First published 2008
Sultan Abdülmecid receives word that Gentile Bellini's lost portrait of Mehmet the Conqueror has appeared in Venice. The young Ottoman ruler dispatches Polish ambassador Palewski to investigate, disguised as an American art dealer. Yashim the eunuch detective remains in Istanbul while his friend crosses the Mediterranean on this delicate mission. Palewski arrives in a Venice of crumbling palaces and stagnant waterways. What starts as a straightforward art authentication quickly spirals into deadly intrigue. Art dealers peddle forgeries, aristocrats guard secrets, and everyone seems willing to kill for the painting. As Palewski digs deeper into the portrait's provenance, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens not just the Ottoman throne but the fragile balance of power across Europe. The search for one Renaissance painting becomes a race against forces that could topple governments and ignite wars.
Genres: art, historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, political-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Istanbul, Mediterranean, Ottoman Empire, Venice
Period: 19th-century
320 pages · Hardcover · Faber & Faber