The Honourable Thief: A Benedict Hitchens Novel 1

Book excerpt: 'Pure escapism in the mould of Dan Brown or Indiana Jones...vivid evocations of place' Saturday Age 'Achilles? Because...?' 'Obsession of mine. Half man, half god - and his own worst enemy. My kind of man.' He laughed. Istanbul, Turkey 1955 Benedict Hitchens, once a world-renowned archaeologist, is now a discredited - but still rather charming - shell of his former self. Once full of optimism and adventure, his determination to prove that Achilles was a real historical figure led him to his greatest love, Karina, on the island of Crete and to his greatest downfall, following the disappearance of an enigmatic stranger, Eris. He has one last chance to restore his reputation, solve the mystery of Eris and prove his Achilles theory. But it is full of risk, and possibly fatal consequences... In her breakout novel, Meaghan Wilson Anastasios weaves an action-packed tale of honour, passion, heroes and thieves across an epic backdrop of history. PRAISE FOR THE HONOURABLE THIEF 'Strongly drawn...Dialogue pithy, scenes great, locations colourful, action pedal-to-the-metal...Lights, camera, action' Herald Sun '...enthralling tale of mystery and archaeology. Set across three periods of the protagonist's life, Anastasios masterfully weaves the storylines together, while also exploring significant periods of Greek and Turkish history. A powerful and remarkable story.' Canberra Weekly 'Action, adventure and archaeology all rolled into a well-researched, engagingly written narrative, this novel is sure to appeal to a wide readership who are prepared for a bumpy, but enjoyable, ride.' Good Reading 'Anastasios is an exciting storyteller with a flair for pace and dramatic tension - this is a gripping adventure, beautifully realised.' Herald Weekly Times 'There is action and drama aplenty...the archaeological details, both real and fictional, as well as the Mediterranean setting...are beautifully described with the passion and knowledge expected from an author whose former occupation was as an archaeologist.' Books and Publishing 'Set mostly in Turkey and Greece between 1939 and 1955, this action-packed historical novel follows the adventures of discredited archaeologist, Benedict Hitchens. It's a classic hero's journey with a slightly unlikely hero. Hitchens is an emotionally and ethically dubious character whose life-long passion is to prove the existence of the mythical character, Achilles. This all-encompassing quest and his part in selling dodgy antiquities, taint Hitchens' reputation as a respected academic. Along the way he encounters love and loss and finds himself in a life and death battle with several dramatic outcomes.' Historical Novel Society 'A very compelling story about the intersection of mythology, history and archaeology' Writing NSW