Santorini Caesars by Jeffrey Siger is the eighth book in the “Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis” mystery series. Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, September 2016

When a young demonstrator is publicly singled out and assassinated by highly trained killers in the heart of protest-charged Athens, Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis is convinced the killing was meant not to take out a target, but as a message. A message from whom? To whom? And why?

Kaldis’ search for answers leads him and his team to the breathtakingly beautiful island of Santorini, heralded in legend as the lost island of Atlantis, and to eavesdrop on a hush-hush gathering of Greece’s top military leaders looking to come up with their own response to the overwhelming crises and uncertainties their country faces.

Is it a coup d’état, or something else? Greece is no stranger to violence upending duly elected governments and memories of the nation’s last junta dictatorship years still burn in the minds of all who lived through the Regime of the Colonels. The answer is by no means clear, but as suspects emerge and international intrigues evolve, the threat of another, far more dramatic assassination grows ever more likely―as does the realization that only Kaldis can stop it.

But at what price? Greece’s government is in chaos, its goals and leadership are suspect, and Kaldis is forever at odds with its methods. Life is not the same, nor is it likely to return to better days any time soon. With a new child on the way, and their young son coming face-to-face with the harsh nature of the world around him, Kaldis and his wife wonder if carrying on the fight matters anymore.

It is a time for testing character, commitment, and the common good. And for saving the nation from chaos.

This is the first time I’m reading this author and the more I read, the more I became involved in all that was happening on the pages of this riveting story. The mystery kept me busy as I followed the clues that were peppered throughout until that moment when it became clear who was responsible. Kaldis is a very likable fellow and I liked how he pursued the case giving the reader just enough to keep up with him, and then wham, we’re off in another direction. I like that in a mystery. The author did a great job in bridging the social climate in Greece into the narrative of this drama. I also enjoyed seeing Greece through the eyes of the author, making me feel like I was there in the middle of all the action. This engaging tale boasts great dialogue, a likable cast, good camaraderie and an intriguing plot that was masterly accomplished.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) book from publisher and NetGalley.