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Andreas Kaldis #7
Devil of Delphi
In ancient times, Delphi stood at the center of the world, a mountainous, verdant home to the gods, where kings and warriors journeyed to learn of their fates from its Oracle, and disobeyed its preaching at their peril.
In modern day Delphi, a young Athens emigree seeks to re-build his life in anonymity among its pastoral, rolling hills and endless olive groves. But the man's dark past is too celebrated, and his assassin skills are too much in demand for his fate to be left to his own hands.
When he's given no choice but to serve the ruthless aims of an international criminal mastermind, he agrees, but on his terms. His methods bring unexpected death to a member of one of Greece's most prominent and feared political families, and draws Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis into the eye of a political and media firestorm threatening to bring down the nation's government.
It is a gripping, fast-paced story played out against a backdrop of World Heritage Sites, an annual global trillion-dollar legitimate alcoholic beverage industry preyed upon by counterfeiters of the industries' most celebrated brands, and political infighting among Greek revolutionaries, movers and shakers. Kaldis and his team soon find themselves battling purveyors of life-threatening adulterated booze, struggling to bring a cold-blooded killer to justice, and laboring to outthink a political chess-master determined to destroy Kaldis' ailing boss, Greece's Minister of Public Order—all without turning themselves and their families into deadly targets.
In modern day Delphi, a young Athens emigree seeks to re-build his life in anonymity among its pastoral, rolling hills and endless olive groves. But the man's dark past is too celebrated, and his assassin skills are too much in demand for his fate to be left to his own hands.
When he's given no choice but to serve the ruthless aims of an international criminal mastermind, he agrees, but on his terms. His methods bring unexpected death to a member of one of Greece's most prominent and feared political families, and draws Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis into the eye of a political and media firestorm threatening to bring down the nation's government.
It is a gripping, fast-paced story played out against a backdrop of World Heritage Sites, an annual global trillion-dollar legitimate alcoholic beverage industry preyed upon by counterfeiters of the industries' most celebrated brands, and political infighting among Greek revolutionaries, movers and shakers. Kaldis and his team soon find themselves battling purveyors of life-threatening adulterated booze, struggling to bring a cold-blooded killer to justice, and laboring to outthink a political chess-master determined to destroy Kaldis' ailing boss, Greece's Minister of Public Order—all without turning themselves and their families into deadly targets.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2015
34 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Siger
34 books152 followersI am an American living on the Aegean Greek island of Mykonos. A Pittsburgh native and former Wall Street lawyer, I gave up my career as a name partner in my own New York City law firm to write mystery thrillers that tell more than just a fast-paced story. My novels are aimed at exploring serious societal issues confronting modern day Greece in a tell-it-like-it-is style while touching upon the country's ancient roots.
Some Mykonian friends told me if I started sprinkling murders with a message across my adopted country's tourist paradises, I'd likely be banished, if not hung. No one was more amazed than I when my debut novel, Murder in Mykonos (a sort of Mamma Mia setting for a No Country for Old Men story), became Greece's #1 best selling English-language novel (and a best-seller in Greek, as well).
As of September 2016 I have eight Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis novels out there and receive no more than the customary number of death threats. I'm diligently trying to improve my percentage in that regard with posts about Greece each Saturday on the Murder is Everywhere blogsite I share with nine renowned mystery writers from around the world.
It's been a remarkable journey, punctuated most notably by The New York Times selecting the fourth in my Andreas Kaldis series (Target: Tinos) as one of its five "picks for the beach" while calling the entire series, "thoughtful police procedurals set in picturesque but not untroubled Greek locales;" Left Coast Crime's nomination of the fifth in the series (Mykonos After Midnight) in 2014 as Best Mystery in a Foreign Setting; a 2016 Barry Award Best Novel Nomination for my seventh in the series (Devil of Delphi); starred reviews and official government citations; and this quote from Fodor's Greek Islands Travel Guide under a section titled "Mykonos After Dark," which colleagues say I should consider the equivalent of winning an Oscar: "Some say that after midnight, Mykonos is all nightlife—this throbbing beat is the backdrop to Jeffrey Siger's popular mystery, Murder in Mykonos."
My work is published in the US, UK, Germany (German), and Greece (Greek and English), and I'm honored to have served as Chair of the National Board of Bouchercon, the world's largest mystery convention, and as Adjunct Professor of English at Washington & Jefferson College, teaching mystery writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 6, 2018
While I did not read Siger's crime novels in the order they were written, I was very glad that I had read Mykonos at Midnight BEFORE I read Devil of Delphi. The reason is that Mykonos at Midnight introduces a super bad character who also appears in Devil of Delphi. If you read these two books out of order, it spoils the drama set up in Devil of Delphi.
I particularly liked how Devil of Delphi ends. I think this book could have had a little less on the subject of counterfeit booze. I also loved some of the action scenes and think this one has good potential to be a film.
I particularly liked how Devil of Delphi ends. I think this book could have had a little less on the subject of counterfeit booze. I also loved some of the action scenes and think this one has good potential to be a film.
January 16, 2022
Another good Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis thriller. I continue to enjoy this series - not only are they good mystery/thrillers, I love the settings, history, and social, cultural and political insights that Jeffrey Siger imbues in his novels. Great sense of place and time - armchair traveling in Greece! Nicely done again Jeffrey Siger. FYI - three stars is a good read on my rating scale.
