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The Greek Detective #1
The Messenger of Athens
Idyllic but remote, the Greek island of Thiminos seems untouched and untroubled by the modern world. So when the battered body of a young woman is discovered at the foot of a cliff, the local police - governed more by archaic rules of honor than by the law - are quick to close the case, dismissing her death as an accident.
Then a stranger arrives, uninvited, from Athens, announcing his intention to investigate further into the crime he believes has been committed. Refusing to accept the woman's death as an accident or suicide, Hermes Diaktoros sets out to uncover the truths that skulk beneath this small community's exterior.
Hermes's methods of investigation are unorthodox, and his message to the islanders is plain - tell the truth or face the consequences. Before long, he's uncovering a tale of passion, corruption and murder that entangles many of the island's residents. But Hermes brings his own mystery into the web of dark secrets and lies - and as he travels the rugged island landscape to investigate, questions and suspicions arise amongst the locals. Who has sent him to Thiminos, and on whose authority is he acting? And how does he know of dramas played out decades ago?
Rich in images of Greece's beautiful islands and evoking a life unknown to most outsiders, this wonderful novel leads the reader into a world where the myths of the past are not forgotten and forbidden passion still has dangerous consequences.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
128 people are currently reading
1688 people want to read
About the author
Anne Zouroudi
34 books143 followersBorn in rural Lincolnshire in 1959, Anne moved to South Yorkshire at the age of two. Following her education at Sheffield High School for Girls, she went into the IT industry, a career which took her to both New York’s Wall Street and Denver, Colorado. In America she began to take seriously her ambition to write fiction, and bought a typewriter for her first short stories.
On returning to the UK, she booked a summer holiday with her sister. The location they chose was a tiny island in southern Greece.
“We arrived at night; there was nothing to see,” she recalls. “But the next morning, I opened the shutters of our rented house, and bam! Love at first sight. The brilliant blue sea, the scent of herbs on the breeze, the timelessness of the place… It was the first moment of a love affair which has lasted twenty years.”
Anne spent a number of years living in the islands; she married a Greek, and her son was born there.
Returning again to the UK, she was still writing, but the short stories had grown into novels.
Anne“I wrote three, and whilst I was getting interest in my writing, those novels didn’t find publishers, though a northern-based thriller came close,” she says. “Then I decided to write a novel set in Greece, based on a character who’d come to my mind whilst I was living there. He became Hermes Diaktoros. I sent the manuscript to an agent, and went off to spend some time in Greece. When I returned, I got the call I’d been waiting for. I’d written the right book at last.”
Series:
* The Greek Detective
On returning to the UK, she booked a summer holiday with her sister. The location they chose was a tiny island in southern Greece.
“We arrived at night; there was nothing to see,” she recalls. “But the next morning, I opened the shutters of our rented house, and bam! Love at first sight. The brilliant blue sea, the scent of herbs on the breeze, the timelessness of the place… It was the first moment of a love affair which has lasted twenty years.”
Anne spent a number of years living in the islands; she married a Greek, and her son was born there.
Returning again to the UK, she was still writing, but the short stories had grown into novels.
Anne“I wrote three, and whilst I was getting interest in my writing, those novels didn’t find publishers, though a northern-based thriller came close,” she says. “Then I decided to write a novel set in Greece, based on a character who’d come to my mind whilst I was living there. He became Hermes Diaktoros. I sent the manuscript to an agent, and went off to spend some time in Greece. When I returned, I got the call I’d been waiting for. I’d written the right book at last.”
Series:
* The Greek Detective
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
May 4, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable detective story. More to follow
As some of the readers of my reviews know (and i'm sure there are one or two) I am a real fan of anything related to Greece. I have read books from fantasy novels based in Corfu, to non-fiction books regarding the liberation of Crete, and a number of stories and genres in between.
Anyway, this novel was wonderful for its Greekness, but also for its detective story. It was a little darker than I had anticipated but that was not a bad thing. It was an intricate story of murder or was it suicide, based on an idyllic island ruled over by a corrupt police chief and a number of families hiding secrets.
Into this cauldron of suspicion arriving by ferry boat is a man named Hermes Diaktoros claiming to be from Athens , sent to investigate the death of Irina Asimakopoulos. Ruffling a few feathers along the way he sets out to right a few wrongs including getting justice for Irina.
Who is Hermes the Messenger and does he really work for the police at all. After a few days everyone on the island knows who he is but some are more reticent than others to come forward with information. Hermes uses all his charm to discover the background to Irina's sad death from her relatives and the other island folk to ensure that justice is done.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel for all the reasons mentioned above, it flowed so well carrying you along with the story, it was so Greek (the food, the cafes, the people the attitudes, the villages) but is was also jolly good detective story. I will certainly be revisiting Hermes Diaktoros.
