A Dead Man in Athens

Athens, 1913, the capital of a country on the brink of war. The new Greek prime minister, Venizelos, tired of the Ottoman overlords, has what he calls the Great Idea - a vision of a new Greece that unites all the Greek people scattered around the Mediterranean. Not such a great idea, in the view of other countries, among them Britain, which believes in letting sleeping dogs lie. And cats. Including the one recently poisoned in Athens and which belonged to the exiled former Sultan.

Unfortunately, as is the way with the Balkans, rumours start flying around; one being that this was a sighting shot for the ex-Sultan himself. This, in the Balkans, could start a war and so Britain has to sit up and take notice. Something has to be done. Fast. And - please, urge the diplomats - low-key. The lowest key of all is to send out a police officer from Scotland Yard to investigate, and, as it happens, the Foreign Office has a person in mind: Seymour, of the CID, who has had some experience of this sort of thing before . . .

“The steady pace, atmospheric design, and detailed description re-create a complicated city. A recommended historical series.-- Library Journal”

As always, Pearce's dialogue sparkles and the period background has a strong feeling of authenticity, making for a very enjoyable read. - Sunday Telegraph

The steady pace, atmospheric design, and detailed description re-create a complicated city. A recommended historical series. - Library Journal

Sheer fun - The Times

Michael Pearce was raised in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, where his fascination for language began. He later trained as a Russian interpreter but moved away from languages to follow an academic career, first as a lecturer in English and the History of Ideas, and then as an administrator. He has a strong interest in human rights and in languages, both of which feature indirectly in his new series. Michael Pearce now lives in South-West London.

Seymour has to keep the cat firmly in the bag . . . Athens, 1912, and the country is on the brink of war. The new Greek Prime Minister, Venizelos, tired of the Ottoman overlords, has a dream to form a new nation, uniting all the Greek people scattered around the Mediterranean. Not such a great idea in the view of other countries, among them Britain, who believes in letting sleeping dogs lie. And cats. Especially the poisoned one who belonged to an exiled dignitary. Was this a trial run for an assassination? Something has to be done. Fast. And low-key. The lowest key of all is to send out a police officer from Scotland Yard, and, as it happens, the Foreign Office has just the person in mind: Seymour, of the CID, who has had some experience of this sort of thing before . . .

Athens, 1913, the capital of a country on the brink of war. The new Greek prime minister, Venizelos, tired of the Ottoman overlords, has what he calls the Great Idea - a vision of a new Greece that unites all the Greek people scattered around the Mediterranean. Not such a great idea, in the view of other countries, among them Britain, which believes in letting sleeping dogs lie. And cats. Including the one recently poisoned in Athens and which belonged to the exiled former Sultan. Unfortunately, as is the way with the Balkans, rumours start flying around; one being that this was a sighting shot for the ex-Sultan himself. This, in the Balkans, could start a war and so Britain has to sit up and take notice. Something has to be done. Fast. And - please , urge the diplomats - low-key. The lowest key of all is to send out a police officer from Scotland Yard to investigate, and, as it happens, the Foreign Office has a person in mind: Seymour, of the CID, who has had some experience of this sort of thing before . . .

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