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The Pythagorean Solution
When American John Hammond arrives on the Aegean island of Samos, he is unaware of events that happened nearly six decades earlier that will embroil him in death and violence, and change his life forever. Late one night he finds Petros Vangelos, a Greek fisherman, lying mortally wounded in an alley. Hammond becomes the link between Vangelos and a Turkish tramp steamer that sank in a storm in 1942, carrying a fortune in gold and jewels. On board this boat, in a waterproof safe, are documents that implicate a German SS Officer in the theft of valuables from Holocaust victims and the laundering of those valuables by the Nazi’s Swiss banker partner.
- GenresFiction
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2003
76 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Badal
31 books135 followers"Joe Badal has had a varied and successful career. After 6 years as a decorated commissioned Army officer, having served in Vietnam and Greece, he had a long banking and finance career. He has had 18 suspense novels published: 4 stand-alones (The Pythagorean Solution, Shell Game, Ultimate Betrayal, and Payback); 7 books in the Danforth Saga (Evil Deeds, Terror Cell, The Nostradamus Secret,The Lone Wolf Agenda, Death Ship, Sins of the Fathers, and The Carnevale Conspiracy); 4 books in the Lassiter/Martinez Case Files (Borderline, Dark Angel, Natural Causes, and Everything To Lose); and 3 books in the Curtis Chronicles (The Motive, Obsessed, and Justice).
He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author and has received numerous awards, including being recognized as "One of The 50 Best Writers You Should Be Reading." He is a two-time winner of the Tony Hillerman Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year and has received multiple Gold Medals from the Military Writers Society of America. He was named Write of the year by the Military Writers Society of America in 2021. His books have received Finalist honors in the International Book Awards contest and in the Eric Hoffer Awards.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in International Finance and Business Administration, is a graduate of the Stanford University Law School's Director College, and of the Defense Language Institute, West Coast.
Joe has also written dozens of articles that have been published in a variety of business magazines and trade journals, and is a frequent speaker at business and writers’ events. His blog, Everyday Heroes, highlights individuals just like you who are confronted with a challenge and rise to the occasion."
He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author and has received numerous awards, including being recognized as "One of The 50 Best Writers You Should Be Reading." He is a two-time winner of the Tony Hillerman Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year and has received multiple Gold Medals from the Military Writers Society of America. He was named Write of the year by the Military Writers Society of America in 2021. His books have received Finalist honors in the International Book Awards contest and in the Eric Hoffer Awards.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in International Finance and Business Administration, is a graduate of the Stanford University Law School's Director College, and of the Defense Language Institute, West Coast.
Joe has also written dozens of articles that have been published in a variety of business magazines and trade journals, and is a frequent speaker at business and writers’ events. His blog, Everyday Heroes, highlights individuals just like you who are confronted with a challenge and rise to the occasion."
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 7, 2019
The overall story is actually solid. Former SpecOps guy looking to retire has a mystery and mysterious killers almost literally fall into his lap. Meets up with a cop and the murdered man's family to figure out what the hell was happening and why - and get a bit of payback. Formulaic? Yes. But there is a reason why authors go that route - it is successful.
Overall, this was marred by one scene in particular that I *really* wish Badal had found some other way of achieving similar character development. Would be a spoiler to describe it, but suffice it to say that many females may hate that scene even more than I did. Other than the one scene - and he *did* attempt to make up for it by using it to further the characters - it really was an enjoyable, fairly quick read. I was 33% in and didn't realize I had been reading that long.
Overall, this was marred by one scene in particular that I *really* wish Badal had found some other way of achieving similar character development. Would be a spoiler to describe it, but suffice it to say that many females may hate that scene even more than I did. Other than the one scene - and he *did* attempt to make up for it by using it to further the characters - it really was an enjoyable, fairly quick read. I was 33% in and didn't realize I had been reading that long.
January 7, 2018
A sunken ship, Greek islands, diving, a criminal Swiss-German banker and his henchman keep John, Zoe, Christo and Nick working hard to stay ahead of trouble--not always successfully.
This book actually turned out to be a good read, with lots of action and adventure.
Well worth the read.
This book actually turned out to be a good read, with lots of action and adventure.
Well worth the read.
November 4, 2011
I loved this book. It had wonderful action surrounding a great love story between a good man and a strong woman. I also read this book in hardcover format. The paperback version had been changed slightly and I liked that version better.
June 10, 2015
Pretty good read
I chose a high rating for two reasons: 1) the quality of the writing, and 2) the uniqueness of the plot. The book has just enough twists and turns to make it a page Turner, and for the most part stays within the bounds of reality.
I chose a high rating for two reasons: 1) the quality of the writing, and 2) the uniqueness of the plot. The book has just enough twists and turns to make it a page Turner, and for the most part stays within the bounds of reality.
