I am so hooked on this series! I love going on the search and artifact rescue missions with Omar and then going back in time to find out the real story on the artifacts! Always full of twists and turns and constantly keeps me guessing! H.B. Moore does an incredible job of telling the story from 3 different sides. And I loved how Naim and Omar worked together! What a great twist! ( )

Almost 500 years ago Sultan Suleyman of the Ottoman Empire conquers a small village in Poland. In the village, a woman captures his eye and he takes her as a slave. Aleksandra is not pleased with her new station in life and lets the Sultan know it, but she is also determined to survive, make the best of things and just might have an eye for the Sultan as well. Deemed Roxelane by the Sultan, Aleksandra quickly moves up in the hierarchy to the Sultan’s favored wife, lowering the status of his first two wives. In the present day, a growing society of Turkish Royalist have hatched a plot to bring rights back to the surviving descendants of the Royals, especially those of who they believe should be the rightful heirs, the descendants of Suleyman’s first born, Mustafa. The Royalists believe Roxelane had Mustafa killed in order to bring her own son to power, and now antiques have been discovered that might prove exactly that. The Royalists are now hunting down Roxelane’s descendants five hundred years later. However, one of the names on Roxelane’s side is Omar Zagouri, and he won’t be going down so easy, even if he has to work with the son of his enemy and descendant of Mustafa, Naim Bata.
Fast-paced and full of suspense, mystery, romance and history, the latest Omar Zagouri thriller is impressive. An intense story line is told through three points of view, Aleksandra and Suleyman in the 1500’s Ottoman Empire, Omar and Mia in the present and Naim and Leyla in the present. Most chapters end on their own little cliffhanger which kept me quickly flipping pages to see where each team’s story would go next. Like the past installments of Omar Zagouri, I have been more taken in by the historical side, Aleksandra and Suleyman’s story is no exception. Aleksandra was bold, determined and intelligent and Suleyman’s softer side was shown, their love story shone through the centuries. I also enjoyed learning about Sultan Suleyman, his wives, life in the harem and his kingdom. Naim and Leyla’s story reflected parts of Suleyman and Aleksandra’s story. And as always, Omar and Mia continue to impress with their daring feats and know-how. I can’t wait to read more from Omar!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

This had to be my favorite book in this series so far. I am really looking forward to many more. I love how two stories are woven together so well. I love Omar and Mia but I also loved Leyla and Niam also. Then there was the story of Roxelane, that was so good. Both stories blend so well together. I received an ebook copy from I am a reader for a fair and honest opinion. ( )

This novel is set in two time periods, the 16th century Ottoman Empire, and the contemporary Middle East. The modern mystery concerns the discovery of old letters that may confirm an ancient plot to murder the oldest son of Sultan Suleyman, with implications for the rightful heir to the throne of Turkey, which the royalists hope to reinstate. The four hundred year old murder mystery is resulting in modern murders. Leyla is a graduate student of the Suleyman era spending the summer in Istanbul in hopes of avoiding an arranged marriage, and has been hired to work on the old letters. Omar Zagouri is an Israeli agent and descendant of Suleyman. His old nemesis Naim is another descendant and acquaintance of Leyla's. The three of them end up joining forces to stop a series of murders perpetrated by an antique dealer who is passionate about restoring the monarchy to Turkey as its rightful ruler. Interspersed with the contemporary thriller is the story of Roxelane who becomes the powerful third wife of Suleyman, the supposed author of the letters.
The settings and subject of this book are fascinating. I would have wished for more polished writing and more meticulous copy editing. There are plots twists that just seem unbelievable. On the other hand, with news coming out of Turkey this month, the monarchy conspiracy does not seem so far-fetched. ( )