FIRE ON THE ISLAND

Synopsis

An arsonist threatens to burn down a Greek island village by blowing up a fuel tank in its harbor. Alarmed by the possible disruption of the Coast Guard’s rescue operations, especially given a surge in the number of refugees crossing a treacherous channel from Turkey, Nick Damigos, the FBI agent posted to Athens, arrives to investigate. He finds the village embroiled in a conflict over which of two public works projects to undertake: relocate the fuel tank to thwart the arsonist, or repair the church’s bell tower which is in imminent danger of collapsing The village only has enough money for one project, and the debate over which one to carry out has evolved into a proxy fight over whether or not to help the refugees. The arsonist has struck eleven times in as many months, each followed by a mysterious poison pen letter. The last one makes it clear that he plans to strike the village within days. With no clues, Nick hunts for a motive why someone would want to burn it down. Through an array of colorful characters, who paint a portrait of Greece both humorous and soulful, he uncovers earlier crimes and conflicts, some dating back generations, that cast a wide net of suspicion. Caught in that net is Takis, a young waiter with whom Nick has an affair, and who becomes his chief suspect. Nick, badly burned on his back as a child, has always been self-conscious about his scars, but they don’t bother Takis. Their lovemaking is liberating, and he resists the notion that the young waiter is the arsonist despite the evidence against him. Miscalculating the plan of attack, ultimately Nick has only minutes to stop the arsonist and races for the fuel tank. The arsonist, he discovers, is Takis’s sister, who wants revenge on the village for a brutal attack on her husband that went largely unpunished. She sets herself on fire intending to fall into a pool of petrol to ignite the tank. Nick throws himself on her, knocking her away and saving the village.