Book Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
The Unspeakable Acts Of Zina Pavlou is a gripping, powerful and thought provoking read that will stay with me. I finished this book a few weeks ago and I’m still thinking about it.
The book is told in two main timelines. One set in the present day follows Zina and her interpreter Eva after the murder and through the trial, the other flashes back to events before the murder. I thought the main character Zina was a very sympathetic character, despite all the derogatory language and public opinion used against her in the book. I felt very sorry for her as I thought she had had a hard life and that not all aspects of the case were considered before the trial. Eva was another great character who I enjoyed following throughout the book. I liked that she cared about Zina as I felt she needed someone on her side. It’s very poignant to see how helpless she is though and how much the case effect her.
This book lays bear a lot of prejudice that was around at the time of this trial. As one of the police men themselves noted maybe she’d have been given a different type of trial had she been prettier or from a better social class. It often made my blood boil to see how unfairly she was treated because of her background and made me wonder how differently her trial might have been if it took place today.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to everyone. I thought the book had great pace to it and there is an underlying feeling of unease throughout the story that ensured I kept reading. This story is based on a real case and I highly recommend not googling it until after you’ve read this book as the outcome is the same as the real life case. Despite this I kept hoping the ending of this book would be different and Zina would get the happy ending I think she deserved.
Huge thanks to Head Of Zeus for my copy of this book via my job at Rossiter books. If you’re looking for a slightly different but gripping true crime book then I highly recommend this book.
About The Author:
My parents travelled from Cyprus to England separately in the 1950s, met and – after knowing each other a few weeks – got married. It always struck me as a brave move to come here, especially for my mother who was a 26-year-old seamstress from a rural background, with no English. My parents’ story was a happy one; they married, had a much better life than they could have dreamt of in Cyprus, had my sister, then me and, though times were often hard, they never questioned that coming here had been the right thing to do.
But I’ve often wondered what would have happened if they’d fallen in with the wrong people, or taken a wrong turn? This is that story.
Myself, I’ve never quite felt completely British or Cypriot, but I’ve always felt a Londoner. I grew up in Camden, then Elephant & Castle, Finsbury Park, Tottenham and I now live in Ealing. So I’ve lived north, south and west. East London is like another country to me.
I grew up always knowing I was different. This was confirmed by everyone I met, from classmates to strangers and teachers. I had a funny name for a start, and I read too much. I had parents who hardly spoke any English and shoved koftes and halloumi into my packed lunches (1970s Elephant & Castle was still reeling from the wonders of instant hot chocolate). And then there was the red hair – an aberration that confounded everyone.
Today, I’m an award-winning editor and journalist and my writing has appeared in many publications, including the Guardian, the Observer, Marie Claire, Red and Stella. I’ve written on a wide range of topics including adoption, relationships, travel, self-development, the arts and women’s health. I’ve also edited national magazines and am now a freelance writer/editor.
Over The Rainbow Blog 