September 18, 2015
I selected this book because I like to read books set in different countries. I did learn a little about life in modern Greece from this book, assuming that it is accurate that Greece is rife with corruption. However, I don't think I learned much about Greek police, unless all cops there spend a lot (I mean really a lot) of time discussing their weight and childhood nicknames.
The crime at the center of this book is the sale of counterfeit alcohol. There were lengthy lessons about how this counterfeiting could be done. The financial mastermind behind this criminal enterprise, in both Greece and most of Europe, is a vicious character known as Teacher, who fancies herself to be a kind of Robin Hood.
The only interesting character is an assassin known as Kharon. His ambition is to be an olive farmer. While he was the high point of the book, he never seemed believable. What are the chances that a poor, uneducated career criminal would use the phrase "systematic aesthetic mutilation"?
I am puzzled why this book is part of a police procedural series, because the police were certainly the dullest part of the book. There was way too much pointless banter between them. I kept reading because of the Teacher/Kharon dynamic.
The book wasn't awful, but there are so many better books out there that I can't think of a particular reason to read this one, and I won't be reading any of the other books in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The crime at the center of this book is the sale of counterfeit alcohol. There were lengthy lessons about how this counterfeiting could be done. The financial mastermind behind this criminal enterprise, in both Greece and most of Europe, is a vicious character known as Teacher, who fancies herself to be a kind of Robin Hood.
The only interesting character is an assassin known as Kharon. His ambition is to be an olive farmer. While he was the high point of the book, he never seemed believable. What are the chances that a poor, uneducated career criminal would use the phrase "systematic aesthetic mutilation"?
I am puzzled why this book is part of a police procedural series, because the police were certainly the dullest part of the book. There was way too much pointless banter between them. I kept reading because of the Teacher/Kharon dynamic.
The book wasn't awful, but there are so many better books out there that I can't think of a particular reason to read this one, and I won't be reading any of the other books in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
August 2, 2016
You can tell what I thought of this book by the fact that I started reading it one day and finished it the next day. This is another one of Jeffrey Siger's books about Andreas Kaldis that can't be put down until you're finished reading it.
The story grabs you right from the start and carries you along on a dangerous and exciting ride. You get to know Andreas a bit more with each book, and all it makes you want to do is to know more. You also 'ride along' during the investigations with him and his other officers. The case in this particular story is quite a complicated one, and the danger extends not only to the police, but to government officials at the highest level.
A great deal of background is given, which is important because we need to understand the gravity of the crimes being committed and the potential for harm beyond Greece's borders. We are also introduced to a criminal, the likes of which are not often seen. This criminal interacts with yet another criminal, and both are cold as ice. They work together, yet neither ever forgets how dangerous they could be to each other.
I don't want to give any of the plot away because this book must be read, as do all of Siger's books with the character Adreas Kaldis. The descriptions of the country, culture and customs are rich, and the stories are perfectly paced, and well crafted mysteries. I highly recommend each and every one in the series, and I am always looking forward to Siger's next one.
The story grabs you right from the start and carries you along on a dangerous and exciting ride. You get to know Andreas a bit more with each book, and all it makes you want to do is to know more. You also 'ride along' during the investigations with him and his other officers. The case in this particular story is quite a complicated one, and the danger extends not only to the police, but to government officials at the highest level.
A great deal of background is given, which is important because we need to understand the gravity of the crimes being committed and the potential for harm beyond Greece's borders. We are also introduced to a criminal, the likes of which are not often seen. This criminal interacts with yet another criminal, and both are cold as ice. They work together, yet neither ever forgets how dangerous they could be to each other.
I don't want to give any of the plot away because this book must be read, as do all of Siger's books with the character Adreas Kaldis. The descriptions of the country, culture and customs are rich, and the stories are perfectly paced, and well crafted mysteries. I highly recommend each and every one in the series, and I am always looking forward to Siger's next one.
June 27, 2015
WOW! I've read all six of the previous Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis police procedural series. Four novels are set on a Greek island and the other three books are set on the Greek mainland. I prefer the books when they take place on a Greek island. However, this book set on the mainland blew me away. Not only was it very engrossing but there was lots of humor.
The author, Jeffrey Siger, arranged with his publisher, Poison Pen Press, to mail me an ARC of his last two books.
DEVIL OF DELPHI comes out in hardcover, trade paperback, Large Print, and as an ebook in October 2015. If you enjoy reading crime fiction grab a copy this fall. You can thank me later.
The author, Jeffrey Siger, arranged with his publisher, Poison Pen Press, to mail me an ARC of his last two books.
DEVIL OF DELPHI comes out in hardcover, trade paperback, Large Print, and as an ebook in October 2015. If you enjoy reading crime fiction grab a copy this fall. You can thank me later.
January 26, 2017
The best one in the series so far.
September 28, 2024
Devil of Delphi by Jeffrey Siger is the seventh book in the Andreas Kaldis contemporary mystery series set in Greece. Former Wall Street lawyer Jeffrey Siger gave up his practice to write mystery thrillers set in Greece, where he resides. His mysteries educate the reader on current issues in Greece as well as its beautiful scenery and history.
The crime wave of concern in Devil of Delphi is counterfeit booze, with a smaller emphasis on prevalent racial hatred of immigrants. An extensive black market empire is run by the ruthless woman "Teacher", who demands absolute obedience to her orders. Those who disobey receive a "message" (someone close to them is killed). Independent, super-competent assassin Kharon begins to work for "Teacher". Criminal wine merchant "Tank" is from a prominent Greek family; his father has routinely "erased" Tank's crimes with bribes. But this time, Tank fails to follow Teacher's orders. The "message" she sends is brutal, yet Tank is so arrogant he doesn't follow her next specific orders.
