Some very sad news. German crime writer, playwright and author Jakob Arjouni has died of cancer at the age of 48.

Photo courtesy of Diogenes

Arjouni’s groundbreaking crime series featured the irrepressible Turkish-German P.I. Kemal Kayankaya. The first novel in the series, Happy Birthday, Türke (1986), was written when he was just nineteen. The third, Ein Mann, ein Mord / One Man, One Murder (1991), won the Deutscher Krimi Preis (German Crime Fiction Prize) in 1992. The fifth and final installment, Bruder Kemal / Brother Kemal, was published just last year.

Kayankaya was recently selected as one of Mark Lawson’s fifteen ‘literary detectives’ for the Radio 4 ‘Foreign Bodies’ series. Arjouni was interviewed in Berlin for the programme and spoke at length about his creation and the issues tackled in the books.

With thanks to Lauren for passing on this news.

Links:

‘Jakob Arjouni Dies’, Booktrade Info

Legendärer Krimi-Autor: Jakob Arjouni ist tot – Spiegel online (German)

‘Jakob Arjouni’s Turkish-German Kayankaya series’ – Mrs. Peabody post, Nov. 2012

The Kayankaya series in translation – No Exit Press

List of all Arjouni’s works – Diogenes Press (German)