ευχαριστώ
As some of the readers of my reviews know (and i'm sure there are one or two) I am a real fan of anything related to Greece. I have read books from fantasy novels based in Corfu, to non-fiction books regarding the liberation of Crete, and a number of stories and genres in between.
Anyway, this novel was wonderful for its Greekness, but also for its detective story. It was a little darker than I had anticipated but that was not a bad thing. It was an intricate story of murder or was it suicide, based on an idyllic island ruled over by a corrupt police chief and a number of families hiding secrets.
Into this cauldron of suspicion arriving by ferry boat is a man named Hermes Diaktoros claiming to be from Athens , sent to investigate the death of Irina Asimakopoulos. Ruffling a few feathers along the way he sets out to right a few wrongs including getting justice for Irina.
Who is Hermes the Messenger and does he really work for the police at all. After a few days everyone on the island knows who he is but some are more reticent than others to come forward with information. Hermes uses all his charm to discover the background to Irina's sad death from her relatives and the other island folk to ensure that justice is done.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel for all the reasons mentioned above, it flowed so well carrying you along with the story, it was so Greek (the food, the cafes, the people the attitudes, the villages) but is was also jolly good detective story. I will certainly be revisiting Hermes Diaktoros.
ευχαριστώ
June 30, 2013
This series of mystery/crime novels set on the Greek islands is my cup of tea... a bit of exotic settings, not ordinary detective... For those that enjoyed Barbara Cleverly (set in India), or those who like Shamini Flint (set on the East)... You will learn about Greeks and Greece as much as you will enjoy good detective novel... :) Still looking for a publisher on Balkans :)
July 10, 2011
The Messenger of Athens proved to be what I call a watching book. The kind of book that allows me to sit back and observe a whole different world.
It is a world that is beautifully drawn, with many – almost too many – wonderfully evocative descriptive passages. I was transported.
To a small, remote Greek island, where a woman’s body has washed up on the shore. She was a local woman, and it is said that she must have jumped or fallen from the cliffs. Her body is returned to her family and she is buried. Life goes on.
But then a stranger arrives.
“My name,” he said in Hermes Diakatos. “I have been sent from Athens to help you in your investigations into the death of Irini Asimkopoulos.”
There was no investigation. No autopsy. The police thought it was suicide, but the death certificate said accidental death, to spare the family’s feeling.
“I expect you’re surprised at my name. Hermes Messenger. mt father’s idea of humour. He was a classical scholar."
Who could the visitor, who would be known simply as the fat man, be? He might be a policeman, though he would say that he was not. Or a private investigator. though it was impossible to think who might have hired him. Maybe he was a private individual, willing and able to take steps to see that justice was done. Or maybe he really was Hermes, the messenger of the gods …..
That intrguing question was never answered, but it really didn’t matter.
The fat man had both intelligence and charm. He moved about the island, speaking naturally to people, asking the right questions, leaving the right silences for people to speak, to tell him everything that he needed to know.
And as he does this the stories from the past are told. Stories of a young couple struggling with marriage. He misses the freedom he had as a single man. She wanted another man who she cannot have and feels trapped. Stories of a husband and father who is still drawn to another man’s wife. Stories of concerned families, who see what is happening, what could happen ….
This is a mystery is built on classical lines, well executed, and it fitting its setting perfectly.
There are no major surprises, but that really didn’t matter. It was lovely to watch the story play out with all of the elements – characters, plot, setting, prose – coming together to fine effect.
And in the end justice is done. But maybe not in the way you would expect …
It was the right ending, but I was sorry to leave.
I shall definitely be seeking out the next book in the series …
It is a world that is beautifully drawn, with many – almost too many – wonderfully evocative descriptive passages. I was transported.
To a small, remote Greek island, where a woman’s body has washed up on the shore. She was a local woman, and it is said that she must have jumped or fallen from the cliffs. Her body is returned to her family and she is buried. Life goes on.
But then a stranger arrives.
“My name,” he said in Hermes Diakatos. “I have been sent from Athens to help you in your investigations into the death of Irini Asimkopoulos.”
There was no investigation. No autopsy. The police thought it was suicide, but the death certificate said accidental death, to spare the family’s feeling.
“I expect you’re surprised at my name. Hermes Messenger. mt father’s idea of humour. He was a classical scholar."
Who could the visitor, who would be known simply as the fat man, be? He might be a policeman, though he would say that he was not. Or a private investigator. though it was impossible to think who might have hired him. Maybe he was a private individual, willing and able to take steps to see that justice was done. Or maybe he really was Hermes, the messenger of the gods …..
That intrguing question was never answered, but it really didn’t matter.
The fat man had both intelligence and charm. He moved about the island, speaking naturally to people, asking the right questions, leaving the right silences for people to speak, to tell him everything that he needed to know.
And as he does this the stories from the past are told. Stories of a young couple struggling with marriage. He misses the freedom he had as a single man. She wanted another man who she cannot have and feels trapped. Stories of a husband and father who is still drawn to another man’s wife. Stories of concerned families, who see what is happening, what could happen ….
