The world wars of the last century provide endless fodder for historical fiction. The latest to come my way is another suggestion from the TripFiction newsletter: Hearts of Stone, a 2015 novel by Simon Scarrow about the Greek resistance during World War II. In a twist, the book portrays both Greek and German characters relaying their experiences.

Usually, such a tale is told solely from a viewpoint sympathetic to the Nazi opposition, as in the Willi Geismeier series I recently wrote about. That one starred a veteran of World War I who moves onto resisting the Nazis in WWII. Hearts sets up an archeological dig in Greece and features a Berlin professor keen on finding Odysseus’ grave. The narrative is framed by a modern-day history teacher in England who’s also the granddaughter of a Greek resistance fighter.

That’s plenty of material for a long story. The Nazis here are still brutal, but some of the protagonists — including the Berlin professor and his conflicted son, as well as the would-be German boyfriend of the present-day teacher — are quite sympathetic.

Scarrow is a bestselling Sunday Times author who has also written a series set in wartime Berlin, as well as an earlier series anchored in Roman times. He’s prolific, so anyone looking for true depth is unlikely to find it here.

Still, this standalone novel is absorbing and intriguing. It takes you to a little-known episode in history and stands out for its brave characters and complex plot. It also informs readers about Greek resistance to first Italian and then German occupation. (Both sets of invaders come off pretty badly.)

I’ve enjoyed archeology and books about it since reading Agatha Christie, whose second marriage — to archeologist Max Mallowan — had a significant impact on her mysteries. Simon Scarrow’s Hearts of Stone is a worthy addition to this particular canon.

Darrell Delamaide has written a novel of historical fiction, The Grand Mirage, and the financial thriller Gold. He has also written two books of nonfiction.