Andreas and his trusted detective sidekick Kouros know of Teacher, know she was the mastermind behind earlier crimes they investigated. They know how utterly ruthless and amoral she is.
The first three-fifths of the book is slow going as it sets up a complex background of local Greek black marketeers, the more powerful network run by Teacher, Kharon's prowess, political corruption at all levels, pressure from the prime minister on the police to solve the crime wave. Hang in there, the last two-fifths of the book is interesting, fast-paced, worth finishing.
Best to read the series in order, to follow major changes in Kaldis' life as he combats crime in Greece.
Fave Quotes:
Jacobi was too cavalier about surveillance. These days everybody listened in on mobile phone calls.
Hoping for the best was fine, as long as you prepared for the worst.
"No one knows the sordid underbelly of our country better than you."
Sunset colors in the Athens sky depended upon a lot of things. Some of which the city tried to control by limiting vehicular traffic in the city center according to the last number on a license plate. Those with even-numbered plates could enter on even days, odd ones on odd days. But no matter what colors happened to be performing on a given night--orange, magenta, crimson, rose--staring out his apartment windows at the Acropolis, backlit against a sunset sky, never failed to remind Andreas of how very blessed he was.
"I think we should follow the example of the cockroach," said Tassos. "Which is?" "They've been around for 280 million years because they know how to hide and adapt."
"Do nothing and things will work out on their own." It was Greece's national motto. Perhaps this time it would actually work.
Tell him I'm trying to come up with answers that won't destroy the credibility of his party." "What does that mean?" "No idea, but being the politician he is, his mind will run to all the possibilities and he'll come up with something to justify your strategy."
Kharon sat staring out the window of the private jet carrying him back to Greece. He still preferred the up close, personal approach to ending a life, one that allowed him the opportunity of affording a potential victim a reasoned means for survival. But with his assignments from Teacher, any opportunity for the target's survival had long since past. For her, Kharon's role was simply to function as executioner. He wondered at what point she'd lost her moral center. She must have had one. Did she lose it quickly, or did it degrade over time? "And when will mine disappear?"
This was not a time for party loyalty, but for tending to your own ambitions. Politics stood as practically the only surefire way of making money in Greece these days, even for the honest. It was a matter of self-preservation.
The crime wave of concern in Devil of Delphi is counterfeit booze, with a smaller emphasis on prevalent racial hatred of immigrants. An extensive black market empire is run by the ruthless woman "Teacher", who demands absolute obedience to her orders. Those who disobey receive a "message" (someone close to them is killed). Independent, super-competent assassin Kharon begins to work for "Teacher". Criminal wine merchant "Tank" is from a prominent Greek family; his father has routinely "erased" Tank's crimes with bribes. But this time, Tank fails to follow Teacher's orders. The "message" she sends is brutal, yet Tank is so arrogant he doesn't follow her next specific orders.
Andreas and his trusted detective sidekick Kouros know of Teacher, know she was the mastermind behind earlier crimes they investigated. They know how utterly ruthless and amoral she is.
The first three-fifths of the book is slow going as it sets up a complex background of local Greek black marketeers, the more powerful network run by Teacher, Kharon's prowess, political corruption at all levels, pressure from the prime minister on the police to solve the crime wave. Hang in there, the last two-fifths of the book is interesting, fast-paced, worth finishing.
Best to read the series in order, to follow major changes in Kaldis' life as he combats crime in Greece.
Fave Quotes:
Jacobi was too cavalier about surveillance. These days everybody listened in on mobile phone calls.
Hoping for the best was fine, as long as you prepared for the worst.
"No one knows the sordid underbelly of our country better than you."
Sunset colors in the Athens sky depended upon a lot of things. Some of which the city tried to control by limiting vehicular traffic in the city center according to the last number on a license plate. Those with even-numbered plates could enter on even days, odd ones on odd days. But no matter what colors happened to be performing on a given night--orange, magenta, crimson, rose--staring out his apartment windows at the Acropolis, backlit against a sunset sky, never failed to remind Andreas of how very blessed he was.
"I think we should follow the example of the cockroach," said Tassos. "Which is?" "They've been around for 280 million years because they know how to hide and adapt."
"Do nothing and things will work out on their own." It was Greece's national motto. Perhaps this time it would actually work.
Tell him I'm trying to come up with answers that won't destroy the credibility of his party." "What does that mean?" "No idea, but being the politician he is, his mind will run to all the possibilities and he'll come up with something to justify your strategy."
Kharon sat staring out the window of the private jet carrying him back to Greece. He still preferred the up close, personal approach to ending a life, one that allowed him the opportunity of affording a potential victim a reasoned means for survival. But with his assignments from Teacher, any opportunity for the target's survival had long since past. For her, Kharon's role was simply to function as executioner. He wondered at what point she'd lost her moral center. She must have had one. Did she lose it quickly, or did it degrade over time? "And when will mine disappear?"
This was not a time for party loyalty, but for tending to your own ambitions. Politics stood as practically the only surefire way of making money in Greece these days, even for the honest. It was a matter of self-preservation.
April 29, 2018
“The shooter was a pro. . . . You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and only by the grace of God didn’t end up with a bullet in your brain.” All is not sunshine and beauty in the Greek Isles and in present-day Athens. Central Police Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis and his team are kept busy, especially in this seventh book in the series as they match wits to solve the mystery driven by the Devil of Delphi, and those who have made a deal with the devil.
