The Istanbul Puzzle by Laurence O'Bryan
I'm pretty sure this is one of the books I stocked my Kindle with when I first got it around Christmas time because it was on offer - and it turned out to be a reasonable buy. This isn't the most amazing book you'll read all year, but its definitely entertaining and kept me interested until the final page.
The best way I can find to describe this book is to think of The Da Vinci Code, set in Istanbul rather than London and without Dan Brown's intensely irritating writing style (apologies to any Dan Brown fans out there, I know there are lots of you, but I just don't get it!), and then add a splash of Indiana Jones.
In some ways The Istanbul Puzzle is somewhat formulaic, you realise pretty early on that the main character - Sean - and the attractive Isabel from the British Consulate will end up being more than just friends, but that doesn't make the ride any less enjoyable.
There are lots of twists and turns and our heroes find themselves in some near-death situations, sometimes in rather bizarre surroundings. But I think the thing I enjoyed most about this book was O'Bryan's ability to conjure up the streets of Istanbul. I've never been to Turkey and in all honesty never had a burning desire to, but having finished this book I'm very intrigued by Istanbul and will definitely be adding it to my 'must visit before I die' list.
The story very much focuses on all the history of the city and I'd like to think there really are secret chambers and underground churches hundreds of years old that have yet to be rediscovered by modern civilisation nestled under the thriving metropolis. As with a lot of adventure/thriller novels, the story does seem to get a little far-fetched, but it's nice that it stays primarily focused on the main characters, with brief deviations to ensure you've still got a grip on the overall picture.
I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you're looking for a relatively light read that will keep you entertained. Apparently the author is working on a sequel and I'm not sure how well it will work if I'm honest. The way the characters become involved in the international terrorist plot is relatively plausible in this novel, not sure how he'll manage it with a second book, unless they get hired by MI5 or something similar.
I'm pretty sure this is one of the books I stocked my Kindle with when I first got it around Christmas time because it was on offer - and it turned out to be a reasonable buy. This isn't the most amazing book you'll read all year, but its definitely entertaining and kept me interested until the final page.
The best way I can find to describe this book is to think of The Da Vinci Code, set in Istanbul rather than London and without Dan Brown's intensely irritating writing style (apologies to any Dan Brown fans out there, I know there are lots of you, but I just don't get it!), and then add a splash of Indiana Jones.
In some ways The Istanbul Puzzle is somewhat formulaic, you realise pretty early on that the main character - Sean - and the attractive Isabel from the British Consulate will end up being more than just friends, but that doesn't make the ride any less enjoyable.
There are lots of twists and turns and our heroes find themselves in some near-death situations, sometimes in rather bizarre surroundings. But I think the thing I enjoyed most about this book was O'Bryan's ability to conjure up the streets of Istanbul. I've never been to Turkey and in all honesty never had a burning desire to, but having finished this book I'm very intrigued by Istanbul and will definitely be adding it to my 'must visit before I die' list.
The story very much focuses on all the history of the city and I'd like to think there really are secret chambers and underground churches hundreds of years old that have yet to be rediscovered by modern civilisation nestled under the thriving metropolis. As with a lot of adventure/thriller novels, the story does seem to get a little far-fetched, but it's nice that it stays primarily focused on the main characters, with brief deviations to ensure you've still got a grip on the overall picture.
I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you're looking for a relatively light read that will keep you entertained. Apparently the author is working on a sequel and I'm not sure how well it will work if I'm honest. The way the characters become involved in the international terrorist plot is relatively plausible in this novel, not sure how he'll manage it with a second book, unless they get hired by MI5 or something similar.
