Fire on the Island

Forget about the postcard. Sure there is plenty of Mediterranean sea, plenty of ouzos, plenty of nice evenings, days spent leisurely on this small Greek island. Unfortunately we are after the 2008 subprime crises and what started as a “financial bubble” exploding is turning into a daily nightmare for the World, Europe and most particularly for Greece. Some thing is quite wrong in the kingdom of Vourvoulos. The Erynies are at work. Fires have been started here and there, so much so that an FBI agent who happens to be gay is sent to inquire as to what or whom is behind these recurrent arsons. Add to that a Priest thrives to improve his standing with The Church, refugees arriving, dead or alive, dreaming of a better life, a mayor trying to preserve his city and facing the complete disinterest of “Athens”… and you’ll get a suspenseful, intriguing and page-turning mystery. Hopefully the first of a series!

Thank you for the ARC read, I voluntarily give this book an honest review. Wow there is so much charm, drama and mystery happening in this book even a some heartbreaking moments along heartwarming. Not just is there fires, but from residents of the village, where the priest is more worried for a bell tower then his flock, or some one new like some are willing to believe it’s the refugees? Just arrived in the village, Nick is met a fire using he slides into an easy friendship. Lyndia is a like mind woman, listening and learning everything going on in the small area even if she doesn’t have the right credential. Will the firestarter build up to the fuel tanker, is the main focus the village or the guards? So far its just fires can Nick is his cunning before it escalates to murder? Nick hopes to find and catch them either way.

This book was an absorbing read. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. Timothy Jay Smith writes gorgeous, evocative prose, and he’s a master of re-creating the mood of a particular time and location. Here, he whisked me away to Greece, with all its challenges and beauty, and enticed me to stay with a beguiling story of fire, passion, and mystery.

THE STORY
The arsonist has struck again. Eleven fires in eleven months. Each grows closer to the village of Vourvoulos. Closer to the village’s crumbling church tower, its struggling restaurants, its inhabitants. Closer to gigantic fuel tank that looms over the village. If the arsonist strikes there, the village will be destroyed. But why would anyone want to do this?

Just as Nick arrives in the village, the eleventh fire breaks out. When he jumps in and rescues an endangered dog, the villagers nickname him “superman.” As he’s welcomed into the community, he begins to investigate . . .

THE CHARACTERS
Multiple points of view give us insight into this diverse community. Smith creates very human characters, each with strengths, weaknesses, and motives, and does this with sympathy, understanding, and humor. They felt real, as if I might travel to Greece and eat at Lydia’s Kitchen or see the crumbling church bell tower or wander to the pier to watch the fishermen unload their catches–or see desperate refugees being rescued by the Coast Guard.

We get to meet NICK, the gay FBI agent posing at a writer in search of a book. His new lover/suspect TAKIS. (There’s plenty of steamy activity between those two!) Takis’ widowed sister VASSOULA, who runs a restaurant. Then there’s LYDIA, who runs the restaurant/bar next door, and her family: her parents, SHIRLEY and LUKAS, victims of the arsonist’s latest attack; her teen daughter ATHINA, determined to win the local beauty pageant with a scandalous costume of the Virgin Mary; and RIDI, the Albanian refugee who works at their restaurant, and has an incomplete grasp of the Greek language. He strives to learn the language and win Athina’s heart. But will he? (Their romance is one of the highlights of the book; I was cheering for them throughout the story!)

Don’t forget the handsome but duplicitous art forger/priest FATHER ALEXIS (who you’ll want to see get his comeuppance!) An endearing deaf boy nicknamed KOUFOS who wanders the village in search of food. There’s the mayor, the captain of the coast guard station, and are many others. It’s a large group of characters. Yet Smith draws each with such distinction that I never felt confused by anyone’s identity.

THE SETTING
The village bears the marks of its communist past. But it also shows the scars of the conflicts in culture and religion for centuries. The Exchange is one scar that even now, the village must grapple with. Smith does an excellent job of weaving in these historical events without it ever seeming like a history lesson. He shows the resilience of the survivors while also showing the violent resentment that lingers throughout the years.

Smith is good at showing the villagers’ conflicting responses to the refugees. There’s simmering resentment that refugees are being fed while the locals watch their businesses die as tourism shrivels up. The economic toll this takes on the already-struggling Greek economy is horrible. But so is the war that the refugees flee. It’s a real-life conflict, and Smith shows this with heart-breaking clarity and compassion.

THE MYSTERY
Smith is good at giving tantalizing clues to the arsonist’s identity. As a reader, I was constantly guessing at their significance. Is it a clue? Is it a red herring? The plot swept me along and, though the book had a great literary depth, it was also fun to read. Even though I did guess the arsonist’s identity, it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the trail of clues the author led me along, nor did it diminish my thrill when the arsonist is finally revealed.

ONE FAVORITE THING . . .
As a writer myself, I thoroughly enjoyed Nick’s “cover”: he’s posing as a wannabe writer. Apparently the village gets quite a few of these types, because they accept this. It’s brilliant: this cover gives him license to ask nosy questions, and everyone wants to share the local gossip and legends with him because it “might make a great story!” And if anyone asks too many questions about the still-to-be-written book, Nick always says he’s still looking for inspiration. Writer’s block, you know.

Overall, this is an excellent book. Be forewarned that there are references to rape, depictions of racism, and some homophobic slurs used toward the gay characters. (However, these are realistic for the setting and add to the realistic portrayal of the country.) Highly recommended for mystery readers, especially those with an interest in LGBT-themed thrillers.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.