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DS George Manolis #2
The Invisible
"Outback noir has a new star" The Times
Burnt-out from policework, Detective Sergeant George Manolis flies from Australia to Greece for a holiday. Recently divorced and mourning the death of his father, who emigrated from the turbulent Prespes region which straddles the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia, Manolis hopes to reconnect with his roots and heritage.
"A brilliant new name in Australian crime" Weekend Australian
On arrival, Manolis learns of the disappearance of an 'invisible' - a local man who lives without a scrap of paperwork. The police and some locals believe the man's disappearance was pre-planned, while others suspect foul play. Reluctantly, Manolis agrees to work undercover to find the invisible, and must navigate the complicated relationships of a tiny village where grudges run deep.
"Papathanasiou writes unsparingly, confidently, and compellingly" The Quietus
It soon becomes clear to Manolis that he may never locate a man who, for all intents and purposes, doesn't exist. And with the clock ticking, the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the events of today as Manolis's investigation leads him to uncover a dark and long-forgotten practice.
"Detective Sergeant George Manolis is a great new addition to the Australian crime scene" EMMA VISKIC, award-winning author of the Caleb Zelic crime series
Burnt-out from policework, Detective Sergeant George Manolis flies from Australia to Greece for a holiday. Recently divorced and mourning the death of his father, who emigrated from the turbulent Prespes region which straddles the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia, Manolis hopes to reconnect with his roots and heritage.
"A brilliant new name in Australian crime" Weekend Australian
On arrival, Manolis learns of the disappearance of an 'invisible' - a local man who lives without a scrap of paperwork. The police and some locals believe the man's disappearance was pre-planned, while others suspect foul play. Reluctantly, Manolis agrees to work undercover to find the invisible, and must navigate the complicated relationships of a tiny village where grudges run deep.
"Papathanasiou writes unsparingly, confidently, and compellingly" The Quietus
It soon becomes clear to Manolis that he may never locate a man who, for all intents and purposes, doesn't exist. And with the clock ticking, the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the events of today as Manolis's investigation leads him to uncover a dark and long-forgotten practice.
"Detective Sergeant George Manolis is a great new addition to the Australian crime scene" EMMA VISKIC, award-winning author of the Caleb Zelic crime series
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2022
31 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Peter Papathanasiou
13 books42 followersPeter Papathanasiou was born in northern Greece in 1974 and adopted as a baby to an Australian family. His debut book, a memoir, was published in 2019 as "Son of Mine" by Salt Publishing (UK) and "Little One" by Allen & Unwin (Australia). His debut novel, a work of crime fiction, was published in 2021 as "The Stoning" by MacLehose Press (UK) and Transit Lounge (Australia), and in 2022 by Polar Verlag (Germany). Peter's writing has otherwise been published by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Seattle Times, The Guardian UK, 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 Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences from The Australian National University (ANU); and a Bachelor of Laws from ANU specialising in criminal law.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 16, 2022
Having loved The Stoning by Peter Papathanasiou, this follow up came as a surprise to me, it is not set in Australia. Instead it has DS George Manolis suffering from burnout and PTSD after the tragic consequences of a inner city police raid, this has his boss, DI Paul Porter, insisting he take a holiday break. This provides George with an opportunity to reconnect with his family roots and travel to Greece, to his little known family rural hometown region of Prespes, with it's two lakes, bordering Albania and North Macedonia, where locals exist in what now seems to be a bygone era, without the internet and mobile phone signals, and little interaction with the outside world. This provides George with the opportunity to live a simpler, slower existence and find some healing, particularly as he finds himself immersed in the life of a labourer, as he works undercover trying to discover what happened to the missing Lefty.
It is possible in this part of Greece, for a person like Lefty to be an invisible, almost impossible in today's modern world, living without a scrap of official paperwork, and relying on the fakelaki, the stuffed envelope that greases palms to secure services and whatever else is required. This makes it difficult for the local police to launch an investigation into his disappearance, as far as they are concerned, he does not exist. As George makes his inquiries, Lefty turns out to be formidable in both his presence and his absence, with people believing he has either left under his own steam or that there is a more sinister explanation. George finds himself becoming more closely acquainted with the history of the region, the terrors of WW2 and the even more devastating impact of the horrors of the Greek Civil War that deprived the region of an entire generation of children and from which it has never recovered. Will George find the truth of what happened to Lefty before he returns home?
Papathanasiou provides fascinating insights into a part of Greece I have virtually no knowledge of, its history, culture, villages that appear to be idyllic but below the surface are a hotbed of long held feuds and conflicts, and a way of living that is fast dying out,. There is the abundant wildlife, including deadly snakes and dangerous bears, the folklore, the Romani that believe the land to be cursed. There are illegal immigrants, like Roze and the Syrian, Zain, in search of a better future, blackmarket smugglers, treasure hunters, sworn virgins and secrets buried deep. It was good to see George gain some recovery from the crushing weight of his guilt and PTSD. This was a wonderful, if unusual, addition to this series, and one which I found informative and educational. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
It is possible in this part of Greece, for a person like Lefty to be an invisible, almost impossible in today's modern world, living without a scrap of official paperwork, and relying on the fakelaki, the stuffed envelope that greases palms to secure services and whatever else is required. This makes it difficult for the local police to launch an investigation into his disappearance, as far as they are concerned, he does not exist. As George makes his inquiries, Lefty turns out to be formidable in both his presence and his absence, with people believing he has either left under his own steam or that there is a more sinister explanation. George finds himself becoming more closely acquainted with the history of the region, the terrors of WW2 and the even more devastating impact of the horrors of the Greek Civil War that deprived the region of an entire generation of children and from which it has never recovered. Will George find the truth of what happened to Lefty before he returns home?
Papathanasiou provides fascinating insights into a part of Greece I have virtually no knowledge of, its history, culture, villages that appear to be idyllic but below the surface are a hotbed of long held feuds and conflicts, and a way of living that is fast dying out,. There is the abundant wildlife, including deadly snakes and dangerous bears, the folklore, the Romani that believe the land to be cursed. There are illegal immigrants, like Roze and the Syrian, Zain, in search of a better future, blackmarket smugglers, treasure hunters, sworn virgins and secrets buried deep. It was good to see George gain some recovery from the crushing weight of his guilt and PTSD. This was a wonderful, if unusual, addition to this series, and one which I found informative and educational. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
May 30, 2023
After a great debut with The Stoning,I was looking forward to this one, but it was a disappointment. The story´s drawn out and while at the end it addesseses serious issues, it fell flat to me. More family/village drama than real mystery. I also think if an author wants to place his MC in a different setting,and pursuing family roots, it should be done later in the series.
Hope it´s like Dervla McTiernan´s second book syndrome (I loved the first, didn´t care for the second,loved the third one) because this author has potential. An extra star because of that,and because Manolis is an animal lover.
Hope it´s like Dervla McTiernan´s second book syndrome (I loved the first, didn´t care for the second,loved the third one) because this author has potential. An extra star because of that,and because Manolis is an animal lover.
August 15, 2023
This is the second book featuring DS George Manoulis and follows on reasonably soon after the investigation chronicled in The Stoning. Manolis is traumatised by a shooting while on a job back in Sydney and decides he needs a break. A return to Greece appears to be the perfect chance to recharge and recover. The pace of The Invisible is slower with a greater emphasis on providing rich detail about the beautiful but troubled Prespes region of northern Greece.
Although Manolis’ plan was to reconnect with his father’s homeland and to return a set of worry beads, a family heirloom, to an old friend named Lefteris (Lefty) he finds himself drawn into a secret search for the man who appears to have gone missing. His good friend Stavros believes that Lefty, who sometimes operates outside the law, particularly when moving goods across the nearby borders, may have met with some kind of foul play.
Manolis agrees to help try to find Lefty, but how do you find someone who, officially, doesn’t exist?
“Stavros went on to describe how Lefty was what Greeks called ‘an invisible’ - someone who lived without a scrap of official paperwork. The Florina police didn’t have a single record of him in their system, even though he was someone with whom they often spoke, socialised and did business. No-one had any record. Not a government office or a hospital or a private corporation or a charity or even the local public library.”
In the search for the missing Lefty, Manolis uncovers a great deal about many of the villagers of Glikonero. The unrest that comes from living so near the borders of Albania and North Macedonia, the traditions of sworn virgins, the prevalence of smuggling and the way in which the disabled are treated within the community all form crucial parts of a complex puzzle he slowly builds.
This book marks a complete change of pace by Papathanasiou by taking Manolis out of the rural Australian locale in which The Stoning was set and plonking him in a vastly different situation in the north of Greece. The clandestine investigation itself is a rather ponderous, halting affair with little in the way of progress made for significant stretches. But this doesn’t mean it wasn’t interesting or compelling. On the contrary, the deep embrace of the culture of the area combined with the unusual hidden stories of some of the local people and the beautiful landscape all shine. Add to that a few nasty encounters with some of the local wildlife and there’s a lot going on that simply entertains.
Peter Papathanasiou has managed to introduce me to a region of Greece, its history and culture, all of which I knew nothing about and, to be honest, had no interest in, and it had me fascinated and curious to learn more.
There were many aspects involved in the course of The Invisible that combined to make this a particularly enjoyable novel. The mystery, although pushed into the background for the most part, turns out to be one of the most thought provoking parts of all.
