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.
Funny, warm, and sparkling, Hydra in Winter will enchant solo travellers, lovers of travel books, history buffs, Philhellenes, aspiring seadogs, procrastinating novelists, seasoned travellers and armchair adventurers, and anyone trying to keep the spark alive at any age.
Praise for Hydra in Winter:
“Reading Hydra in Winter is like drinking a bottomless glass of champagne — bubbly, refreshing, and bound to make you laugh.” — Kyra Geddes, author of The Story Thief
“A gem of a book. I loved it. I haven’t been to Greece yet and it took me there for a while…” ~ Amazon reader review
“A charming debut travel memoir that sparkles with the author’s unique voice and wit, drawing the reading along on her travels to the renowned Greek island to uncover the truth about her husband’s colorful ancestor.” ~ National Herald
About the Author
Shelley Dark is an award-winning Australian author who travels as often as possible and enjoys iPhone photography. Shelley is a member of the ALLWRiTE Club and Writers on the Coast Noosa, a generous community of writers whose work and thinking continually stretch her own.
Shelley’s books include Hydra in Winter (2024), awarded a Gold Medal at the Global Book Awards 2025 (Biographical—Traveler & Explorer), which chronicles her journey to the Greek island of Hydra to uncover the story of her husband’s ancestor, Ghikas Voulgaris—Australia’s first Greek convict pioneer.
Son of Hydra (2025), inspired by his extraordinary life, received a Silver Medal at the Global Book Awards 2025 (Historical Fiction). Forthcoming works include Daughter of Cork, the story of his Irish wife, along with another new narrative non-fiction project. Her short fiction appears in anthologies.
