[.ca] Veiled Arches (ISBN 1412050944)

IN SEARCH OF MISSING BROTHER..... IN CYPRUS:
Here is a great contemporary book: "Veiled Arches" - hugely enjoyable reading from beginning to end. It is a story of lust, mistrust, intrigue, greed and money - lots of it. Millions of dollars change hands in a complex web, which demands a level of engagement on the reader's part. In this his first novel, Andreas Solomos takes the reader to a wealthy family in Pafos, an interesting town with lots of tourists and gossip between the locals situated on the south-west coast of the historic and politically fascinating Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The surroundings spring vividly to life throughout the book and the reader has no problem in imagining him-/herself being in Cyprus. A wealthy Saudi businessman, while spending his life chasing financial success, he neglects to devote time and give love to Jason, the younger of his two sons. He dotes upon his eldest son Richard who, ultimately, lets him down. Overcome by resentment, Jason leaves the family in search of his own identity, on a student visa, for Canada where he eventually embarks on a successful career with the University of Toronto. Andreas Solomos is a brilliant observer and writer on human weaknesses. Many a father may reflect on the father-son relationship and act to create a lasting improvemnt in his relationship with his own offspring. After fourteen years in Canada, Jason receives devastating news from his father that persons unknown abducted his brother Richard from his car. The investigation by the authorities does not come to a conclusion and Jason decides to return to Cyprus determined to find his missing brother. Upon his return, he becomes re-acquainted with his sister-in-law and her controlling, conniving and evil sister and her equally as bad husband, their friends, and his high school sweetheart, while his father introduces him to his business friends/associates. Everyone is a suspect. Contrary to his father's advice, Jason becomes totally immersed in the investigation of his brother's disappearance and, while doing so, encounters numerous obstacles, to the extend that he fears for his own life. Jason, generous and all for justice, realizes in the end that "it was all futile" - "we all lost." Andreas Solomos casts a glance at philosophy, Greek mythology and history, all of which are skillfully intertwined in the plot. The explicit sex scenes (which can be found elsewhere) may be fascinating to some readers but, no doubt, offensive to others. "Veiled Arches" is an entertaining novel; the characters linger on in the reader's mind long after the final sentence is read. I wish Andreas Solomos would continue writing. I am anxious to read his next book.