This is a mystery is built on classical lines, well executed, and it fitting its setting perfectly.
There are no major surprises, but that really didn’t matter. It was lovely to watch the story play out with all of the elements – characters, plot, setting, prose – coming together to fine effect.
And in the end justice is done. But maybe not in the way you would expect …
It was the right ending, but I was sorry to leave.
I shall definitely be seeking out the next book in the series …
September 3, 2015
It took me a long time to get into this book, and it was only the fact that it was supplied to me by the publisher that kept me going.
First up the writing is beautiful vivid descriptions of the scenery, the weather and the ‘sets’ that the story took place in. Basically a woman dies under mysterious circumstance on a small Greek island, a ‘did she fall or was she pushed’ scenario.
An investigator named Hermes Diaktoros (but referred to as the fat man throughout the book) arrives from the mainland to investigate the death but the local police refuse to assist as they say there is no crime. There are flash backs told from a few points of view – including that of the victim – in fact there are quite a few sub plots all hanging off the main story, which got a little confusing at times.
Overall THE MESSENGER OF ATHENS had a complex plot that twisted and turned; and a large cast of characters, that each appeared to have something to hide, and as a result there were many suspects. As a result I found that I really didn’t get to know any of the main characters all that well and that was disappointing. The ending was satisfying but the mystical elements I could have done without. Overall was an average read.
First up the writing is beautiful vivid descriptions of the scenery, the weather and the ‘sets’ that the story took place in. Basically a woman dies under mysterious circumstance on a small Greek island, a ‘did she fall or was she pushed’ scenario.
An investigator named Hermes Diaktoros (but referred to as the fat man throughout the book) arrives from the mainland to investigate the death but the local police refuse to assist as they say there is no crime. There are flash backs told from a few points of view – including that of the victim – in fact there are quite a few sub plots all hanging off the main story, which got a little confusing at times.
Overall THE MESSENGER OF ATHENS had a complex plot that twisted and turned; and a large cast of characters, that each appeared to have something to hide, and as a result there were many suspects. As a result I found that I really didn’t get to know any of the main characters all that well and that was disappointing. The ending was satisfying but the mystical elements I could have done without. Overall was an average read.
September 20, 2020
A Greek idyll…?
A woman dies on a Greek island and it is put down to accident or maybe suicide. But a mysterious stranger arrives from Athens – Hermes Diaktoros (isn’t that name hilarious with its hilarious reference to Greek mythology? What? You don’t get it? No, me neither, but fear not, the author will explain it – every single time he introduces himself to another character. Hilariously.) “The fat man” thinks there is more to the woman’s death than has been revealed...
I put up with the dirt, the rain, the storms and howling winds. I put up with the unpleasant small-minded people. I put up with the misogyny. I put up with the author constantly referring to the detective as “the fat man”. I put up with the use of the c-word. I even put up with the gratuitous and graphic description of incestuous sex between one man and two sisters. But when it comes to pages of revolting detail about how to hang a goat up alive by its back legs and then slaughter and eviscerate it, I must resort to misquoting Churchill – up with this I will not put.
Maybe an accurate depiction of the more backward areas of the Greek islands, but not a place I want to spend any time, either really or fictionally. Abandoned at 39%.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
A woman dies on a Greek island and it is put down to accident or maybe suicide. But a mysterious stranger arrives from Athens – Hermes Diaktoros (isn’t that name hilarious with its hilarious reference to Greek mythology? What? You don’t get it? No, me neither, but fear not, the author will explain it – every single time he introduces himself to another character. Hilariously.) “The fat man” thinks there is more to the woman’s death than has been revealed...
I put up with the dirt, the rain, the storms and howling winds. I put up with the unpleasant small-minded people. I put up with the misogyny. I put up with the author constantly referring to the detective as “the fat man”. I put up with the use of the c-word. I even put up with the gratuitous and graphic description of incestuous sex between one man and two sisters. But when it comes to pages of revolting detail about how to hang a goat up alive by its back legs and then slaughter and eviscerate it, I must resort to misquoting Churchill – up with this I will not put.
Maybe an accurate depiction of the more backward areas of the Greek islands, but not a place I want to spend any time, either really or fictionally. Abandoned at 39%.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
October 16, 2017
On the Greek island of Thiminos, a woman's body is found. The locals assume she has committed suicide, and the lazy chief of police is happy to go along with this. Then the mysterious Hermes Diaktoros arrives from the mainland, and begins to shake up the islanders in his search for justice.
I liked the concept of this mystery - a series based around the seven deadly sins, with a detective whose authority comes from an unknown place. The setting is appealing and the characters have an authentic feel, even if their motivations are rather simplistic at times. Unfortunately I was rather disappointed in the way the narrative unfolded.
