Intrigue in Istanbul
Istanbul, 1926: After her historian father makes a clandestine journey abroad, Jane and the dapper Mr. Redvers trace his footsteps while signs of danger loom back home in the United States. They’re greeted at their destination by Aunt Millie and unsettling news: Professor Wunderly was on a mission to locate “The Sultan’s Heart,” the actual heart of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, a legendary relic from the Ottoman Empire said to possess potent mystical powers, then vanished completely, leaving behind his unpacked luggage, a perplexing riddle, and an eerie mystery Jane must solve to keep her loved ones safe.
What starts off as a clear-cut investigation becomes an intercontinental game of cat and mouse as Jane realizes a gang of nameless figures has been stalking her every move from Turkey to Hungary. And it seems even helpful friends can’t be trusted for long when a man is stabbed to death on the Orient Express to Budapest. With Redvers by her side and few clues to rely on, Jane’s desperate search for her father leads to centuries-old secrets and an unidentified enemy who could make her disappear like the missing Sultan’s heart.
The Details
Series: A Jane Wunderly Mystery – Book #4
Author: Erica Ruth Neubauer
Genre/Category: Cozy – Exotic Location/ Historical
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ISBN: 1496741153
Page Count: 288
Rating: 
The Review
If you enjoy historical settings and exotic locations, you will love the “Jane Wunderly” mystery series. In the latest addition, Jane’s father has gone in search of The Sultan’s Heart in Istanbul. The relic has eluded archeologists for centuries, but Jane’s father is determined to find it. There’s just one problem: others are looking for the relic as well, and they are not above killing anyone who gets in their way.
Jane and Redvers come home to an empty house filled with dust and questions. Professor Wunderly is nowhere to be found, and Jane’s not the only one looking for him. So is the bank! Professor Wunderly took out a large loan and used Jane’s childhood home as collateral, and the bill has come due and payable; if not paid right away, they will lose everything. Jane figures out that her father has taken the loan money and ran off to Istanbul in search of The Sultan’s Heart, a relic that is supposed to hold mythical power. She and Redvers have no choice but to go in search of Professor Wunderly. Unfortunately, they run smack into intrigue and Aunt Millie. Their journey to find Jane’s father becomes dangerous when people keep showing up dead.
Intrigue in Istanbul has conspiracy, action, and a look at historical places and people. The Sultan’s Heart is a genuine relic and belonged to the very real-life Sultan Suleiman, and it has never been found. Istanbul is filled with these types of stories that, for us, modern-day people, are difficult to believe. In this story, Jane’s father is missing or kidnapped. Anyone who might help them find him seems to end up dead, with suspects at every turn. Evidence is buried in the past, and Jane must find the clues that will lead to her father. When the villain is revealed, readers may not be surprised, but they will be happy with the outcome. This is a thrilling story of international intrigue, historical myth and truth, and a delightfully fun adventure through time. I love this series and can’t wait to read the fifth book and see what Jane and Redvers get up to next.
The Author
Erica Ruth Neubauer spent eleven years in the military, nearly two as a Maryland police officer and one as a high school English teacher, before finding her way as a writer. She has been a reviewer of mysteries and crime fiction for Publishers Weekly and Mystery Scene Magazine for several years, and she is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. When she’s not writing, Erica Ruth enjoys traveling, yoga, and craft beer. She lives in Milwaukee, WI, with her husband. Contact Erica on social media or her website.
For more books in this series, readers will want to check out Murder At Wedgefield Manor and Danger On The Atlantic.
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