Lead Review

• Book: The Invisible
• Location: Prespes Region
• Author: Peter Papathanasiou

Review Author: Tina Hartas

The novel is set in the Greek part of the Prespes region, which straddles north western Greece, North Macedonia and Albania, and at the heart is a great lake. There are set routes to pass between the countries but many illegals cross through the high and inhospitable mountain region, many Albanians, for example head into Greece for work.

The landscape is magnificent but there’s something melancholic about it too, the borders are so close by. This region wasn’t even part of Greece a hundred years ago and in the short time since, there’s been so much conflict and death. It is thus a perfect setting for a mystery.

DS George Manolis is usually based in Australia but an operation that left a child dead has traumatised him. He is advised to take a break and heads for his family’s original home in Greece, and whilst there he cannot but start looking into the disappearance of his old friend Lefty, who is an ‘invisible’, someone of whom there is no record anywhere.. We know from the opening chapter that Lefty is quite possibly involved in nefarious enterprises, a man generally with a good heart but clearly, it seems, tied up in dark deeds somewhere along the line.

The transition from Cobb, in Australia, to Greece happens in the blink of an eye, the author was clearly keen to get on with the Greece-set part of the story, and it perhaps felt a little rushed; but he soon has Manolis exploring the area and looking for clues. Manolis has an old car at his disposal and he takes his time talking to the locals, exploring the scenery (which is full of flora and wild fauna, including horned island vipers which Manolis encounters, much to his cost, and bears) and picking up clues as he goes. However, he has very little to go on and his return to Australia is almost upon him; still there is no trace of his friend. Will he find him before his departure?

The author really creates a good setting, the area is colourfully brought to life, with a good sense of the history that has at times blighted this remote region and of course Greece in general.

A well written and readable mystery that has a great sense of place.

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