A review by tony_t
Happy Birthday, Turk! by Jakob Arjouni, Anselm Hollo

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

My first chance to read a novel by Jakob Arjouni. A noir tale about a Turkish private detective, Kemal Kayankaya, in Frankfurt, Germany. In traditional manner, Kayankaya is hired to investigate what appears to be the murder of an insignificant Turkish national but the case turns into much more including a satisfying twist at the end. I found Kayankaya, who is the main character and narrator, a bit off-putting in the beginning. But he soon grew on me and I flew through the slim volume. I wouldn't put Arjouni in the same class with Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, but I recommend it if you are interested in adding to the noir authors you read.