Neil Olson The Icon

The Icon

Neil Olson

HarperCollins, May 2005, $24.95, 368 pp.

ISBN: 0060748389

Though they fought for the same side against the Fascists, former Greek intelligence agent Andreas Spyridis and ex-Greek resistance fighter Fotis Dragoumis detest each other going back to the summer of 1944 when the village Katarini burned to the ground leaving many dead. Their hatred remains deep though Andreas's son and Fotis' niece are married and the former's grandson Matthew Spear is the latter's godson. The almost six-decade old feud has crossed the Atlantic to Manhattan where Matthew works as a curator at the Met.

Matthew negotiates with the estate of Herr Kessler to purchase for the Met a religious icon apparently stolen by the Nazis from the Katarini church before it was torched. The Greek Orthodox Church bids on the icon and Matthew backs off once he learns the history of the artifact. Kessler's granddaughter Ana accepts the Church's offer, but the agent instead of delivering it steals the object. Andreas thinks Fotis stole the icon, but Ana and Matthew wonder if a Nazi officer allegedly visiting New York from Argentina stole the artifact that some believe has healing powers.

Though the romance seems forced and unnecessary as the tale contains plenty to sustain the family dispute without that subplot to heat or cool the feud. THE ICON is an intriguing thriller that grips the audience from the first moment in Epiros. The action-packed storyline employs amateur sleuth elements to bring out what occurred fifty-six years ago in Greece that led to the spat as well as several viable suspects mostly from World War II. Neil Olson writes a fascinating novel that fans will immensely enjoy.

Harriet Klausner