The Adventures of Thane Johnson and the Blood Diamonds by Thomas John Papadimos

This is the third installment of The Adventures of Thane Johnson series. In this volume Thane and his sister, Alaina; cousin, Leo; and friends, Achilles and Thomas uncover an illegal smuggling operation involving rough, uncut diamonds, i.e., conflict diamonds, that are transiting through the port of Piraeus, Greece from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This group of five teenagers call themselves the G5 and have at various times inserted themselves into situations that can be hazardous to themselves and that can be a thorn in the side of the police. Somehow turmoil and tumult maintain their pursuit of them, and by extension, their families. They are teenagers presented with challenges that seem beyond their capabilities only to find that they cope with chaos, uncertainty and problem-solving better than many adults. The story takes place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, the greater Athens area (the port of Piraeus), Istanbul, and the Greek islands of Syros, Crete, and Corfu. The story ends with a positive outcome at Easter time in Greece.