After setting up the mystery quite nicely, the narrative switched into flashback and there were pages and pages of explanation and backstory about the various characters and how the murdered woman came to be involved with them. Feeling I'd wandered into a terribly dull romance story (bored housewife spots man and thinks grass is greener, yawn), and lamenting the absence of Hermes Diaktoros, I nearly gave up several times. Fortunately Hermes did eventually reappear, the narrative perked up and the ending was actually quite clever and well-worked.
I think this series has promise and I will read more, but this first episode didn't really match my expectations. 2.5 stars.
I liked the concept of this mystery - a series based around the seven deadly sins, with a detective whose authority comes from an unknown place. The setting is appealing and the characters have an authentic feel, even if their motivations are rather simplistic at times. Unfortunately I was rather disappointed in the way the narrative unfolded.
After setting up the mystery quite nicely, the narrative switched into flashback and there were pages and pages of explanation and backstory about the various characters and how the murdered woman came to be involved with them. Feeling I'd wandered into a terribly dull romance story (bored housewife spots man and thinks grass is greener, yawn), and lamenting the absence of Hermes Diaktoros, I nearly gave up several times. Fortunately Hermes did eventually reappear, the narrative perked up and the ending was actually quite clever and well-worked.
I think this series has promise and I will read more, but this first episode didn't really match my expectations. 2.5 stars.
July 28, 2024
If it weren’t for the helicopter in the book’s prologue, I would have thought that Anne Zouroudi’s The Messenger of Athens took place decades or even a century ago. The attitudes of the people of the fictional (I think) Greek island of Thiminos are very…conservative about gender roles, is probably the most diplomatic way to say it. Women have limited options. They are expected to be faithful housewives and fruitful mothers. The men are almost as limited. The men are supposed to be the breadwinners and patriarchs. A lot of them are lecherous scoundrels but, as long as they don’t go too far, their bad behavior is dismissed as “boys will be boys.” Our protagonist, Athenian investigator Hermes Diaktoros, wades into this festering setting to investigate the death of Irini Asimakopoulos, whose death is being swept under the proverbial rug...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
February 1, 2020
I really enjoyed listening to this audio book from Hoopla. The “fat man” detective Hermès and the cast of characters, along with the exotic setting, kept me interested. Definitely worth checking out the next in the series.
December 5, 2017
The Conductor of Souls
I enjoyed this rather unusual mystery. Set in a tiny Greek island sometime in the late 1980s, I guess, (the drachma is still used, there are no mobile phones), the mysterious 'Fat Man' arrives off a ferry from Athens to investigate the apparent suicide of a young woman. What he uncovers is police corruption, religious hypocrisy, entrenched traditional attitudes and above all a pervasive prejudice against women. The mystery is satisfying, the outcomes reflective of a wild kind of justice, but what really sets this novel apart, is the reader's convincing immersion in a society which is desperately foreign, yet in a context which seems superficially familiar.
I enjoyed this rather unusual mystery. Set in a tiny Greek island sometime in the late 1980s, I guess, (the drachma is still used, there are no mobile phones), the mysterious 'Fat Man' arrives off a ferry from Athens to investigate the apparent suicide of a young woman. What he uncovers is police corruption, religious hypocrisy, entrenched traditional attitudes and above all a pervasive prejudice against women. The mystery is satisfying, the outcomes reflective of a wild kind of justice, but what really sets this novel apart, is the reader's convincing immersion in a society which is desperately foreign, yet in a context which seems superficially familiar.
June 5, 2016
I found this book haunting and lyrical. Everyday life on a small Greek island. Sounds romantic, doesn't it? Only - it isn't. It's hard work, it's poverty, it's insecurity. Fishing may be good today, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. In the system where the resources are scarce, people cling to a certain way of living, living that gives survival, but the price of such survival is high, even that they don't know it. Their own integrity is the price. Close-mindedness, cruelty, secrecy grows when the moral backbone is broken.
Read it on a rainy afternoon, when you don't have any other plans. Don't rush. It is written in a beautiful, slow language and this is how it should be read.
Read it on a rainy afternoon, when you don't have any other plans. Don't rush. It is written in a beautiful, slow language and this is how it should be read.
September 6, 2015
Death of a young woman thought to be an adulterer on a small Mediterranean Greek island. Written off as an accident but thought by all as a suicide. Until an investigator from Athens shows up and asks questions. I liked the setting and the place. I wasn't fussed with the story. Didn't care for the characters, and again, was pissed off with the treatment of women in the book. I thought it was 1960s or so, then right at the end of the book we are given a timeline and I worked out it was 1994. Not on. Don't think I'll carry on with this one.
For more reviews, visit: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/
For more reviews, visit: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/
July 15, 2017
Bleak and dark with a sliver of hope.
My parents are from a small Greek island, ikaria, so i can relate to the people of Thiminos. I know them and their stories just with different names. An easier book to read because of that.
