As a genre the crime thriller is not lacking in candidates. Folk love a good crime yarn. Often such tales are formulaic in their execution but that’s part of the appeal, maybe? It’s almost fitting the plot to the formula, standing back and lighting the blue touch paper. And there seems to be such an abundance of convoluted plots that I continue to marvel at the imaginations of crime authors. To come up with a new perspective must be hard, and a risk even? It’s a challenge that Peter Papathanasiou seems to have relished with his first novel set firmly in the crime genre. And whilst the crime is dominant in the novel it is set against a piercing backdrop that looks at the plight of refugees and indigenous peoples, gender and sexuality, amidst a small town mentality of prejudice and racism and examining the lengths to which people will go to express their opinion of people and regimes.
The story is set in the Australian outback, so palpably described that you can feel the heat and the dust, smell the sweat and the alcohol and feel the undercurrents of anger and tensions that consume the town of Cobb. Into this cauldron of lax police procedures Detective George Manolis returns to Cobb to investigate the brutal murder of a local school teacher. As well as the murder Manolis investigates his own self, his own past and is forced to confront the skeletons in his closet.
In Manolis, Papathanasious has created a believable character, flawed yet intrinsically decent, and committed to solving crime with an attention to detail, an adherence to the correct protocols and procedures. He remains just the right side of pedantic which ensures the reader stays on his right side. Law and order seem elusive as those in relevant positions to enforce it do not seem inclined to do so. Manolis is up against it intellectually, morally and, physically even but I’ll not go down the spoiler route!
The author sustains a sense of menace throughout such that, as a reader, you only feel safe with Manolis! But the character development is skilful and first impressions can be modified as the story unfolds. Papathansiou doesn’t shy away from telling it how it is so there’s some raw, gritty confrontations which don’t aways have desirable outcomes.
There’s plenty for the reader to think about too, pertinent and topical issues, for example situations regarding refugees and migrants and the effect of a detention centre on the ethos of a town like Cobb. But the crime and the solving of it is never far from our consciousness and, along, with Manolis, the reader grapples with the truths hidden amongst the red herrings.
The cover notes suggest this is the first story to feature Manolis. I do hope that means there will be more. I’d also like to surmise whether we might have a new antipodean police partnership on our hands, Manolis and Kerr? Over to you, Pete?!
My thanks to Katya Ellis and MacLehose Press for my gifted copy and a place upon the blog tour. Do check out what other bloggers felt about the book.
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