The Star of Istanbul: A Christopher Marlowe Cobb Thriller (Christopher Marlowe Cobb Thriller, 2) - Softcover

Butler, Robert Olen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802121578 ISBN 13: 9780802121578

Publisher: Mysterious Press, 2014

Synopsis

In the second book in Robert Olen Butler’s Christopher Marlowe Cobb series, The Star of Istanbul is a classic tale of adventure, romance, and war. World War I is in full swing, and foreign correspondent Kit” Cobb has been tasked with following a German intellectual and possible secret service agent into perilous waters aboard the Lusitania. But Cobb is soon distracted from his mission by the sultry Selene Bourgani, a world-renowned actress who also appears to be working with German Intelligence. The more Cobb thinks he knows her, the less he really does, and the secrets Selene harbors have the potential to set the whole international conflict further aflame. Following the night of the infamous German U-boat attack on the Lusitania, Cobb tails Selene first into London’s darkest alleyways, then on to the powder keg that is Istanbul. Across the war-torn stages of Europe and the Middle East, Cobb must venture deep behind enemy lines, cut off from his only allies, knowing full well he may not return.

About this title

About the Author

Robert Olen Butler is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of over a dozen novels, six story collections, and a book on the creative process, From Where You Dream. A recipient of both a Guggenheim Fellowship in fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts grant, he also won the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. He has twice won a National Magazine Award in Fiction and has received two Pushcart Prizes. The Star of Istanbul is his second novel featuring Christopher Marlowe Cobb. He teaches creative writing at Florida State University.

Review

Zestful, thrilling . . . Butler brings the era to vivid life . . . a ripping good yarn.” Wall Street Journal

[An] outstanding work of historical fiction.” Huntington News

The Star of Istanbul has it all: history galore, exotic foreign settings, a world-weary yet engaging protagonist, villains in abundance and a romance worthy of Bogart and Bergman.” BookPage

"Double and triple crosses merge like lanes in a traffic roundabout, and . . . the novel commingles character-driven historical fiction with melodrama and swashbuckling action. Somehow . . . it all works; on one level, Butler is playing with genre conventions in an almost mad-scientist manner, but at the same time, he holds the reader transfixed, like a kid at a Saturday matinee." Booklist (starred review)

"Butler impresses with his exceptional attention to historical detail, particularly aboard the Lusitania." Publishers Weekly

Butler is an excellent observer of interior psychological detail . . . and his fine description of the Lusitania’s demise shows he can write action-packed scenes as well. . . . It’s a pleasure to watch Cobb clear away layer upon layer of scheming and disguises to expose some ugly truths about humanity.” Kirkus Reviews

While The Star of Istanbul meets the genre requirements for action and plotting, the precision and lyricism of Butler’s language, his incisive observations, his psychologically complex characters, and his understanding of the past lift this novel well into a genre of its own.” Arts Fuse

Butler’s grasp of history is excellent. . . . You will enjoy every new twist and turn in this spy game.” Arab Voice

[Butler’s] description of the aftermath of the attack on the Lusitania will leave you with your heart in your mouth. . . . Yet another remarkable work from an author who continues, at this advanced stage of his career, to surpass himself.” Bookreporter

Butler’s description of the sinking of the Lusitania is exceptional . . . . In Cobb, Butler has created an appealing hero.” Readers Unbound

"An exciting thriller with plenty of action, romance, and danger. . . . Fans of historical spy fiction will enjoy this fast-paced journey through a world at war." Library Journal

Edition details

• Publisher: Mysterious Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0802121578
• ISBN 13: 9780802121578
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384