Was the fat man a god? Son of Hermes? Is that why he didn't cross himself and light a candle when he entered a church?
Chase your dreams or you will end up living and dying on the island of Thiminos.
My parents are from a small Greek island, ikaria, so i can relate to the people of Thiminos. I know them and their stories just with different names. An easier book to read because of that.
Was the fat man a god? Son of Hermes? Is that why he didn't cross himself and light a candle when he entered a church?
Chase your dreams or you will end up living and dying on the island of Thiminos.
October 5, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I was transported to my favourite place on earth - a Greek island - any Greek island! I could see the sea, smell the herbs on the hillsides, recognise the characters and taste the food and drink. A perfect holiday read, or one to read when missing being in Greece. I am so pleased that there are more fat man books to read. What a wonderful character!
November 15, 2017
Different but quite pleasant and sometimes moving.
August 3, 2025
The Messenger of Athens is the first book in a mystery series set Greece. It features an investigator named Hermes Diaktoros. His name, of course, is that of the messenger of the Greek gods, and he often refers to his white tennis shoes as his wings. He is usually referred to as “the fat man” throughout this book, rather than by his name.
He arrives on the island of Thiminos, a small Greek island that eagerly awaits the arrival of the tourist season. He announces that he hasn't been invited but has “heard” of the suicide of one of the local residents, Irini Asimakopoulos. The chief of police doesn't want his help but the Greek detective insists he is going to find out if Irini was actually murdered. The story alternates between his conversations with the locals and several told from other characters' viewpoints that provides a clue to what happened.
I expected this to be a lighthearted, cozy mystery set on a beautiful Greek island, but found it be a surprisingly complex tale about a group of people who live under strict moral codes and traditions. I was fascinated by Hermes Diaktoros and his personality. There are some unpleasantly graphic scenes where the villagers kill goats and octopus for food so if you are looking for a romanticized picture of the Greek island, this is definitely not the book for you. I do recommend this to mystery fans looking for something a bit different.
He arrives on the island of Thiminos, a small Greek island that eagerly awaits the arrival of the tourist season. He announces that he hasn't been invited but has “heard” of the suicide of one of the local residents, Irini Asimakopoulos. The chief of police doesn't want his help but the Greek detective insists he is going to find out if Irini was actually murdered. The story alternates between his conversations with the locals and several told from other characters' viewpoints that provides a clue to what happened.
I expected this to be a lighthearted, cozy mystery set on a beautiful Greek island, but found it be a surprisingly complex tale about a group of people who live under strict moral codes and traditions. I was fascinated by Hermes Diaktoros and his personality. There are some unpleasantly graphic scenes where the villagers kill goats and octopus for food so if you are looking for a romanticized picture of the Greek island, this is definitely not the book for you. I do recommend this to mystery fans looking for something a bit different.
June 28, 2023
Booking a ticket to explore Greece. Byeeeeeee
“We take the road we take. Then we make the best of it. There's no gain in wondering where the path not taken would have led." ..... Love this
“To know the place of his grave from early childhood has an effect on a man. To place flowers on the ground where he himself will one day lie makes him fatalistic, pessimistic. Ambition and ideas for life atrophy - after all, what is the point? Life’s point, on this island, was always clearly visible, up there on the hillside.” .... Not wrong, but also somewhat morbid?
Will I be reading the others in the series....maybe in the future.
“We take the road we take. Then we make the best of it. There's no gain in wondering where the path not taken would have led." ..... Love this
“To know the place of his grave from early childhood has an effect on a man. To place flowers on the ground where he himself will one day lie makes him fatalistic, pessimistic. Ambition and ideas for life atrophy - after all, what is the point? Life’s point, on this island, was always clearly visible, up there on the hillside.” .... Not wrong, but also somewhat morbid?
Will I be reading the others in the series....maybe in the future.
September 26, 2017
A bit slow to start with and I think the most intriguing mystery is actually about WHO the Athenian, Hermes Diaktoros, is. And the end, I'm still a little bit confused... He's like an avenging angel (Hermes ---> messenger of the gods) so justice was served but not in any conventional way. However, in addition to this, he also served up kindness and hope; a little chance at redeeming oneself. He doesn't fit the anti-hero definition but he definitely has his own style of justice.
December 31, 2018
An excellent mystery. The Greek names are a bit of a tongue twister which almost had me giving up on this book but as it was a challenge read I persevered and I am so glad I did. Loved the mystery of the detective, Hermes Diaktoros, referred throughout as the ‘fat man,’ such an interesting character - can’t wait to find out more about him in the next book. The author gives a wonderful description of life on a small Greek island.
*Book ‘Z’ of the a-z author challenge 2018
*Book ‘Z’ of the a-z author challenge 2018
July 6, 2010
I shared this novel with one of my daughters and was looking for an opposing view point. Did she enjoy this more than I, and if so why? Was this strictly Chicklit or could someone other than a girly man enjoy it? I was surprised by both how much I enjoyed it and the skill of the novelist.