July 26, 2015
The Pythagorean Solution
This was suspenseful, thrilling, and fast moving. The plot was very interesting, and on the sea. I liked the descriptions of Greece, actually making me feel I was there.
This was suspenseful, thrilling, and fast moving. The plot was very interesting, and on the sea. I liked the descriptions of Greece, actually making me feel I was there.
July 18, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It was hard for me to go about my daily tasks without wondering what was "going on" in the book while I was away from it!
I will definitely be reading more of this man's works! (10 more words required... hmmm..
moving on to The Shell Game, I guess.)
I will definitely be reading more of this man's works! (10 more words required... hmmm..
moving on to The Shell Game, I guess.)
May 29, 2015
What an exciting book!
The plot was great and the characters successfully evoked the emotional response the author intended. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Badal's writings.
The plot was great and the characters successfully evoked the emotional response the author intended. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Badal's writings.
August 7, 2015
A thriller.
One of those stories that keeps one up way too late in the night. Hard to put down. Enjoy the ride!
One of those stories that keeps one up way too late in the night. Hard to put down. Enjoy the ride!
March 7, 2016
If u r interested in adventures then u should read this book, it's not bad at all ... !!
February 27, 2018
I am lucky enough to be a judge in a reading competition here in NM and this was one of the books I had to judge. So good I requested a copy for my library.....
June 13, 2017
This has the makings of a really good thriller. I found the writing dragged a bit - nothing a good editor couldn't have spotted. I'll likely read others by the author.
I could have done without the gratuitous rape though. I'm getting more and more squeamish about this kind of stuff. Sure beat 'em up, blow 'em up, eviscerate them... but rape I can live without.
I could have done without the gratuitous rape though. I'm getting more and more squeamish about this kind of stuff. Sure beat 'em up, blow 'em up, eviscerate them... but rape I can live without.
September 18, 2021
The Pythagorean Solution
This book is one of better, interesting and well written, I’ve read in a long while. The story was well written and kept me intrigued. It felt as if I was in the pages of the story and living the story as I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!
This book is one of better, interesting and well written, I’ve read in a long while. The story was well written and kept me intrigued. It felt as if I was in the pages of the story and living the story as I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!
February 27, 2020
Starting chapter 5 - the male lead is full of himself, the female lead is absolutely gorgeous *cough cough* but dependant on her employer because she apparently has no self control and can't save money. Too much romance, no action or adventure yet. Not worth my time. Does Kindle give refunds?
Read
February 14, 2020Great in the edge of your seat read
I love Badal's writings . Glad I found him. Suspense and love and all in good taste. Go read it!
I love Badal's writings . Glad I found him. Suspense and love and all in good taste. Go read it!
July 20, 2021
This book is like a darker Clive Cussler novel, if Cussler was obsessed with Greece.
September 20, 2021
This book is an interesting read; however, the grammatical errors and at times implausible actions of the characters earned it only 3 stars.
January 29, 2017
Started off well, then trip and fell toward the end. Can just about see everything coming.
February 21, 2024
The premise seemed hype but some of the final scenes just did not need to be there, iykyk.
December 20, 2012
Having just divorced and sold his business, American John Hammond heads to Greece to soothe his battered soul. He had spent 18 months stationed there when he was in the army 30 years ago, and now he wants to see if he can recapture the magical feeling it once gave him. While heading back to his hotel on Samos, he comes upon an old man who had been shot. The man pleads with him to take his wallet and a map before he dies, and Hammond finds himself running from the gunmen. He reports the incident to the police and befriends Inspector Christo Panagoulakos, the pint-sized cop on the case. Christo takes John to meet the family of Petros Vangelos, the murdered man, and John is instantly taken with the dead man’s daughter, Zoe. Largely because of his attraction to her, John allows himself to be drawn into the Vangelos family drama.
The men who killed Vangelos were merely the hirelings of wealthy Swiss banking magnate, Franz Leidner, who had Vangelos murdered for the map Hammond took. The map shows the location of a 50-year-old wreck called the Sabiya lying somewhere on the floor of the Aegean. The ship went down in a storm carrying evidence of money laundering between Nazis and the Leidner family bank, and Leidner desperately needs that secret kept quiet. He is accompanied by sadistic Nordic beauty, Theo Burger, who had murdered his father and then seduced Franz to cement their relationship several years back. Theo hired the men who murdered Vangelos, then set them on Hammond to retrieve the map.