Although Manolis’ plan was to reconnect with his father’s homeland and to return a set of worry beads, a family heirloom, to an old friend named Lefteris (Lefty) he finds himself drawn into a secret search for the man who appears to have gone missing. His good friend Stavros believes that Lefty, who sometimes operates outside the law, particularly when moving goods across the nearby borders, may have met with some kind of foul play.
Manolis agrees to help try to find Lefty, but how do you find someone who, officially, doesn’t exist?
“Stavros went on to describe how Lefty was what Greeks called ‘an invisible’ - someone who lived without a scrap of official paperwork. The Florina police didn’t have a single record of him in their system, even though he was someone with whom they often spoke, socialised and did business. No-one had any record. Not a government office or a hospital or a private corporation or a charity or even the local public library.”
In the search for the missing Lefty, Manolis uncovers a great deal about many of the villagers of Glikonero. The unrest that comes from living so near the borders of Albania and North Macedonia, the traditions of sworn virgins, the prevalence of smuggling and the way in which the disabled are treated within the community all form crucial parts of a complex puzzle he slowly builds.
This book marks a complete change of pace by Papathanasiou by taking Manolis out of the rural Australian locale in which The Stoning was set and plonking him in a vastly different situation in the north of Greece. The clandestine investigation itself is a rather ponderous, halting affair with little in the way of progress made for significant stretches. But this doesn’t mean it wasn’t interesting or compelling. On the contrary, the deep embrace of the culture of the area combined with the unusual hidden stories of some of the local people and the beautiful landscape all shine. Add to that a few nasty encounters with some of the local wildlife and there’s a lot going on that simply entertains.
Peter Papathanasiou has managed to introduce me to a region of Greece, its history and culture, all of which I knew nothing about and, to be honest, had no interest in, and it had me fascinated and curious to learn more.
There were many aspects involved in the course of The Invisible that combined to make this a particularly enjoyable novel. The mystery, although pushed into the background for the most part, turns out to be one of the most thought provoking parts of all.
September 12, 2022
4.5★s
The Invisible is the second novel in the DS Manolis Investigations series by Greek-born Australian author, Peter Papathanasiou. Forced to take leave due to PTSD, George Manolis heads to the tiny northern Greek village of Glikonero: an opportunity to reconnect with his father’s homeland, to catch up with his friend, Stavros, to fulfil his promise to deliver his father’s heirloom set of komboloi to his old acquaintance, Lefteris, and maybe to track down his long-lost Aunt Polly.
But Stavros tells him Lefty is missing. Lefty is an invisible: completely undocumented, and the Greek police aren’t concerned, Lefty is merely absent. Constable Yiannis remarks “how do you find someone who doesn’t want to exist, let alone be found?” Manolis remembers Lefty as charismatic rascal, a shady but loveable hustler, but Stavros is convinced he did not leave of his own accord. Manolis agrees to try to find him.
Working as a labourer fixing up Lefty’s cottage is not only a great cover, it is also therapeutic, and allows Manolis chat to villagers and explore the nearby woods, lake and island. He tries to subtly enquire about Lefty, and learns that, despite his popularity with the elderly villagers who relied on him, not everyone felt that way. Glikonero is a village of feuds and long-held grudges. And in the village of Eleftheria, he was considered a conman and thief.
Manolis soon decides that a myriad of possibilities could account for Lefty’s absence: he might have gone to Lesbos, as he told neighbours; he may, on his frequent walks through the woods, have fallen in a deep cave or mineshaft, stepped on an unexploded mine, or been attacked by a bear, wolf or another predator; he may be the victim of foul play in the course of selling black market goods or smuggling across the border in Albania or North Macedonia; he may have been abducted while hitchhiking between towns; he might have drowned in the lake, been a victim of a poisonous viper on the island, shot by a hunter… the list goes on.
Lefty’s cottage yields nothing at a cursory glance, but a more thorough search turns up some enigmatic clues including a euro-stuffed toolbox, some forged passports and a duffle bag of weapons. But nothing points to where he has gone. Before Manolis gives up looking, he has encounters with several quirky villagers, a group of Romani, and some illegal immigrants as well as snakes, bears, and scorpions; just which of these is more dangerous might be debatable.
Papathanasiou’s setting feels highly authentic, and his fondness of the region and her people is apparent with every line of his descriptive prose; his characters and their dialogue are credible; and some scenes, like the negotiation with the Eleftheria villagers over the stolen cash, and the snake-bite scenario, are blackly funny.
As well as the mystery of Lefty’s disappearance, the story touches on graft and corruption rife in official circles, sworn virgins, the mass removal of children following the civil war, the treatment of mentally and physically disabled children and, of course, the difficulty associated with locating an invisible. This is atmospheric crime fiction with an excellent twist in the final pages.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by MacLeHose Press
The Invisible is the second novel in the DS Manolis Investigations series by Greek-born Australian author, Peter Papathanasiou. Forced to take leave due to PTSD, George Manolis heads to the tiny northern Greek village of Glikonero: an opportunity to reconnect with his father’s homeland, to catch up with his friend, Stavros, to fulfil his promise to deliver his father’s heirloom set of komboloi to his old acquaintance, Lefteris, and maybe to track down his long-lost Aunt Polly.
But Stavros tells him Lefty is missing. Lefty is an invisible: completely undocumented, and the Greek police aren’t concerned, Lefty is merely absent. Constable Yiannis remarks “how do you find someone who doesn’t want to exist, let alone be found?” Manolis remembers Lefty as charismatic rascal, a shady but loveable hustler, but Stavros is convinced he did not leave of his own accord. Manolis agrees to try to find him.
Working as a labourer fixing up Lefty’s cottage is not only a great cover, it is also therapeutic, and allows Manolis chat to villagers and explore the nearby woods, lake and island. He tries to subtly enquire about Lefty, and learns that, despite his popularity with the elderly villagers who relied on him, not everyone felt that way. Glikonero is a village of feuds and long-held grudges. And in the village of Eleftheria, he was considered a conman and thief.
Manolis soon decides that a myriad of possibilities could account for Lefty’s absence: he might have gone to Lesbos, as he told neighbours; he may, on his frequent walks through the woods, have fallen in a deep cave or mineshaft, stepped on an unexploded mine, or been attacked by a bear, wolf or another predator; he may be the victim of foul play in the course of selling black market goods or smuggling across the border in Albania or North Macedonia; he may have been abducted while hitchhiking between towns; he might have drowned in the lake, been a victim of a poisonous viper on the island, shot by a hunter… the list goes on.
Lefty’s cottage yields nothing at a cursory glance, but a more thorough search turns up some enigmatic clues including a euro-stuffed toolbox, some forged passports and a duffle bag of weapons. But nothing points to where he has gone. Before Manolis gives up looking, he has encounters with several quirky villagers, a group of Romani, and some illegal immigrants as well as snakes, bears, and scorpions; just which of these is more dangerous might be debatable.
Papathanasiou’s setting feels highly authentic, and his fondness of the region and her people is apparent with every line of his descriptive prose; his characters and their dialogue are credible; and some scenes, like the negotiation with the Eleftheria villagers over the stolen cash, and the snake-bite scenario, are blackly funny.
As well as the mystery of Lefty’s disappearance, the story touches on graft and corruption rife in official circles, sworn virgins, the mass removal of children following the civil war, the treatment of mentally and physically disabled children and, of course, the difficulty associated with locating an invisible. This is atmospheric crime fiction with an excellent twist in the final pages.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by MacLeHose Press
September 11, 2022
Discover the locations in the novel
This book has one of the most fascinating settings and locations that I have come across in a long while. We are taken to an area where the author has a really keen and unique insight. It’s the border of Greece, Macedonia and Albania and it’s a fascinating region I’ve never read about before. Not in a crime novel at least!
This place has some stories to tell. Peter evokes the culture and history, the way of living, the flora and fauna and of course the legends too.
The first book in this series, The Stoning, was firmly set in Australia. Taking DS George Manolis out of his adoptive country back to his original one was a genius idea. It brought up so many complex and interweaving emotions, stories and complexities. George heads ‘ back home’ for a holiday following the events of book one but to be fair, it’s not much of a holiday. Poor man. He’d have been better of staying in Cobb.
However, for the reader, be happy that the author has a dark streak and likes to torture his characters. George travels to the Prespes region where life seems to have stayed still. It’s a bit like that village in Stephen King’s The Dome where no one can get in or out. George, trapped here for a while, becomes involved in an investigation to find someone who has gone missing.
That’s where the title comes in – The Invisible – which is anyone who is an illegal, with no paperwork and no identity. The authorities don’t care. This is a part of the world where history, borders, divisions and legends make it a fractured and dangerous place. Great place for a novel though! The author has done wonders to bring this region to the fore. There’s so much detail – smuggling, war, criminals, legends and the struggles of the people outlined here but you never feel overwhelmed by it all. Peter P is one skilled author.
July 26, 2022
Review to follow
September 2, 2022
I was incredibly impressed with this author’s debut ‘The Stoning‘ a while back and was really looking forward to more. It all started incredibly well, with the reintroduction of Sparrow which put a smile on my face, and an exciting raid. The latter unfortunately didn’t end so well and DS Manolis has been diagnosed with suffering from PTSD and has kindly been asked to take a long vacation. Manolis decides to go back to his roots, to the Prespes region in Greece, where his father emigrated from. Upon his arrival, he learns of the disappearance of a man known as Lefty. Lefty is what they call an invisible. Someone who lives without a shred of paperwork. And also someone who is of little interest to the local police. How do you even look for a man who doesn’t exist?
