Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:In this "impressive" Library Journal Best Summer Debut, the peace of a Greek island paradise is broken by a brutal murder and a sinister mystery (Publishers Weekly).

On the idyllic Greek Island of Chios, an archeological dig uncovers a severed hand lying in a blood-filled trench. Perhaps it belongs to Eleni Argentis, the archeologist who recently disappeared with her assistant, Petros. The local police chief, Yiannis Patronas, suspects they found something of real value. But his search turns up nothing but handfuls of broken clay . . . and Petros's body. Then the worst is confirmed: Eleni's remains are found on a remote beach.

Yiannis's investigation reveals a gallery of relations, lovers and competitors who may have had motive to commit murder. But the question remains: what did Eleni find . . . and how much further is the killer willing to go for it?

In her gripping debut, "Serafim's dense prose is perfect for lovers of literary and scholarly mysteries. Her plotting is methodical and traditional, with subtle nods to Sherlock Holmes, Greek mythology, and historical events" (Library Journal, starred review).