Crime fiction set in WYOMING and MONTANA
Psychological thriller set on the MANI PENINSULA (Peloponnese)
15th April 2026
Dead Heat by Sabine Durrant, psychological thriller set on the Mani Peninsula (Peloponnese).
I read this for the Grazia Book Club, April 2026.
If you are a fan of Beautiful Animals by Lawrence Osborne (one of our favourite authors for evoking a dark setting), then you will, in all likelihood, like this novel. It kept me hooked, I like the way elements of the storyline were gradually introduced in a cohesive way, then building to a good ending. And I very much enjoyed the writing style.
Adam and Celia Murphy own the Villa Mimosa above Kardamyli (in the novel referred to as Kardamos). They have been coming here for generations and feel a sense of cultural ownership. Across the narrow stretch of water is a newly renovated villa, Arkadia, which has lain in ruins for a long time. It is now owned now by Reynash, who has invested heavily. He is now entertaining all kinds of people, upsetting the quiet, genteel nature of the area. Matt Grimshaw – the main protagonist in this novel – is a lodger in a cottage on the Murphy’s estate, a long time friend, currently at a crisis point in his life, as he has no job and he is separated from his partner. The latter spends time with the family up in the main house and his fondness for both – but in very different ways – is manifest. It transpires there is considerable history between Adam and Reynash.
There is a high level of smoke and mirrors behind which most of the characters operate, creatively manipulating both situations and the people around them. The characters are often viewed through the lens of others and just sometimes their traits are subsumed by the needs of the narrative rather than building a persona. I didn’t really buy into the on-going relationship as portrayed between the Murphys, given Adam’s unreliable and irascible nature. They remain together because Celia apparently can’t contemplate any separation/divorce, given her staunch Catholic beliefs. Celia, at one point describes herself as a country girl who is unsentimental about animals, and then Matt – just 2 pages later – goes on to say “she could never abide to see any creature, no matter how wretched, in pain…” which then also doesn’t chime with her being dismissive of domestic staff, as noted at one point. I also balked at some of the pressures put on Matt by his good friend Adam.
However, these character issues don’t really interfere with the cleverly plotted storyline, and I eagerly read on to the conclusion of this dark, gritty and intriguing story.
There is a nod to F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, to wit the glitz, glamour and money combined with nefarious actions; Celia and Adam’s marital surname is Murphy, and the original wealthy couple in real life, Sarah and Gerald Murphy back in the 1920s, afforded inspiration to the author and his writing.
The setting is well evoked, with cloying heat and aridity spilling off the pages.
Tina for the TripFiction Team
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