Legacy of Vounos

This book begins with the history of Cyprus from the Bronze Age to the present day and uses hypothetical events during the ages and its occupations. A retired couple decides to live in what is now called The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Ray is a retired mining engineer and his wife, Chantel, a technical translator. Ray becomes fascinated with a large earth mound on the slopes of the Kyrenia Mountains which, according to the locals, was an ancient burial site called Vounos. He could not ignore the fact that their neighbour spent hours looking through a powerful telescope from his balcony towards Kyrenia Harbour and the Turkish mainland. The couple decides to visit the disused Cyprus copper mine located west of the island near Lefka, not aware of being investigated by MI6 agents who had already bugged their villa. They decide to visit the old mine again to observe a sophisticated drilling rig being used for illicit oil and gas exploration only to be discovered, apprehended, interrogated and tortured. What will be consequences they have to bear for their actions?

The author is a retired highly qualified engineer who has worked for a number of international consultants, specialising in the design and construction of major tunnelling and infrastructure projects.

During his career, he has also been interested in the development of oil and gas drilling technology, which is one of the main reasons for writing this book. Additionally, Ray has a passion for mining archaeology, which again is expressed in this novel.

Having lived in Northern Cyprus with his late wife, Madeleine, he observed a structure to the rear of their property, which the locals called Vounos and were adamant that it was an ancient burial site. To Ray, it was more than that and was almost certainly a spoil heap from the Bronze Age mine workings. In fact, you could see where the old miners had excavated into the side of the Kyrenia Mountain Range at the rear of Vounos.

That’s how this book was conceived and developed.