‘A Letter For Zorba’ Revisits Greece’s Junta Through a Story of Justice

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Author Bill Thomas has published A Letter For Zorba: The Last Witness, a historical political thriller that explores the enduring legacy of Greece’s military dictatorship and the personal cost of keeping painful secrets buried.

Published on July 26, 2026, the novel follows American professor Nick Demosthenes, who returns to Greece decades after the country’s military dictatorship to testify against a former junta officer accused of orchestrating a deadly bombing in 1971.

Nick initially sees his return as a way to honour a promise he made many years earlier. However, his testimony draws him into a dangerous network of political betrayal, buried secrets and revenge.

Prosecutor Gina Lirakis is determined to uncover the truth behind events that have remained concealed for more than 35 years. As witnesses disappear and former enemies resurface, Nick must confront memories of forbidden love, political resistance and personal sacrifice.

The novel combines courtroom drama, international suspense and historical fiction while examining themes of courage, loyalty, memory and the pursuit of justice.

“This novel is ultimately about memory,” Thomas said. “It asks what happens when history is buried, when ordinary people are forced to carry extraordinary secrets, and whether justice can still be found decades after the crimes were committed.”

Thomas draws on the turbulent period of Greece’s military dictatorship and combines historical events with fictional characters to create a political thriller rooted in the country’s modern history.

The story also reflects Thomas’s longstanding connection with Greece. His essay My Afternoon With Zorba previously appeared in Greek City Times.

Thomas’s creative background includes songwriting and filmmaking for Captain Kangaroo. He received a Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellowship in Fiction and studied fiction writing at Salve Regina University. He lives in Wickford, Rhode Island.

Book Details

Title: A Letter For Zorba: The Last Witness
Author: Bill Thomas
Genre: Historical Political Thriller
Publication Date: July 26, 2026
Publisher: Augustine Books
ISBN: 979-8-9971127-0-7
Formats: Paperback, Kindle eBook
Availability: Amazon and other online booksellers

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