July Book Giveaway Contest

I'm excited to announce the next book giveaway contest — this one a bit of a departure from the typical women's fiction novels I've been featuring. Written by Anne Zouroudi, "The Messenger of Athens" has been described as a literary mystery novel that is set on a lush Greek island. This is the first book of a series by Zouroudi based on the seven deadly sins.

About the book:

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 intentions to investigate 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’ 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 among the locals. Who has sent him the 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 an life unknown to most outsiders, this wonderful novels leads the reader into a world where the myths of the past are not forgotten and forbidden passion still has dangerous consequences.

About the author:

Anne Zouroudi was born in England and has lived in the Greek islands. Her attachment to Greece remains strong, and the country is the inspiration for much of her writing; She is the author of the forthcoming novels "The Taint of Midas," also featuring Hermes Diaktoros. She now lives in northern England.

As per my other contests, all you have to do to enter to win one of THREE copies of "The Messenger of Athens" is to leave a comment on this blog post. US and Canada entries only, please. I will be drawing the three winning names on Friday morning (7/16). Please be sure to put your email in your comment, so I can contact you if you are a winner.