I have not had the opportunity to travel to Greece but Anne Zouroudi makes it very appealing. Her descriptive ability adds a nice element to the novel. It doesn’t overshadow the plot and does not read like a travel book, but rather helps the reader to immerse themselves in the elements surrounding the characters. The narrative description amplifies rather than detracts. Hermes Diaktroros is a very interesting central character and he brings much to the table. We, my daughter and I, both agreed that Zouroudi has a penchant for detail that makes it hard to dismiss Hermes as a cookie cutter grizzled P.I. Here is a bit of the info on what is contained in the novel: ”Idyllic but remote, the Greek Island of Thiminos seems untouched and untroubled by the modern world. So when the battered body of a young woman is discovered at the foot of a cliff, the local police-governed more by archaic rules of honor than by the law- are quick to close the case, dismissing her death as an accident.
Then a stranger arrives, uninvited, from Athens, announcing his intention to investigate the crime he believes has been committed. Refusing to accept the women’s death as an accident or suicide, Hermes Diaktoros sets out to uncover the truths that skulk beneath this small community’s exterior.
Hermes’ methods of investigation are unorthodox, and his message to the islanders is plain: tell the truth or face the consequences. Before long, he’s uncovering a tale of passion, corruption, and murder that entangles many of the island’s residents. But Hermes brings his own mystery into the web of dark secrets and lies- and he travels the rugged island landscape to investigate, questions and suspicions arise among the locals. Who sent him to Thiminos, and on whose authority is he acting? And how does he know of dramas played out decades ago?”
I think that this novel was filled with enough intrigue and questions for two novels? The plot was good. The characters were cute and quirky, and the action and suspense were enough that the two of us decided to pass this around to the rest of our family for some good beach reading. Hermes Diaktroros’ name doesn’t exactly roll off my tongue, but I will definitely look out for his future novels. We really enjoyed The Messenger of Athens and recommend that you place it in your Goodreads – to read – list. If you can’t set sail to Greece this summer, do the next best thing, it’s much cheaper, read this novel and take in Anne Zouroudi’s passion for the area. She has another Hermes novel in the works ,The Taint Of Midas.
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December 15, 2014
This is the first book in a 7 book series known as both Seven Deadly Sins & The Greek Detective about Hermes Diaktoros aka "The Fat Man" who in this book arrives on a remote Greek Island to investigate the death of a woman which the local police are calling a suicide.
Im not sure I would call this a 'mystery', yes there was a death & an investigation to find out how she died, but the book was more about the lives & times of the people living on this remote Greek Island & the author does a good job of bringing that to life. Certainly not the 'fun in the sun' Greek Islands I've always imagined.
I really like Hermes (The Fat Man) but who or what is he? Detective, Private Investigator or someone mythical?? You never found that out.
The story didnt really grab me enough to continue with the series, not when I already have so many on the go, but I might have to, at least to find out the mystery of "The Fat Man"
Im not sure I would call this a 'mystery', yes there was a death & an investigation to find out how she died, but the book was more about the lives & times of the people living on this remote Greek Island & the author does a good job of bringing that to life. Certainly not the 'fun in the sun' Greek Islands I've always imagined.
I really like Hermes (The Fat Man) but who or what is he? Detective, Private Investigator or someone mythical?? You never found that out.
The story didnt really grab me enough to continue with the series, not when I already have so many on the go, but I might have to, at least to find out the mystery of "The Fat Man"
July 2, 2021
I picked this one up because it was a mystery in Greece that mentioned Greek gods. I finished this book because I’m stubborn and was hoping the ending would be worth it. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t.
By the end of it I couldn’t even remember the main characters name since it was only mentioned maybe twice in the entire book? He was constantly referred to as the “fat man” in every single sentence about him, and it drove me nuts. It was also written in a way that made it hard to tell who was speaking because they were mostly referred to as he or she, or occasionally “whore” which really wasn’t necessary how often women were villainized for doing the exact same thing as the men in the book. I had to check multiple times that it was written by a woman because I found it so hard to believe by the way the novel was written.
The mystery itself was forgettable, so I think I’ll be skipping the rest of the series.
By the end of it I couldn’t even remember the main characters name since it was only mentioned maybe twice in the entire book? He was constantly referred to as the “fat man” in every single sentence about him, and it drove me nuts. It was also written in a way that made it hard to tell who was speaking because they were mostly referred to as he or she, or occasionally “whore” which really wasn’t necessary how often women were villainized for doing the exact same thing as the men in the book. I had to check multiple times that it was written by a woman because I found it so hard to believe by the way the novel was written.
The mystery itself was forgettable, so I think I’ll be skipping the rest of the series.
