Showing Hydra In Winter: An Island Escape in Search of a Greek Pirate by Shelley Dark

Global Book Awards 2025 Gold Medal Winner

When I land solo on the Greek island of Hydra for two weeks in the dead of winter, I'm not chasing sunny beaches. I'm hunting a pirate - my husband's great-great-grandfather and Australia's first Greek convict.

Armed with an umbrella, a cashmere scarf, and zero Greek skills, I'm ready to conquer the archives. But Hydra has other ideas: fresh seafood, exhilarating hikes, cats, donkeys, and warm, eccentric locals. What starts as a frantic quest soon turns into a lesson in slow travel, with the bonus of a midlife reset.