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Aristotle Socarides #4
Μανία καταβρόχθισης
Όταν οι ναυαγοσώστες φέρνουν έξω έναν τύπο που μοιάζει να έκανε βουτιά στη μηχανή του κιμά, τα πράγματα αρχίζουν να σκουραίνουν. Κι όταν βγαίνουν και κάτι άλλα πτώματα στην παραλία να κάνουν παρέα στις γιαγιάδες και τα παιδάκια, τότε ο Αριστοτέλης «Σοκ» Σοκαρίδης, δύτης, ψαράς κι όποτε τύχει ιδιωτικός ντετέκτιβ, καταλαβαίνει ότι δεν υπάρχει καιρός για χάσιμο. Αλλά τα πτώματα δεν είναι το μόνο σάπιο που υπάρχει στη Κουανζέτ. Ποια είναι εκείνα τα καλόπαιδα που προσπαθούν να στριμώξουν την Τίλι Τάλμποτ για να την κάνουν να πουλήσει την κατασκήνωσή της, κι ώς που φτάνει το «δόντι» τους στον δήμο και την πολιτεία; Και πόσο στραβός είναι ο δρόμος που' χει πάρει ο νεαρός ξάδελφος του ο Άλεξ; Όταν σκάει μύτη κι ένας φίλος απ' τα παλιά, ο Τζον Φλαγκ, πρώην κομάντο που τώρα κάνει περίεργες δουλειές για τη CIA, κι από κοντά του κάτι άλλα παλικάρια που κάνουν τη CIA να μοιάζει με ομάδα προσκόπων, το μπέρδεμα γίνεται πια τελείως... σουρεαλιστικό. Ως συνήθως, ο «Σοκ» βρίσκεται χωμένος στους μπελάδες μέχρι το λαιμό κι ακόμη παραπάνω. Μια λάθος κίνησή του μπορεί να θέσει σε κίνδυνο την εθνική ασφάλεια και να στείλει τον ίδιο να κάνει παρέα στα ψάρια. Πόσο ήσυχα κυλούν οι μέρες στην Κουάνζετ!
- GenresMystery ThrillerMystery
376 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1993
About the author
Paul Kemprecos
55 books104 followersMy fiction-writing career owes it start to the bad navigation of an 18th century pirate. For it was in 1717 that a ship, the Whydah went aground, reportedly carrying a fabulous treasure. In the 1980s, three salvage groups went head-to-head, competing to find the wreck. The controversy over the salvage got hot at times and I thought there might be a book in their story. I was working for a newspaper at the time.
I developed my own detective, an ex-cop, diver, fisherman, and PI named Aristotle “Soc” Socarides. He was more philosophical than hard-boiled. Making his first appearance in “Cool Blue Tomb,” the book won the Shamus award for Best Paperback novel. After many years in the newspaper business, I turned to writing fiction and churned out five more books in the series.
Clive Cussler blurbed: “There can be no better mystery writer in America than Paul Kemprecos.”
Despite the accolades, the Soc series lingered in mid-list hell. By the time I finished my last book, I was thinking about another career that might make me more money, like working in a 7-11.
Several months after the release of “Bluefin Blues,” Clive called and said a spin-off from the Dirk Pitt series was in the works. It would be called the NUMA Files and he wondered if I would be interested in tackling the job.
I took on the writing of “Serpent” which brought into being Kurt Austin and the NUMA Special Assignments Team. Austin had some carry-over from Soc, and another team member, Paul Trout, had been born on Cape Cod. The book made The New York Times bestseller list, as did every one of seven NUMA Files that followed, including “Polar Shift,” which bumped “The DaVinci Code” for first place.
After eight NUMA Files I went back to writing solo. I wrote an adventure book entitled, The Emerald Scepter, which introduced a new hero, Matinicus “Matt” Hawkins. I have been working on the re-release of my Soc series in digital and print, and in 2013, responding to numerous requests, I brought Soc back again in a seventh Socarides book entitled, Grey Lady. My wife Christi and I live on Cape Cod where she works as a financial advisor. We live in a circa 1865 farmhouse with two cats. We have three children and seven granddaughters.
To learn more about Paul Kemprecos, check out his website at http://www.paulkemprecos.com.
I developed my own detective, an ex-cop, diver, fisherman, and PI named Aristotle “Soc” Socarides. He was more philosophical than hard-boiled. Making his first appearance in “Cool Blue Tomb,” the book won the Shamus award for Best Paperback novel. After many years in the newspaper business, I turned to writing fiction and churned out five more books in the series.
Clive Cussler blurbed: “There can be no better mystery writer in America than Paul Kemprecos.”
