The Janissary Tree

Summary

In 1836 Istanbul, the eunuch investigator Yashim moves through the Ottoman court to solve a string of killings tied to the abolished janissary corps and a threat against the sultan's reforms. Goodwin, a historian, fills the novel with the food, politics, and texture of the late Ottoman Empire while Yashim navigates harems, barracks, and back alleys. The atmospheric setting and unusual detective made it a distinctive debut in historical crime fiction.