INTRIGUE IN ISTANBUL is another winner in this delightful series. Readers who have not read the earlier books may be a tiny bit disoriented at first, but they'll catch on in no time. The author does a great job at unfurling the story like a ribbon. She sprinkles in delicious setting details that make the reader feel they are right there with the characters. In terms of the plot, you may have to suspend disbelief a tiny bit. I saw where some other reviewers said they were rolling their eyes, and I can't say I blame them. But you kind of know going in that this is a fun adventure-filled story, and it doesn't necessarily need to be the most realistic. Ultimately, this is a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.

I really enjoyed this latest installment in the story of Jane Wunderly and Redvers. The locations-- Boston, Istanbul and Hungary-- were all very well-realized and there was a great deal of lovely descriptive writing. Jane and Redvers are great characters and this book shows them getting to know each other better and moving towards their wedding. Aunt Millie is lots of fun and it was interesting to see Jane's father as well. A highly-recommended historical mystery.

Another fun, light mystery in the Jane Wunderly series.

This series has been pretty consistent in what it offers, so if you liked the previous Jane Wunderly books, you’ll likely enjoy this one too.

The stories are fun enough, though I find these to be a step down from the best of the subgenre. Despite the romanticized globetrotting themes and covers, the books aren’t great for atmosphere and sense of place, and the used of modern language makes them feel a bit inauthentic.

It makes the characters feel a bit inauthentic too, though they’re certainly likable enough, and the mystery itself was fine. And of course, the book covers for this series are exceptional.

Intrigue in Istanbul, the 4th Jane Wunderly Mystery from author Erica Ruth Neubauer, once again finds Jane and her love, Redvers, on a mysterious adventure in an exotic locale - this time Istanbul! Trying to track down her adventurous father before possible harm befalls him, Jane and Redvers, along with Millie and Lord Hughes, work with locals, (some of whom are a little on the shady side), to rush to the rescue. A fun cozy, I absolutely enjoyed it! A+

If you enjoy historical settings and exotic locations, you will love the “Jane Wunderly” mystery series. In the latest addition, Jane’s father has gone in search of The Sultan’s Heart in Istanbul. The relic has eluded archeologists for centuries, but Jane’s father is determined to find it. There’s just one problem: others are looking for the relic as well, and they are not above killing anyone who gets in their way.

Jane and Redvers come home to an empty house filled with dust and questions. Professor Wunderly is nowhere to be found, and Jane’s not the only one looking for him. So is the bank! Professor Wunderly took out a large loan and used Jane’s childhood home as collateral, and the bill has come due and payable; if not paid right away, they will lose everything. Jane figures out that her father has taken the loan money and ran off to Istanbul in search of The Sultan’s Heart, a relic that is supposed to hold mythical power. She and Redvers have no choice but to go in search of Professor Wunderly. Unfortunately, they run smack into intrigue and Aunt Millie. Their journey to find Jane’s father becomes dangerous when people keep showing up dead.

Intrigue in Istanbul has conspiracy, action, and a look at historical places and people. The Sultan’s Heart is a genuine relic and belonged to the very real-life Sultan Suleiman, and it has never been found. Istanbul is filled with these types of stories that, for us, modern-day people, are difficult to believe. In this story, Jane’s father is missing or kidnapped. Anyone who might help them find him seems to end up dead, with suspects at every turn. Evidence is buried in the past, and Jane must find the clues that will lead to her father. When the villain is revealed, readers may not be surprised, but they will be happy with the outcome. This is a thrilling story of international intrigue, historical myth and truth, and a delightfully fun adventure through time. I love this series and can’t wait to read the fifth book and see what Jane and Redvers get up to next.

This book was a joy, truly, the fact that the author paired this couple made me laugh, because from the beginning they caught me, the whole book is amazing and the characters are so well written.


I didn't know it was a series so now i want to read them all.

I have really liked this series - Jane is a great MC and the pairing of her and Redvers is both genius and hilarious and having them fall in love was just icing on the cake. They compliment each other so well and he is one of the rare men in these mysteries that doesn't treat their woman like a fragile china doll and often makes sure that Jane is IN the mix. How refreshing. I like also how Jane is taking her time with this relationship [even though they are engaged] after her disastrous first marriage [and wasn't HE a peach - UGH!!] and even though she trust Redvers, there is still a lot of hesitation as they move forward [full points again to Redvers in this department].