December 25, 2017
REVIEW OF DNF'd AUDIOBOOK; DECEMBER 25, 2017
Narrator: Sean Barrett
I love stories set in Greece (Mary Stewart, Jeffrey Siger) and while I enjoyed Zouroudi's description of the Greece she knew, I found the book itself hard to grasp. It was meandering all over like a traveler exploring on foot, not knowing where she was going (and didn't care). And the frequent references to Diaktoros as 'the fat man' was repetitive and annoying.
I never cared for Barrett's performance of the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbø - his accent was unfamiliar to me and I could only take so much of it in an audiobook. It was even worse here in MoA because this time everyone sounded weird. A much better choice of narrator would be Stefan Rudnicki or Koullis Kyriacou.
Narrator: Sean Barrett
I love stories set in Greece (Mary Stewart, Jeffrey Siger) and while I enjoyed Zouroudi's description of the Greece she knew, I found the book itself hard to grasp. It was meandering all over like a traveler exploring on foot, not knowing where she was going (and didn't care). And the frequent references to Diaktoros as 'the fat man' was repetitive and annoying.
I never cared for Barrett's performance of the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbø - his accent was unfamiliar to me and I could only take so much of it in an audiobook. It was even worse here in MoA because this time everyone sounded weird. A much better choice of narrator would be Stefan Rudnicki or Koullis Kyriacou.
August 22, 2024
Many people were not happy when the “fat man” started asking questions
July 14, 2020
If I had read this initial Hermès Diaktoros mystery first I might have given the rest of the series a pass but I read #2 in 2018 and loved it. This one spent far too much time on the backstories of almost everyone on the tiny island of Thiminos. It was only when the mysterious “fat man” was doing his investigative thing that the book came alive. I liken Hermès to “The Equalizer”- a righter of wrongs, a dealer of justice to the unjust and a friend to the downtrodden. How does he do it? What else is in his bottomless carryall and why is the condition of his white shoes so important? I love the mystical/ mythical undercurrents as well as the descriptions of the Greek settings. Who is that “masked man” anyway. Too bad it looks like not all the series had US publication. Will read all I can track down.
March 28, 2020
Some of this was good. The beginning, mainly and the setting of a Greek island was interesting. But, overall, I just wasn't very engaged. None of the characters were all that interesting or memorable and the mystery didn't really grip me, so I wasn't toi bothered when the reveal came. I also feel like the random switching between third and first person was totally unnecessary and didn't add anything. 2.5* overall.
June 4, 2023
A very fascinating mystery--though the real mystery is the detective rather than the murder (which isn't, strictly speaking, solvable by the reader). While the part of me that loves myths, legends, and history is drawn into the identity of the "fat man" detective of this novel, I must admit to being mildly annoyed by the way that actually lessens what was otherwise a deftly set up murder and cover-up.
September 13, 2023
Πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο με ωραίες και ζωντανές περιγραφές του νησιωτικού τοπίου και των χαρακτήρων. Η συχνή εναλλαγή των προσώπων στην αφήγηση ήταν κουραστική και δεν προσέθετε κάτι στην αφήγηση της ιστορίας, η οποία προχωρούσε με αργούς ρυθμούς. Ο ιδιόρρυθμος ντετέκτιβ δίνει στο βιβλίο το στοιχείο που κρατάει τον αναγνώστη και προσδίδει στο μυστήριο.
"Όλα στη ζωή είναι παροδικά. Το μυστικό είναι να δίνεις αξία στα πιο σημαντικά".
"Όλα στη ζωή είναι παροδικά. Το μυστικό είναι να δίνεις αξία στα πιο σημαντικά".
July 2, 2017
Set on a remote Greek Island but not the touristic, Sun drenched, taverna strewed Greece we know. The Messenger of Athens introduces us to Greece out of season, in the wind and the rain and the desolation. The images it conjures up of the Greece we don't get to see are unsettling and at times disturbing.
In essence this is a simple whodunnit. It's not a long book and there aren't too many twists and turns. The storyline is relatively simple and we only get glimpses in to the character's lives. What we are shown is a pretty in depth view of Greek life and the misogynistic viewpoints that are still held. That being said is a little hard to pinpoint exactly when this book was set, but as there are references to televisions and a large luxury liner, I assumed it was present day. Other than for those tell tale clues, this story could have been based on a Greek island from 50+ years ago.
I was shocked by how the islanders treated one another, mostly by how the women condemned each other, as though it was a woman's burden to endure hardship, and God forsake anyone who tried to better themselves.
My only quibble with the story was the extremely neat ending. Every lose thread was tied up - even those which you had not realised were loose. There was some mysticism around the protagonist - The fat man, which I liked and helped to keep the book's integrity.
I will definitely seek out another book by this author. A solid 3.85 stars from me 😂 ( rounded up to 4 for the sake of Goodreads)
In essence this is a simple whodunnit. It's not a long book and there aren't too many twists and turns. The storyline is relatively simple and we only get glimpses in to the character's lives. What we are shown is a pretty in depth view of Greek life and the misogynistic viewpoints that are still held. That being said is a little hard to pinpoint exactly when this book was set, but as there are references to televisions and a large luxury liner, I assumed it was present day. Other than for those tell tale clues, this story could have been based on a Greek island from 50+ years ago.
