The Destroyers, by Christopher Bollen

I liked this book very much - it's an excellent thriller that feels like an instant classic. The reviews on the back cover mentioned Graham Greene, and at first I didn't see why, but as soon as I reached the point where one of the main characters disappears, I kept being reminded of The Third Man, so the reference is quite fitting. The plot is great, the atmosphere of the Greek island of Patmos (never been there, but can imagine it from my stay in Mykonos) is extremely well rendered, and the author has the rare and enviable skill of defining a character or a place in a few words, like a painter that draws a true-to-life portrait in a few brushstrokes. The writing is elegant and rich, sometimes a little too elaborate, but always a pleasure to read. I'm looking forward to read more books by Christopher Bollen.