mazza57's review against another edition
3.0
this took a while to get going but was an enjoyable read - a series i could read more of
taratosaurus's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book in a goodreads first reads giveaway.
We're never told why Hermes Diaktoros is in Morfi, but there he is, eating, cleaning his shoes, and judging the locals on their manners. The town doctor is mysteriously blinded, and Diaktoros finds he must stay to figure out what happened. At first, many of the townspeople seem to be of questionable character, and you wonder why anyone sticks around, but some of them redeem themselves towards the end. This is a fun mystery, with a very strange detective, and a very unexpected ending.
We're never told why Hermes Diaktoros is in Morfi, but there he is, eating, cleaning his shoes, and judging the locals on their manners. The town doctor is mysteriously blinded, and Diaktoros finds he must stay to figure out what happened. At first, many of the townspeople seem to be of questionable character, and you wonder why anyone sticks around, but some of them redeem themselves towards the end. This is a fun mystery, with a very strange detective, and a very unexpected ending.
exurbanis's review against another edition
5.0
(Fiction, Mystery, Series #3)
I wasn’t sure what to expect of my first meeting with Hermes Diaktoros, but I was eager to make his acquaintance so when Netgalley offered these first three in the series, I jumped.
The series is set in Greece at an undetermined time – but in very real settings that make little or no use of modern technology. That could be mid-20th century, or it could be present day in an isolated rural area that is not up to date. To further confuse things, Hermes’ methods are very old-fashioned and a little bit unorthodox, and there is the tiniest bit of magical realism.
This series has everything: a setting that the reader longs to be part of, a likeable inscrutable protagonist, and good mysteries. There are seven books in this series, each dealing with one of the traditional seven deadly sins.
All of these books were excellent, although it is the story in this third one that has stayed with me three years later. There’s always justice in Zouroudi’s books although not always in the form you might expect.
I’m glad to be reminded to return to this series.
4½ stars
I wasn’t sure what to expect of my first meeting with Hermes Diaktoros, but I was eager to make his acquaintance so when Netgalley offered these first three in the series, I jumped.
The series is set in Greece at an undetermined time – but in very real settings that make little or no use of modern technology. That could be mid-20th century, or it could be present day in an isolated rural area that is not up to date. To further confuse things, Hermes’ methods are very old-fashioned and a little bit unorthodox, and there is the tiniest bit of magical realism.
This series has everything: a setting that the reader longs to be part of, a likeable inscrutable protagonist, and good mysteries. There are seven books in this series, each dealing with one of the traditional seven deadly sins.
All of these books were excellent, although it is the story in this third one that has stayed with me three years later. There’s always justice in Zouroudi’s books although not always in the form you might expect.
I’m glad to be reminded to return to this series.
4½ stars
austen_to_zafon's review against another edition
4.0
It's November here in the drizzly northwest, so when I saw what looked like a bit of a cozy mystery at the library and it said "Set against a sparkling Mediterranean backdrop" on the back, I was out the door with it before you could say "I could learn to like ouzo." And it was pretty cozy: Small Greek village where gossip is the main occupation, jilted bride, mysterious revenge crime, and "the mysterious fat man whose tennis shoes are always pristine and whose investigative methods are always unorthodox." There wasn't even a murder. So I was prepared to be lulled and warmed by what sounded essentially like Poirot Does Greece, and I was. Zouroudi, who was born in England but spent years in the Greek islands, did a great job of transporting me to a culture and lifestyle I haven't experienced and I liked her detective, Hermes Diaktoros of Athens, who reminds me of Peter Falk's Columbo. I wish I'd read the books in order though, because at the end, I still had no idea who Diaktoros works for. He's not a cop, but he never says what he is. My only complaint is that I wasn't prepared for the darkness of the ending. There is so much humor and lightness throughout, I just didn't see it coming and it didn't seem in keeping with the rest of the book. But knowing that going into her other books, I won't be sucker punched, so I don't imagine it'll bother me less.
jmeston's review against another edition
3.0
These books make reference to the beauty of the Greek landscape and the delights of the good life there. But they spend even more time describing claustrophobic village societies; the sights and smells of poverty; and sexist assumptions about women's lives. I appreciate the ambivalence although sometimes I wish for less mildew.
Hermes Diaktoros is quite an appealing force outside of Christianity, conventional society or the law.
Hermes Diaktoros is quite an appealing force outside of Christianity, conventional society or the law.
asuph's review
4.0
Second one I read in the series. Another easy read. Smooth narration. Quirky characters. Alexander McCall Smith meets Agatha Christie. A touch of the greek slice of life. Easy read. Quite enjoyable.
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