In this adventure, Jane and Redvers have just arrived in Boston to tell her father all about their engagement and find that he is gone, the house hasn't been lived in in quite some time and the bank is trying to repossess their house. NOT exactly the welcome Jane was anticipating, nor was the revelation that her father was Istanbul and that rather than resting at home, she and Redvers were back globe-trotting again.

I loved the descriptions of Istanbul. I have wanted to go there for years and this just triggered that all over again [and who wouldn't want to take a trip on the famed Orient Express?]. All the cool things that Jane and Redvers get to see [and I am sure Aunt Millie and her fiance see too, but they, thankfully, don't figure in the story that much. I am still not a huge fan of Aunt Millie] really adds to the story and it is a lot of fun, even while there is danger, death and the continued search for Jane's father.

My only complaint was the whole end/reveal. By the time they end up in Hungary, I had actually figured most of it out and so the reveal fell very, very, flat for me [though some of the stuff that happens DURING the reveal was really unexpected so that made it less...eye-rolling?? Okay, maybe that is harsh, but I cannot say I didn't roll them a couple of times] and felt kind of contrived. It was disconcerting as the rest of the book was genuinely so good and really took the book from 5 stars to 4. It didn't ruin the book for me by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a disappointing way to end a really good book.

All that said, I am happy I read this and I am really looking forward to the next book in Jane's adventures!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Erica Ruth Neubauer, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Historical mysteries are at the top of my "must be read" list. This series is uo there with the best of them. Set in 1926 and featuring Jane Wunderly and Redvers, a man of many secrets, the reader is treated to world travel and a well written puzzle to solve.
This time Jane and Redvers have traveled to her home town, Boston, to see her father and to introduce him to Redvers. Imagine her shock when she arrives at the family home and finds evidence that her father has gone missing. On top of that if he can't be located in three weeks, the family home will be lost. They make haste to get to Istanbul hoping to find him there. From there the plot thickens with Jane and Redvers wondering wondering who is friend and who is foe. From Turkey to Hungary the race is on with a ride on the famous Orient Express that includes a murder. Will Jane's father be found? What is the Sultan's heart that her father has spent decades trying to find? Who else wants it and is willing to kill for it? Let the adventure begin.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advasnce copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love this series because I get to travel the world in style. This time we’re on a train to Budapest after spending some time in Istanbul. The story grabbed me from the very beginning. I loved following along as Jane and Redvers tried to find Jane’s dad and the Sultan’s heart. The mystery was well-paced and the search was fascinating. I enjoyed everything about this and devoured it in one sitting. Highly recommended for those who like a good mystery or love to travel through books.

Intrigue in Istanbul
A Jane Wunderly Mystery #4
Erica Ruth Neubauer
Kensington Books
March 28, 2023

I discovered the Jane Wunderley series about a month ago and binged through the first three (Murder at Mena House, Murder at Wedgefield Manor, and Danger on the Atlantic). I have always been fascinated by the period between WWI and WWII when the world went through one cataclysmic event after another. First, the Great War was meant to be the "war to end all wars." Following that, the Great Depression, an economic disaster that took away the livelihoods of millions worldwide. Finally, the rise of fascism in Europe and the advent of WWII. For Jane Wunderly, the Great War ended a personal nightmare and set her on a path toward independence. Her sadistic first husband went off the war and never came back. Jane took back her maiden name and swore never to marry again. She has an opportunity to travel first to Egypt, then to England, and then a voyage back to America. Accompanying her is her annoying, alcoholic Aunt Millie. Millie has the money to travel, and Jane has always wanted to understand her aunt better. On that first trip to Egypt, she meets Redvers, a handsome and somewhat secretive English Englishman with a shadowy job with the British Government. Adventures with spies, assassins, and thieves ensue, and Redvers is always at her side. Jane is rethinking the single life.

Intrigue in Istanbul takes Jane and Redvers to Jane's childhood home in Boston. Redvers wants to present himself to her widower father, Henry, a historian. They discover an empty house, and nobody knows when or where he may have gone. While going through her father's mail, she finds that he has mortgaged their home for a large sum and is in arrears. The loan is due in just three weeks. Jane has an idea where he might be, however. He specializes in the history of Suleiman the Magnificent and has been obsessed with a storied object called the "Sultan's Heart." He has to be in Istanbul; she has a good idea of where he has lodged and some of his associates. As they reach Instanbul, she finds she has no idea what danger he has gotten himself into or of Redver's associates from his past there.