The legitimate world market is threatened with a flood of counterfeit, sometimes deadly alcohol. When some consumers suffer fatal consequences because of poisons included in the “bomba”, it catches police attention. When a member of one of Greece’s richest and most feared families is dramatically shot dead, political pressure is sudden, intense and vicious that the police solve the case. Chief Inspector is under the gun in this exciting police procedural. They are up against a fearless crime syndicate that’s driven by an unquestioned ruler. Her followers call her Teacher, and she is now the one who enforces the cardinal principle of those who had enslaved her in her younger life: Do as I say or die.
This author, Jeffrey Siger, writes incredibly interesting and complex characters. You learn so much about the incidents in their lives that shape their actions and the impacts those actions have on so many others. He shows how his villainous characters live their lives through their own sort of moral code that they’ve twisted from their personal histories. Their correlating actions show the reader a darker side. One of the assassins, known by his chosen name of Kharon, demonstrates his penchant for the way he takes out his targets. He “preferred the up close, personal approach to ending a life, one that allowed him the opportunity of affording a potential victim a reasoned means for survival.” Just as interesting are the personalities and motivations of the Chief and his team’s members.
Jeffrey Siger is a Pittsburgh native and former Wall Street lawyer and name partner in his own New York City law firm to write mystery thrillers that tell more than just a fast-paced story. His novels explore serious societal issues confronting modern day Greece, and still touching on the country’s ancient roots and gloriously picturesque setting. I recommend the series; the ninth is now available, An Aegean April.
And if you want to hear more from the author listen on YouTube to Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries with Jeffrey Siger
The legitimate world market is threatened with a flood of counterfeit, sometimes deadly alcohol. When some consumers suffer fatal consequences because of poisons included in the “bomba”, it catches police attention. When a member of one of Greece’s richest and most feared families is dramatically shot dead, political pressure is sudden, intense and vicious that the police solve the case. Chief Inspector is under the gun in this exciting police procedural. They are up against a fearless crime syndicate that’s driven by an unquestioned ruler. Her followers call her Teacher, and she is now the one who enforces the cardinal principle of those who had enslaved her in her younger life: Do as I say or die.
This author, Jeffrey Siger, writes incredibly interesting and complex characters. You learn so much about the incidents in their lives that shape their actions and the impacts those actions have on so many others. He shows how his villainous characters live their lives through their own sort of moral code that they’ve twisted from their personal histories. Their correlating actions show the reader a darker side. One of the assassins, known by his chosen name of Kharon, demonstrates his penchant for the way he takes out his targets. He “preferred the up close, personal approach to ending a life, one that allowed him the opportunity of affording a potential victim a reasoned means for survival.” Just as interesting are the personalities and motivations of the Chief and his team’s members.
Jeffrey Siger is a Pittsburgh native and former Wall Street lawyer and name partner in his own New York City law firm to write mystery thrillers that tell more than just a fast-paced story. His novels explore serious societal issues confronting modern day Greece, and still touching on the country’s ancient roots and gloriously picturesque setting. I recommend the series; the ninth is now available, An Aegean April.
And if you want to hear more from the author listen on YouTube to Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries with Jeffrey Siger
February 20, 2022
English review below the Greek one...
Δομή, στοιχεία και χαρακτηριστικά Αμερικάνικου θρίλερ τοποθετημένα σε Ελληνικό φόντο, με πολύ αδύναμη πλοκή και στερεότυπους, απίστευτους χαρακτήρες. Όμορφη περιγραφή των διάφορων τοποθεσιών και αξιοπρεπές να περάσει κανείς την ώρα του. Ως εκεί.
I admit that a) I picked this book due to title/setting and b) That I am a grumpy reader and I want books to have a somehow convincing plot and somewhat believable characters.
To be honest at first this book didn't win me at all. It's a bit like reading an American thriller in a Greek setting with over the top stereotypical characters and full of hyperbole action scenes, with a bit of the usual theoritizing and American world view on terrorism and mombsters and all that jazz, combined with some cozy mystery type of plot and characters, some personal drama and foreign touch thrown in, featuring very naive and dumb people exchanging punch lines that would no way translate in a Greek version of the book. Sometimes there are euros mentioned, sometime dollars, some characters gained weight in kilos recently but they are so and so feet and inches tall... Abandoned kids in Greek orphanages get a foreign name because a person working there is fond of Fred Astaire and Greek families are fond of unknown American toys for their kids or whatever.
These things irked me and my impression didn't change till the end to be honest, but this is a book written by an American after all, aimed most likely to an international crowd rather than to locals.
I decided to stop judging the book too strictly in order to enjoy it and after about half way through the pace accelerated somehow and it got more interesting, although still too superficial. The plot or characters still didn't convince me much and sometimes the author got a bit too poignant on things Greek (please show, don't tell and don't overdo it when showing), but there was more action, while I have to give him that, his description of the locations was mostly spot on and I enjoyed them.
Not flawless, but it's a decent read to pass the time, especially if this is your kind of read more than it mine.
Δομή, στοιχεία και χαρακτηριστικά Αμερικάνικου θρίλερ τοποθετημένα σε Ελληνικό φόντο, με πολύ αδύναμη πλοκή και στερεότυπους, απίστευτους χαρακτήρες. Όμορφη περιγραφή των διάφορων τοποθεσιών και αξιοπρεπές να περάσει κανείς την ώρα του. Ως εκεί.
