My Brother Michael

author: Mary Stewart
genre: Romantic Suspense circa 1950's
grade: B+

It could have been sheer dumb luck. Or it could have been the fact that Camilla Haven had thrown her fate to the winds by writing the words "Nothing ever happens to me" while sitting in an outdoor cafe in the land of the gods. Whatever caused it, Camilla's trip to Greece takes an exciting turn just as she finishes writing those words. For out of the crowd comes a Greek, apologetic and flustered, assuring her that the car she was to deliver to Mr. Simon was now ready, he was sorry for being late and would she please take the car and go now. He knew the matter was urgent. She, however, knew nothing of the matter whatsoever. Still, after a token pressing she takes the car and heads off to Delphi in search of a "Mr. Simon" to whom she is to deliver the car. By happy circumstance she finds him but lands into yet another mystery since he had never requested a car.

While Camilla and the charming Simon work to find who the car should actually be going to they find themselves embroiled in an increasingly sinister mystery. For this is not Simon's first coincidence in Greece. It is, in fact, not his only sinister tie to the island. For his brother had died in a small village not far outside of Delphi during the war. And just before his death, his brother had sent a rather strange message home. A letter some many years old which Simon has just seen, bringing him to Greece to solve a mystery and land in another. What awaits them in the hills of this vast, ancient culture is unsure but the lure and mystery of Greece has them firmly in it's grasp. The question is, will it ever let them go? Or are they destined to become part of the rich history of this ancient place?

This is a typical Stewart mystery, masterfully written with a sense of peril in the smallest acts and the bravery of the hero and heroine ever at the forefront. Simon is a wonderful hero -- stoic, cheerful, loyal, responsible, caring. While Camilla shines just a bit less she is a well drawn out, likable thoughtful character and has just enough of a sense of adventure to land her squarely in this type of scrape. My one problem came at the end of the book where they made a decision about something which did not in any way belong to them and was in no way their decision to make. Other than that, I loved this story and would recommend it to any fan of mysteries.

Tea: For something this very English, Earl Grey all the way!