Read more
**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers Book Club 2023**
'Tense. Moving. Morally complex. Zina Pavlou is wholly unforgettable.' RACHEL RHYS
'Impressive... worthy of Sarah Waters' THE TIMES
THEY HAVE TOLD SO MANY LIES ABOUT ME.
London, 1954. Zina Pavlou, a Cypriot grandmother, waits quietly in the custody of the Metropolitan police. She can't speak their language, but she understands what their wary looks mean: she has been accused of the brutal murder of her daughter-in-law.
Eva Georgiou, Greek interpreter for the Met, knows how it feels to be voiceless as an immigrant woman. While she works as Zina's translator, her obsession with the case deepens, and so too does her bond with the accused murderer.
Zina can't speak for herself. She can't clear her own name. All she can do is wait for the world to decide...
IS SHE A VICTIM? OR IS SHE A KILLER?
A compelling historical crime novel set in the Greek diaspora of 1950s London - that's inspired by a true story - The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is perfect for fans of Erin Kelly, Sara Collins, and Jessie Burton.
'Eleni Kyriacou has drawn such a rich cast in this enthralling and wholly original novel. Utterly compelling.' CLARE MACKINTOSH
'Hugely powerful... Easily one of the best books you'll read this year' EMMA CHRISTIE
'A brilliantly crafted story of two women... and an absolute page-turner' LOUISE HARE
'Immersive, gripping, authentic' ERIN KELLY
'Chilling, gripping' NIKKI SMITH
'A tragic and compelling tale' GUARDIAN
'Zina and Eva will stay with me a long, long time' LOUISE FEIN
'Prepare to become obsessed with Zina Pavlou!' LOUISE MUMFORD
About the author
Eleni Kyriacou
Summary
'Tense. Moving. Morally complex. Zina Pavlou is wholly unforgettable.' Rachel Rhys
They say she's a murderer. She says nothing.
London, 1954. Eva Georgiou has just returned from her shift at the glamorous Café de Paris, when she's summoned to her second job: Greek interpreter for the Metropolitan Police. There, she is tasked with representing Zina Pavlou, a Cypriot woman who has been accused of the brutal murder of her daughter-in-law who has been bludgeoned, strangled and then set alight.
Eva gets to work as Zina's translator, but her concern grows that the case may be more complicated than it seems. Then Zina changes everything when she reveals she's been accused of murder once before, years ago in Cyprus.
While Eva's obsession with the case deepens, so does her bond with Zina. And soon she will discover that when you lend your voice to an accused murderer, it comes at a devastating cost.
A compelling historical crime novel set in the Greek diaspora of 1950s London - that's inspired by a true story - The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is perfect for fans of Sara Collins, Eve Chase and Jessie Burton.
Praise for The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou:
'A brilliantly crafted story of two women... and an absolute page-turner.' Louise Hare
'Prepare to become obsessed with Zina Pavlou!' Louise Mumford
'You know those books where you read a bit and then you have to stop to do life stuff but the characters are still in your head and you can't wait to get back to it? This is one of those.' Frances Quinn
'A gripping true-crime drama... Kyriacou's complex, perceptive and moving narrative brings these devastating events vividly to life.' Philippa East
'Storytelling of the highest order... Really powerful.' Leonora Nattrass
'Eleni Kyriacou is a writer of immense talent... A captivating and important story written by an author at the top of her game.' Victoria Dowd
'Glamour and grime in perfect proportion to produce a gripping thriller.' Trevor Wood
Foreword
Inspired by a true story, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is a historical crime novel set in the Greek diaspora of 1950s London about a woman accused of murder and the translator working on her trial.
Additional text
You'll be hooked
Report
Eleni Kyriacou has drawn such a rich cast in this enthralling and wholly original novel. Utterly compelling. Clare Mackintosh