I am a fan of '30s and '40s movies that portray Americans abroad in a lighthearted and somewhat glamorous manner. Intrigue in Istanbul fits the bill very well. There are spies, assassins, and all sorts of colorful characters in an exotic and mysterious setting. It's a lot of fun and a perfect escape read. The author has visited the city and takes pains to be accurate. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy in return for an honest opinion.

As an obsessive fan of historical mysteries, I was "intrigued" by the title and looked forward to this new series to me. I was not disappointed and an anxious to go back and read the first 3 books in this series.

Jane and her fiance go to Boston to visit her father and from there the journey begins!
They travel to Turkey to follow in his footsteps and find him missing as he is on the hunt for a lost relic that might make him rich!

Interesting characters, murders, the Orient Express and a lot of intrigue and international goings on!
You will not be disappointed and enjoy the mystery!

1926 Mrs Jane Wonderly and her fiance Mr. Redvers have travelled to Boston to introduce him to her father, Professor Henry Wonderly. But he seems to be missing. They trace him to Istanbul, with his quest to find 'The Sultan's Heart'. But again on arriving there they found he has been missing for a week. They continue their search. At times I found it was difficult to like Jane.
But overall an enjoyable historical thriller, rather than a mystery. Another good addition to this series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is book four in Erica Ruth Neubauer’s Jane Wunderly series and this time Jane and Mr. Redvers are searching for Jane’s father who has vanished. Travelling to Istanbul they begin retracing her father’s footsteps and soon are off in a whirlwind of misdirection and falsehoods.

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the first three, this one didn’t quite do it for me. There' was something just too implausible. I loved the descriptions of the city through and it is well-written, easy to read. It's a three out of five on the enJOYment scale and I will be giving the next one a try!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 2.5 stars rounded up to 5. Intrigue in Istanbul starts after Jane and Redvers arrive in the US following a transatlantic crossing to find that her professor father is missing. A note left behind indicates that he traveled to Istanbul so off they go again to cross the Atlantic and this time the Mediterranean Sea. Time is of the essence since he took a loan against his house and there is only a short time left to pay it off without losing Jane's childhood home. Upon arrival, they check into the same hotel as her father and begin attempting to locate him. Jane's aunt also shows up along with her fiancé complicating matters. They find a colleague of her father who offers them insight into what her father was looking for. Unfortunately, he is killed and things become even more dangerous. The group ends up traveling via the Oriental Express to Hungary following her father's trail to obtain the heat of Suleiman that was removed following his death and believed to be burried somewhere in that country. I loved the descriptions of Istanbul and found it to be another character. There were a few new hints about Redvers that continue to wet my appetite to learn his entire backstory. I was reminded very much of the third Indiana Jones movie featuring Indy's dad and how he had to follow his dad in pursuit of of the Holy Grail. I am really enjoying this series and can't wait for the next installment.

Istanbul, 1926: After her archaeologist father makes a clandestine journey abroad, Jane and fiancé Mr. Redvers trace his footsteps while signs of danger loom back home in the United States. They’re greeted at their destination by Aunt Millie and unsettling news: Professor Wunderly was on a mission to locate the lost heart of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent—a legendary relic from the Ottoman Empire said to possess potent mystical powers—then vanished completely, leaving behind his unpacked luggage, a perplexing riddle, and an eerie mystery Jane must solve to keep her loved ones safe. What starts off as a clear-cut investigation becomes an intercontinental game of cat and mouse as Jane realizes a gang of nameless figures have been stalking her every move from Turkey to Hungary.
This is the fourth book in the series & whilst it could be read on its own I recommend reading in order to fully appreciate it as the author doesn’t give much backstory to the main characters. Thus a new reader may be a bit lost. I do like Jane & thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, it’s well written & the pace is good as are the descriptions. This could easily have been a five star read if there had been a bit more feel of the 1920’s to it. I do look forward to more of Jane’s adventures
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I have truly loved this series. I love an independent female protagonist regardless of the time era, I adore when an author can create a believable heroine. This book was very good but I did not enjoy it as much as some of the other books in the series. I felt that Jane was more jealous and not as independent as she typically is. It could be because they're engaged, I'm not sure. I love the exotic location, the descriptions were well defined, the characters, as usual were excellently figured out and believable. The plot was not as good as her typical pots in the past but I still loved it and I meant to a crush on her father who was quite endearing. I see that the next book of the series will be taking place at Christmas time, which I always enjoy seeing happen. It is a difficult time to write at because sometimes it can be very cliched. However, I do look forward to it because I have a very special place in my heart for the protagonist in this series.

