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Athenian Blues

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( 337 ratings, 61 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Athenian Blues by Pol Koutsakis is a gripping crime thriller set in Athens, featuring Stratos Gazis, a hitman with a keen sense of justice. Stratos is a moral and meticulous assassin-for-hire who only accepts contracts on those who deserve to die. As he navigates a corrupt city, he gets caught up in a dangerous game involving deceit, betrayal, and uncovering dark secrets.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this engaging read if you appreciate stories set against the vibrant backdrop of Athens, with a gritty narrative that combines intricate crime-solving with the personal dilemmas of a private investigator. Its thrilling plot and nuanced character development will appeal to those who love delving into the complexities of the human psyche amidst a web of crime and deception.

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Athenian Blues

"So sweet, so calm, so unaffectedly natural... I'd nearly forgotten that the reason she had invited me there was to discuss how I would kill her husband."

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"So sweet, so calm, so unaffectedly natural... I'd nearly forgotten that the reason she had invited me there was to discuss how I would kill her husband."

Stratos Gazis hates being called a contract killer. What he is, is a conscientious fixer. He fixes problems that are only mentioned in whispers, ones that very few can fix. These are things that people are willing to pay handsomely to get done, without wanting to know about the small stuffβ€”just that the job was carried out. Stratos is their man, provided that his meticulous research shows him that the targets deserve their fate. As he says, "I'm a kind of Robin Hood. I hunt down the villains. And I rob them. Of their lives."

But now, in the midst of the Greek economic crisis and political turmoil, during a melancholy winter that makes life in Athens even more unbearable than usual, this film-noir loving assassin with a strict moral code is about to get involved in the most high-profile case of his contract killer career. He finds himself caught between the most beloved lawyer in Greece, known as "the guardian of the poor", and his actress and model wife, the most desirable woman in the country. They are both in dire need of his killing services, but which one is telling the truth?

Helped by three childhood friendsβ€”Costas Dragas, a homicide cop; Teri, a transsexual high-class hooker; and Maria, the passion of his lifeβ€”he discovers that truth, in shattered loves and broken families, is, as ever, a relative thing.

Athenian Blues weaves a gripping tale of morality and deception, set against the backdrop of a city on edge and a man caught in the middle of a deadly love triangle.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Athenian Blues by Pol Koutsakis is an intriguing crime novel gaining praise for its mix of intense action and clever detection. It features a fascinating protagonist who operates on the fringes of the law, with inspiration drawn from American film noir, set against the backdrop of modern-day Athens. The book's dark, morally ambiguous themes and plot twists have been especially highlighted by reviewers, making it appealing to fans of international crime fiction and comparable to works like Lawrence Block's "Hit Man" series.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781908524768

Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 January 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bitter Lemon Press

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 227g

Pages: 278

About the Author

Pol Koutsakis writes novels, plays and screenplays. He was born in 1974. Until May 2006 he lived in Chania, in Western Crete, then lived for three years in Ontario, Canada, with his wife and daughter. At the end of December 2008, Pol returned to Chania only to emigrate again in 2016, this time to Perth, Australia. Pol teaches computer engineering in Perth when he is not writing crime novels or plays. He won the National award for best Greek play in 2007 by the Greek Ministry of Culture, and the National award for second best Greek play in 2005. Athenian Blues is his first novel to be translated into English. Baby Blue, the sequel to Athenian Blues, is expected to be published by Bitter Lemon Press in 2017.

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