There Lies a Hidden Scorpion

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: I loved this book. It was like going on a great vacation where an intriguing mystery occurred.

Rating:
Summary: Great Mystery
Review: Nick and Julie Lambros own the Oracle Café in Delphi, Georgia when they decide to shut down the restaurant during a slow period. The couple heads to Tampon Springs, Florida for a vacation and to fulfill a social obligation. The daughter of a friend and fellow restaurant owner Manolis Papavasilakis is marrying the son of a multimillionaire. His side is hosting the entire event at his brand new hotel resort, The Mediterraneo.

Now that Nick and Julia are in town, thing are anything but dull. They are almost run over when an out of control car containing a slumped over driver and a passenger struggling to properly steer the vehicle drive up onto the sidewalk. The car lands in the water with only one person surviving. The survivor and the dead woman just came from Manolis's restaurant where they had a drink. Someone tries to play tricks on the bride and groom in an effort to get the superstitious grandmother of the groom to call off the wedding. Finally an unknown person steals a rare coin that is part of a family heirloom necklace given by the groom to the bride. The companion to the groom's grandmother is the prime suspect. Julia disagrees and begins to sleuth again. Julia finds a dead person in a room in the Mediterraneo. This leads to the police beginning an investigation, but it doesn't halt Julia's efforts, a place that places the Lambros family in danger.

Readers will agree that the time between Nick and Julia mysteries is too long. The audience will also believe that THERE LIES A HIDDEN SCORPION is so good the wait was worth every minute. Fans obtain an intriguing look at a Greek-American community inside of an interesting mystery storyline. The secondary characters are a fascinating group, but the lead protagonists make this a one-sitting novel.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Great Mystery
Review: There don't seem to be many couples who are sleuths and they can be such fun. This third book in the Nick and Julia Lambros series is a rare treat for those who like married sleuths.

Rating:
Summary: Great Portrayal of Greek-American Community
Review: When Julia and Nick, married restaurant owners, arrive in Tarpon Springs, Florida, one of the largest Greek American communities in the United States, they immediately become ensconced in a series of events that beg for them to assume their Nick and Nora-like detective personas. As all activities revolve around the wedding of their friend Manolis' daughter to the son of a wealthy hotel owner and entrepreneur, the authors can expertly relay to the reader the customs and traditions of the Greek-American community while paving the way for a delightfully non-stop romp of intrigue. The narrator, Julia, speaks from the heart; her unfamiliarity with the Greek-American world makes her the perfect guide for the non-Greek American reader to become acquainted along with her to this culture's warmth and wealth of tradition. Most amusing is her handling of the sensual Rula, who vies for Nick's attention with her sexy dancing expertise. Father Charles' rather unfortunate reaction to his favorite cigars ranks highly on the fun meter also. My one complaint would be the lack of allowing the narrator some musing time where the new information is weighed with the old and analyzed for alternatives. The action in this story is relentless and perhaps needs a little settling time between steps to allow the reader to come up with theories of his/her own. Otherwise, it is a colorful portrayal of the Greek-American world--one I heartily recommend. I look forward to reading the Iakovou's other two Nick and Julia mysteries.