Well, apparently Manolis doesn’t know either and this is where I’m sad to say ‘The Invisible‘ started to lose me. It felt like I was on holiday myself. It’s all rather calm and laid-back. There’s a lot of food and drinking. What you’d maybe expect from a break in Greece. But that also means, a severe lack of tension and suspense that I so desperately need in my crime fiction.
Lefty’s disappearance seems extremely secondary in the storyline. It’s a mystery that needs solving but I almost completely forgot about it at some point as Manolis is far more interested in the lifestyle, his heritage and maybe possibly finding a trace of his aunt Poppy. That said, Papathanasiou really brings Greece to life with delightfully vivid descriptions of the landscape, the smells and the sounds.
Just like in ‘The Stoning‘, Papathanasiou lays bare some of the worst things humanity has to offer. Some of the topics make for uncomfortable reading, some are thought-provoking. There is more than one way to be invisible, after-all. While these villages may look all idyllic from the outside, they often hide secrets, feuds and conflicts. There is also a certain undeniable sense that this way of life is dying out. More than anything though, where are all the children?
I think I kind of understood what the author was trying to do, but I also feel the story became a little too bogged down by an abundance of historical information. This region of Greece is not a good place to be. It has a very turbulent history, there’s a lot of poverty and it’s geographical position makes it rather dangerous. This also lends itself to plenty of myths and legends, passed on from generation to generation. Or could there possibly be some tiny sliver of truth to these tales?
I find it hard to determine how I feel about ‘The Invisible‘. It was most definitely informative and educational. I feel I’ve learned a lot about the Prespes region and its people. However, I look for a bit more than that in my crime fiction. I didn’t find the story to be compelling, or tense, or thrilling. In an odd sort of way, it almost feels like an interlude of some sort. True, Manolis needed this break and maybe I would have felt differently if the mystery element had featured more. As it is though, I’ve been left somewhat underwhelmed. Still, based on ‘The Stoning‘, I’m giving Papathanasiou the benefit of the doubt and I’ll be right here for more of Manolis with the next book in the series.
Well, apparently Manolis doesn’t know either and this is where I’m sad to say ‘The Invisible‘ started to lose me. It felt like I was on holiday myself. It’s all rather calm and laid-back. There’s a lot of food and drinking. What you’d maybe expect from a break in Greece. But that also means, a severe lack of tension and suspense that I so desperately need in my crime fiction.
Lefty’s disappearance seems extremely secondary in the storyline. It’s a mystery that needs solving but I almost completely forgot about it at some point as Manolis is far more interested in the lifestyle, his heritage and maybe possibly finding a trace of his aunt Poppy. That said, Papathanasiou really brings Greece to life with delightfully vivid descriptions of the landscape, the smells and the sounds.
Just like in ‘The Stoning‘, Papathanasiou lays bare some of the worst things humanity has to offer. Some of the topics make for uncomfortable reading, some are thought-provoking. There is more than one way to be invisible, after-all. While these villages may look all idyllic from the outside, they often hide secrets, feuds and conflicts. There is also a certain undeniable sense that this way of life is dying out. More than anything though, where are all the children?
I think I kind of understood what the author was trying to do, but I also feel the story became a little too bogged down by an abundance of historical information. This region of Greece is not a good place to be. It has a very turbulent history, there’s a lot of poverty and it’s geographical position makes it rather dangerous. This also lends itself to plenty of myths and legends, passed on from generation to generation. Or could there possibly be some tiny sliver of truth to these tales?
I find it hard to determine how I feel about ‘The Invisible‘. It was most definitely informative and educational. I feel I’ve learned a lot about the Prespes region and its people. However, I look for a bit more than that in my crime fiction. I didn’t find the story to be compelling, or tense, or thrilling. In an odd sort of way, it almost feels like an interlude of some sort. True, Manolis needed this break and maybe I would have felt differently if the mystery element had featured more. As it is though, I’ve been left somewhat underwhelmed. Still, based on ‘The Stoning‘, I’m giving Papathanasiou the benefit of the doubt and I’ll be right here for more of Manolis with the next book in the series.
July 15, 2022
This was a very slow read, to be honest read the first chapter and the last and you won’t have missed any of the story. I think what was missing was any chance of figuring out ‘whodunnit’ as the eventual bad guys hardly featured. The rest was just filling and in the end was totally unrelated to the outcome. A shame as I did enjoy the authors debut novel but I couldn’t wait to get to the end of this one. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy all the same,
September 5, 2022
My thanks to Quercus Books MacLehose Press for an advance review copy via NetGalley of ‘The Invisible’ by Peter Papathanasiou. I was also invited to take part in their publication week blog tour.
This is the sequel to his 2021 debut crime novel, ‘The Stoning’, set in the Australian outback and featuring Detective Sergeant George Manolis.
While I hadn’t read ‘The Stoning’, this works fine as a standalone as a brief overview is provided before Manoilis boards a plane for his holiday in Greece.
So a few plot details: after the events of ‘The Stoning’, DS George Manolis is suffering from burnout and in need of a break. He flies from Australia to Greece where he hopes to connect with his roots and heritage. On arrival, Manolis learns from his friend, Stavros, of the disappearance of Lefty, a local man who is an ‘invisible’, someone who lives outside of society without any identifying paperwork.
There are a variety of theories about Lefty’s disappearance, including the possibility of foul play. Manolis is persuaded by Stavros to go undercover in order to locate Lefty. Away from the stresses of modern life, he also has an opportunity to heal.
Yet Manolis’ quest for the Invisible means that he has to navigate the complicated relationships of the tiny village of Glikonero where grudges run deep and the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the present. No further details to avoid spoilers.
Even though set in Greece rather than Australia I felt that ‘The Invisible’ retained the ambiance of Outback Noir. Admittedly I have only read a handful of this sub-genre of crime fiction, yet find that they tend to be slow burns with a focus upon characterisation and the challenges an investigator faces in an insular community in which they are perceived as an outsider. In addition, the landscape usually plays an important role. All these factors were present here.
Peter Papathanasiou also weaves into his narrative aspects of the turbulent history of Greece in the 20th Century as well the rich traditions, folklore, and mythology of the Prespes region.
Overall, I found Peter Papathanasiou’s writing excellent. ‘The Invisible’ was a fascinating novel that proved very immersive. I now plan to read ‘The Stoning’ and look forward to DS George Manolis’ return in the future.
This is the sequel to his 2021 debut crime novel, ‘The Stoning’, set in the Australian outback and featuring Detective Sergeant George Manolis.
While I hadn’t read ‘The Stoning’, this works fine as a standalone as a brief overview is provided before Manoilis boards a plane for his holiday in Greece.
So a few plot details: after the events of ‘The Stoning’, DS George Manolis is suffering from burnout and in need of a break. He flies from Australia to Greece where he hopes to connect with his roots and heritage. On arrival, Manolis learns from his friend, Stavros, of the disappearance of Lefty, a local man who is an ‘invisible’, someone who lives outside of society without any identifying paperwork.
There are a variety of theories about Lefty’s disappearance, including the possibility of foul play. Manolis is persuaded by Stavros to go undercover in order to locate Lefty. Away from the stresses of modern life, he also has an opportunity to heal.
Yet Manolis’ quest for the Invisible means that he has to navigate the complicated relationships of the tiny village of Glikonero where grudges run deep and the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the present. No further details to avoid spoilers.
Even though set in Greece rather than Australia I felt that ‘The Invisible’ retained the ambiance of Outback Noir. Admittedly I have only read a handful of this sub-genre of crime fiction, yet find that they tend to be slow burns with a focus upon characterisation and the challenges an investigator faces in an insular community in which they are perceived as an outsider. In addition, the landscape usually plays an important role. All these factors were present here.
Peter Papathanasiou also weaves into his narrative aspects of the turbulent history of Greece in the 20th Century as well the rich traditions, folklore, and mythology of the Prespes region.
Overall, I found Peter Papathanasiou’s writing excellent. ‘The Invisible’ was a fascinating novel that proved very immersive. I now plan to read ‘The Stoning’ and look forward to DS George Manolis’ return in the future.
September 27, 2022
I absolutely loved the first in this series, but this novel was a disappointment. Manolis is on holiday in Greece, recovering from accidentally shooting a homeless boy, and is asked by his childhood friend Stavros to look for Lefty, who has disappeared. Manolis doesn't tell the inhabitants of the village where Lefty was living that he is a policeman from Australia. Instead he claims to have spent only a small part of his life there and to be living further south in Greece. Despite this, all the characters spend the entire book lecturing him in infodump style on things he should presumably be fully aware of as a fellow countryman.
I found this repetitive - Manolis is attacked by snakes on each of his visits to an island, and there are many repeated descriptions of scenery using the same wording. Nothing really happens - Manolis drinks a lot of coffee and eats a lot of pitas. He searches people's unlocked homes, and then he does it again. He walks all around the area looking for Lefty and then he does it again with Roze. He and Roze shoot a bear who is protecting her cub (and then Roze cuddles the cub), which I found extremely hard to take. I live in bear territory and we all know how to avoid and/or withdraw from bear encounters. I wish Manolis had been better informed.
It seemed as if the author wanted us to meet every kind of minority currently living in Greece - the invisibles, sworn virgins, Romani, illegal immigrants, the disabled (all this in a village with a population of about 20 it seemed to me). I have learnt a lot about northern Greece in the mid-twentieth century, but I could have done that from a text book. The final twist was clever, but couldn't really have been foreseen by the reader. I'm not sure where my sympathies lie - with the bear cub?
