The Baklava Club: A Novel (Investigator Yashim, 5) Paperback – June 9, 2015

Jason Godwin's Inspector Yashim series ( The Janissary Tree: A Novel , The Snake Stone: A Novel , The Bellini Card (Investigator Yashim) , An Evil Eye: A Novel (Inspector Yashim Mysteries) ) is clever and unique - set in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, Yashim is charged with protecting the Sultan and his household - a complicated task as the world is changing around the Sublime Porte. In _The Baklava Club_, Yashim is caught in the growing nationalist currents that would eventually undo the Ottoman state.At issue are the forces of the Congress of Vienna who seek to stifle and destroy young nationalists - Italians, Poles and Russians- who are meeting and plotting in Istanbul. One is murdered, and Yashim must not only figure out who dunnit, but also tread carefully given the weight of international affairs on the case. The list of suspects is short, and Goodwin does an admirable job of keeping readers guessing, although a close and careful read will reveal the culprit (or culprits ... I'd hate for there to be spoilers.) That Goodwin is forthright in providing clues and details is to his credit.What I particularly enjoy about the Yashim books is not only the writing, also the way in which the city itself is captured - from the sights of various quarters of the city to the details of cooking and the color of 19th century Ottoman life. The publisher's note leads one to believe that this is the final Yashim mystery. I hope not. Regardless, _The Baklava Club_ is a fun read, as are the others in the series. Recommended.

Another good read by Jason Godwin about our favourite Turkish investigator Yashim, who just happens to be a eunuch detective. Lots of interesting details about life in Istanbul during the days of the fading Ottoman Empire and a fascinating mystery involving some rather hapless Italian rebels trying to assassinate a Polish prince. Sadly, this book is advertised as the last in the series. I, for one, shall miss the delicious descriptions of Yashim's cooking, along with the tales of his escapades in that city on the Bosporus.

I can't get enough of this series. Goodwin crafts an intricate plot that keeps readers guessing. He knows his way around Turkish culture, and Investigator Yashim is one of those characters who grows on any reader. He's the guy who you'd like to invite home, have a few drinks with, and discuss his most recent case with. I passed the book to a number of friends---one of them read this book after a hip replacement and had one word to say: "WOW!" He went on to note that he never put the book down---even when his painkillers wore off---he was that taken with the writing, the plot, and the characters. I have loved every book in the series---I read them slowly so I can savor the characters, the descriptions of locale and the intricacies of plot. Each book keeps me coming back for more---and that's what makes this series so successful and simply so damn good!!!!

I really like all the books in the series. I love reading about Istanbul. I hope this isn't the last. It had an odd scene in it that doesn't make any sense. There are some things that eunuchs just can't do!

I have read the series of five Investigator Yashim novels. I found them excellent in terms of imparting some knowledge of Byzantine and Ottoman history and the geography of the Istanbul area as well as Turkish customs and culture of the period (early 19th century). I thought the characters were well-developed and interesting, but for me they failed to create that magic that makes me love a book... that is to say that I really cared about them and what happened to them. Somehow, that empathetic emotional connection was not made for me. The plot of each of the books is clever and interesting with some nice twists although they are not greatly packed with action or high suspense. The Baklava Club is probably the most expansive of the plots, but as a single book, it was not my favorite of the series. Good reads, but unless you have an interest in the culture and history of the period, I think there are better ways to spend your reading time.

I've loved all the Yashim mysteries and I am very sad that this one may be last. I hope wise people persuade Jason Goodwin to change his mind. The plotting is a bit convoluted and by the end I wasn't sure what had happened (beyond the obvious: dead people), but the broad outline is clear. The strengths of the book are Goodwin's beautifully written pages and vividly realized characters. Best of all, of course, is the sad but purposeful Yashim, who ultimately figures out and unravels all the mysteries. The book casts a spell--it creates another world that seems quite real (taste it, touch it)--and you gratefully succumb to it. I hope against hope that Goodwin will let us visit his magical Istanbul once again.

The Baklava Club ps Goodwin's best book in the last three published. It is tightly plotted, reintroduce s old friends (the Valide, the Polish Ambassador and the ever-faithful and wildly competent housekeeper Marta). The joy of these books is the unexpected unveiling of the 1840s, and the interweaving of issues pertinent today such as plotting subversive acts, cultural changes leaving longtime citizens without a familiar reference point in their own land, ill considered diplomatic solution leading to terrible consequences decades later, and the inevitable fascination with the politics ans pleasures of the 19th century Ottoman Empire. Goodwin is a compelling writer, and the Baklava Club should be at the top of every mystery reading list.

Gets deeper into the European political intrigues that swirled around the crumbling Ottoman empire. Another page turner in this excellent series. I hope Goodwin intends to write more about Yashim, a most intriguing and affecting "detective" working in a very complex milieu.

Third book I read in a raw from this author and his detective. Next!

Another great Yashim novel. A slow starting story that builds to murders, kidnapping and espionage. The clever and intuitive Yashim is in the middle of all this and he has his heart stolen to boot.The twist at the end with Yashim and Pelewski under fire leaves you worried that the comrades may have taken on one challenge too many.Beautifully written and full of interesting characters, I do hope there will be more from Jason Goodwin and Yashim.

Recomendo a leitura das aventuras de Yashim efendi, na Istambul do século XIX. O primeiro de série é o melhor.

Again we are transported to old Istanbul and the activities of Jason Goodwin's great characters. His interesting plot keeps us turning the pages until the unexpected ending. His descriptions of time and place are excellent.

Although I haven't quite figured out the plot even after finishing, this was definitely a good read. Pity that this is the last in the series. Whatever the series lacked in the whodunnit department was more than made up for in terms of sheer originality of setting (Istanbul in the 1830s and 1840s).