This summer, travel far and beyond differently. Grab a few detective novels, and gain unique insight into foreign cultures and cities. A new trend is gaining strength, a growing tribe of itinerant storytellers are using the detective genre to explore touristy sights as well as underbellies of cities as distinct as Venice and Gabarone (Botswana), Florence and Istanbul. Here are some current favourites:Barbara NadelCop Cetin Ikmen delves into Istanbul present and the Ottoman empire’s historical bylanes to solve a series of crimes. Nadel, while not a permanent resident of the Turkish city, usually succeeds in enlivening a good, nailbiting story with empathetic inquiries into Turkey’s social troubles as well as its rich cultural feasts. Her latest story, Harem, is now available in paperback.Magdalen NabbProperty of Blood is the latest effort from Nabb, and Leon’s got a run for her money. Marshal Guarnaccia investigates the dark secrets of Florence’s rich expats and a tenacious mafia. For us armchair travellers, there is a map of the Renaissance city to follow the narrative and imagine the domes and sculptures that play silent spectators. A welcome antidote to those syrupy books on the Tuscan idyll.