Jane, newly engaged to Mr Redvers, is shocked to discover that her father sold up their assets and decamped for Istanbul on a quest for the Sultan's heart. Never one to ignore a challenge, she (and Mr Redvers) take off after him. Along with her aunt and her aunt's fiance, they all go on the hunt but discover there's more to the story than any of them have been told AND that he's not the only one chasing the heart. This is the latest in a genial historical mystery series but it will be fine as a standalone. Those who've been following along will be pleased to see the growth in the romantic relationship. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not too complicated and fun.

I didn't realize this is the 4th book in a series before I started it, but that did not keep me from enjoying the story.
Set in 1926, Jane Wunderly has returned home to introduce her father to her fiance, Redvers, only to discover that her father obtained a large loan from their bank, putting Jane's childhood home up as collateral, and disappeared to Istanbul in search of the lost heart of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Determined to keep her home from being repossessed, Jane and Redvers head for Istanbul to get the money back. Upon their arrival, however, they discover that her father has gone missing and they are being followed. As Jane and Redvers get closer to finding out what happened to Professor Wunderly, they realize that there are others who will kill for the Sultan's heart.
The story is well plotted and told at a good pace, full of intrigue, and descriptions of Istanbul that make you want to pack your bag. Jane Wunderly is a strong, smart woman who doesn't let the men get all the action.

Intrigue in Istanbul is the fourth outing for Erica Ruth Neubauer’s Jane Wunderly. I was originally introduced to Jane in the first mystery several years ago and found the mystery enjoyable. I will say that you do not have to have read the first three books in the series in order to enjoy this volume, but it would help with the characterization of some of the principal characters.

I love a good historical mystery done well, and the Jane Wunderly Mysteries seem to have hit their stride with this volume. Jane and her fiancé’ Redvers have arrived in Boston to find her father missing. It appears he’s taken out a large loan out on the house and payment is due in just a few short weeks. Jane pieces together the clues to her historian father’s research and realizes he’s gone to Istanbul with the cash advance, so she and Redvers follow him.

Of course, once arriving in Istanbul, with her Aunt Millie and her fiancé’ in tow, Jane and Redvers find her father’s boarding room empty, his luggage left behind and no sign of the massive amount of money her borrowed from the bank. But at a local restaurant near the hotel, they find a woman who knew Jane’s father, Henry quite well. Unnervingly well, in Jane’s opinion. As she grapples with the fact that her father may have romantic feelings for someone other than her long-dead mother, she looks for clues to her father’s whereabouts. Redvers sleuthing skills reveal that they are being followed wherever they go.

Jane frequently shivers or gets the chills in fright, and despite having been around murders several times now, it seems like she hasn’t developed a thicker skin. A minor complaint, to be sure, however there were times where she lets Redvers take the lead while she patiently waits for answers to just drop in her lap.

The rest of the book is a series of following clues, stepping over a dead body or two, evading their pursuers, and finding Jane’s father. But will they find the lost heart of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent–a relic from the Ottoman Empire that alleges to have mystical powers? And will Jane and her father lose their Boston home to the bank? You’ll just have to read the book for yourself to find out.

Now I’m going back to read volumes 2 and 3 in the series to find out more about Jane’s betrothed, Redvers. And look forward to future adventures with Jane Wunderly.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.5/5 Stars!

The protagonist Jane Wunderly, goes through a lot in this book. She, along with her fiancee, her aunt and aunt's fiancee goes to find her missing father. It seems that her father was on the trail of finding an artifact, worth a lot of money.

The characters, setting, and mystery made this book an awesome read for me. Murder, an artifact, a missing family member, travel/adventure made the book exciting. While this book can be read as an standalone, but I recommend checking out the other entries in this series.

As I read the book, I couldn't help but feel as though I was watching a movie or even one of Agatha Christie's works. The amount of details and descriptions made the story come to life for me. The author, Erica Ruth Neubauer does a wonderful job with this book. I really recommend readers check out this book, especially if they are historical mysteries fans.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGallery for giving me a digital copy of this book for my review. Here's to the next book in the series!