Still Life in Crete takes its readers into the eastern Mediterranean for an experience of Greece's biggest and most idiosyncratic island. Geographically, Crete is the last place in Europe. It has kept its essentially Cretan character and is an infinitely more interesting place than those much written about French and Italian ports-of-call, Provence and Tuscany.

The book tells how the author and his wife face up to the shock of his unduly early retirement and decide to seek a new life abroad. Accompanied by their two pug dogs, the adventurous couple explore Greece and fall in love with the country. Eventually they discover an unspoilt corner of western Crete to call their own.

While Still Life in Crete steps off the well-beaten track of conventional travel books, the author writes about those subjects - food and drink, for example - that will help visitors enjoy their stay. Crete has a unique cuisine, definitely not haute but good, plain and substantial, which is seen as one of the world's healthiest diets - and while Cretan wine hasn't travelled, it's worth travelling for.

Crete is an affordable, unpretentious and honest place, naturally spectacular and beautiful, quiet and uncrowded - and rich in bizarre and humorous experiences. All these qualities are described in the book and can easily be found along the island's back-roads and in its villages by any visitor adventurous enough to seek them out.