I admit that a) I picked this book due to title/setting and b) That I am a grumpy reader and I want books to have a somehow convincing plot and somewhat believable characters.
To be honest at first this book didn't win me at all. It's a bit like reading an American thriller in a Greek setting with over the top stereotypical characters and full of hyperbole action scenes, with a bit of the usual theoritizing and American world view on terrorism and mombsters and all that jazz, combined with some cozy mystery type of plot and characters, some personal drama and foreign touch thrown in, featuring very naive and dumb people exchanging punch lines that would no way translate in a Greek version of the book. Sometimes there are euros mentioned, sometime dollars, some characters gained weight in kilos recently but they are so and so feet and inches tall... Abandoned kids in Greek orphanages get a foreign name because a person working there is fond of Fred Astaire and Greek families are fond of unknown American toys for their kids or whatever.
These things irked me and my impression didn't change till the end to be honest, but this is a book written by an American after all, aimed most likely to an international crowd rather than to locals.
I decided to stop judging the book too strictly in order to enjoy it and after about half way through the pace accelerated somehow and it got more interesting, although still too superficial. The plot or characters still didn't convince me much and sometimes the author got a bit too poignant on things Greek (please show, don't tell and don't overdo it when showing), but there was more action, while I have to give him that, his description of the locations was mostly spot on and I enjoyed them.
Not flawless, but it's a decent read to pass the time, especially if this is your kind of read more than it mine.
December 26, 2019
Once again, a book with a lacklustre effort of a villain, not just Teacher, but also Kharon. The idea is that a the best villain is someone who the readers can resonate with and feel that at least part of what they do makes sense. It's not that the villain doesn't make sense, it's just that they are again too 'convenient' of a villain with seemingly no weakness.
The author once again struggles with the resolution of the story, it just doesn't really makes sense, why would Teacher care so much about the small sum of money when she has so much power that money becomes an afterthought.
Another thing is that the role of Andreas and the police is not that important and the book in a whole stays from the crime/mystery fiction genre.
Fine if you're reading the whole series, but not a book for you to start with.
The author once again struggles with the resolution of the story, it just doesn't really makes sense, why would Teacher care so much about the small sum of money when she has so much power that money becomes an afterthought.
Another thing is that the role of Andreas and the police is not that important and the book in a whole stays from the crime/mystery fiction genre.
Fine if you're reading the whole series, but not a book for you to start with.
March 11, 2021
Siger is feeling his oats. Each book in the series has presented a slightly more complex mystery. Adding to the mysteries, Siger has slowly increased the sexual content, even opening this book with a sex scene. The scenes even seem a little awkward to me. It's as though someone told him to put more sex in, so, at the slightest provocation, there it is. Anyway, this one's about massive bootleg liquor operations in Greece, and, of course, government corruption. Neither one is a surprise for anyone familiar with Greece. The past is never very far away for Greeks, or most people living in southern Europe. The corruption of Trump is trivial in Greek terms, and just because he is currently out of office does not mean the wild-eyed madness of his followers will go away.
While I am sad that I haven't been back to Greece since 1970, there wouldn't be much left that I would recognize.
While I am sad that I haven't been back to Greece since 1970, there wouldn't be much left that I would recognize.
March 31, 2019
Back to another book in this thriller/mystery series. Always interesting to see international issues brought to light, using the Greek context.
Occasional American reference analogy used that seems to clang, & which might not be too accurate or familiar cultural references to Greeks, unless possible total saturation by US television 30 years ago.
Look forward to the next one, for which I have to access interlibrary loan.
Occasional American reference analogy used that seems to clang, & which might not be too accurate or familiar cultural references to Greeks, unless possible total saturation by US television 30 years ago.
Look forward to the next one, for which I have to access interlibrary loan.
January 5, 2022
Mom gave me this as a Christmas present, otherwise I probably wouldn't have started the series with the seventh book. It was a quick, fun read, and I'll probably go back and pick up the earlier books at some point. It was a little disconcerting that I found the most compelling character to be the primary antagonist - but I figure that might be because the fleshing out of the central character & his cohorts had been done in earlier books.
March 24, 2025
Kaldis will be a daddy again, Teacher is back, and we get to see Delphi and Thessaloniki a bunch--what could go wrong in our seventh installment??
This novel features a dive into the Greek underground, the counterfeit booze "bomba" business, and an icy moralistic hitman that appears to be fairly unstoppable by the end. It has all the elements you want in a Kaldis adventure, but fans may wonder why two recurring characters won't be coming back (or will they?)
I enjoyed this Greek thriller, as per usual--but no real mystery here, everything is pretty much open to the reader from the beginning. Still, reads quick and you may not see the ending until you're already there!
This novel features a dive into the Greek underground, the counterfeit booze "bomba" business, and an icy moralistic hitman that appears to be fairly unstoppable by the end. It has all the elements you want in a Kaldis adventure, but fans may wonder why two recurring characters won't be coming back (or will they?)
I enjoyed this Greek thriller, as per usual--but no real mystery here, everything is pretty much open to the reader from the beginning. Still, reads quick and you may not see the ending until you're already there!
April 1, 2019
In general I like this series and enjoy the characters. I also generally like the descriptions of Greece and Greek life. This one had a little too much Greek history and scenery descriptions for my taste. It made the pace of the plot line seem to drag a bit for me. I will still read the next one, though.
May 6, 2019
Another really enjoyable book in this series. This one was much darker from a justice perspective and I really like how different the set-up and theme was. I will for sure read more from this series.
