Barbara Nadel is an English crime-writer. Many of her books are set in
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, others in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
's
East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
. She is best known for her
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
-set Çetin İkmen novels.
Background
Born in the
East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, Barbara Nadel trained as an actress before becoming a writer. Now writing full-time, she has previously worked as a public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's Good Companion Service and as a mental health advocate for the mentally disordered in a psychiatric hospital. She has also worked with sexually abused teenagers and taught psychology in schools and colleges, and was the patron of The Acorn Group in Shrewsbury,
a charity (now apparently closed following a cut in funding
) caring for those in emotional and mental distress.
She has been a regular visitor to Turkey for more than 25 years.
Until late 2014, Nadel lived in "the wilds of the north of England" with her husband and six
axolotls,
her "very demanding Persian cat" having died on 23 December 2011,
but then moved from the Pennines to "a small village in Essex just outside London".
Her son is a published academic.
Writing
Nadel is best known for her series about Çetin İkmen, a chain-smoking and hard-drinking detective on the
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
police force, and his colleagues Mehmet Süleyman, Balthazar Cohen, and
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
pathologist
Pathology is the study of the causal, causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when us ...
Arto Sarkissian. These have been translated into a number of languages, including Turkish, and have been released as
audiobook
An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements.
Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
s in English and German.
Her second crime series, set in
West Ham
West Ham is an area in East London, located east of Charing Cross in the west of the modern London Borough of Newham.
The area, which lies immediately to the north of the River Thames and east of the River Lea, was originally an ancien ...
in the
East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, during
The Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
, features
undertaker
A funeral director, also known as an undertaker (British English) or mortician (American English), is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as w ...
Francis Hancock.
In January 2011,
Quercus
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
announced the signing of Ms Nadel to write a new crime series set in the modern-day
East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
, to be published starting Summer 2012 under the name ''B J Nadel'',
although the published book ''A Private Business'', was ultimately credited to ''Barbara Nadel''.
The book, and its sequels, focus on
private investigator
A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...
Lee Arnold and his
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
assistant Mumtaz Hakim. Publication moved to
Allison & Busby
Allison & Busby (A & B) is a publishing house based in London established by Clive Allison and Margaret Busby in 1967. The company has built up a reputation as a leading independent publisher.
Background
Launching as a publishing company in May ...
from the fifth book in the series.
Other published works include short stories in ''
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'' is a bi-monthly American digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction, and mystery fiction. Launched in fall 1941 by Mercury Press, ''EQMM'' is named after the fict ...
'', plus British magazines (''
My Weekly
''My Weekly'' is a magazine for women. Published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd of Dundee, Scotland. It tends to consist of short stories, reader contributions, knitting or sewing patterns, and celebrity gossip. There are no real life horror stori ...
'' and ''
Woman's Own
''Woman's Own'' is a British lifestyle magazine aimed at women.
Publication
''Woman's Own'' was first published in 1932 by Newnes. In its early years it placed women's rights and social problems firmly in the foreground. Its first "agony aunt" was ...
''), and travel pieces for British newspapers (''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
,
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
,
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
''), and the US food magazine ''
Saveur
''Saveur'' is an online gourmet, food, wine, and travel magazine that publishes essays about various world cuisines. The publication was co-founded by Dorothy Kalins, Michael Grossman, Christopher Hirsheimer, and Colman Andrews, who was also the ...
''.
Awards
2005 winner of the
CWA
CWA or Cwa may refer to:
Organisations
* CWA Constructions, a Swiss manufacturer of gondolas and people mover cabins, a division of Doppelmayr Garaventa Group
* Catch Wrestling Association, a former German professional wrestling promotion
* Contin ...
Silver Dagger (for ''
Deadly Web
''Deadly Web'' is a 2005 detective novel by English crime writer Barbara Nadel. Set in Turkey, it is one of a series that features Istanbul police inspector Çetin İkmen. It was the last novel to win the CWA
CWA or Cwa may refer to:
Organisatio ...
'')
2006 winner of ''Jury'' magazine's ''Flintyxan'' ("Flint Axe") award for Best Historical Crime Novel (for ''Dödlig rättvisa'', Marianne Alstermark's Swedish translation of ''Last Rights'')
2008 winner of the
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough established in 1965.
The borough shares boundaries with the Epping Forest District and the ceremonial county of Essex to the north, with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to the west, the ...
"Big Red Read" Book of the Year for ''Ashes to Ashes''
2010 winner of the
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough established in 1965.
The borough shares boundaries with the Epping Forest District and the ceremonial county of Essex to the north, with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to the west, the ...
