Dark magic is unleashed on the streets of Istanbul . . .When a newborn baby is found drowned in the shallow waters of the Golden Horn, all-out warfare threatens to erupt between rival criminal gangs. Inspector Kerim G rsel is assigned to the case and he must tread carefully when DNA tests reveal that the baby's father is G rkan Pa ahan, Istanbul's most feared Mafia boss. But the identity of the infant's mother is yet to be discovered . . .Meanwhile, etin kmen and Mehmet S leyman attend the winter festival known as Bocuk Gecesi, held on the darkest night of the year, and witness a magic trick whereby a young man, Emir Kaya, disappears. While kmen investigates how the illusion took place, S leyman conducts a tortuous hunt for Emir Kaya that exposes a harrowing tale of depravation, betrayal and corruption where the bloodline of a child is worth killing for and everything has its price . . .Praise for Barbara Nadel's novels:'Complex and beguiling: a Turkish delight' Mick Herron' kmen is one of modern crime fiction's true heroes, complex yet likeable, and the city he inhabits - Istanbul - is just as fascinating' The Times 'Barbara Nadel's distinctive Istanbul-set Inspector kmen thrillers combine brightly coloured scene setting with deliciously tortuous plots' Guardian