Despite the accolades, the Soc series lingered in mid-list hell. By the time I finished my last book, I was thinking about another career that might make me more money, like working in a 7-11.
Several months after the release of “Bluefin Blues,” Clive called and said a spin-off from the Dirk Pitt series was in the works. It would be called the NUMA Files and he wondered if I would be interested in tackling the job.
I took on the writing of “Serpent” which brought into being Kurt Austin and the NUMA Special Assignments Team. Austin had some carry-over from Soc, and another team member, Paul Trout, had been born on Cape Cod. The book made The New York Times bestseller list, as did every one of seven NUMA Files that followed, including “Polar Shift,” which bumped “The DaVinci Code” for first place.
After eight NUMA Files I went back to writing solo. I wrote an adventure book entitled, The Emerald Scepter, which introduced a new hero, Matinicus “Matt” Hawkins. I have been working on the re-release of my Soc series in digital and print, and in 2013, responding to numerous requests, I brought Soc back again in a seventh Socarides book entitled, Grey Lady. My wife Christi and I live on Cape Cod where she works as a financial advisor. We live in a circa 1865 farmhouse with two cats. We have three children and seven granddaughters.
To learn more about Paul Kemprecos, check out his website at http://www.paulkemprecos.com.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 16, 2020
This is such a great series I really hope more people would pick up on it. This is another strong story that has our poor fisherman/detective chasing several issues at once. Nice flow to the story and great characters.
March 2, 2020
A little reminiscent of Jaws (the characters actually make references to the movies) but with a very different premise. Very faithful portrayal of Cape Cod.
If you like Philip Craig's books, you'll like this series, too.
If you like Philip Craig's books, you'll like this series, too.
September 14, 2021
Another great book jn this series! This time the author kept me guessing till the very end about what was attacking the swimmers on Quanset Beach. Great story. I just love reading about diving so this series is so up my alley!!! Can’t wait to see what Soc gets himself into next!!
August 3, 2024
Ωραία η ιστορία του Αριστοτέλη Σοκαριδη στην παραλία της Κουανζετ. Στηναρχη πήγαινε λίγο αργά αλλά σιγά σιγά αρχισε να έχει έναν ρυθμό. Πολλά πρόσωπα μπλέκονται αλλά βρήκα πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα την υπόθεση. Και όχι δεν είναι πολύ καλοκαιρινή αλλά είναι σχετικά ανάλαφρη και ότι πρέπει για χαλάρωση.
January 31, 2018
Great read
Soc solves another mystery and helps a couple people in tough spots. The mystery in their ocean gets solved as well
Soc solves another mystery and helps a couple people in tough spots. The mystery in their ocean gets solved as well
October 31, 2018
Great story. I have read Kemprecos before, but not without Cussler. Great Cape Cod setting and funny main character. Hope to read more PK in the future.
May 2, 2021
Great storytelling
This book has it all. Great big story with great little sub stories to go along. Great descriptions of Cape Cod.
This book has it all. Great big story with great little sub stories to go along. Great descriptions of Cape Cod.
July 10, 2026
Quick read very enjoyable. Great for a summer read at the beach
August 13, 2012
#4 in the Aristotle "Soc" Socarides series. I've deducted a half star because source of the wounds that baffle everyone (including commercial fisherman/detective, "Soc")was my first guess.
Aristotle "Soc" Socarides series - At Cape Cod's Quanset Beach a swimmer is badly mauled and dies from his injuries. "Soc" is baffled by the wounds. The selectmen vote to keep the beach open--until corpses start washing up. Tillie Talbot asks him to find out whether the official scrutiny her summer camp has recently come under is linked to a real estate agent's interest in the valuable beachfront property. John Flagg, an old friend and "spook", hires Soc to do a bit of diving on the quiet. Soc even finds time to help straighten out his cousin Alex, who has fallen in with a bad crowd.
Aristotle "Soc" Socarides series - At Cape Cod's Quanset Beach a swimmer is badly mauled and dies from his injuries. "Soc" is baffled by the wounds. The selectmen vote to keep the beach open--until corpses start washing up. Tillie Talbot asks him to find out whether the official scrutiny her summer camp has recently come under is linked to a real estate agent's interest in the valuable beachfront property. John Flagg, an old friend and "spook", hires Soc to do a bit of diving on the quiet. Soc even finds time to help straighten out his cousin Alex, who has fallen in with a bad crowd.
June 22, 2013
Really good read. The mystery of what was getting the swimmers was huge and really got the old Jaws fears going. Good thing I can recall the difference between fiction and fact. :-) amazing how Soc figured it out. I love the way he figures out puzzles. His resolutions to Tilly's problem was genius. Loved how he helped his cousin who didn't want help. Very enjoyable.
November 11, 2007
read 07.16.07
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews