Graveyard Eyes

David Chacko
Foremost Press (2006)
ISBN 0974892173
Reviewed by Lynn O’Connell for Reader Views (7/06)

A beautiful and successful young Turkish female entrepreneur, Ayla Acheson, is found murdered in her country house outside of Istanbul.  Was she killed for money?  Because of her feminist beliefs?  Or, by a scorned lover?  The Turkish police, led by Inspector Levent, are quickly on the scene in this high-profile case.  As Levent tries to make sense of the victim’s bedroom and study, the killer makes contact with the Inspector on Ayla’s computer.  Levent determines that the killer, who identifies himself as Karanlik (Turkish for ‘a man from the darkness’) is “a murderer without conscience who thinks he is justified in everything he does.”  And, Levent is bent on getting this madman.  From Ayla’s tourism business to a nightclub and an art gallery, Levent leads us on a tour through the diverse neighborhoods of Istanbul.   

This is author David Chacko’s twelfth novel and the first, I hope, of many in the “Inspector Levent” series.  In the character of Levent, the reader meets a skilled and well-connected detective.  In fact, at times, Levent wishes he were not so well-connected since his wife’s cousin is the Chief of Police – and this means he gets some difficult and politically sensitive cases to handle.  Chacko occasionally opens a window to Levent’s personal life, mentioning his wife and his love of good food.  There are also numerous references to Levent’s battles with Istanbul traffic.  These very short interludes away from the focus on the gory murder are nice touches to the book, adding a little humor and lightness.  And, for those of us who have read either “The Peacock Angel” or “Less than a Shadow,” the brief mention of American agent Jason Ender is a pleasant surprise.  Hopefully, in the next book, we’ll get to know Levent better as well as his able detective, Erol Akbay, and the Chief of Police.

Chacko has a wonderful ability to bring the streets and modern-day culture of Istanbul to life.  For instance, his references to various Turkish superstitious beliefs as well as his descriptions of the feminist and gay communities within the current Moslem environment are very realistic.  Even the book’s cover is an added bonus – one of Chacko’s photos of tombstones in a Turkish cemetery.  Chacko also creates detailed descriptions of the numerous characters involved in this mystery – beyond the in-depth descriptions he provides of both Levent and Akbay.

I read the book in one weekend, as it held my interest while I tried to figure out who committed the murder.   I think any reader who likes murder mysteries or fast-paced international intrigue will read the book with the same interest that I had.  Then, probably join me in waiting for the next thriller in the Levent series….

Make comment on weblog