Avni, a Turkish Sherlock Holmes

Before Cingoz Recai and Fakabasmaz Zihni there was Amanvermez Avni. A suave French, Greek and Armenian speaking detective with his sidekick Arif a creation of Ebu's Süreyya Sami.

Mavi Boncuk |
1912-The Turkish detective Avni begins work in Istanbul. His methods are heavily influenced by both Sherlock Holmes and Monsieur Lecoq, but in personality he is not like either of them. To the criminals of Istanbul he quickly becomes known as "Amanvermez Avni," or "Merciless Avni." (Ebu's Süreyya Sami's Avni novels, beginning in 1912).

Ciner Group's new publishing entity Merkez Kitapcilik published in january 2006 the first volume (ISBN 9759174154) of all ten stories. A scond volume will complete this interesting detective's adventures full of local color of Istanbul during the times of Abdulhamit II.

Erol Uyepazarci simplified the language for today's readers. Ebu's Süreyya Sami is now Ebussüreyya Sami. Think about competition. Emre Yayinlari also issued in February 2006 (ISBN: 9758496867) Avni's First book Korebe (this not Blindfold. There is a mysterious death of a healthy baby after delivery so it is a word play Kor-Ebe/Blind-Midwife).

Here is a little chronolgy of the fictitious life of Avni Amanvermez.

1877 Gavur Memet fathers a child, Avni, on a local Istanbul woman.In a story that takes place during 1909 Avni, the son of Gavur Memet and the descendant of Orlando, poses as "Sherloc Holmes" and aids Sultan Abdul Hamid II to suppress a rebellion. The Young Turks overthrow the Sultan later that year, and Avni is forced to disappear. In 1912. Avni, returned from hiding after the 1909 fiasco, is well-established in Istanbul as "Merciless Avni," the best private investigator in the city. 1914 finds Avni with his involvement with the intelligence service of the Ottoman Empire. Richard Hannay and "John Blenkiron" foil Avni's scheme.(1916) (From Greenmantle by John Buchan)

(From the "Avni" stories by Ebüssüreyya Sami and "Abdul Hamid and Sherloc Holmes" by Yervant Odian). See also Yervant Odian (b. Istanbul 1869, d. Cairo 1926) Article