I was shocked by how the islanders treated one another, mostly by how the women condemned each other, as though it was a woman's burden to endure hardship, and God forsake anyone who tried to better themselves.
My only quibble with the story was the extremely neat ending. Every lose thread was tied up - even those which you had not realised were loose. There was some mysticism around the protagonist - The fat man, which I liked and helped to keep the book's integrity.
I will definitely seek out another book by this author. A solid 3.85 stars from me 😂 ( rounded up to 4 for the sake of Goodreads)
November 29, 2020
Have you ever walked into a gracious living room where the color, the furnishing all look right but you still feel off about it?
Well, I have to admit, I did the same thing with this book. Author Anne Zouroudi set up an interesting and bucolic setting of the sleepy Greek island of Thiminos and then introduces the enigma of the new man on the island, Hermes Diaktoros.
Right off the ferry that brings him to Thiminos, Diaktoros walks into the island's small police department and the first cracks in this setting are seen. Because immediately, the reader can feel that something is not right.
Diaktoros reports that he is there to investigate the death of a young woman and is told that the local police have already determined that it was a suicide. The chief of police is almost antagonistic to Diaktoros, urging him to turn around and leave. And seems to just assume that he is a mainland police officer — but he doesn't act for documents, why, etc.
But Diaktoros doesn't. He starts to visit various people on the island and discuss the woman, the community and what had been happening on the island. More cracks appear — along with all the timeless and stereotypical prejudices of those islanders. Who was the woman? Was she really at that point that she would kill herself?And just who is Diaktoros?
Diaktoros, 'The Fat Man,' reminds me a bit of Nero Wolf (who first came to mind) or even, Hercule Poirot — there is no action in this investigator other than that of his mind. But he is too is a mystery: just who is this man who carries surprises in matchboxes, that goes around in suits and white tennis shoes, who doesn't directly contradict others but has some inner force, strength, that almost compels people to open up to him, even when what they share doesn't put them in the best light.
This is an interesting debut book. The story is interesting and the characters are somewhat believable. Some of Diaktoros' assumptions come about and you aren't sure how he came about them. That's a bit of a flaw, for me, as is the ending with its surprising twists that are a bit jarring. I liked the story for the most part but I hope that the next books in the series are more developed so that, now we kinda know who this investigator is, what he does makes better sense.
Well, I have to admit, I did the same thing with this book. Author Anne Zouroudi set up an interesting and bucolic setting of the sleepy Greek island of Thiminos and then introduces the enigma of the new man on the island, Hermes Diaktoros.
Right off the ferry that brings him to Thiminos, Diaktoros walks into the island's small police department and the first cracks in this setting are seen. Because immediately, the reader can feel that something is not right.
Diaktoros reports that he is there to investigate the death of a young woman and is told that the local police have already determined that it was a suicide. The chief of police is almost antagonistic to Diaktoros, urging him to turn around and leave. And seems to just assume that he is a mainland police officer — but he doesn't act for documents, why, etc.
But Diaktoros doesn't. He starts to visit various people on the island and discuss the woman, the community and what had been happening on the island. More cracks appear — along with all the timeless and stereotypical prejudices of those islanders. Who was the woman? Was she really at that point that she would kill herself?And just who is Diaktoros?
Diaktoros, 'The Fat Man,' reminds me a bit of Nero Wolf (who first came to mind) or even, Hercule Poirot — there is no action in this investigator other than that of his mind. But he is too is a mystery: just who is this man who carries surprises in matchboxes, that goes around in suits and white tennis shoes, who doesn't directly contradict others but has some inner force, strength, that almost compels people to open up to him, even when what they share doesn't put them in the best light.
This is an interesting debut book. The story is interesting and the characters are somewhat believable. Some of Diaktoros' assumptions come about and you aren't sure how he came about them. That's a bit of a flaw, for me, as is the ending with its surprising twists that are a bit jarring. I liked the story for the most part but I hope that the next books in the series are more developed so that, now we kinda know who this investigator is, what he does makes better sense.
January 1, 2021
Ήλπιζα, ότι ένα στυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που διαδραματίζεται στην Ελλάδα ήταν ότι χρειαζόμουν φέτος. Δυστυχώς, δεν το ευχαριστήθηκα. Δεν ξέρω αν μ' ενόχλησε κάτι στην γραφή, στην οπτική ή στην ίδια την υπόθεση (γιατί μικρές, κλειστές κοινωνίες με σκάνδαλα καθώς και οι "καρμικές" τιμωρίες αδικιών δεν με ικανοποιούν). Σκέφτομαι να διαβάσω και το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς για να τα συγκρίνω.
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