July 14, 2022
Always a good read, with Kaldis and crew. The issue this time is counterfeit booze, a huge and sometimes deadly problem. Highly recommend this series! Remember to shop your local independent bookstores. They need your support.
September 4, 2017
One of the better entries in the Kaldis collection. In this one, the antagonists were way more interesting than the protagonists.
November 25, 2024
Just okay.
read-some
July 7, 2025I stopped on page 50. I hadn't read the earlier books in the series, so I wasn't too interested in Kaldis catching liquor smugglers. I'll try the first book and see if it catches my interest.
March 4, 2018
A killer wanting the quiet life collides with a vicious European gangster, bootleg liquor, and Greek power and politics in this enthralling new instalment of the Chief Inspector Kaldis series.
In an ocean of police procedurals splashed across the globe, Jeffrey Siger thrusts his head above the waves not only with the sweltering Greek setting of his Andreas Kaldis series, but the verve of his writing.
I'd been meaning to read on of Siger's crime novels for a while, as I'd heard good things about his tales - "No Country for Old Men in a Mama Mia setting", etc. His acclaimed series bounces around from Greek mainland to Greek Islands, delving into the sordid side of contemporary life in a country with a rich and ancient history, and a much-troubled present.
I wasn't far into DEVIL OF DELPHI before I was kicking myself for delaying. The seventh book in Siger's series sees Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis and his Special Crimes Division investigating a surge in bomba (counterfeit liquor), which has veered from cheap and nasty to downright deadly. The stakes are raised when the lucrative black market industry brings together one of Greece's most powerful political families and a ruthless European gangster who's found a particularly sharp 'new sword', capable of doing a lot of damage. As bodies start to fall, Kaldis fears that this might be a power and politics minefield even his crack team can't navigate, while the pressure from above has a decidedly different - and puzzling - feel to it this time around.
In short, I really liked this book. It's always a joy to try a new-to-you author and have that choice rewarded not just by a good read, but the discovery of a talented storyteller and great characters that'll potentially be added to your favorites list for years to come. But just what was it that clicked for me with Siger's new tale?
THE DEVIL OF DELPHI was one of those books I liked in the early going, but grew to love more and more as it unfolded. I particularly enjoyed the banter among Kaldis and his colleagues. Siger has created a fascinating cast, and even though I wasn't aware of all the back stories I could pick up enough just by reading this instalment to be thoroughly intrigued by the characters and character relationships.
I felt there was a freshness to Siger's writing, without being overtly stylistic. The ways in which he brings contemporary Greece to life, populated by memorable people, and infused with some social and political commentary (again, not too overt, but blended in nicely), just created a real verve in his storytelling.
Like the continuing characters, the 'guest stars' in this particular instalment also came across as having a good level of depth and complexity. I particularly enjoyed the character of Kharon (the 'new sword' I mention above) and his motivations and interplay with the ruthless foreign crime boss. Siger does a great job crafting a real vitality in his stories, characters, and settings - injecting in enough twists or new takes to ensure that in a genre that can be a bit same-same even when enjoyable, he's created something quite distinctive.
Recommended.
This review was first published on Crime Watch: http://kiwicrime.blogspot.com
In an ocean of police procedurals splashed across the globe, Jeffrey Siger thrusts his head above the waves not only with the sweltering Greek setting of his Andreas Kaldis series, but the verve of his writing.
I'd been meaning to read on of Siger's crime novels for a while, as I'd heard good things about his tales - "No Country for Old Men in a Mama Mia setting", etc. His acclaimed series bounces around from Greek mainland to Greek Islands, delving into the sordid side of contemporary life in a country with a rich and ancient history, and a much-troubled present.
I wasn't far into DEVIL OF DELPHI before I was kicking myself for delaying. The seventh book in Siger's series sees Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis and his Special Crimes Division investigating a surge in bomba (counterfeit liquor), which has veered from cheap and nasty to downright deadly. The stakes are raised when the lucrative black market industry brings together one of Greece's most powerful political families and a ruthless European gangster who's found a particularly sharp 'new sword', capable of doing a lot of damage. As bodies start to fall, Kaldis fears that this might be a power and politics minefield even his crack team can't navigate, while the pressure from above has a decidedly different - and puzzling - feel to it this time around.
In short, I really liked this book. It's always a joy to try a new-to-you author and have that choice rewarded not just by a good read, but the discovery of a talented storyteller and great characters that'll potentially be added to your favorites list for years to come. But just what was it that clicked for me with Siger's new tale?
THE DEVIL OF DELPHI was one of those books I liked in the early going, but grew to love more and more as it unfolded. I particularly enjoyed the banter among Kaldis and his colleagues. Siger has created a fascinating cast, and even though I wasn't aware of all the back stories I could pick up enough just by reading this instalment to be thoroughly intrigued by the characters and character relationships.
I felt there was a freshness to Siger's writing, without being overtly stylistic. The ways in which he brings contemporary Greece to life, populated by memorable people, and infused with some social and political commentary (again, not too overt, but blended in nicely), just created a real verve in his storytelling.
Like the continuing characters, the 'guest stars' in this particular instalment also came across as having a good level of depth and complexity. I particularly enjoyed the character of Kharon (the 'new sword' I mention above) and his motivations and interplay with the ruthless foreign crime boss. Siger does a great job crafting a real vitality in his stories, characters, and settings - injecting in enough twists or new takes to ensure that in a genre that can be a bit same-same even when enjoyable, he's created something quite distinctive.
Recommended.
