The Turkish Detective review: compelling mystery stitched into this thriller makes it worthwhile

The Turkish Detective (BBC Two, Sunday 9pm) is adapted from a bestselling thriller series by British author Barbara Nadel. She’s been cranking them out since 1999 and has explained she is drawn to the “crazy hustle and bustle” of Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, where the novels are principally set.

Adapted for the screen by the BBC, the show is an evocative introduction to the tumult of Istanbul – a megapolis on the fringes of Europe (just like the Continent’s other two largest cities, Moscow and London), where millenniums of history collide with the chaos of modern life.

Our entry point into this world in a fascinating first episode is Mehmet Suleyman (Ethan Kai), a British-Turkish detective reassigned from London to Istanbul (for reasons that are hand-waved away). He has his first “not in Kansas” moment immediately upon arrival as the wacky taxi driver who picks him up from the airport turns out to be his eccentric boss, Inspector Ikmen (Haluk Bilginer).

There isn’t much time for Mehmet to acclimatise to the pace of life in Istanbul. He’s barely landed when a student is murdered, and the investigation into her death pulls back the curtains on a conspiracy involving a local drug lord and a video game geek whose obsession with the victim has gone to a dark place.

Istanbul makes a fascinating backdrop. It helps that The Turkish Detective was filmed on location – which presumably explains why there is no mention of politics or the divisive leadership of Recep Erdoğan, the current president of Turkey.

But Irish viewers may wonder about the authenticity of the BBC’s portrayal of Turkey – and whether the broadcaster has bought any of the condescending flourishes that blighted the Women in the Wall, its Father Ted-esque retelling of the Irish mother and baby home scandal, or its adaptation of Vikram Seth’s North India-set A Suitable Boy, likewise accused of trading in stereotypes.

Only someone with first-hand knowledge of Turkey can speak to the accuracy of the series. As a thriller, though, the setting gives it a unique atmosphere, and the low-key Mehmet makes for an affable protagonist. He has his own issues, too – including a sister suffering memory loss who thinks she’s still in London and a journalist girlfriend whose reporting has earned her powerful enemies.

It’s wise to have Mehmet as centre of attention rather than the annoyingly volatile Ikmen. He’s a sort of Columbo of the Bosporus who delights in inflicting his unpredictability on everyone around him. He takes some getting used to. But the compelling mystery stitched into this thriller makes the effort worthwhile.