Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff
Turkish Lieutenant Erdemoglu Selim, since he knows English, is called to interrogate a new prisoner in a Constantinople prison. It's 1807 and the prisoner is a female troublemaker named Delilah Dirk. She has a colorful background, having traveled to various countries and learned various acrobatics, sword-play, and other adventurer-type skills. She's in town to steal some ancient scrolls. As Selim reports to his commander, Delilah escapes her dungeon and grabs the scrolls and makes a run for it. Selim is sentenced to death. Since he aided her by his long-winded report of his interrogation, she saves him at the last minute and they head off together in search of adventures.
They have a surprisingly unromantic time as they go on their adventures. The adventures are just action and jokes--exciting action and funny jokes. Their friendship slowly builds over the book (I almost wrote "story," but the book is too episodic for that description). He settles down at one point and she goes on without him. Eventually he tires of a normal, boring life and seeks her out. They are reunited in hopes of more adventures to come.
The book is a fun adventure story and the two main characters are charming and light.
Recommended.
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