First published 1999
Nick Stavros returns to his Chicago neighborhood after years away, hoping to rebuild his relationship with his aging father Andreas. The old man runs a small grocery store that has become the heart of their tight-knit Greek community, but tensions simmer beneath the surface of daily life. When a violent crime rocks the neighborhood, long-buried secrets emerge that threaten to tear the Stavros family apart. Nick must choose between protecting his father's reputation and seeking justice for those who have been wronged. As past and present collide, three generations of Greek Americans struggle with questions of loyalty, honor, and revenge. The story explores how the immigrant experience shapes family bonds and community ties, even as the younger generation pulls away from old-world traditions.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Setting: Chicago
Period: 20th-century
288 pages · Paperback · Lake View Pr