Description

Book Synopsis
THE ATHENIAN MURDERS is a brilliant, very entertaining and absolutely original literary mystery, revolving round two intertwined riddles. In classical Athens, one of the pupils of Plato''s Academy is found dead. His idealistic teacher suspects that this wasn''t an accident and asks Herakles, known as the ''Decipherer of Enigmas'', to investigate the death and ultimately a dark, irrational and subversive cult. The second plot unfolds in parallel through the footnotes of the translator of the text. As he proceeds with his work, he becomes increasingly convinced that the original author has hidden a second meaning, which can be brought to light by interpreting certain repeated words and images. As the main plot and also the translation of the manuscript advances, there are certain sinister coincidences, and it seems that the text is addressing him personally and in an increasingly menacing manner... THE ATHENIAN MURDERS constitutes a highly compelling, entertaining and intelligent game

Trade Review
A delightfully paranoic read on both ancient and modern planes with enough literary cunning to satisfy fans of Nabokov's PALE FIRE as well as THE NAME OF THE ROSE * INDEPENDENT *
Extremely subtle and intelligent...totally absorbing * EVENING STANDARD *
It works, superbly * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
This is both a riveting historical novel and a subtle, unpretentious investigation of what happens when writers write and readers read. * SUNDAY TIMES *

The Athenian Murders

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    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Thu 25 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Jose Carlos Somoza

    1 in stock

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      Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
      Publication Date: 05/12/2002
      ISBN13: 9780349116181, 978-0349116181
      ISBN10: 0349116180

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      THE ATHENIAN MURDERS is a brilliant, very entertaining and absolutely original literary mystery, revolving round two intertwined riddles. In classical Athens, one of the pupils of Plato''s Academy is found dead. His idealistic teacher suspects that this wasn''t an accident and asks Herakles, known as the ''Decipherer of Enigmas'', to investigate the death and ultimately a dark, irrational and subversive cult. The second plot unfolds in parallel through the footnotes of the translator of the text. As he proceeds with his work, he becomes increasingly convinced that the original author has hidden a second meaning, which can be brought to light by interpreting certain repeated words and images. As the main plot and also the translation of the manuscript advances, there are certain sinister coincidences, and it seems that the text is addressing him personally and in an increasingly menacing manner... THE ATHENIAN MURDERS constitutes a highly compelling, entertaining and intelligent game

      Trade Review
      A delightfully paranoic read on both ancient and modern planes with enough literary cunning to satisfy fans of Nabokov's PALE FIRE as well as THE NAME OF THE ROSE * INDEPENDENT *
      Extremely subtle and intelligent...totally absorbing * EVENING STANDARD *
      It works, superbly * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
      This is both a riveting historical novel and a subtle, unpretentious investigation of what happens when writers write and readers read. * SUNDAY TIMES *

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