Top 10 Novels Set in Turkey and the Ottoman Empire
Turkey has always stood at the crossroads — geographically, culturally, and politically. Its cities and landscapes have inspired authors for centuries, from Ottoman palaces to modern-day tea cafes, the country’s rich history, contradictions, and charisma make it a perfect literary setting. Whether you’re drawn to historical epics, political thrillers, or stories of everyday life, these ten novels (including my own debut, Sugar Beet) offer a tour through one of the world’s most fascinating places.
Snow by Orhan Pamuk
Set in Kars, Pamuk’s brooding novel follows a poet returning from exile who finds himself caught in a snowed-in city where political Islam, secularism, and personal history collide.
Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernières
Set in a fictional Anatolian village. A sweeping historical epic about love, war, and identity in the early 20th century, as the Ottoman Empire crumbles.
Buy on Amazon or ThriftBooks
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak
Set in Istanbul and San Francisco, Shafak weaves together two families—one Turkish, one Armenian American—through food, memory, and a shared legacy of silence.
Buy on Amazon
The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin
In 1836 Istanbul, a decade after the Janissaries were violently disbanded, Yashim the eunuch is tasked with solving a series of high-stakes mysteries—including the deaths of army officers, a murdered concubine, and stolen jewels—all tied to a deeper political conspiracy. Sherlock Holmes meets Ottoman court drama.
Buy on Amazon
The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk
Set in Istanbul, this is an eccentric love story that also functions as a social history of Istanbul from the 1970s to the 2000s. This is my favorite Pamuk book. It also is a literal museum in the Cukurcuma neighborhood of Istanbul, complete with artifacts from the story, such as the 4,000-plus cigarette butts smoked by Fusun, the protagonist.
Buy on Amazon
My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk
Set in 16th-century Istanbul, My Name Is Red is, to some, a dazzling blend of murder mystery, philosophy, and Ottoman miniature painting — told from wildly creative points of view. I find it tedious, but no Turkey novel list is complete without this Nobel Prize winner.
Buy on Amazon
Honour by Elif Shafak
Set in a Kurdish village and London. A powerful family drama dealing with honor culture, migration, and redemption.
Buy on Amazon
Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk
Memoir + Literary Travelogue. A dreamy, poignant memoir about growing up in Istanbul. Rich in nostalgia and visual detail. I loved the descriptions of Pamuk’s childhood home in Nisantasi.
Buy on ThriftBooks or Amazon
The Flea Palace by Elif Shafak
Set in a quirky apartment building in Istanbul. An ensemble cast of eccentric characters, full of wit and charm.
Buy on Amazon
Sugar Beet by Ezra Mannix
Set in D.C. and Istanbul, my debut novel is part satire, part action-adventure, and part coming-of-age story about Martin, a well-meaning but aimless college intern navigating the absurdities of international NGOs and Middle Eastern politics. Think Absurdistan meets The Reluctant Fundamentalist — with a twist of sugar beet conspiracy. (Okay, I’m biased. Maybe I’m not yet in the company of these titans of Turkey fiction, but hey, it’s my list!)
Buy on Amazon
Have you read any great novels set in Turkey? I’d love to hear your recommendations. And if you pick up a copy of Sugar Beet, let me know what you think!
