The Invisible: A new outback noir from the author of THE STONING: "The crime debut of the year"

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"Outback noir has a new star" The Times

Burnt-out from policework, Detective Sergeant George Manolis flies from Australia to Greece for a holiday. Recently divorced and mourning the death of his father, who emigrated from the turbulent Prespes region which straddles the borders of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia, Manolis hopes to reconnect with his roots and heritage.

On arrival, Manolis learns of the disappearance of an 'invisible' - a local man who lives without a scrap of paperwork. The police and some locals believe the man's disappearance was pre-planned, while others suspect foul play. Reluctantly, Manolis agrees to work undercover to find the invisible, and must navigate the complicated relationships of a tiny village where grudges run deep.

It soon becomes clear to Manolis that he may never locate a man who, for all intents and purposes, doesn't exist. And with the clock ticking, the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the events of today as Manolis's investigation leads him to uncover a dark and long-forgotten practice.

"Detective Sergeant George Manolis is a great new addition to the Australian crime scene" EMMA VISKIC, award-winning author of the Caleb Zelic crime series

"The author effortlessly transports his reader to Southern Europe's borderlands, where a tragic past haunts the villages and towns, fuelling the mystery at the heart of the novel. This is first-rate crime fiction." - Andrew Pippos, author of Lucky's, Shortlisted for the Miles Franklin.

"The Invisible continues an assured, propulsive and atmospheric new series that crime fiction fans will devour." - Cameron Woodhead, The Sydney Morning Herald

"This second novel is very different from the first, a difference that reflects the range of Papathanasiou's talents. The narrative contains some lovely descriptive writing that evokes the beauty of this remote landscape. Students of ethnography are particularly likely to enjoy the setting, since it is at the junction of three cultures and three distinct histories that all feed into the development of the story." - Alison Booth, The Canberra Times

"Sumptuously written." - Julia Jackson, Readings Monthly

"A reflective story with solid characterisation. The pacing is gentle, but this perfectly evokes the setting and way of life. A socially and politically aware novel." - Jane Hunt, Waterstones

Reviews

Like The Stoning, the new book shows [Papathanasiou's] ability to combine suspense, politics and lyrical descriptive writing -- Joan Smith * The Sunday Times *
This second Manolis thriller is a wonderful evocation of a little-known part of Europe with spectacular scenery and dangerous wildlife, not to mention equally dangerous Balkan criminals on the loose. Highly recommended. -- Myles McWeeney * Irish Independent *
Detective Sergeant George Manolis is a great new addition to the Australian crime scene -- Emma Viskic * award-winning author of the Caleb Zelic crime series *
A brilliant new name in Australian crime -- Cheryl Akle * Weekend Australian *
Papathanasiou writes unsparingly, confidently, and compellingly. * The Quietus *
Political crime fiction of the highest order -- Joan Smith * Sunday Times *
The author effortlessly transports his reader to Southern Europe's borderlands, where a tragic past haunts the villages and towns, fuelling the mystery at the heart of the novel. This is first-rate crime fiction. -- Andrew Pippos * author of LUCKY'S, shortlisted for the 2021 Miles Franklin Award *
Marvellous . . . Exciting . . . A great read -- Mark Sanderson * The Times *
The Invisible continues an assured, propulsive and atmospheric new series that crime fiction fans will devour -- Sydney Morning Herald * Cameron Woodhead *
This story of a difficult investigation is an unusual and interesting contribution to the genre. -- Natasha Cooper * Literary Review *
A wonderful evocation of life in the region with spectacular scenery and fearsome wildlife and equally dangerous criminals. Highly recommended. -- Miles McWeeney * Irish Independent Gift Guide *
This second novel is very different from the first, a difference that reflects the range of Papathanasiou's talents. The narrative contains some lovely descriptive writing that evokes the beauty of this remote landscape. Students of ethnography are particularly likely to enjoy the setting, since it is at the junction of three cultures and three distinct histories that all feed into the development of the story -- Alison Booth * Canberra Times *
It's a fascinating and entirely effective replacement for the desert hellscape setting of Papathanasiou's debut, The Stoning, and he peoples the rugged landscape with plausible characters who each have their own reasons for preferring a life lived on the fringes of 21st-century society -- Angus Batey * The Quietus *
While the tone is very different to The Stoning, The Invisible is every bit as enjoyable and Papathanasiou is displaying his diverse talents early on in his career as a novelist -- Anne Cunningham * Meath Chronicle *
Papathanasiou adds considerably to the crime literature defined as Australian. He has his own individuality and represents a successful amalgam of Greek and Australian literature. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. The characters are superbly drawn. Papathanasiou doesn't pull any punches as he takes a clear-eyed look at hypocrisies old and new -- Ian Lipke * Queensland Reviewers Collective *
Gripping -- Lisa Howells * Crime Monthly *

Sumptuously written

-- Readings Monthly * Julia Jackson *
It has a lot more richness and meaning than your standard thriller. And the reader is seriously enlightened. It will stay with you -- Peter Donoughue * Booknotes *
A reflective story with solid characterisation. The pacing is gentle, but this perfectly evokes the setting and way of life. A socially and politically aware novel -- Jane Hunt * Waterstones *
An intriguing and tense thriller with a strong sense of place and well-drawn characters -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *
A true pageturner, with a highly satisfying ending -- A.N. Wilson * Tablet *

Author Bio

Peter Papathanasiou was born in northern Greece and adopted as a baby to an Australian family. His writing has been published internationally by The New York Times, Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Canberra Times, Daily Telegraph, The ABC, SBS, Huffington Post. He also holds an MA in Creative Writing from City University, London, and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Australian National University. His first book, a memoir Son of Mine was published in 2019 by Salt.