Book Review: The Golden Silence

Reviewed By: Catherine Thompson - RAM

The Golden Silence     Amazon US PB Amazon UK PB Amazon Canada PB
Paul Johnston
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Alex Mavros # 3
Hodder & Stoughton; $24.95 trade paperback; 342 pages

When his girlfriend Niki encourages him to take the case of a missing teenager, private investigator Alex Mavros isn’t enthusiastic. He needs the work, yes, but after the explosive results of his last case, he’s not eager to dive back into investigation. Despite that, he gives in to Niki’s urging and begins searching for Katia Tratsou, a Russian immigrant of Greek descent. As Alex follows lead after lead, he begins to realize that there is something deeper here than a missing girl. Her disappearance might possibly be linked to the Chiotis family, the most powerful crime organization in Greece. The family is in the middle of a turf war with the Russian gangs, and it’s no-holds-barred, with corpses turning up in very public places. Even more intriguing, Alex discovers that the present-day killings have their roots in the brutal military dictatorship, which also stole his older brother Andonis from him.

The Golden Silence is a fascinating, fast-paced thriller. It portrays present-day Greece not as a Mediterranean paradise but as a country whose government and police are as corrupt as any. Mavros is a character with a cynical cast to his personality, an outsider though a native of the country because of his half-Scots heritage. He moves amongst those of the underworld: junkies, dealers, and prostitutes. At the same time, this case brings him close to the wealthy and famous. From the smog-ridden streets of Athens to the glorious heights of Aegina, Mavros tracks Katia’s abductors until the bloody climax of the novel.

Catherine Thompson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Catherine Thompson - RAM