I found this repetitive - Manolis is attacked by snakes on each of his visits to an island, and there are many repeated descriptions of scenery using the same wording. Nothing really happens - Manolis drinks a lot of coffee and eats a lot of pitas. He searches people's unlocked homes, and then he does it again. He walks all around the area looking for Lefty and then he does it again with Roze. He and Roze shoot a bear who is protecting her cub (and then Roze cuddles the cub), which I found extremely hard to take. I live in bear territory and we all know how to avoid and/or withdraw from bear encounters. I wish Manolis had been better informed.
It seemed as if the author wanted us to meet every kind of minority currently living in Greece - the invisibles, sworn virgins, Romani, illegal immigrants, the disabled (all this in a village with a population of about 20 it seemed to me). I have learnt a lot about northern Greece in the mid-twentieth century, but I could have done that from a text book. The final twist was clever, but couldn't really have been foreseen by the reader. I'm not sure where my sympathies lie - with the bear cub?
July 26, 2022
The whole feel of this novel is very Greek. What I mean by that is, it’s very unrushed and laid back. It’s certainly not going to be hurried along, and the whole thing feels very languid. It makes for a relaxing read, and a very atmospheric one. You can feel the heat and the lethargy as you turn each page. If you’re looking for a seat-of-your-pants, fast paced thriller, you’re on the wrong continent, my friends.
Manolis, our investigator, spends the vast majority of the book chatting to local residents, exploring the countryside and drinking coffee. You feel like you’re getting to know the entire village but progress is slow. We’re no clearer (and nor is Manolis) as to the fate of the missing Lefty (the ‘invisible’ of the title - someone who’s been living life completely off the grid).
In all honesty, this reads more like an anthropological study than it does a mystery novel. In its own way, it’s very interesting, but it definitely feels like it’s trying to escape its supposed genre.
There’s no balance to the pace of this story, as things don’t really pick up until the final 10%, and the final reveal or resolution arrived on the last few pages. By then, I was so ambivalent about the whole thing, I wasn’t especially invested in the outcome. There were several last minute twists which felt miss-timed.
The storytelling lacked suspense and intrigue, but it was an interesting and insightful read into the post-war history of northern Greece.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to read an ARC in return for an honest review.
Manolis, our investigator, spends the vast majority of the book chatting to local residents, exploring the countryside and drinking coffee. You feel like you’re getting to know the entire village but progress is slow. We’re no clearer (and nor is Manolis) as to the fate of the missing Lefty (the ‘invisible’ of the title - someone who’s been living life completely off the grid).
In all honesty, this reads more like an anthropological study than it does a mystery novel. In its own way, it’s very interesting, but it definitely feels like it’s trying to escape its supposed genre.
There’s no balance to the pace of this story, as things don’t really pick up until the final 10%, and the final reveal or resolution arrived on the last few pages. By then, I was so ambivalent about the whole thing, I wasn’t especially invested in the outcome. There were several last minute twists which felt miss-timed.
The storytelling lacked suspense and intrigue, but it was an interesting and insightful read into the post-war history of northern Greece.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to read an ARC in return for an honest review.
February 12, 2023
A noir-infused follow-up to Peter Papathanasiou‘s brutal and engaging mystery novel “The Stoning,” this second instalment in the George Manolis Aussie crime series offers a distinct premise and moves the action to rural Greece. Filled with cultural insights, a simple yet effective central missing person mystery and a series of gut-wrenching final act twists, “The Invisible” proves that Peter Papathanasiou has a lot to say politically and culturally, and he continues to prove that he knows how to write a compelling and unique modern noir tale.
July 22, 2023
I haven't read the first book, which may be why I didn't take to the central character. It was a little annoying to be constantly reminded that he is a vegetarian, likes animals, and is plagued by guilt due his accidentally killing someone.
There was plenty of history packed into the story, which whilst interesting, was delivered in lengthy monologues almost like they were reading from a text book. In general I liked the concept of the plot, though a little more action and pace would have been appreciated, and the little twist at the end was nicely done.
There was plenty of history packed into the story, which whilst interesting, was delivered in lengthy monologues almost like they were reading from a text book. In general I liked the concept of the plot, though a little more action and pace would have been appreciated, and the little twist at the end was nicely done.
November 2, 2025
Ugh what a waste of my time.
I wanted to like this book since I loved the first in the series but this didn’t deliver.
I was getting so over it I speed read the last 30ish pages because it was getting boring despite it being the ‘climax’ of the book.
Going to give the next in the series a go but if I’m not enjoying after 50 pages I’m giving the whole series the quits.
I wanted to like this book since I loved the first in the series but this didn’t deliver.
I was getting so over it I speed read the last 30ish pages because it was getting boring despite it being the ‘climax’ of the book.
Going to give the next in the series a go but if I’m not enjoying after 50 pages I’m giving the whole series the quits.
November 11, 2022
“The Invisible” by Peter Papathanasiou is an outstanding crime novel; although a sequel to “The Stoning”, it also functions effectively as a stand alone novel. Whichever way you read it, this is a novel with depth and nuance.
But first, a small warning: this novel contains significant spoilers for the plot of “The Stoning”, the first novel to feature George Manolis. I also reviewed that excellent novel, and you may wish to read it first. You won’t be disappointed.
In “The Invisible” police detective George Manolis is still coming to terms with some of the family secrets revealed as he investigated a crime in the small Australian town, Cobb. He is glad enough, after a traumatic workplace event in Melbourne, to be told to use his excess leave. He knows he needs the break, and following his father’s death, he feels the need to revisit the area of Greece they came from.
In Greece, George’s old friend Stavros asks him to help look into the disappearance of their mutual friend Lefty. Lefty is an invisible – a person who manages to live without any paperwork or official existence. So the police aren’t too interested in looking for him. George soon finds that Lefty is a divisive character, and that not everyone in the small village where he lives believe he’s actually missing.
The crime aspect of this novel is interesting. George can’t follow his usual investigative path, such as checking bank accounts, so he needs a different approach. This adds a unique tinge to the investigation for readers who are well versed in the initial steps of any investigation. Being in Greece also adds an unpredictable and new element: it’s a different society, with different expectations and approaches.
There’s a lot of depth in Papathanasiou’s exploration of the isolated part of Greece that George finds himself in. It’s a completely different society to ours, and the influences – cultural, community, and environmental – are wildly different. Papathanasiou builds his world with empathy and respect; although many would consider the area he’s describing backward, he never looks down on those he’s writing about.
A large part of the novel is about George himself: his mental and emotional healing, his re-evaluation of family history, and his sinking into the very different community he finds himself in. Although this follows the common pattern of a police officer struggling with a complicated personal life, the complications are distinctive and more unique than in many other crime novels.
The revelations at the end of the novel bring a whole new level of nuance to the book. I sat for a while, reconsidering the entire plot and almost every scene in the book in light of my new knowledge. It’s both surprising and at the same time makes utter sense in the context of what’s gone before. It’s an unexpected end to a powerful novel. Not every reader is going to love it – it’s not the classic way to end a crime novel – but I found it entirely satisfying.
The flavor of this entire novel is a little different to many crime novels. For me that was one of the strengths of the novel – the originality and depth that this generates. Those who enjoyed Papathanasiou’s debut, “The Stoning”, will also love this.
“The Invisible” is a highly memorable novel. I recommend it to those looking for something more than just a puzzle, although most crime readers should enjoy it.
You may also be interested in my review of “The Stoning” by Peter Papathanasiou:
https://otherdreamsotherlives.home.bl...
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
But first, a small warning: this novel contains significant spoilers for the plot of “The Stoning”, the first novel to feature George Manolis. I also reviewed that excellent novel, and you may wish to read it first. You won’t be disappointed.
In “The Invisible” police detective George Manolis is still coming to terms with some of the family secrets revealed as he investigated a crime in the small Australian town, Cobb. He is glad enough, after a traumatic workplace event in Melbourne, to be told to use his excess leave. He knows he needs the break, and following his father’s death, he feels the need to revisit the area of Greece they came from.
In Greece, George’s old friend Stavros asks him to help look into the disappearance of their mutual friend Lefty. Lefty is an invisible – a person who manages to live without any paperwork or official existence. So the police aren’t too interested in looking for him. George soon finds that Lefty is a divisive character, and that not everyone in the small village where he lives believe he’s actually missing.
The crime aspect of this novel is interesting. George can’t follow his usual investigative path, such as checking bank accounts, so he needs a different approach. This adds a unique tinge to the investigation for readers who are well versed in the initial steps of any investigation. Being in Greece also adds an unpredictable and new element: it’s a different society, with different expectations and approaches.
There’s a lot of depth in Papathanasiou’s exploration of the isolated part of Greece that George finds himself in. It’s a completely different society to ours, and the influences – cultural, community, and environmental – are wildly different. Papathanasiou builds his world with empathy and respect; although many would consider the area he’s describing backward, he never looks down on those he’s writing about.
A large part of the novel is about George himself: his mental and emotional healing, his re-evaluation of family history, and his sinking into the very different community he finds himself in. Although this follows the common pattern of a police officer struggling with a complicated personal life, the complications are distinctive and more unique than in many other crime novels.
The revelations at the end of the novel bring a whole new level of nuance to the book. I sat for a while, reconsidering the entire plot and almost every scene in the book in light of my new knowledge. It’s both surprising and at the same time makes utter sense in the context of what’s gone before. It’s an unexpected end to a powerful novel. Not every reader is going to love it – it’s not the classic way to end a crime novel – but I found it entirely satisfying.
