Review: The Greeks of Beaubien Street
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 15, 2013
Just when I thought author Suzanne Jenkins couldn't top her awesome Pam of Babylon series, she comes back strong with a new gritty no-nonsense murder mystery suspense thriller of a series called The Greektown Trilogy that will curl her readers' toes! In the first book of the series, The Greeks of Beaubien Street, the author introduces her readers to Detroit homicide detective Jill Zannos and her beloved Greek family who live in the Detroit neighborhood of Greektown. The story alternates between a disturbing rape/murder investigation of a retired police officer's twenty-six year old daughter; and tales of the Zannos family's Greek traditions and secrets that abound in the Greektown neighborhood of Beaubien Street.This riveting and graphic whodunit and glimpse into the Zannos family history is a gripping page turner that will captivate the reader's attention. Full of dramatic and suspenseful twists and turns, the reader will be kept guessing what will happen next in both the murder investigation and the Zannos family drama as the story unfolds. Written in the third person narrative, the author weaves a tale that allows the reader to get a glimpse into the minds of each of the intriguing cast of characters. There isn't enough words to describe the creepiness of some of the characters, believe me when I say that the author sure does know how to create a fascinating cast of characters, who leap off the pages with their intriguing dialogues and interactions. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the richly detailed description of the setting in this book. The author's personal familiarity of growing up in a Greek household in the suburbs of Detroit allows her to transport the readers to the Greektown neighborhood and Beaubien Street where the Zannos family resides. I loved her description of the tight knit Greek community and their cultural traditions. I could close my eyes and visualize the neighborhood sights and sounds, especially Jill's father Gus' grocery store, their family home, and the Detroit streets that Jill cruises in her line of duty.The Greeks of Beaubien Street is a compelling first book in The Greektown Trilogy series. This multi-layered tale of a gritty murder investigation and intriguing Zannos family drama will captivate you from beginning, while leaving you with a cliff hanger of an ending and wanting more ... only to make you wait for the continuation of the story in the second book in the series, The Princess of Greektown, which will be published in the Summer of 2013. Kudos Suzanne, you got me hooked on another one of your series!