The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou

**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 'More than just a true crime story, The Unspeakable Acts Of Zina Pavlou, speaks so movingly about the experience of being an immigrant, as well as the prejudice, injustice and poverty surrounding this particular case.' Red 'A complex and fascinating portrait of the immigrant experience in postwar Britain, and 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 'Storytelling of the highest order... Really powerful' Leonora Nattrass 'A superb piece of writing, delicate, subtle, never disrespectful to anyone involved, but also never less tough than it needs to be' Morning Star