The flavor of this entire novel is a little different to many crime novels. For me that was one of the strengths of the novel – the originality and depth that this generates. Those who enjoyed Papathanasiou’s debut, “The Stoning”, will also love this.
“The Invisible” is a highly memorable novel. I recommend it to those looking for something more than just a puzzle, although most crime readers should enjoy it.
You may also be interested in my review of “The Stoning” by Peter Papathanasiou:
https://otherdreamsotherlives.home.bl...
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
July 14, 2024
Rep: Syrian side character
March 14, 2025
Easy to read Aussie noir, set in Greece. Ridiculous story but enjoyable all the same!
September 5, 2022
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.
For my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
For my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
October 31, 2022
The second George Manolis novel sees him flying from Australia to Greece on an extended holiday after a turbulent time. Recently divorced, mourning the death of his much loved father, Manolis returns to the place of his father's birth - the Prespes region which straddles the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia (read the author's acknowledgements for more about this rather sensitive region and his approach) - and the tiny village of Glikonero. It's a chance to reconnect with his father through his homeland, and fulfil a promise to deliver an heirloom set of komboloi. It means Manolis can catch up with his own friends including Stavros returned to Greece to live after a childhood in Australia, and maybe track down a long lost aunt.
But he returns to find the old friend he's particularly keen to catch up with - Lefty (Lefteris), has vanished. Lefty's lived his life under the radar which hasn't helped anybody to find him now - undocumented, almost vagrant, a loveable rascal who knows the hills and the borderlands very well, he hasn't been above a bit of smuggling and illegal movement in the past. Manolis sets out to find his old friend, by setting himself up as a labourer in the village, doing some work on the shack that Lefty has been living in (which Stavros owns), hunting for a man who, in the words of the local police "doesn't want to exist, let alone be found".
What was particularly interesting for a reader who loved the sense of Australian place and sensibilities in THE STONING, was that feeling again - this time for Greece, and the Prespes region in particular. The culture, the environment, and the sensibility of this place came alive in this novel, with Manolis roaming the area through woods, onto snake infested islands, around the lake that the small town is set beside. His thinking is that Lefty may have fallen into a mineshaft, or a cave, been attacked by a wild bear or wolf, or one of his black market forays could have gone awry. Of course he could also have drowned, been shot by a hunter, annoyed his elderly neighbour just one time too many, or simply walked away from his life to start again somewhere else. With a character like Lefty it's hard to know where to start looking, and it's only after some serious digging in his cottage do some clues appear - a toolbox stuffed with euros, forged passports and a bag full of weapons.
Along the way, Manolis learns much about the small village and the area his father came from. The culture is quintessentially Greek, with traditions and beliefs that go way back. These mingle with those of nearby neighbours, the Romani that move through the area, and the way that the village is ageing, dying off with no young people to carry on. Profoundly affected by war and its aftermath. Papathanasiou very poignantly spins the story of Lefty's disappearance into a complicated carpet of official corruption, the tradition of sworn virgins, mass removal of children following the civil war and the treatment of disabled children.
The resolution, when it comes, tumbles into place as a combination of everything, all the sadder for it, all the more moving because of it.
It's one of those series that I suspect readers will come to initially for the sense of place, but increasingly the way that George Manolis interacts with the place he's in, the people he come across, and the way he sees the world is going to be the thing that draws us back.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
But he returns to find the old friend he's particularly keen to catch up with - Lefty (Lefteris), has vanished. Lefty's lived his life under the radar which hasn't helped anybody to find him now - undocumented, almost vagrant, a loveable rascal who knows the hills and the borderlands very well, he hasn't been above a bit of smuggling and illegal movement in the past. Manolis sets out to find his old friend, by setting himself up as a labourer in the village, doing some work on the shack that Lefty has been living in (which Stavros owns), hunting for a man who, in the words of the local police "doesn't want to exist, let alone be found".
What was particularly interesting for a reader who loved the sense of Australian place and sensibilities in THE STONING, was that feeling again - this time for Greece, and the Prespes region in particular. The culture, the environment, and the sensibility of this place came alive in this novel, with Manolis roaming the area through woods, onto snake infested islands, around the lake that the small town is set beside. His thinking is that Lefty may have fallen into a mineshaft, or a cave, been attacked by a wild bear or wolf, or one of his black market forays could have gone awry. Of course he could also have drowned, been shot by a hunter, annoyed his elderly neighbour just one time too many, or simply walked away from his life to start again somewhere else. With a character like Lefty it's hard to know where to start looking, and it's only after some serious digging in his cottage do some clues appear - a toolbox stuffed with euros, forged passports and a bag full of weapons.
Along the way, Manolis learns much about the small village and the area his father came from. The culture is quintessentially Greek, with traditions and beliefs that go way back. These mingle with those of nearby neighbours, the Romani that move through the area, and the way that the village is ageing, dying off with no young people to carry on. Profoundly affected by war and its aftermath. Papathanasiou very poignantly spins the story of Lefty's disappearance into a complicated carpet of official corruption, the tradition of sworn virgins, mass removal of children following the civil war and the treatment of disabled children.
The resolution, when it comes, tumbles into place as a combination of everything, all the sadder for it, all the more moving because of it.
It's one of those series that I suspect readers will come to initially for the sense of place, but increasingly the way that George Manolis interacts with the place he's in, the people he come across, and the way he sees the world is going to be the thing that draws us back.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
June 24, 2023
After reading The Stoning recently (see my other reviews) I wanted to read The Invisible as I love the way Peter Papathansiou writes, gritty outback noir.
The start of The Invisible sees Detective George Manolis working in the inner city, he’s also got Constable Andrew Sparrow with him however they are involved in a tragic shooting of a homeless kid, which leads to Manolis being ordered to take leave after suffering PTSD. He decides to head off to Greece, in search of inner calm and a break…… however things don’t work out that way!
When he arrives in the mountainous region of Perpes, he’s drawn into an off-duty undercover search for his friend Lefty, which will take him into the furthest reaches of the deserted and harsh landscape and put him in danger.
Now as always, I’m not going to give the plot away, but I must say that The Invisible is a stunning novel, it’s a love story of Greece from an author who loves his heritage and has clearly done a lot of research in this region of Greece. I learned an awful lot about Greek culture and history, in fact, it made me wish that Peter Papathansiou was around when I was at school as he explains the conflicts affecting Greece and its neighboring Countries really well. There is so much to take away from The invisible that it had me hitting up Google to find out more about the customs and culture of Greece, a place I’ve never visited but that I felt I had whilst reading Peters’s novel. It’s written in the same gritty, noir style as The Stoning but it leaves you feeling like you’ve just visited Greece as the prose is absolutely magical and so visceral.
And as for the climactic ending of The Invisible, well let’s just say, I did not see that coming and was super surprised! I’m so looking forward to the next book in the Detective George Manolis series.
If you like to travel the world from your armchair whilst reading then look no further than The Invisible, it will also teach you some Greek history on the way, A compelling and lush novel. A 5-star read from me!
The start of The Invisible sees Detective George Manolis working in the inner city, he’s also got Constable Andrew Sparrow with him however they are involved in a tragic shooting of a homeless kid, which leads to Manolis being ordered to take leave after suffering PTSD. He decides to head off to Greece, in search of inner calm and a break…… however things don’t work out that way!
When he arrives in the mountainous region of Perpes, he’s drawn into an off-duty undercover search for his friend Lefty, which will take him into the furthest reaches of the deserted and harsh landscape and put him in danger.
Now as always, I’m not going to give the plot away, but I must say that The Invisible is a stunning novel, it’s a love story of Greece from an author who loves his heritage and has clearly done a lot of research in this region of Greece. I learned an awful lot about Greek culture and history, in fact, it made me wish that Peter Papathansiou was around when I was at school as he explains the conflicts affecting Greece and its neighboring Countries really well. There is so much to take away from The invisible that it had me hitting up Google to find out more about the customs and culture of Greece, a place I’ve never visited but that I felt I had whilst reading Peters’s novel. It’s written in the same gritty, noir style as The Stoning but it leaves you feeling like you’ve just visited Greece as the prose is absolutely magical and so visceral.
And as for the climactic ending of The Invisible, well let’s just say, I did not see that coming and was super surprised! I’m so looking forward to the next book in the Detective George Manolis series.
If you like to travel the world from your armchair whilst reading then look no further than The Invisible, it will also teach you some Greek history on the way, A compelling and lush novel. A 5-star read from me!
June 26, 2022
Rounding up to 3 stars
I've read through previous book with this character, and was pleases to get the next in series. Unfortunately the pacing of this book didn't really suit me. It felt far too slow for far too long.
Looking back once finished, it set up the characters and scenes very nicely, and I felt I learnt a few things about the Greek way of doing things.
I've read through previous book with this character, and was pleases to get the next in series. Unfortunately the pacing of this book didn't really suit me. It felt far too slow for far too long.
Looking back once finished, it set up the characters and scenes very nicely, and I felt I learnt a few things about the Greek way of doing things.
September 5, 2022
After a drug bust goes horribly wrong, DS George Manolis takes an enforced holiday in the remote Prespes region of northern Greece, the homeland of his late father before he emigrated to Australia, where the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia meet. Although Manolis has been cleared of any wrong doing the incident has left him with PTSD at a time when he is coping with his recent divorce and in mourning for his father, but he hopes this trip will ground him by allowing him to connect with his roots.
