The story take place in present-day Athens on a beach and adjacent café over two winters. This location, the weather and a love of the sea, bring an eclectic group of people together on Sundays, to pursue their passion for swimming.
Sundays revolve around Betty, her café, her son Jacob and Louli, the brindled cat. The swimmers, of all ages, backgrounds and types, have their views on life in Athens as economic, political and social tensions across Europe take effect on Greece. As well as swimming, they relax together, using the café and the beach as their oasis in difficult times.
A mysteriously staged suicide sets events in motion which will affect them all to various degrees. Against this clandestine backdrop, the stories unfold about the swimmers’ lives, past and present and their hopes for the future. They experience happiness and joy, tragedy and loss and become close friends who try to help each other wherever possible.
For those who have visited Greece and fallen in love with the land and the people, the book may offer a deeper insight into realities of life there and to Greeks, many of the characters and stories may seem all too familiar.
The Winter Swimmers’ Club has a message about the positive power of love and friendship and how it can sustain us and offer us all hope in the face of adversity. The story unfolds with a dose of romance, mystery and a passion for life which should entertain readers of all ages.