A Noble Killing

Nadel's sprawling 13th Inspector Ikmen mystery (after 2010's Death by Design) meanders over much of modern Istanbul and the surrounding countryside. When a beautiful 17-year-old girl, G%C3%B6zde Seyhan, is burned to death in her own bedroom, the canny Istanbul police team of Insp. %C3%87etin Ikmen and his prot%C3%A9g%C3%A9, Mehmet S%C3%BCleyman, immediately suspect an "honor killing," the restoring of honor to a family by murdering the one who broke strict Islamic laws. G%C3%B6zde's cellphone and its shocking images lead them to a young man who immediately flees, leading the police on a complex trail that involves the murder of a piano teacher, the search for two of his students, and the involvement of a local crime lord. The hunt lurches from one labyrinthine neighborhood to another and to family after family, all with interwoven yet hostile relationships. An intriguing sting operation brings the story back on track. (Aug.)