"Ontreto" an ideal holiday read

The latest novel by crime thriller writer Peter Crawley is an ideal holiday read, for those of you who like to take the latest crime thriller with you to while away the hours as you sit, cocktail in hand, slathered in factor 50 as you laze, happily, by the poolside of your resort.

The setting of the novel is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The name of the island is Lipari.

The island is real and what occurs throughout the book is fiction. Or is it? For it appears that the real history of  Lipari is just as dramatic (if not on occasion, more so!) than that set out in this gripping and compelling novel!

Former Marine and protagonist Ric Ross arrives on the island of Lipari. He carries with him a letter of introduction to Valeria Vaccariello, who is an ageing star of the Italian big screen, the world of the cinema.

She lives alone in a house called The House of Strangers.

Besides being a cinema star she has another reputation closer to home. She is known as la strega, or the witch.

In the midst of this Ric is befriended by il velaccino, a sailmaker. For a sailmaker seems to know a great deal about everyone on Lipari and what they get up to.

But then a politician dies and it is determined to be a homicide.

Ric's desire to trace the history of his family in Lipari is subsumed by the need to prove that he is innocent of the slaying.

But Ric's life is also in danger. Why would someone want him dead? Who are they? Who can he trust?

The book is due to be published in paperback by Matador on June 28th at £9.99, or as an e-book for £3.99.