Kostas Haritos series by Petros Markaris

• Noticias de la noche, Ediciones B, 2000; Tusquets, 2008. Original title: Nυχτερινό δελτίο, 1995. English title: Late-Night News (aka Deadline in Athens in the U.S.)
• Defensa cerrada, Ediciones B, 2001; Tusquets, 2008. Original title: Άμυνα ζώνης, 1998. English title: Zone Defence.
• Suicidio perfecto, Ediciones B, 2004; Tusquets, 2012. Original title: Ο Τσε αυτοκτόνησε, 2003. English title: Che Committed Suicide.
• El accionista mayoritario, Tusquets, 2008. Original title: Βασικός Μέτοχος, 2006. English title: Basic Sahereholder. As far as I know it has not been released in English yet.
• Muerte en Estambul, Tusquets, 2009 (Death in Istanbul ). Original title: Παλιά, Πολύ Παλιά, 2008. English title: Old, very Old.
• Con el agua al cuello, Tusquets, 2011 (Neck Deep in Water). Original title: Ληξιπρόθεσμα Δάνεια, 2010. English title: Expiring Loans.
• Liquidación final, Tusquets, 2012 (Final Clearance). Original title: Περαίωση, 2011. English title: Termination.

Besides there is also a book with 9 short stories: Un caso del comisario Jaritos y otros relatos clandestinos, (Ediciones B, 2006) that has been republished under the title Balkan Blues (Ediciones B, 2012). Readers should be aware that it’s the same book.

I would appreciate if you let me know of any errors or omissions.

My reviews of Basic Shareholder and Death in Istanbul.

Liquidación final – Final Clearance

Liquidación final (Tusquets, 2012) – Final Clearance – originally titled Περαίωση (2011), is the seventh title in the series featuring Superintendent Kostas Jaritos by Petros Markaris. This is the second of the so called ‘Trilogy of the Crisis’, which began with his previous book, Neck Deep in Water. (Note: The English titles are my free translation from the titles in Spanish).

Synopsis: While the rich Greeks manage themselves to avoid paying taxes, the Greeks impoverished by the crisis can only be indignant at the outrageous tax evasion or desperate in view of the worsening of the situation. However, one man has decided to take action and to take the matter into his own hands. With threatening letters and outmoded weapons, he gets ready to settle scores. Meanwhile, in Athens on the verge of bankruptcy, everything is upside down, except the Homicide Division. There are no crimes, there is only routine and bureaucracy. When the body of the first victim of this particular avenger has been found, Superintendent Kostas Jaritos almost feels relieved. His superior had told him about a possible promotion, but at this moment his salary has been reduced and his daughter Katerina is considering emigrating since she cannot find a job. And he has to catch a killer who is carrying on a ‘providential’ task, applauded by many fellow citizens. (My free translation).

Q & A About Today’s Elections with Greek Author Petros Markaris

Read today, at The Literary Review: At Deutsche Welle Klaudia Prevezanos has a Q & A with Deadline in Athens-author Petros Markaris about today’s elections, Author says Greeks will hold their nose and vote.

Con el agua al cuello – Neck-deep in Water

Con el agua al cuello (Tusquets, 2011) –Neck-deep in Water– the seventh book in Commissar Costas Haritos series by Greek author Petros Markaris was released last month in Spain. Originally published in 2010, the original title is Ληξιπρόθεσμα Δάνεια.

Synopsis: A hot Sunday in the summer of 2010, Commissar Haritos attends the wedding of his daughter Katerina, this time in the Church and with musical fanfare. The next day, shortly after his arrival at headquarters, he is informed of the murder of Zisimópulos Nikitas, a former bank manager, his throat sliced with a sharp weapon. The gruesome murder coincides with an anonymous campaign someone has taken against the banks, encouraging citizens to boycott financial institutions and do not pay their debts and mortgages. The truth is that Greece, on the verge of bankruptcy, is going through a very critical moment, and people do not hesitate to take the streets to complain against cuts in wages and pensions. To make things worse, Stazakos, the Chief of the Anti-Terrorist Squad, holds that the killing of Zisimópulos could be the work of terrorists. Haritos disagrees with that hypothesis but he will have to make do with his two assistants to deal with a murderer whose crimes have only just begun. (My free translation).