When Manolis arrives in the rugged Prespes region, he discovers that Lefty, one of the old friends he has come to visit, has gone missing and he is reluctantly persuaded to work undercover to see if he can find him. Lefty is one of the 'invisibles' who lives his life without the benefit of official paperwork, which makes finding out what he has been up to very difficult. Manolis begins to realise that this is an area that has its own codes and customs that have nothing to do with the law, and he needs to tread carefully in these tiny villages where feuds run deep and the old ways hold sway if he is to find his friend.
I absolutely loved Peter Papathanasiou's stunning debut The Stoning, which told the gripping story of DS Manolis' complex investigation in Cobb, the tiny Australian Outback town of his childhood. so I could not wait to see what lay in store in this follow-up The Invisible.
Instead of Outback Australia, this time around Papathanasiou sends Manolis, after a brief catch up with his city troubles, into the wilds of northern Greece, for an unofficial investigation that appears on the surface to be very different to the one which consumed him in The Stoning. Manolis must now keep his identity as a police officer secret if he is to make any headway with the search for a man that has not only lived his whole life outside of the law, but who seems to have made a lot of enemies along the way. He has to learn to bend his police procedural skills to fit a new set of values, the result of which allows him to unexpectedly connect with the history of his father's homeland in ways he could not have foreseen.
This is an area of Greece I am not familiar with and I really enjoyed how Papathanasiou creates the most delicious 'bad lands' atmosphere throughout the story, making the absolute best of the geographical location, landscape, history, wildlife, and insular ways of its people to conjure up an unsettling backdrop for an investigation that is just as complex as the one Manolis had to solve in the first book, even if it has a different feel. There are similarities to the first book in the way the small town residents here do not take kindly to outsiders, and the links to Manolis' own family heritage, which allows Papathanasiou to explore the themes of belonging, identity and immigration in the way he did so well in The Stoning. There is a lovely dimension in this book too that plays up the wealth of history, hardship and sorrow that has shaped the people of this region of Greece that is really poignant, and I would love to wax lyrical about it, but to do so would lead to spoilers so I will leave you to discover it for yourselves.
My favourite thing about Papathanasiou's books is the way he wraps you up in a compelling story that twists and turns in the most spellbinding of ways, mixing a darned good crime story with a hard look at human nature. He has a striking ability to force you to think about the things that motivate people to behave as they do, which gives surprising insight into their actions - even the most disturbing ones. There are layers upon layers of themes here, some beautiful interplay with many facets of 'invisibility', and references to discomfiting past events that often pulled me up sharp and sent me down fascinating rabbit holes. This combination of intelligent writing and story craft is really addictive, and I cannot wait for more!
When Manolis arrives in the rugged Prespes region, he discovers that Lefty, one of the old friends he has come to visit, has gone missing and he is reluctantly persuaded to work undercover to see if he can find him. Lefty is one of the 'invisibles' who lives his life without the benefit of official paperwork, which makes finding out what he has been up to very difficult. Manolis begins to realise that this is an area that has its own codes and customs that have nothing to do with the law, and he needs to tread carefully in these tiny villages where feuds run deep and the old ways hold sway if he is to find his friend.
I absolutely loved Peter Papathanasiou's stunning debut The Stoning, which told the gripping story of DS Manolis' complex investigation in Cobb, the tiny Australian Outback town of his childhood. so I could not wait to see what lay in store in this follow-up The Invisible.
Instead of Outback Australia, this time around Papathanasiou sends Manolis, after a brief catch up with his city troubles, into the wilds of northern Greece, for an unofficial investigation that appears on the surface to be very different to the one which consumed him in The Stoning. Manolis must now keep his identity as a police officer secret if he is to make any headway with the search for a man that has not only lived his whole life outside of the law, but who seems to have made a lot of enemies along the way. He has to learn to bend his police procedural skills to fit a new set of values, the result of which allows him to unexpectedly connect with the history of his father's homeland in ways he could not have foreseen.
This is an area of Greece I am not familiar with and I really enjoyed how Papathanasiou creates the most delicious 'bad lands' atmosphere throughout the story, making the absolute best of the geographical location, landscape, history, wildlife, and insular ways of its people to conjure up an unsettling backdrop for an investigation that is just as complex as the one Manolis had to solve in the first book, even if it has a different feel. There are similarities to the first book in the way the small town residents here do not take kindly to outsiders, and the links to Manolis' own family heritage, which allows Papathanasiou to explore the themes of belonging, identity and immigration in the way he did so well in The Stoning. There is a lovely dimension in this book too that plays up the wealth of history, hardship and sorrow that has shaped the people of this region of Greece that is really poignant, and I would love to wax lyrical about it, but to do so would lead to spoilers so I will leave you to discover it for yourselves.
My favourite thing about Papathanasiou's books is the way he wraps you up in a compelling story that twists and turns in the most spellbinding of ways, mixing a darned good crime story with a hard look at human nature. He has a striking ability to force you to think about the things that motivate people to behave as they do, which gives surprising insight into their actions - even the most disturbing ones. There are layers upon layers of themes here, some beautiful interplay with many facets of 'invisibility', and references to discomfiting past events that often pulled me up sharp and sent me down fascinating rabbit holes. This combination of intelligent writing and story craft is really addictive, and I cannot wait for more!
March 3, 2024
To say that the second outing of DS Manolis has been a huge disappointment is an understatement. I thought that transporting him to his ancestors homeland would be an opportunity for an introspective look of his life and heritage but instead it was an unbelievably anachronistic and ludicrous mash up.
Papathanasiou describes rural life in NW Greece that could have perhaps rang true in the 60s but certainly not today. The timelines are so "confused" that I kept going back to see if indeed the story was supposed to be taking place 30-40 years ago and not in 2020. There are characters who say they have experienced the war as children and should therefore be now in their eighties or nineties but somehow they seem to be of similar age to Manolis and, although there are references to the nazi occupation, the civil war and its aftermath that show that some research was undertaken, the many inconsistencies in his narrative just made me think that this was just done very superficially and hastily.
There are at least three pivotal points around which the story is built that I feel should come with a "warning":
-There is a lot about Lefty, the main character who has gone missing and Manolis is trying to find as a favour to a friend who has invited him to spend holiday time in Greece, being undocumented. In fact, Manolis is surprised that Lefty is not on "social media" (probably most people above a certain age in Greece are not ....) but being registered at birth and, especially for males, being registered for national service, which is still compulsory in Greece, has been and is rather impossible to escape. It is probably too boring to comment more on the topic but IDs, NI numbers etc give you access to public services, benefits, health care and have long seized to be "hand-written" papers ..... And Lefty, would not be taking selfies with his friends but he would most certainly have a mobile phone, or even several as his life in the margins of society and the law suggests, without the need to "prove his ID". As for his travel options that are mentioned at some point in the book, ie to go to another part of Greece, via Turkey, because he does not have a passport .... Enough said!
- The "sworn virgins" practice primarily existed in Northern Albania and to a much lesser extent in neighbouring countries but not in Greece. Nothing more to say here but strange choice to make it in the book as a wide spread practice in Manolis ancestral village ..... Moreover, Papathanasiou seems to completely ignore the somewhat unique conditions of isolation and authoritarian regime of Albania in the second half of the 20th century, even for "eastern block" countries, which left a mark on social attitudes very different from the rest of the Balkan countries.
- I am not claiming that there is great record in Greece for disabled people but, without giving away, too much, this part of the story is heavy handed and oversimplified without any recognition of those who have fought to reform and change attitudes and care systems.
One can argue that he is not writing history. This is fiction and he wants to set his story in a backwater greek village where every official is corrupt and the locals are unkempt, chain smoking rednecks he is entitled to do so.
I suppose what struck me the most is that all these where just a construct for a story and a mystery of a disappearance to take place. There is no sympathy for absolutely anyone. The two most vulnerable and "undocumented" people, a young woman from Albania and a Syrian refugee who happen to be in the village, are treated by Manolis with suspicion and at times utter contempt, and even Lefty, is presented as a petty crook with some unexplained motives behind his behaviour that even the end does not manage to justify adequately.
At the end of the book, I honestly felt angry with Manolis more than anyone else.
Papathanasiou describes rural life in NW Greece that could have perhaps rang true in the 60s but certainly not today. The timelines are so "confused" that I kept going back to see if indeed the story was supposed to be taking place 30-40 years ago and not in 2020. There are characters who say they have experienced the war as children and should therefore be now in their eighties or nineties but somehow they seem to be of similar age to Manolis and, although there are references to the nazi occupation, the civil war and its aftermath that show that some research was undertaken, the many inconsistencies in his narrative just made me think that this was just done very superficially and hastily.
There are at least three pivotal points around which the story is built that I feel should come with a "warning":
-There is a lot about Lefty, the main character who has gone missing and Manolis is trying to find as a favour to a friend who has invited him to spend holiday time in Greece, being undocumented. In fact, Manolis is surprised that Lefty is not on "social media" (probably most people above a certain age in Greece are not ....) but being registered at birth and, especially for males, being registered for national service, which is still compulsory in Greece, has been and is rather impossible to escape. It is probably too boring to comment more on the topic but IDs, NI numbers etc give you access to public services, benefits, health care and have long seized to be "hand-written" papers ..... And Lefty, would not be taking selfies with his friends but he would most certainly have a mobile phone, or even several as his life in the margins of society and the law suggests, without the need to "prove his ID". As for his travel options that are mentioned at some point in the book, ie to go to another part of Greece, via Turkey, because he does not have a passport .... Enough said!
