"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
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
ISBN: 9781529424461
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 220 g
Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 24 mm
Like The Stoning, the new book shows [Papathanasiou's] ability to combine suspense, politics and lyrical descriptive writing - Joan Smith, The Sunday Times
This second Manolis thriller is a wonderful evocation of a little-known part of Europe with spectacular scenery and dangerous wildlife, not to mention equally dangerous Balkan criminals on the loose. Highly recommended. - Myles McWeeney, Irish Independent
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
A brilliant new name in Australian crime - Cheryl Akle, Weekend Australian
Papathanasiou writes unsparingly, confidently, and compellingly. - The Quietus
Political crime fiction of the highest order - Joan Smith, Sunday Times
The author effortlessly transports his reader to Southern Europe's borderlands, where a tragic past haunts the villages and towns, fuelling the mystery at the heart of the novel. This is first-rate crime fiction. - Andrew Pippos, author of LUCKY'S, shortlisted for the 2021 Miles Franklin Award
Marvellous . . . Exciting . . . A great read - Mark Sanderson, The Times
The Invisible continues an assured, propulsive and atmospheric new series that crime fiction fans will devour - Sydney Morning Herald, Cameron Woodhead
This story of a difficult investigation is an unusual and interesting contribution to the genre. - Natasha Cooper, Literary Review
A wonderful evocation of life in the region with spectacular scenery and fearsome wildlife and equally dangerous criminals. Highly recommended. - Miles McWeeney, Irish Independent Gift Guide
This second novel is very different from the first, a difference that reflects the range of Papathanasiou's talents. The narrative contains some lovely descriptive writing that evokes the beauty of this remote landscape. Students of ethnography are particularly likely to enjoy the setting, since it is at the junction of three cultures and three distinct histories that all feed into the development of the story - Alison Booth, Canberra Times
It's a fascinating and entirely effective replacement for the desert hellscape setting of Papathanasiou's debut, The Stoning, and he peoples the rugged landscape with plausible characters who each have their own reasons for preferring a life lived on the fringes of 21st-century society - Angus Batey, The Quietus
While the tone is very different to The Stoning, The Invisible is every bit as enjoyable and Papathanasiou is displaying his diverse talents early on in his career as a novelist - Anne Cunningham, Meath Chronicle
Papathanasiou adds considerably to the crime literature defined as Australian. He has his own individuality and represents a successful amalgam of Greek and Australian literature. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. The characters are superbly drawn. Papathanasiou doesn't pull any punches as he takes a clear-eyed look at hypocrisies old and new - Ian Lipke, Queensland Reviewers Collective
Gripping - Lisa Howells, Crime Monthly
Sumptuously written - Readings Monthly, Julia Jackson
It has a lot more richness and meaning than your standard thriller. And the reader is seriously enlightened. It will stay with you - Peter Donoughue, Booknotes
A reflective story with solid characterisation. The pacing is gentle, but this perfectly evokes the setting and way of life. A socially and politically aware novel - Jane Hunt, Waterstones
An intriguing and tense thriller with a strong sense of place and well-drawn characters - Jeff Popple, Canberra Weekly
A true pageturner, with a highly satisfying ending - A.N. Wilson, Tablet
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... More
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...
More
My thanks to Quercus Books MacLehose Press for an advance review copy 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...
More
Please sign in to write a review
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?