Tusquets editores

Muerte en Estambul, de Petros Márkaris

This post is bilingual. Scroll down to find the English language version.

Traducción del griego de Ersi Marina Samará Spiliotopulu, 2009. Título original Παλιά, Πολύ Παλιά , 2008. 1ª edición en colección Andanzas: marzo 2009. 1ª edición en colección Maxi: enero 2011. Tusquets. 242 páginas. ISBN: 978-84-8383-575-3.

Muerte en Estambul es la quinta entrega de la serie protagonizada por el comisario Costas Jaritos. Después de la boda de su hija Katerina, y de los acontecimientos narrados en El accionista mayoritario, el comisario ateniense Costas Jaritos decide tomarse algunos días libres y viaja con su esposa Adriani a Estambul. Cuando el libro empieza nos encontramos a Adriani y Costas Jaritos visitando Santa Sofía.

Un hombre se acerca al grupo de Haritos un día para preguntar si una anciana viaja con ellos. Está preocupado por la desaparición de Maria Jamba, una señora noventa años de edad que fue su niñera en Estambul. Ella vivía con su hermano en una aldea griega. El hermano ha muerto envenenado y María ha desaparecido. Recientemente mencionó que quería regresar a Constantinopla, el nombre dado por los griegos a Estambul. El hombre espera que Jaritos vaya con él a la policía turca. Si se presenta con un comisario de la policía griega, tal vez se muestren interesados ​​y decidan investigar. Jaritos acepta y así conocerá a Murat, un policía turco nacido en Alemania. Su desconfianza inicial pronto se convertirá en amistad. Ambos trabajarán en conjunto para encontrar a Maria Jamba. Pero van a ir siempre un paso por detrás siguiendo un rastro de asesinatos.

La novela está narrada en primera persona por el comisario Jaritos. De este modo, el lector llega a conocer los acontecimientos al mismo tiempo y tiene la misma información que él tiene en todo momento. Los casos de los asesinato desempeñan un papel secundario en la novela. Es más bien la excusa para contar la historia de la minoría griega de Estambul y para describir los olores y sabores de la ciudad. Disfruté mucho con la lectura de esta novela llena de personajes memorables. No se pierdan este viaje a Estambul.

Ver reseñas de Muerte en Estambul en libros y lecturas, mas que palabras.

Tusquets editores

Death in Istanbul by Petros Márkaris

Death in Istanbul is the fifth instalment of the series featuring Inspector Costas Haritos. After the wedding of his daughter Katerina and the events narrated on Basic Shareholder, Athenian Inspector Costas Haritos decides to take some days off to travel with his wife Adriani to Istanbul. When the book opens we find Adriani and Costas Haritos visiting Hagia Sophia.

A man approaches Haritos group one day to ask if an old lady is travelling with them. He is concerned about the disappearance of Maria Jamba, a ninety-year-old lady who was his nanny in Istanbul. She was living with her brother in a Greek village. The brother has been poisoned and Maria has disappeared. Recently she said she wanted to return to Constantinople, the name given by the Greeks to Istanbul. The man expects Haritos to go with him to the Turkish police. If he shows up with a Greek police Inspector, maybe they will show some interest and decide to investigate. Haritos accepts and thus he will meet Murat, a German-born Turkish policeman. Their initial distrust will soon become friendship. Both will work together to find Maria Jamba. But they’ll always be one step behind following a trail of murders.

The novel is narrated in the first person by Inspector Haritos. Thus the reader gets to know the events at the same time and has the same information that he has at all times. The murder case plays a secondary role in the novel. It is rather the excuse to tell the story of the Greek minority of Istanbul and to describe the city smells and flavours. I very much enjoyed reading this novel full of memorable characters. Don’t miss this trip to Istanbul.

This book is not yet available in English.

Athens Cop On The Trail Of Modern Greece

See my review of Basic Shareholder by Petros Markaris