- The "sworn virgins" practice primarily existed in Northern Albania and to a much lesser extent in neighbouring countries but not in Greece. Nothing more to say here but strange choice to make it in the book as a wide spread practice in Manolis ancestral village ..... Moreover, Papathanasiou seems to completely ignore the somewhat unique conditions of isolation and authoritarian regime of Albania in the second half of the 20th century, even for "eastern block" countries, which left a mark on social attitudes very different from the rest of the Balkan countries.
- I am not claiming that there is great record in Greece for disabled people but, without giving away, too much, this part of the story is heavy handed and oversimplified without any recognition of those who have fought to reform and change attitudes and care systems.
One can argue that he is not writing history. This is fiction and he wants to set his story in a backwater greek village where every official is corrupt and the locals are unkempt, chain smoking rednecks he is entitled to do so.
I suppose what struck me the most is that all these where just a construct for a story and a mystery of a disappearance to take place. There is no sympathy for absolutely anyone. The two most vulnerable and "undocumented" people, a young woman from Albania and a Syrian refugee who happen to be in the village, are treated by Manolis with suspicion and at times utter contempt, and even Lefty, is presented as a petty crook with some unexplained motives behind his behaviour that even the end does not manage to justify adequately.
At the end of the book, I honestly felt angry with Manolis more than anyone else.
October 4, 2022
Mystery set in NW GREECE
The novel is set in the Greek part of the Prespes region, which straddles north western Greece, North Macedonia and Albania, and at the heart is a great lake. There are set routes to pass between the countries but many illegals cross through the high and inhospitable mountain region, many Albanians, for example head into Greece for work.
The landscape is magnificent but there’s something melancholic about it too, the borders are so close by. This region wasn’t even part of Greece a hundred years ago and in the short time since, there’s been so much conflict and death. It is thus a perfect setting for a mystery.
DS George Manolis is usually based in Australia but an operation that left a child dead has traumatised him. He is advised to take a break and heads for his family’s original home in Greece, and whilst there he cannot but start looking into the disappearance of his old friend Lefty, who is an ‘invisible’, someone of whom there is no record anywhere.. We know from the opening chapter that Lefty is quite possibly involved in nefarious enterprises, a man generally with a good heart but clearly, it seems, tied up in dark deeds somewhere along the line.
The transition from Cobb, in Australia, to Greece happens in the blink of an eye, the author was clearly keen to get on with the Greece-set part of the story, and it perhaps felt a little rushed; but he soon has Manolis exploring the area and looking for clues. Manolis has an old car at his disposal and he takes his time talking to the locals, exploring the scenery (which is full of flora and wild fauna, including horned island vipers which Manolis encounters, much to his cost, and bears) and picking up clues as he goes. However, he has very little to go on and his return to Australia is almost upon him; still there is no trace of his friend. Will he find him before his departure?
The author really creates a good setting, the area is colourfully brought to life, with a good sense of the history that has at times blighted this remote region and of course Greece in general.
A well written and readable mystery that has a great sense of place.
The novel is set in the Greek part of the Prespes region, which straddles north western Greece, North Macedonia and Albania, and at the heart is a great lake. There are set routes to pass between the countries but many illegals cross through the high and inhospitable mountain region, many Albanians, for example head into Greece for work.
The landscape is magnificent but there’s something melancholic about it too, the borders are so close by. This region wasn’t even part of Greece a hundred years ago and in the short time since, there’s been so much conflict and death. It is thus a perfect setting for a mystery.
DS George Manolis is usually based in Australia but an operation that left a child dead has traumatised him. He is advised to take a break and heads for his family’s original home in Greece, and whilst there he cannot but start looking into the disappearance of his old friend Lefty, who is an ‘invisible’, someone of whom there is no record anywhere.. We know from the opening chapter that Lefty is quite possibly involved in nefarious enterprises, a man generally with a good heart but clearly, it seems, tied up in dark deeds somewhere along the line.
The transition from Cobb, in Australia, to Greece happens in the blink of an eye, the author was clearly keen to get on with the Greece-set part of the story, and it perhaps felt a little rushed; but he soon has Manolis exploring the area and looking for clues. Manolis has an old car at his disposal and he takes his time talking to the locals, exploring the scenery (which is full of flora and wild fauna, including horned island vipers which Manolis encounters, much to his cost, and bears) and picking up clues as he goes. However, he has very little to go on and his return to Australia is almost upon him; still there is no trace of his friend. Will he find him before his departure?
The author really creates a good setting, the area is colourfully brought to life, with a good sense of the history that has at times blighted this remote region and of course Greece in general.
A well written and readable mystery that has a great sense of place.
August 14, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of The Invisible, the second novel to feature Detective Sergeant George Manolis of the Sydney Police.
Suffering with PTSD Manolis flies to Greece for a bit of R&R. He returns to the remote Prespes region, only to find that friend he came to see has disappeared. Lefty is an “invisible”, a man with no papers, no discernible source of income and a hidden history. At the urging of his cousin he goes undercover to find him, but it gets difficult as no one knows what happened to Lefty and Lefty himself seems to have muddied the waters. Then there’s the grudge filled villagers.
I enjoyed The Invisible, which has a strong sense of place and a very slow burning crime element. It is told entirely from Manolis’ point of view and seems as much an exploration of his roots as his search for Lefty. In this respect, I assume, that it is personal to the author as he was born in the region.
The novel is interesting. Until the last 10% of the novel there is no sign or even hint of Lefty, who appears to have vaporised, although this is not impossible, given the wild, untamed terrain. This makes it a story of Manolis’s failure to locate and his adventures along the way, some more terrifying than others. Still, there is enough going on and sufficient tantalising details of Lefty’s activities to keep the reader turning the pages until the bombshell final pages. I was impressed by the fairly low key narrative in most of the novel turning into an impactful shocker of a finale.
The author is able to present an evocative picture of a forgotten corner of Greece, which sounds beautiful physically, but is mired in poverty, neglect and an ageing population with few services or amenities. Blended in to this is the terrible history of the region, pummelled in both WWII and the civil war. It’s heartbreaking to read.
The Invisible is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Suffering with PTSD Manolis flies to Greece for a bit of R&R. He returns to the remote Prespes region, only to find that friend he came to see has disappeared. Lefty is an “invisible”, a man with no papers, no discernible source of income and a hidden history. At the urging of his cousin he goes undercover to find him, but it gets difficult as no one knows what happened to Lefty and Lefty himself seems to have muddied the waters. Then there’s the grudge filled villagers.
I enjoyed The Invisible, which has a strong sense of place and a very slow burning crime element. It is told entirely from Manolis’ point of view and seems as much an exploration of his roots as his search for Lefty. In this respect, I assume, that it is personal to the author as he was born in the region.
The novel is interesting. Until the last 10% of the novel there is no sign or even hint of Lefty, who appears to have vaporised, although this is not impossible, given the wild, untamed terrain. This makes it a story of Manolis’s failure to locate and his adventures along the way, some more terrifying than others. Still, there is enough going on and sufficient tantalising details of Lefty’s activities to keep the reader turning the pages until the bombshell final pages. I was impressed by the fairly low key narrative in most of the novel turning into an impactful shocker of a finale.
The author is able to present an evocative picture of a forgotten corner of Greece, which sounds beautiful physically, but is mired in poverty, neglect and an ageing population with few services or amenities. Blended in to this is the terrible history of the region, pummelled in both WWII and the civil war. It’s heartbreaking to read.
The Invisible is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
September 8, 2022
All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/
I am a huge fan of Australian crime fiction, it’s become a bit of a passion of mine. This may come as no surprise to regular readers of the blog as I do tend to mention it fairly often 😂. The Stoning, the first book in this series, was a highlight of my reading year in 2021 so I was very much looking forward to being reunited with Detective Manolis once again for his second outing. The Invisible is a very different book to the first in that Manolis goes back to his Greek roots, his parents having emigrated from Greece to Australia prior to George’s birth. The book had a very different flavour, a different feel which I appreciated.
Following a traumatic event at work and suffering from PTSD, DS Manolis is ordered to take leave for a few weeks and give himself time to start healing. He decides the best thing to do is to leave Australia altogether and books a flight to his parent’s homeland, Greece. Upon arrival he discovers one of the locals, a man he was familiar with from previous visits, has gone missing. The only problem is Lefty is an invisible. He has no paperwork, no passport, no bank account. The local police force have been made aware of Lefty’s disappearance but what can they do? According to their records, Lefty never existed. Working undercover, Manolis immerses himself in the Greek lifestyle and begins to ask questions of the locals. But how do you find a man who doesn’t exist…?
The Invisible is a well-written slow burn mystery which I enjoyed reading. The first chapter is fraught with danger and tension as Manolis and a favourite character of mine, Constable ‘Sparrow’ Smith, chase down a drug dealer. Their pursuit ends in tragedy with Manolis holding a smoking gun and reliving his ordeal time and time again. When his boss, Paul Bloody Porter, insists he take some vacation Manolis reluctantly agrees and boards a flight to a country which will forever be in his blood, Greece. From here things take a more sedate pace. Manolis is introduced to old friends and new. Fellow Greek-Aussie, Stavros, asks Manolis to investigate Lefty’s disappearance believing his friend to be more efficient than the local police. Working undercover Manolis begins to investigate but soon realises he’s been set an impossible task.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. If you’re looking for a fascinating slow burn mystery featuring some outstanding characters and a dramatic, vivid setting then you will enjoy The Invisible. I learnt so much about the Greek way of life; culture, food and drink, religion, history and practices. The mystery aspect of the story is present throughout the book. The reader is initially introduced to Lefty in the prologue and he is referred to throughout the text by the other characters, which helps build a picture of the character in your mind. But how do you go about finding someone who doesn’t exist? This is exactly Manolis’s problem. Every direction he takes, every new lead fizzles out and becomes a disappointing dead end. I was very intrigued about what had happened to Lefty so the denouement came as a surprise. I’m a fan of the Detective George Manolis series so I hope there are more books to come in this fantastic series. No matter what, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Recommended.