"Big Red Read" Crime Fiction of the Year for ''Sure and Certain Death''
2013 Derringer Finalist for short story "Nain Rouge", published in ''
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'' is a bi-monthly American digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction, and mystery fiction. Launched in fall 1941 by Mercury Press, ''EQMM'' is named after the fict ...
''
Bibliography
Çetin İkmen
Published by
Headline
The headline or heading is the text indicating the content or nature of the article below it, typically by providing a form of brief summary of its contents.
The large type ''front page headline'' did not come into use until the late 19th centur ...
#''Belshazzar's Daughter'' (1999)
#''A Chemical Prison'' (aka ''The Ottoman Cage'') (2000)
#''Arabesk'' (2001)
#''Deep Waters'' (2002)
#''Harem'' (2003)
#''Petrified'' (2004)
#''
Deadly Web
''Deadly Web'' is a 2005 detective novel by English crime writer Barbara Nadel. Set in Turkey, it is one of a series that features Istanbul police inspector Çetin İkmen. It was the last novel to win the CWA
CWA or Cwa may refer to:
Organisatio ...
'' (2005)
#''Dance With Death'' (2006)
#''A Passion for Killing'' (2007)
#''Pretty Dead Things'' (2007)
#''River of the Dead'' (2009)
#''Death by Design'' (2010)
#''A Noble Killing'' (2011)
#''Dead of Night'' (2012)
#''Deadline'' (2013)
[Headline web site.]
Accessed 16 July 2012
#''Body Count'' (2014)
[Headline web site.]
Accessed 17 September 2014
#''Land of the Blind'' (2015)
[Headline web site.]
Accessed 17 September 2014
#''On the Bone'' (2016)
[Headline web site.]
Accessed 11 December 2015
#''The House of Four'' (2017)
[Headline web site.]
Accessed 6 November 2016
#''Incorruptible'' (2018)
#''A Knife to the Heart'' (2019)
#''Blood Business'' (2020)
#''Forfeit'' (2021)
#''Bride Price'' (2022)
Francis Hancock
Published by
Headline
The headline or heading is the text indicating the content or nature of the article below it, typically by providing a form of brief summary of its contents.
The large type ''front page headline'' did not come into use until the late 19th centur ...
#''Last Rights'' (2005)
#''After the Mourning'' (2006)
#''Ashes to Ashes'' (2008)
#''Sure and Certain Death'' (2009)
Hakim & Arnold
Published by
Quercus
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
#''A Private Business'' (2012)
#''An Act of Kindness'' (2013)
#''Poisoned Ground'' (2014)
[Quercus web site.]
Accessed 17 September 2014
#''Enough Rope'' (2015)
[Quercus web site.]
Accessed 2 September 2015
Published by
Allison & Busby
Allison & Busby (A & B) is a publishing house based in London established by Clive Allison and Margaret Busby in 1967. The company has built up a reputation as a leading independent publisher.
Background
Launching as a publishing company in May ...
Adaptations
In June 2020, it was announced that
Miramax TV and
ViacomCBS International Studios would produce a television adaptation of the Çetin İkmen novels entitled ''The Turkish Detective''.
By April 2022, the project was greenlit for a full series of eight episodes, to be released on
Paramount+
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
. The series will be written by
Ben Schiffer, and directed by
Niels Arden Oplev
Niels Arden Oplev (; born 26 March 1961) is a Danish film director and screenwriter.
Life and career
Oplev was born in Oue, Denmark. His 1996 film ''Portland'' was entered into the 46th Berlin International Film Festival.
He directed ''The Gi ...
. Acclaimed Turkish actor
Haluk Bilginer
Nihat Haluk Bilginer (; born 5 June 1954) is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera ''EastEnders'' ...
will star as İkmen, alongside
Ethan Kai as Mehmet Süleyman, and
Yasemin Allen
Yasemin Kay Allen (born 11 July 1989) is an English-Turkish actress.
Early years
Yasemin Kay Allen, born 10 July 1989, in London, is the daughter of an English father Dudley Allen and English- Turkish actress and singer Sonja Eady. Eady has be ...
as Ayşe Farsakoğlu.
References
Further reading
*
External links
International Crime Authors Reality CheckShotsmag ProfileFantastic Fiction profileLondon Borough of Redbridge ''Big Red Read''*
Wikipedia SE entry for the Flintyxan, in Swedishbokrecension.se entry for Marianne Alstermark, in Swedish
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nadel, Barbara
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
English crime fiction writers
English women novelists
Women mystery writers
Writers from London
20th-century English novelists
20th-century English women writers
21st-century English novelists
21st-century English women writers