Welcome to Clearview, Connecticut … According to the Greek Mamas
By the Matriarchs of Mayhem: Ophelia Ballas, Aunt Tasoula Ballas, and Chloe Pagonis
Ophelia:
You can keep your big cities and fancy skylines—we’ve got charm, character, and calamari. My name is Ophelia Ballas, proud owner of Aphrodite’s, the heart (and stomach) of Clearview, Connecticut. If you’re craving spanakopita, gossip, or unsolicited advice, I’m your woman. My daughter Kalliope says we’re “too involved,” but if keeping an eye on her fashionably chaotic life is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. She’s a germophobic, OCD fashion designer with a label that focuses on luxury lingerie—which, I might add, is proudly (and tastefully) displayed at Full Disclosure, the chic boutique run by her best friend, Jaz, who happens to be engaged to Kalli’s boyfriend, Detective Nik Steven’s partner, Detective Boomer Matheson.
Aunt Tasoula:
Clearview isn’t just a town—it’s a mood. A whole vibe. A place where the leaves crunch under your boots in the fall and your neighbors hand-deliver baklava during snowstorms in the winter. I run Hera’s Halo, our full-service hair salon and spa, where you can get your roots done, a deep tissue massage, and the latest town scandal all in one appointment. In the spring, the town blooms like a bridal bouquet—dogwoods, lilacs, and the annual “Greek Gods and Goddesses” fundraiser gala I host (costumes encouraged, dignity optional). And in summer? Oh, honey. The whole town smells like grilled lamb, sunscreen, and sweet basil. That’s when the snakes come. But we’ll get to that.
Chloe:
As head of Clearview’s Social Events Committee, I keep things running tighter than Kalli’s lingerie seams. From our Winter Wonderland Snow Ball to the Summer Solstice Opa! Festival, I organize it all—sometimes while dodging interference from nosy neighbors, opinionated mamas, and yes, my current boyfriend, Captain Grady Crenshaw. He just so happens to be my son, Nikos’s, boss. Nik likes to pretend he’s not losing his mind over that little detail, but let’s be honest—he’s too polite to say what he’s really thinking, unlike the rest of us. Dating Grady adds a little … spice to my schedule, let’s say. And maybe a little gossip fuel for the café crowd.
Ophelia:
Let’s talk about the seasons. Fall is our favorite—it brings back the tourists, the college kids, and the annual “Knit and Sip” hosted by Despina at her Yarn and Card Shop. We serve cinnamon loukoumades and play a fierce game of biriba while keeping our eyes on the town’s love lives. Winter’s no joke here—icy sidewalks, hot cocoa in to-go cups, and the Christmas Eve luminaria walk through Main Street, all glowing and magical like something out of a Hallmark movie (with better food, of course).
Aunt Tasoula:
Spring is when things thaw—flowers bloom, secrets start sprouting, and we prep the town for the Clearview Kefi Festival, where we dance in the streets and bless the fields with olive oil and ouzo. Yes, both. Summer is our pride and joy: outdoor movie nights at the town square, beach days at Lake Ypanema, fireworks over the church, and of course, the snakes. Real ones. They appear every year around the church grounds, in Markopoulo village, Greece. Legend has it they saved nuns from pirates once. Now, they’re in Clearview—coiling around our nerves and signaling something’s amiss.
Chloe:
The snakes weren’t the only ones slithering into town. Nik’s father returned out of nowhere, stirring up old feelings and new chaos. Right when I started dating Grady, thank you very much. And wouldn’t you know it—a woman from his past shows up, and then she turns up dead. Nik’s caught between solving a murder and surviving his meddling mother (me), his matchmaking aunties, and a fiancée who Lysols her mail.
Ophelia:
Poor Kalli. She’s got a heart of gold wrapped in a triple-bleached, lavender-scented paper towel. But she’s fierce when it matters. She and Nik are trying to clear his father’s name while planning a future that suddenly feels a whole lot shakier.
Aunt Tasoula:
But in Clearview, we do what Greeks do best—we feed people, we meddle with love lives, and we show up, rain or shine. Or snakes. We’ve seen a lot, but we’ve never seen Chloe wear red lipstick and let a man kiss her hand in public, so you know things are heating up.
Chloe:
So whether you’re here for the murder, the moussaka, or the matchmaking, one thing’s for sure: Clearview is where tradition meets trouble—with a twist of lemon and a generous side of tzatziki.
Ophelia:
And if you don’t believe us … just come to Aphrodite’s. Order the combo platter. Stay for the drama.
Kalli Ballas Mystery #6
Living with outgoing Detective Nik Stevens has been a smoother transition than OCD fashion designer Kalli Ballas ever imagined, making her worry that her life is too good to be true...
Every year at the church of the Virgin Mary in Markopoulo village, Greece, little snakes appear in the summer, then disappear at the end of the day. Legend says when pirates attacked the monastery, nuns prayed to be rescued and snakes appeared, chasing the pirates away. When snakes appear at the Greek orthodox church in Clearview, Connecticut, Kalli and Nik’s families take it as a sign that danger is headed their way.
Nik’s father arrives in town, deciding he wants a second chance with Nik’s ma, Chloe. Meanwhile Chloe is dating Nik’s captain, which puts Nik in the awkward middle. When a woman from his father’s past follows him there, they argue, and she winds up dead. His father becomes the number one suspect in her murder, making Nik question if he ever wants to get married.
Nik and Kalli work together to try to clear his father’s name, leaving them both wondering what the future has in store for them.
Romance | Mystery Amateur Sleuth [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: May 13, 2025, e-Book , / ]
National Bestselling Author, Agatha, RT Reviewer's Choice & Golden Duck Award Nominee. Kari lives in Central New York with her husband & Samoyeds. She's a lover of wine & travel, obsessed with reality TV, and loves a good book with mystery, romance & humor. Inspired by 80s TV shows, she writes cozy mysteries & upper middle grade as Kari Lee Townsend, as well as suspense, romance, romantic comedy & women's fiction as Kari Lee Harmon. You can find her on her website.
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