The plot in Elliott Ackerman’s latest novel, Red Dress in Black & White pivots on a single day in Istanbul in November of 2013 when Catherine, an American, attempts to leave her Turkish husband, Murat, and flee to America with her son, William, and her lover, an American photographer named Peter. Each of these characters, together with Kristin, an American diplomat stationed in Istanbul, are protagonists in their own right, each with their own interests. The tension between these interests parallels the tension between political interests in Turkey that is Kristin’s concern as diplomat, and the tension between features in photographs and faces, Peter’s project in photography. The title of the novel comes from a photograph taken by Peter. The story alternates between the day in November 2013 and flashbacks that fill in backstory about the characters and their relationships, until the penultimate chapter, when the characters all confront each other’s interests. The final chapter flashes forward three years and shows the outcome of that confrontation and reveals one more surprise. The reviews are all positive, but not as effusive as I think they should be. This book is brilliant on many levels. Here’s what Kirkus Reviews says:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/elliot-ackerman/red-dress-in-black-and-white/
