The Janissary Tree

Synopsis of The Janissary Tree

«The Janissary Tree» is the historical mystery novel by Jason Goodwin, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in paperback (332 pages, in English).

Istanbul, 1836. As the Ottoman Empire attempts to modernize, a series of murders —a harem concubine, a cadet— raises fears of a plot to restore the power of the Janissaries. Yashim, an eunuch investigator who moves unseen through all strata of society, tries to unravel the conspiracy.

First installment of the series featuring detective Yashim, «Yashim the Eunuch». Winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel in 2007.

For readers of historical and mystery fiction, with a special interest in nineteenth-century Ottoman Istanbul.