Dark magic is unleashed on the streets of Istanbul . . .

When a newborn baby is found drowned in the shallow waters of the Golden Horn, all-out warfare threatens to erupt between rival criminal gangs. Inspector Kerim Gürsel is assigned to the case and he must tread carefully when DNA tests reveal that the baby's father is Görkan Pa?ahan, Istanbul's most feared Mafia boss. But the identity of the infant's mother is yet to be discovered . . .

Meanwhile, Çetin ?kmen and Mehmet Süleyman attend the winter festival known as Bocuk Gecesi, held on the darkest night of the year, and witness a magic trick whereby a young man, Emir Kaya, disappears. While ?kmen investigates how the illusion took place, Süleyman conducts a tortuous hunt for Emir Kaya that exposes a harrowing tale of depravation, betrayal and corruption where the bloodline of a child is worth killing for and everything has its price . . .

Praise for Barbara Nadel's novels:

'Complex and beguiling: a Turkish delight' Mick Herron

'?kmen is one of modern crime fiction's true heroes, complex yet likeable, and the city he inhabits - Istanbul - is just as fascinating' The Times

'Barbara Nadel's distinctive Istanbul-set Inspector ?kmen thrillers combine brightly coloured scene setting with deliciously tortuous plots' Guardian