The men gathered around to inspect the contents of the hefty duffel bag, their Balkan accents almost as thick as their necks. They spoke in low voices, their heavy brows creased as they plotted and schemed. The silver-white sun beat down on their broad, sweaty backs."So, as we agreed, yes?" Lefty said. "We have a deal, right?"
The first thug continued to rifle through the bag, holding up individual items, rotating and inspecting them in his grubby hands before moving on to the next. He suddenly stopped his examination and looked up at Lefty with dark, suspicious eyes.
***
Burnt-out from police work, recently divorced and mourning the death of his father; Detective Sergeant George Manolis flies to Greece to reconnect with his roots.
Arriving in the Prespes region, a picturesque backwater straddling Greece, Albania and North Macedonia, he learns of the disappearance of his old friend Lefty - an "invisible" who lives without a scrap of paperwork. The police and certain locals believe he merely absconded, while others suspect foul play.
Reluctantly, Manolis agrees to work undercover to find him, delving into the complicated relationships of a tiny village where grudges run deep and even the landscape itself seems determined to keep its secrets buried.
It soon becomes clear that Lefty had made some powerful enemies and was in over his head in every possible way. With the clock ticking, the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the present, as Manolis's investigation leads him to uncover a dark and long-forgotten tradition.
***
When I began reading this book, I had not realised that it was the second in a series. However, it worked perfectly as a stand alone novel and I enjoyed it immensely.
I have read books set in Greece previously but they have been a lying on the beach in the sunshine type novel. This was completely different and much darker and depicted a side of the country of which I was not aware.
The author sets the scene perfectly, describing the culture, history and traditions of Greece in an unhurried manner which was perfect for this book. It is not a fast paced crime mystery. Instead, we join the main character as he inserts himself into the life of the village and familiarises himself with it's residents. Consequently, the reader feels that they are getting to know them alongside him.
Twists and turns are minimal and I enjoyed the meander through this part of Greece upon which the author takes his readers. Having said that, there was a nicely satisfying twist at the end which I had not anticipated.
If you like your crime books to be full of car chases and excitement then this book probably is not for you. However, if like me, you enjoy accompanying the main character and seeing a place and crime through his eyes then you will enjoy this book.
I heartily recommend it and have already ordered a copy of the first book in the series, The Stoning.
ISBN: 978 1529424423
Publisher: MacLehose Press
No. of Pages: 313
About the Author:
Peter Papathanasiou was born in northern Greece in 1874 and adopted as a baby to an Australian family. His first book, a memoir entitled Son of Mine, was published in 2019. Peter's writing has otherwise been published by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Seattle Times, the Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Good Weekend, ABC and SBS. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from City, University of London; a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Australian National University (ANU); and a Bachelor of Laws from ANU specialising in criminal law. The Invisible is the second in the DS Manolis Investigations, which began with The Stoning.
(Thank you to the publisher for an ARC)
