The Messenger of Athens: A Novel (Seven Deadly Sins Mysteries)

by Anne Zouroudi | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0316069914 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingeponine38wing of Winchester, Massachusetts USA on 5/27/2017
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3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingeponine38wing from Winchester, Massachusetts USA on Saturday, May 27, 2017
Set on a small (fictional) Greek island in winter, this was a real page-turner. It lets us see a side of Greece that’s quite different from the sun-drenched, carefree impression of many tourists. Old traditions and beliefs are ingrained, with strict gender roles and the idea of family honor found in other countries a bit further east. The mystery is almost secondary to the sense of place and culture.
But the mystery itself is made more interesting by the enigmatic detective who arrives, uninvited, from Athens to solve it. Hermes Diaktoros, “the fat man”, has some quite unorthodox investigatory methods that add to the enjoyment of this book. He has a remarkable understanding of human nature, among other qualities.
Evidently each book in this series deals with one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and this one concerns Lust. Don’t want to give away the plot, so will leave it at that!

Amazon:
Idyllic but remote, the Greek island of Thiminos seems untouched by the modern world. So when the battered body of a young woman is discovered at the foot of a cliff, the local police--governed more by archaic rules of honor than by the law--are quick to close the case, dismissing her death as an accident.

Then a stranger arrives, uninvited, from Athens, announcing his intention to investigate further. Hermes's methods of investigation are unorthodox, and his message to the islanders is plain--tell the truth or face the consequences. But Hermes brings his own mystery into the web of dark secrets and lies. Who has sent him to Thiminos, and on whose authority is he acting?

Rich in images of Greece's beautiful islands and evoking a life unknown to most outsiders, this compelling novel leads the reader into a world where the myths of the past are not forgotten, and forbidden passion still has dangerous consequences.

Journal Entry 2 by wingeponine38wing at Panera Bread, 299 Harvard St. in Brookline, Massachusetts USA on Saturday, May 27, 2017

Released 6 yrs ago (5/27/2017 UTC) at Panera Bread, 299 Harvard St. in Brookline, Massachusetts USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Coming to today's meetup. Hope it finds a new reader!

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Journal Entry 3 by amyem at Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Caught at May 2017 Boston BookCrossers Meetup and planned for release at Work Book Sharing Shelf.

Journal Entry 4 by amyem at CfA Book Sharing Shelf in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Monday, June 5, 2017

Released 6 yrs ago (6/5/2017 UTC) at CfA Book Sharing Shelf in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Released to my work book sharing shelf

Journal Entry 5 by amyem at Panera Bread - Porter Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Saturday, February 24, 2018

Released 6 yrs ago (2/24/2018 UTC) at Panera Bread - Porter Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Planned for release at February 2018 Boston Bookcrossers Meetup

Journal Entry 6 by wingGoryDetailswing at Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Sunday, February 25, 2018
I claimed this handsome softcover at today's meetup in Cambridge. I don't think I've read any of this series - will see how it goes!

Later: Unusual spin on a typical murder mystery, with the enigmatic "fat man" detective (who's definitely hinted to be an avatar of Hermes the Messenger, though whether there's anything behind that or it's just Hermes' way of playing mind games I couldn't say) delving into a tragic death and unearthing a variety of infidelities, betrayals, hypocrises, and violence. He's not shy about using violence himself, and some of his scenes get pretty harsh; whether the worst malefactors get equivalent justice isn't always clear, but there's at least one case where I was highly pleased at the end result.

The narrative is deliberately distant, a third-person view mixed with first-person flashbacks - not always clear about which character's involved, at least at first - and always imbued with the sense of place.

Released 6 yrs ago (2/28/2018 UTC) at Christopher's Subs And Pizza, 264 Main Dunstable in Nashua, New Hampshire USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I left this in the customer-reading rack inside the sub shop; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2018 Keep Them Moving release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count release challenge, for the bird on the cover. See this year's GBBC here. ***

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