The Taint of Midas - Tapa blanda

'A cracking plot, colourful local characters and descriptions of the hot, dry countryside so strong that you can almost see the heat haze and hear the cicadas - the perfect read to curl up with' Guardian PRAISE FOR THE MESSENGER OF ATHENS:'This powerfully atmospheric mystery embraces Mediterranean passion, mythic meddling and patriarchal persecution. First-time novelist Anne Zouroudi proves a natural at the dark arts of writing Euro-crime' Independent 'This is a fantastic tale of passion, corruption and murder on a remote Greek island. The main characters were wonderfully written' Woman's Own

For over half a century the beautiful Temple of Apollo has been in the care of the old beekeeper Gabrilis. But when the value of the land soars he is forced to sign away his interests - and hours later he meets a violent, lonely death. When Hermes Diaktoros finds his friend's battered body by a dusty roadside, the police quickly make him the prime suspect. But with rapacious developers threatening Arcadia's most ancient sites, there are many who stand to gain from Gabrilis's death. Our investigator resolves to avenge his old friend and find the true culprit, but his methods are, as ever, unorthodox