Murder in Constantinople

Alfred Hitchcock meets Indiana Jones in this acclaimed, globe-trotting historical mystery about a wayward Jewish kid drawn into a sinister plot

“Impressive. . . Enthralling. . . Goldin brings a long-lost era to life in vivid, evocative detail”  — Financial Times

“A rip-roaring adventure. . . A zip-along plot, packed full of political machinations, strange deaths and ruinous romance”  — Daily Mail

This entertaining historical mystery is the exciting debut novel from London-based musician and screenwriter A.E. Goldin. Thrillingly paced and with an enchanting historical setting, it launches an unforgettable  new hero in a series that provides all the nostalgic reading pleasure of classic Sherlock Holmes.

-

London, 1854. 21-year-old Ben Canaan attracts trouble wherever he goes. His father wants him to be a good Jewish son, working for the family business on Whitechapel Road, but Ben and his friends, the 'Good-for-Nothings', just want adventure.

Then the chance discovery of an enigmatic letter and a photograph of a beautiful woman bring Ben an adventure more dangerous than anything he’d imagined. Suddenly he is thrown into the heart of a mystery that takes him away from everything he has known and all the way to Constantinople, the jewel of an empire and the centre of a world on the brink of war.

Ben’s only clue is 3 words: ‘The White Death’. Now he must find what links a string of grisly murders, following a trail through kingmaking and conspiracy, poison and high politics, bloodshed and betrayal. In a city of deadly secrets, no one is safe – and one wrong step could cost Ben his life."Delivers a multitude of pleasures... Goldin ratchets up the tension... The book’s best moments showcase Ben’s coming-of-age, as he learns to wield his independence"
—The New York Times

"Wherever [its] sequels take the hero, they’ll be hard-pressed to compete with this debut for cheeky ebullience"
—Kirkus Reviews

"Vigorous... Power, the lust for adventure, and Flashman-like trickery all make for a bold plot and lively style"
—The Critic

"Murder In Constantinople is fun, a true escapist pleasure that sets a strong tone for what might come of Ben Canaan next."
—Jewish Book Council

"It would take a truly spiritless reader not to be swept away by the sheer adventure of this book."
—The Jewish IndependentA.E. Goldin is a British writer and musician. He read English at Trinity College, Cambridge and studied classical piano at the Royal Academy of Music. He works as a screenwriter for television companies in London and Los Angeles. Murder in Constantinople is his debut novel. He lives in London.