The Devil Takes Half by Leta Serafim can now be found @
An archeological dig near a
desolate monastery in Greece is no longer the innocent search for Minoans, the
mysterious precursors to the Greek who disappeared without a trace more than
3500 years before; giving rise to the legend of Atlantis. A severed hand and
what seems to be all the blood from the missing archeologist, Eleni Argentis,
is found in a trench and her teenage assistant, Petros, is found nearby with
his throat slit.
On such a remote island,
there are only so many suspects, then again, Yiannis Patronas, the policeman in
charge of the investigation, finds all is not as it appears, and some secrets
are as ancient as the site itself.
REVIEWS
“[An] impressive
debut …. The discovery of a severed hand lying in a pool of blood brings
Yiannis Patronas, the chief police officer on the island of Chios, to an
archeological dig near a remote and almost deserted monastery. After a young
worker at the site gets his throat cut, more violent assaults follow. The
ensuing police procedural is improvised and uncertain because Yiannis is a
troubled, bumbling hero who has had no experience with murder cases or sadistic
criminals. He’s also burdened with incompetent subordinates, and his only real
assistant is an elderly priest who’s watched too many American detective TV
shows. Serafim has a good eye for people and places, and sheds light on the
centuries of violent passion that have created an oppressive atmosphere hanging
over the sunny Greek landscape.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The Greeks have a word for
it, and in this fast-paced, delightful mystery, that word is murder. A cop with
a nagging wife and an old priest with an addiction to American TV are spurred
to investigate the homicide of a beautiful anthropologist who may have dug up
more than shards of an ancient urn. The real buried treasure is pure pleasure
in Serafim’s debut novel.”
—Mary Daheim, New York
Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Alpine and Bed & Breakfast
mystery series
“Leta Seraphim’s deftly
crafted descriptions of people, places and action quickly transports the reader
into the midst of the seemingly tranquil and spiritual setting of a remote
ancient monastery on the island of Chios where, alas (!) sinister and gruesome
events are taking place. The mystical element of the monastic setting quickly
turns to an unholy mystery as this suspenseful and fast paced tale of
unspeakable murders draws you into its setting: an archeological site, the
quest to discover a Minoan settlement and an unlikely assemblage of intriguing
characters who become tangled together as the story unfolds. A determined Chief
Police Officer, several Archeologists, a young and impoverished assistant and a
priest all come to life in this beautifully rendered mystery. Intelligently
written, with keenly observed characters and places and ever mindful of the
rich history of this Greek island, Leta Serafim's narrative delivers an
enjoyable and skillfully developed story that holds your interest from start to
finish.”
—Argie Tiliakos,
Neuropsychologist, Massachusetts General Hospital (retired)
“In The
Devil Takes Half, Leta Serafim has done an excellent job capturing
the nuances and mentality of the Greek people: young, middle age and old. As
the child of Greek immigrants who were careful to pass on a thorough knowledge
of their language, culture, and tradition, I am delighted to find an American
who has not only taken the time to do her research but also understands the
sacrifice and beauty of a proud people and country. Her humor and use of the
Greek language help to paint a vivid literary portrait of a group of characters
who are only too real. I can actually see this riveting mystery novel being
made into a wonderful motion picture. What fun!”
—Margaret P.
Carayannopoulos, Board Member, the Harvard University Retiree Association
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com
Published by Coffeetown Press www.coffeetownpress.com
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