I am a huge fan of Australian crime fiction, it’s become a bit of a passion of mine. This may come as no surprise to regular readers of the blog as I do tend to mention it fairly often 😂. The Stoning, the first book in this series, was a highlight of my reading year in 2021 so I was very much looking forward to being reunited with Detective Manolis once again for his second outing. The Invisible is a very different book to the first in that Manolis goes back to his Greek roots, his parents having emigrated from Greece to Australia prior to George’s birth. The book had a very different flavour, a different feel which I appreciated.
Following a traumatic event at work and suffering from PTSD, DS Manolis is ordered to take leave for a few weeks and give himself time to start healing. He decides the best thing to do is to leave Australia altogether and books a flight to his parent’s homeland, Greece. Upon arrival he discovers one of the locals, a man he was familiar with from previous visits, has gone missing. The only problem is Lefty is an invisible. He has no paperwork, no passport, no bank account. The local police force have been made aware of Lefty’s disappearance but what can they do? According to their records, Lefty never existed. Working undercover, Manolis immerses himself in the Greek lifestyle and begins to ask questions of the locals. But how do you find a man who doesn’t exist…?
The Invisible is a well-written slow burn mystery which I enjoyed reading. The first chapter is fraught with danger and tension as Manolis and a favourite character of mine, Constable ‘Sparrow’ Smith, chase down a drug dealer. Their pursuit ends in tragedy with Manolis holding a smoking gun and reliving his ordeal time and time again. When his boss, Paul Bloody Porter, insists he take some vacation Manolis reluctantly agrees and boards a flight to a country which will forever be in his blood, Greece. From here things take a more sedate pace. Manolis is introduced to old friends and new. Fellow Greek-Aussie, Stavros, asks Manolis to investigate Lefty’s disappearance believing his friend to be more efficient than the local police. Working undercover Manolis begins to investigate but soon realises he’s been set an impossible task.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. If you’re looking for a fascinating slow burn mystery featuring some outstanding characters and a dramatic, vivid setting then you will enjoy The Invisible. I learnt so much about the Greek way of life; culture, food and drink, religion, history and practices. The mystery aspect of the story is present throughout the book. The reader is initially introduced to Lefty in the prologue and he is referred to throughout the text by the other characters, which helps build a picture of the character in your mind. But how do you go about finding someone who doesn’t exist? This is exactly Manolis’s problem. Every direction he takes, every new lead fizzles out and becomes a disappointing dead end. I was very intrigued about what had happened to Lefty so the denouement came as a surprise. I’m a fan of the Detective George Manolis series so I hope there are more books to come in this fantastic series. No matter what, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Recommended.
August 5, 2022
I loved Peter Papathanasiou's 2021 debut novel THE STONING, which absolutely blew me away with its writing, themes and plot. And while 2022's THE INVISIBLE was an unexpected change of pace and setting, I found it just as compelling. The author has taken the series in a fresh new direction for DS Manolis, and it has certainly paid dividends. The story moves from outback Australia to rural Greece, which stems from the protagonist's background as a Greek-Australian detective. The region in the north of Greece is rarely seen by outsiders, and Papathanasiou - who I understand was born there - uses this to his advantage by creating a world of characters and action that is both fascinating and colourful. Personally, I love it when an author can take their readers by the hand and escort them into an unknown world - you feel like you're in a safe pair of hands, and that the author is writing with some level of credibility. And I also love it when an artist does the unexpected and seeks to widen their creative spectrum.
The book is a slow-burn, which befits the setting, builds the tension and also helps you savour the many details that Papathanasiou has infused within the pages. The writing is of the same exceptional standard as THE STONING. And also like THE STONING, THE INVISIBLE tackles some important themes, which appear to be a strong feature of Papathanasiou's writing. The story is both informative and entertaining.
Congratulations Peter on an outstanding sophomore novel! I can't wait to see where you take the series next. I will expect the unexpected...
The book is a slow-burn, which befits the setting, builds the tension and also helps you savour the many details that Papathanasiou has infused within the pages. The writing is of the same exceptional standard as THE STONING. And also like THE STONING, THE INVISIBLE tackles some important themes, which appear to be a strong feature of Papathanasiou's writing. The story is both informative and entertaining.
Congratulations Peter on an outstanding sophomore novel! I can't wait to see where you take the series next. I will expect the unexpected...
September 18, 2022
The author was born in Northern Greece and adopted as a baby to Australia. The Invisible is the second book in a series featuring police detective George Manolis. I had not read the first novel, but this did not seem to be a problem. After a traumatic incident at work Manolis is sent on leave and returns to his ancestral country, Greece for some rest and recovery from the PTSD he is suffering. He goes to Glikonero, in the region of Prespes, with its two lakes, bordering Albania and North Macedonia. This feels like a place caught in another era, where the old ways and a slower pace of life prevail. Manolis soon becomes caught up in solving the mystery of the disappearance of a former acquaintance Lefty. Lefty is one of “the invisibles,” people moving through society with no identification, no bank accounts and no documentation that proves they ever lived, never mind whether they may have died. Along the way Manolis discovers much about the area, including the impacts of WW2, the removal of all the children during the Greek Civil War, and the ancient custom of Sworn Virgins when a woman lives as a man in order to preserve the family property.
Overall this was a pleasant enough read and created an authentic setting. It also shared plenty of interesting cultural and historical detail with the reader, although often in a slightly awkward, staged monologue. The audio narration by Daniel Fletcher was average, with some overly hoarse and shouty Greek characters.
Overall this was a pleasant enough read and created an authentic setting. It also shared plenty of interesting cultural and historical detail with the reader, although often in a slightly awkward, staged monologue. The audio narration by Daniel Fletcher was average, with some overly hoarse and shouty Greek characters.
April 14, 2023
The Stoning was my first experience of "Outback Noir" and I loved it. This second in the series was a surprise to me initially as it isn't set in the outback, or indeed in Australia at all.
Here, we find a tramatised Manolis exploring his family roots in a remote area of Greece, reviving old friendships and attempting to solve the mystery of Lefty's disappearance. Lefty is an old friend of Manolis' father, Con. Manolis has come to Greece to fulfil his father's wish and pass an item on, but Lefty is nowhere to be found.
As the book progresses we find out more about the real Lefty, not entirely the lovable rogue that Manolis believes at the start.
Although the setting is very different to The Stoning, Papathanisiou once again captures the darkeness and despair of a dying habitation. This time a village on the borders with Albania and Madeconia. The population is tiny and all but the illegal immigrants are old.
The historical detail was fascinating, but some of the plotlines didn't make sense to me - if you found something of great value, would you really just put it back where you found it without any security measures? Despite these niggles though, I think it was a very good book and probably rates as a 4.5 for me because of the writing and the historical and sociological detail.
Here, we find a tramatised Manolis exploring his family roots in a remote area of Greece, reviving old friendships and attempting to solve the mystery of Lefty's disappearance. Lefty is an old friend of Manolis' father, Con. Manolis has come to Greece to fulfil his father's wish and pass an item on, but Lefty is nowhere to be found.
As the book progresses we find out more about the real Lefty, not entirely the lovable rogue that Manolis believes at the start.
Although the setting is very different to The Stoning, Papathanisiou once again captures the darkeness and despair of a dying habitation. This time a village on the borders with Albania and Madeconia. The population is tiny and all but the illegal immigrants are old.
The historical detail was fascinating, but some of the plotlines didn't make sense to me - if you found something of great value, would you really just put it back where you found it without any security measures? Despite these niggles though, I think it was a very good book and probably rates as a 4.5 for me because of the writing and the historical and sociological detail.
August 8, 2022
The Invisible is a fantastic book and it's great to see that Pete Papathanasiou has not suffered from "Second album Syndrome" with this offering. I am a huge fan of The Stoning and am glad to be back in the company of Manolis albeit in a different location. The move away from Australia, to Greece was an inspired choice. In the same way, the oppressive and dry heat from The Stoning is evident in the writing and is a character in itself, Papthanasiou has captured a real sense of Greece, the atmosphere, and the environment is as important a character as the inhabitants of Glikonero, the rural village where Manolis has returned to reconnect with family. As with The Stoning, there are many issues that are addressed throughout the book, these issues are uncovered/discovered in an organic way and dealt with in a sensitive way.
The overall pacing of the book felt like a holiday- slow and steady to start off with, drawing you into the character, the environment and the mystery but quickens when the realisation of the end of the holiday is made apparent.
I would thoroughly recommend this book, it is an extremely enjoyable read and a great addition to the Manolis series, which I sincerely hope will be long and fruitful.
The overall pacing of the book felt like a holiday- slow and steady to start off with, drawing you into the character, the environment and the mystery but quickens when the realisation of the end of the holiday is made apparent.
I would thoroughly recommend this book, it is an extremely enjoyable read and a great addition to the Manolis series, which I sincerely hope will be long and fruitful.
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