The Messenger of Athens

May 24, 2010
At the start of Zouroudi's intriguing first in a series based on the seven deadly sins, self-styled investigator Hermes Diaktoros (aka "the fat man") arrives from Athens on the island of Thiminos to look into the death of Irini Asimakopoulos, a young woman whose body was found at the foot of a high cliff. Irini's sad story unfolds slowly as Hermes, who can ask questions gently or demand answers gruffly, talks to a number of people involved, including Irini's husband, Andreas; her putative lover, Theo Hatzistratis; Theo's wife, Elpida; and the island's police chief, Panayiotis Zafiridis, who officially deemed her death an accident but privately believes it was suicide. The secrets the locals keep or share can't be hidden from Hermes, who weighs the evidence and, in the end, rewards or punishes in ways that have little to do with written laws. Zouroudi writes well, but this leisurely tale is more likely to appeal to armchair travelers interested in Greece than mystery buffs.

Gildart Jackson has the kind of voice you can listen to for hours. Happily, when you combine this wonderful vocal talent with an absolutely terrific story filled with original characters, believable situations, and plot points that keep your head spinning, you know you're in for an exceptional listening experience. A woman's body is found in a ravine. Local police close the case, calling it a suicide. Mysterious Hermes Diaktoros, "the Fat Man," arrives from Athens to the island of Thiminos to investigate the death. His unorthodox methods of inquiry lay bare the island's dark underbelly and the secrets of its inhabitants. This is the first in what promises to be an exciting series featuring the intriguing and engaging "Fat Man." Let's hope Gildart Jackson continues to narrate. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine