This story is set in 1950s London and is about Eva who works as an occasional Greek translator for the Metropolitan police, and at a bar by night.
Eva starts working with Zina who is in Holloway prison accused of killing her daughter in law. Zina is illiterate and has very little English and is treated badly by the authorities. Eva feels sympathy towards Zina and tries to support her through her ordeal. The book video vividly describes the difficulties faces by immigrants to London in the period. Zina wasn't a likeable character but Eva's kindness made me continue with the book.

I don't have much to say about this book because it was okay? Nothing really stood out for me, which was disappointing considering how excited I was to get into it

Brilliant storytelling. I was hooked from the start and taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
Set in 1950's London, Zina Pavlou arrives from a small rural village in Cyprus ,to stay with her son and his German wife in their rented flat. The two women do not get on and when Hedy is found dead, Zina is arrested. An interpreter is called, as Zina does not speak English, nor can she read or write in her own language.. The attitudes and prejudices of that era are clear.
As the story unfolds we see the interaction between Zina and Eva, the interpreter. I loved Eva. She was caring and the case really affected her.
An absorbing story. I couldn't put it down.

"They say she's killed. They say she's guilty. She says nothing."

I do love a true crime-based story. Zina Pavlou is accused of killing her daughter-in-law. She is represented and treated as this old peasant woman that barely speaks English. And this is the view and idea that everyone had of her at the time. This book shows a different side to her.

The author knows how to bring the characters to life, and the respect and compassion that is shown to Zina is remarkable. I ended up rooting for her even knowing she probably did commit a hideous crime 😳

Well written and an overall great read, I preferred the last half of the book when the story starts to unravel and got gripped till the very end. My main focus was Zina and her development, didn't get so interested in Eva and her side story.

This book is based on a true story and although I recall hearing about the real life case back in the 1950's I held off googling anything about it until after I had finished. The book begins with us meeting Eva a part time Greek police interpreter and her partner Jimmy both from Cyprus living in London. When she is asked to come in to assist a crime, she thinks it will be the usual pick pocket or drunk but when she gets there she realises she is about to become involved in her first murder case and its an older woman accused of murdering her daughter in law.

The story is told from the accused Zinas and Evas point of view, flicking from past to present to build a picture of what happened in the lead up to the murder.

I thought Eleni done an excellent job of telling a true story and also bringing all the characters to life. Apart from Eva and Jimmy there weren't any characters I really liked but this was done on purpose owing to the real life story and I really liked how the author still showed compassion to both women in parts.

I will be recommending this book to others.

4.5- I really really enjoyed this book! Even more so after reading the authors note at the end. I found it utterly heartbreaking how Zina was treated throughout the entire book but the press, police and legal representation. I really enjoyed how the book split over different timelines. Eva and Jimmy were my favourites, I loved them together! I just wish the crime had a different perpetrator!!

i received a digital ARC copy of #theunspeakableactsofZinaPavlou by @EleniKyriacou, from #NetGalley, #headofzeus, #ariafiction and #ariesfictionbooks, in return for an honest review,

Recently I've been lucky enough to have read some unputdownable books, and I am adding this book to that list.

A fictional work of a true story. Zina Pavlou is accused of a brutal murder, but did she do it? London 1954, a 53year old illiterate Greek woman who speaks no English, has to rely on an interpreter to prove her innocence. In a male dominated world, will Zina be given the chance to a fair trial?

You need to read this book. It is so well written. It is gripping and tense. The characters draw you in, and you can't put it down because you MUST know what is written on the next page!

A fiction story based on a true story?! Yes please!
This is my first review of an ARC from NetGalley so this was not a book recommended to me - simply chosen by the cover and description…. And I loved it, could not put it down. Wee gems and twists are squeezed in throughout the story which make you want to know what comes next. It all unravels fully at the end and comes full circle. The authors note at the end was an added treasure for me.
The character of Eva was portrayed exactly as I believe anyone of us in her position would have been, just one little thing she did that I thought didn’t need to be there - let’s leave her relationship whole and pure, as her husband is.
At times I wanted to yell at Zina and tell her to speak up for herself more, but when I got to the end I understood why she didn’t.
In whole, an excellent read by an author I am excited to read more from. *4.5

Wow just finished reading this book. Not for a long time have I been fully engrossed as I was with this. It really sets the science in London in the 1950s of a Cyprit peasant lady who comes to visit her son only to find that he has married and is besotted with his wife. Tensions rise throughout her stay and then things come to a head with dire consequences

Could she really have done it? Based on a true story the pages unfold to give you an addictive read, with sorrow, joy and a lot of questions to be asked. Have we really learned anything today from this?

Blockbuster of a book, compelling reading. I now have a new author to follow.

Thank you for giving me the chance to read this pre-publication release.

I found this novel very dark and harrowing.

An elderly woman accused of murder and her defence seems hopeless. Zina is a Cypriot immigrant in London accused of killing her daughter in law, Heddy. She is treated as an stupid peasant, someone who is assumed guilty and put on a show trial.

Eva is a greek translator who is her only friend and believing Zina to be innocent she is on a race against time to find someone to help Zina in her defence.

All through the novel I was on the fence about whether Zina was guilty or innocent. Zina and her daughter in law dislike each other but its easy to see why Hedy disliked Zina.

I came away from it shaken and stirred. For lovers of murder dramas this one is a must.

This is a really gripping and very well written book which holds the readers attention right to the end.

I was really intrigued by the story as it’s based on real events and this knowledge whilst reading really added an additional layer to my enjoyment. I must say, however, that knowing at the end just how true to life this is made me feel this is less a fiction book as it is a crime retelling.

I do think this book will sit well with its target audience and appreciated having the opportunity to read the advanced copy.

I enjoyed this book. Both the characters and the plot were very intriguing - I finished the whole story in just two days. I thought both of the main characters were very realistic and easy to relate to, and I enjoyed the way the story intercut easily between the past and present. I probably would have given this 4-stars if it was an entire work of fiction - when I read the passage at the back explaining it is almost an exact retelling of a real-life case it went down slightly in my estimations.

A very interesting book which tells the story of Zina, an uneducated, illiterate Cypriot grandmother accused of murdering her daughter-in-law in 1950s London and the young translator hired to help her throughout her imprisonment and trial. At times I found it hard to understand why Eva, the translator, became so connected to Zina, and felt the story could have been a bit better if some of that was left out. I have to say I was surprised when I read the details of the case this book was based on - it does say "inspired by a true story" but it seems that the details were taken almost exactly from a true crime that occurred just as described in the novel. It changed the way I saw the book once I read the afterword because it felt just perhaps a bit too close to the truth to be considered a novel even if the part about the translator which is a main story line is completely fictional.

A twisty period who-dunnit set in 1960s London, this story follows the story of Zina Pavlou and the terrible murder she was accused of. Told though the eyes of Eva, a young translator who becomes deeply involved in the case, the question of ‘did Zina do it?’ winds through the book right to the end.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was absolutely addicted to it. The way it is written is sooo good. The way you believe the character is really good. You actually feel sorry for her and then bam!! The fact that this actually happened and it's about a real person was a bit jaw drop.

It took me some time to read this book as I was traveling, but every time I picked it up, I was immediately transported to 1950s London. The main character, Zina Pavlou, is from Greece and has come to England to visit her son and his wife. However, things take a dark turn when Zina's daughter-in-law is found dead and Zina is charged with murder. My mind raced with questions – did she actually commit the crime, or was someone else involved? I had a few theories and became a detective myself. I sympathized deeply with Zina, as did her translator who also worked to solve the case.

What shocked me was that at the time, the law in England mandated execution by hanging for those found guilty of murder. This added an extra layer of tension to the story. What's more, this book is based on a true story, and the author, Eleni Kyriacou, did a fantastic job of adding a few extra twists to make it even more intense.

The ending of the book left me speechless as everything came to light, and it all made sense. This is a brilliant book! I want to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it kept me up at night.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed this story of Zina and Eva. The plot is very well teased out and kept me guessing until the end. The book evokes 1950's London, the fog, the racist attitudes and the court/prison system and how Zina is treated. There are themes also about the harshness of poverty especially for women in Cyprus and the role religion plays. I also liked the length of the book. It wasn't overly long. The script was concise and the plot moved along at a nice pace. I will definitely look out for other work by this author.

•It is inspired by a true case and it’s brilliantly written. It’s twisted and it will keep you at edge. You will try to solve it but you will find yourself entangled in mystery, hidden truth and process of jurisdiction. It was such an emotional read and a gripping historical crime novel. Where the line becomes blur between fiction and facts.

•The author has splattered light upon gender inequality, class, discrimination, prejudice, different cultures and women’s right.

• I like the setting of 1950s London and odyssey of a Cypriot woman. And Eva’s role as a translator and delving in the mystery of Zina Pavlou and bringing up the issue of gender inequality.

Thank you Netgalley, Author and Publisher for giving me an opportunity to read this book and trusting me.

Zina Pavlou, a Cypriot grandmother staying with her son and his family in 1950’s London, is accused of brutally murdering her daughter-in-law. Barely speaking English and confused by the fact her family appear to have abandoned her in her hour of need, Zina has no-one to turn to – except her police-assigned interpreter, Eva Georgiou.


As Eva feels the weight of responsibility for Zina falling on her shoulders, she is herself battling with the loss of a baby and the widening gap in her marriage. Does she believe Zina’s protestations that she is innocent of this unspeakable act? And if so, can she help Zina, when no-one else seems willing to?


The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is a particularly strong novel, not just in the tight plotting and narrative, but on a bigger scale in the way it deals with the powerlessness of women against a male dominated social and economic landscape. Zina’s plight is compounded by the fact that she is not just as a woman; she is a foreigner of low social class and disadvantaged by her inability to speak or write English. We see how society, the media, and the judicial system are influenced by the fact that Zina is ‘not one of us’.


It's a deliciously crafted novel with a deft lightness of touch, yet it’s unafraid to delve into those bigger questions about racial prejudice, women’s rights, and social inequality. All this could come across as heavy going, but in fact, the novel succeeds in bringing all of these points sharply into mental focus, but without deviating from the engaging plot. So, it’s a wholly enjoyable read, with plenty of depth.


This is a recommended read from me – and I’ll certainly be checking out Eleni’s other work.


Thanks to #NetGalley for the advance copy!

Taking place in 1950's London, Zina is accused of a horrific murder she is adamant she didn't commit and she needs the help of Eva to translate and find the truth of what really happened.

Firstly this was written in such an addictive way you can't put it down and this is also based on the true crime story with some dramatization which makes this even more interesting to me. I also love that this touches on racism, cultural differences, class divide and more. With dual timelines, this keeps you guessing if Zina is really capable of murder.