This review was first published on Crime Watch: http://kiwicrime.blogspot.com
October 6, 2015
Author Jeffrey Siger lives part of the year on the Greek island of Mykonos, and he certainly has his fingers on the pulse of what's going on in that beleaguered country. His vivid settings showcase a different part of Greece in each book, and readers learn the customs of the country along the way. (In Devil of Delphi, we learn the unique way the Greek government has of dealing with citizens' real estate taxes and electric bills.)
As exciting and as timely as Siger's plots are, it's his sense of humor and his characters that really make me come back, book after book. Now a husband and father, Kaldis's family life plays a large part in the series, and his wife usually manages to steal the scene at least once per book. Add a secretary who's so good you'd swear she was psychic along with a crack team of investigators, and you have the stage set for a rip-roaring tale. Even Kaldis's boss shows unexpected depth in Devil of Delphi, and Kharon is the perfect type of bad guy: skilled, scary, and intriguingly principled. He's a refreshing change from loutish villains whose one-size-fits-all solution to everything is unreasoning violence.
I think that one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book (and the series) so much is that Kaldis and his men are smart enough to know when to sit back, observe carefully, and let the bad guys take care of business. Like Kharon, these men know how to think, and this makes for excellent reading.
There's an unexpected development for Kaldis at the end of Devil of Delphi that has me anxiously awaiting the next book. This seventh book in the series can be read as a standalone, but don't blame me if you find yourself finishing it and looking for all the others. They're that good.
As exciting and as timely as Siger's plots are, it's his sense of humor and his characters that really make me come back, book after book. Now a husband and father, Kaldis's family life plays a large part in the series, and his wife usually manages to steal the scene at least once per book. Add a secretary who's so good you'd swear she was psychic along with a crack team of investigators, and you have the stage set for a rip-roaring tale. Even Kaldis's boss shows unexpected depth in Devil of Delphi, and Kharon is the perfect type of bad guy: skilled, scary, and intriguingly principled. He's a refreshing change from loutish villains whose one-size-fits-all solution to everything is unreasoning violence.
I think that one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book (and the series) so much is that Kaldis and his men are smart enough to know when to sit back, observe carefully, and let the bad guys take care of business. Like Kharon, these men know how to think, and this makes for excellent reading.
There's an unexpected development for Kaldis at the end of Devil of Delphi that has me anxiously awaiting the next book. This seventh book in the series can be read as a standalone, but don't blame me if you find yourself finishing it and looking for all the others. They're that good.
April 15, 2024
UPDATE: April 15, 2024
In my original review, I said that I thought this was my favorite in the series thus far - to the point where I almost gave it five stars. And after reading it again 17 months later, I definitely still agree with that assessment. Consequently, I DID raise its rating from four to five stars.
I mentioned in my review of "Sons of Sparta" that I thought that sixth entry in Jeffrey Siger's Andreas Kaldis series was one of my favorites. But I actually think this seventh entry was even better.
Siger's writing was once again solid. And his characters (Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis, Yianni Kouros, Lila, Tassos, Maggie...) continue to develop and entertain. But what stood out in this seventh entry was Siger's antagonist - a cold-blooded killer that goes by the name of Kharon (the ferryman of souls into the afterlife).
As you know, I never go deeply into plots in these reviews to avoid spoilers. But I will tell you that Siger does a terrific job of weaving a complex, but very believable, plot around Kharon's killings - done in the service of the mysterious master criminal "Teacher." I found myself not only not repelled by Kharon, but actually rooting for him, as he practices his deadly trade. And that's a tribute to the author's character development and narrative skills.
Finally, Siger's description of the beautiful Delphi region of Greece got me excited to revisit that area, which I'll be doing in under 24 hours. (I'm writing this review in our hotel suite in Athens.) I was last in the Delphi region 21 years ago, but Siger's description of it was exactly as I remembered it. So, I can't wait to visit it again.
Ultimately, this was the closest I've come to giving five stars to one of the Andreas Kaldis books. It was that good.
In my original review, I said that I thought this was my favorite in the series thus far - to the point where I almost gave it five stars. And after reading it again 17 months later, I definitely still agree with that assessment. Consequently, I DID raise its rating from four to five stars.
I mentioned in my review of "Sons of Sparta" that I thought that sixth entry in Jeffrey Siger's Andreas Kaldis series was one of my favorites. But I actually think this seventh entry was even better.
Siger's writing was once again solid. And his characters (Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis, Yianni Kouros, Lila, Tassos, Maggie...) continue to develop and entertain. But what stood out in this seventh entry was Siger's antagonist - a cold-blooded killer that goes by the name of Kharon (the ferryman of souls into the afterlife).
As you know, I never go deeply into plots in these reviews to avoid spoilers. But I will tell you that Siger does a terrific job of weaving a complex, but very believable, plot around Kharon's killings - done in the service of the mysterious master criminal "Teacher." I found myself not only not repelled by Kharon, but actually rooting for him, as he practices his deadly trade. And that's a tribute to the author's character development and narrative skills.
Finally, Siger's description of the beautiful Delphi region of Greece got me excited to revisit that area, which I'll be doing in under 24 hours. (I'm writing this review in our hotel suite in Athens.) I was last in the Delphi region 21 years ago, but Siger's description of it was exactly as I remembered it. So, I can't wait to visit it again.
Ultimately, this was the closest I've come to giving five stars to one of the Andreas Kaldis books. It was that good.
