The Abyssinian Proof

Nadia May ably carries listeners to nineteenth-century Istanbul in the second of anthropology professor Jenny White's mysteries involving Magistrate Kamil Pasha. In this one, he must solve a complex case involving the smuggling of precious religious artifacts. Woven into the plot is the story of an unusual Christian Abyssinian sect, led by a woman whom Kamil finds strangely alluring. White has cleverly produced a book that will appeal to listeners who love Dan Brown-type plots and those who want accuracy in their historical mysteries. Without using many accents, May infuses the wide range of characters--from a snobbish British official to a Turkish street urchin--with vibrant personalities, and her pacing is spot-on as she guides listeners into Istanbul's back alleys. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

October 1, 2007
A mysterious, holy grail–like object, a document with the potential to “bring about peace between the different peoples of the world,” is at the center of White's erudite second novel set in late 19th-century Istanbul and featuring city magistrate Kamil Pasha (after The Sultan's Seal
). The minister of justice, Kamil's boss, orders him to find the thieves who are looting Istanbul of its religious relics and selling them to unscrupulous dealers in London. Kamil's friend Malik, the caretaker of a local mosque, has a specific task for him—locating a stolen reliquary, a silver box that contains a secret message known as the Proof of God. Kamil—smart, brave and compassionate—proves an appealing sleuth. Intriguing love interests include the daughter of the leader of the strange Abyssinian sect to which the reliquary belongs. White, a professor of anthropology, clearly knows her period and place, though some readers may wish that she had toned down the esoteric knowledge and upped the thriller quotient. Author tour.