Goodwin is still at the top of his game..."