March 9, 2016
Michael picks up Kharon at the side of the road. Kharon asks Michael if he wants to have sex as Michael has had his hand on Kharon’s thigh. Michael went where Kharon told him. Kharon killed Michael , took his car and left that in Athens. Kharon also took his money. Kharon had been brought up in an orphanage but had always been a murderer even as a child. but he always gave the people a choice. In the orphanage he had caught two older boys rapeing the the younger kids Kharon gave a choice to stop it else they didn’t stop and they were killed for it by Kharon. Kharon had infuriated the judge when he found out Kharon was to young to be held accountable. There is counterfeit alcohol being made and sold all through Greece. the alcohol is really not good to drink. The police are trying to do something about the rising problem. Kharon sees his friend Jacobi who had been at the orphanage with him. He asked Jacobi if he knew of any work and Jacobi said he didn’t.
I just could not follow this story it jumped back and forth with no warning and it did not hold my attention in any way.
I received an Arc of this story for an honest review.
I just could not follow this story it jumped back and forth with no warning and it did not hold my attention in any way.
I received an Arc of this story for an honest review.
June 11, 2015
I was extremely fortunate to receive a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
Jeffrey Siger’s novels seem to be getting darker and darker as he probes beneath the tourist veneer of Greece to reveal the tacky underworld below. In this novel he deals with the problem of ‘bomba’ – producing counterfeit alcohol contaminated with lethal substances. This is big money and consequently Andreas Kaldis is after the big players. Eastern European mafia and corruption closer to home mean that this is a risky business. We also meet ‘The Teacher’ who was introduced to us in ‘Mykonos after midnight’ and loner Kharon, who also becomes embroiled in the quest to hunt down the perpetrators but for a different reason. Wonderfully told, this is a totally different ballgame to the usual stories set in Greece. If you like dark mystery, murder and some fantastically deranged characters who seem quite believable then this book will have you hooked as it did me.
Jeffrey Siger’s novels seem to be getting darker and darker as he probes beneath the tourist veneer of Greece to reveal the tacky underworld below. In this novel he deals with the problem of ‘bomba’ – producing counterfeit alcohol contaminated with lethal substances. This is big money and consequently Andreas Kaldis is after the big players. Eastern European mafia and corruption closer to home mean that this is a risky business. We also meet ‘The Teacher’ who was introduced to us in ‘Mykonos after midnight’ and loner Kharon, who also becomes embroiled in the quest to hunt down the perpetrators but for a different reason. Wonderfully told, this is a totally different ballgame to the usual stories set in Greece. If you like dark mystery, murder and some fantastically deranged characters who seem quite believable then this book will have you hooked as it did me.
July 4, 2015
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Fans of Donna Leon or Martin Walker will be equally enthralled by Jeffrey Siger's Inspector Andreas Kaldis, head of Athens Special Crimes Division. In his seventh outing he is investigating the spread of bomba, counterfeit liquor, which has become a major problem for Greece's wine industry. The counterfeits are professionally done and distribution is well organized, leading Kaldis and his team to Tank, whose family is politically well-connected. However, Tank is only one member of a larger organization run by a ruthless woman known only as Teacher. She has hired an enforcer called Kharon, appropriately named for the ferryman who transported the dead across the River Styx. The investigation takes some unexpected twists, leading up to a deadly confrontation and a most satisfying conclusion.
July 24, 2016
The book got better as I got into it. Perhaps 3.5 stars. Andreas is chief of police in Athens and there is a problem with counterfeit liquor all over. Some of it is not just lousy tasting, but actually poisonous. A former orphan, known as Kharon, is an expert on killing. Tank, the son of an important politician in Thessalonaki, is running the liquor business there, and has been a little slow at paying the boss, Teacher. Teacher hires Kharon to be her special emissary to bring her workers in line, and his first order of business is Tank. One of Andreas' men, Kouros is in Thessalonaki, checking on Tank's business, when Kharon shoots his sister as a message from Teacher. The police aren't ready to take on Teacher, but they figure Tank will do himself in, as he does.
November 19, 2015
Part of an interesting series, in which we always get a unique, often unexpected look at many sides of contemporary Greece, especially when it comes to murder, religion, family and geopolitics. This is perhaps not one of the strongest entries, but still with more complexity and surprising twists than many other mysteries. For newcomers to this writer, definitely look at the earlier much more tightly constructed books, where the principal characters are fully drawn and enjoyable, and so are the sense of place and atmosphere.
April 15, 2016
Fast-moving, engaging mystery. 7th in the Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis police procedural series set in modern Greece. In this outing, Kaldis and his sidekicks investigate liquor counterfeiting and chase an assassin: nom de crime Kharon, after the ferryman of myth.
I enjoyed the banter among the policemen and that between Kaldis and his wife. I felt the story could have been set anywhere in the world; the author's attempt at local color seemed weak.
I plan to search out others in this series, Ideal for light, frothy, escapist reading. 3.5/5.
I enjoyed the banter among the policemen and that between Kaldis and his wife. I felt the story could have been set anywhere in the world; the author's attempt at local color seemed weak.
I plan to search out others in this series, Ideal for light, frothy, escapist reading. 3.5/5.
May 16, 2016
Started slow, but picked up rapidly. The crux is counterfeit booze & wine. There are obvious outside influences, but in Greece a very prominent family is involved. And TEACHER is back. Andreas has the help of the usual cast, Yianni Kouros, Petro, Maggie Siskestis, A's wife Lila Vard, his son Tassaki, Tassos Stamatos, & even his minister boss Spiros.
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