Thus begins the cat and mouse game of Leidner’s men chasing after Hammond and Zoe, and them escaping. They chase all over Samos on land and sea, evading the bad guys while solving the map’s riddle and finding the wreck. The story was fairly entertaining, and I liked the characters until, with less than 100 pages to go, the author apparently suddenly sustained a devastating blow to the head. That’s when the story started to get ridiculous. On page 324, the author injects himself into the story with an abrupt flip into the first person before flipping back to third in the next sentence. The author can’t be blamed for the many typographical errors, but really, someone over at the publisher should learn how to spell hers. (Hint: no apostrophe.) John blows up a $250,000 boat for no good reason in the midst of an absolutely ridiculous plan a third-grader would have shot down as stupid; the ever-vigilant Christo sends his brain out to lunch at a crucial moment and falls for the oldest ruse in the book—in the harbor, no less; and suddenly Leidner, who’s been relying on pairs of moronic thugs hired third-hand, has a regular legion of hirelings all over Samos. Theo Burger’s character seemed to exist simply to have a beautiful, sadistic female murderer in the cast, as it’s de rigueur in fiction these days. As a bizarre foil to these cartoonish elements, the bad guys are outrageously sadistic and cruel, and I didn’t care for what happened to Zoe, which crossed the line. In the end, everything is tied up in a nifty little bow and the wrongdoers are made to suffer with almost a little too much relish, as well.
In all, I didn’t hate it, but the last quarter did not fulfill the promises made earlier in the book. If I was Badal’s editor, I would have sent the last 100 pages back to do over, as they ruined an otherwise decent novel. I liked most of the book enough to possibly give him one more chance, though, and I would recommend the book to those readers who hate it when the villains are Americans, as every last bad guy in this book was Swiss.
The men who killed Vangelos were merely the hirelings of wealthy Swiss banking magnate, Franz Leidner, who had Vangelos murdered for the map Hammond took. The map shows the location of a 50-year-old wreck called the Sabiya lying somewhere on the floor of the Aegean. The ship went down in a storm carrying evidence of money laundering between Nazis and the Leidner family bank, and Leidner desperately needs that secret kept quiet. He is accompanied by sadistic Nordic beauty, Theo Burger, who had murdered his father and then seduced Franz to cement their relationship several years back. Theo hired the men who murdered Vangelos, then set them on Hammond to retrieve the map.
Thus begins the cat and mouse game of Leidner’s men chasing after Hammond and Zoe, and them escaping. They chase all over Samos on land and sea, evading the bad guys while solving the map’s riddle and finding the wreck. The story was fairly entertaining, and I liked the characters until, with less than 100 pages to go, the author apparently suddenly sustained a devastating blow to the head. That’s when the story started to get ridiculous. On page 324, the author injects himself into the story with an abrupt flip into the first person before flipping back to third in the next sentence. The author can’t be blamed for the many typographical errors, but really, someone over at the publisher should learn how to spell hers. (Hint: no apostrophe.) John blows up a $250,000 boat for no good reason in the midst of an absolutely ridiculous plan a third-grader would have shot down as stupid; the ever-vigilant Christo sends his brain out to lunch at a crucial moment and falls for the oldest ruse in the book—in the harbor, no less; and suddenly Leidner, who’s been relying on pairs of moronic thugs hired third-hand, has a regular legion of hirelings all over Samos. Theo Burger’s character seemed to exist simply to have a beautiful, sadistic female murderer in the cast, as it’s de rigueur in fiction these days. As a bizarre foil to these cartoonish elements, the bad guys are outrageously sadistic and cruel, and I didn’t care for what happened to Zoe, which crossed the line. In the end, everything is tied up in a nifty little bow and the wrongdoers are made to suffer with almost a little too much relish, as well.
In all, I didn’t hate it, but the last quarter did not fulfill the promises made earlier in the book. If I was Badal’s editor, I would have sent the last 100 pages back to do over, as they ruined an otherwise decent novel. I liked most of the book enough to possibly give him one more chance, though, and I would recommend the book to those readers who hate it when the villains are Americans, as every last bad guy in this book was Swiss.
July 25, 2011
Set in modern-day Greece, this thriller tantalizes with its appealing description of the wonderful scenery and food on the island Samos. Our hero stumbles across a murder upon arrival. After he is attacked, he meets the love of his life. He works with police to find his attackers, and eventually clues lead to a buried treasure. Good dialogue, suspenseful pacing - would make a great movie.
July 31, 2013
Totally cheesy and unrealistic in that everyone becomes BFFs in like a day
June 21, 2015
Pythagorean solution
For the most part it is pretty good, not too much obligatory sex, but too much violence that is beyond needed or believable.
For the most part it is pretty good, not too much obligatory sex, but too much violence that is beyond needed or believable.
November 19, 2015
Corny
Starts out with great suspense. After a few chapters it begins to read like a sappy romance novel. Didn't even bother to finish.
Starts out with great suspense. After a few chapters it begins to read like a sappy romance novel. Didn't even bother to finish.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews