Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou: The dark and addictive 2023 BBC Between the Covers Book Club pick that's inspired by a true crime case

**Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers Book Club 2023**'Tense. Moving. Morally complex. Zina Pavlou is wholly unforgettable.' Rachel Rhys'Impressive... worthy of Sarah Waters' The TimesTHEY HAVE TOLD SO MANY LIES ABOUT ME.London, 1954. Zina Pavlou, a Cypriot grandmother, waits quietly in the custody of the Metropolitan police. She can't speak their language, but she understands what their wary looks mean: she has been accused of the brutal murder of her daughter-in-law.Eva Georgiou, Greek interpreter for the Met, knows how it feels to be voiceless as an immigrant woman. While she works as Zina's translator, her obsession with the case deepens, and so too does her bond with the accused murderer.Zina can't speak for herself. She can't clear her own name. All she can do is wait for the world to decide.IS SHE A VICTIM? OR IS SHE A KILLER?'Kyriacou has drawn such a rich cast in this enthralling and wholly original novel' Clare Mackintosh'Hugely powerful... One of the best books you'll read this year' Emma Christie'Absolute page-turner' Louise Hare'Immersive, gripping, authentic' Erin Kelly'Chilling, gripping' Nikki Smith'More than just a true crime story... speaks so movingly about the experience of being an immigrant' Red'Complex and fascinating... tragic and compelling' Guardian'Will stay with me a long, long time' Louise Fein'A superb piece of writing... never less tough than it needs to be' Morning Star
Inspired by a true story, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is a historical crime novel set in 1950s London about a Cypriot grandmother accused of murder and the young Greek translator assigned to her case.