Jeff—Saturday
In an homage of sorts to Murder is Everywhere coming into
being at a Bouchercon World Mystery Convention some half-dozen years back,
during Bouchercon week (this year held in New Orleans) we get to put up our favorite posts from the past. It also allows us to spend more productive
time at the convention hotel’s bar.
As it just so happens, ten days ago was the release date for
my new Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis book, Santorini
Caesars, and tomorrow marks the end of my second—and I promised Barbara my final—term
as Chair of the National Board of Bouchercon.
So, instead of repeating a past post, I thought I’d instead
take this opportunity to reflect on the past by thanking those I’ve served with
on the Bouchercon National Board for their support and friendship in making my
two years as National Chair a truly remarkable experience.
 |
| Yes, that's Zoë in the front row once again laughing at me. |
To all these wonderful, all volunteer Bouchercon Board mates
of mine, a sincere thank you from the very bottom of my deep, dark,
murder-loving heart:
Al Abramson
JD Allen
Mike Bursaw
Stacey Cochran
Oline Cogdill
Janet Costello
Michele Drier
Heather Graham
Kim Hammond
Rae James
Jon Jordan
Ruth Jordan
Ali Karim
Don Longmuir
Dave Magayna
Erin Mitchell
Margory Mogg
Helen Nelson
Connie Perry
Carol Puckett
John Purcell
B.G. Ritts
Janet Rudolph
Stan Ulrich
Ingrid Willis
And a heartfelt special shout out of thanks to our MIE blog mate Susan Spann for the extraordinarily generous donation of her time and prodigious
legal talent in service to Bouchercon’s Board and General Membership.
As for the plug for my new book, here’s the plotline of Santorini Caesars in a nutshell:
When a young
demonstrator is publicly assassinated in the heart of protest-charged Athens, the motive is murky and the array of suspects immense. Kaldis’ investigation leads him and his team
to beautiful Santorini, and a hush-hush gathering of the Caesars, a cadre of
Greece’s top military leaders seeking to form their own response to the crises
facing their country. Is it a coup d’état or something else? The answer
is by no means clear, but the case resonates with political dimensions, and as
international intrigues evolve, the threat of another—far more
dramatic—assassination looms ever more real.
And here are a few blurbs from reviews picked at random (as
if even I believe that):
“As always, Siger
provides readers with an action-packed plot, well-developed characters with
lots of attitude, breathtaking Greek scenery, and a perceptive take on the
current political and economic problems affecting Greece. International-crime
fans need to be reading this consistently strong series.” —Booklist
“While British and Scandinavian
authors tend to dominate the conversation about European crime writing, there
are some very fine authors operating in other continental locales… Greece is
packed with tourist hotspots. Thanks to Wall Street lawyer turned crime scribe Jeffrey
Siger, it's also home to a superb modern-day mystery series… starring Chief Inspector Kaldis and his
likable team of Greek cops.” — Craig Sisterson
“Riveting story… bridging the
social climate in Greece into the narrative…boasts great dialogue, a likable
cast, good camaraderie and an intriguing plot that was masterly accomplished.”
—Dru’s Book Musings
“Siger the
Soothsayer has the uncanny knack of foreseeing chaos in the beautiful country
that is Greece and then writing about it in such a way that readers see and
hear and taste and feel that turmoil… and if you're wondering, the Greeks
themselves love his books... I never miss one of Jeffrey Siger's books. Never!”—Kittling Books
“Jeffrey Siger's books may be set in Greece, but they
deal with the world's problems as well...It's a message to the world.” —Lesa Holstine
“[W]ill keep readers on the edge of their seats, while
chuckling at the antics of Kaldis's temperamental secretary. Part of a series
not to be missed.”—Shelf Awareness
“Put this one at the top of your reading list… As the plot unfolded, I could imagine it actually
happening…(and hope it’s not). You won’t be able to put it down. Jeffrey Siger
does not disappoint. I don’t know how he does it; each book is better than the
last.” —WindyCity Greek
Now, on to my post-Bouchercon tour schedule through the end
of 2016. The 2017 tour dates and other additions will be posted as scheduled on
my website under EVENTS
Sunday, September 25,
2016 @ 2:00 PM
Sparta Public Library
22 Woodport Road
Sparta NJ 07871
Monday, October 10, 2016 @ 7:00 PM
(with Michael Kahn and
Reavis Wortham)
A Celebration of Poisoned
Pen Press
St. Louis County Library—Auditorium
1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd,
St. Louis, MO 63131
Saturday, October 15,
2016 @ 2:00 PM
(with Mark Pryor)
POISONED PEN BOOKSTORE
4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Suite 101
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Sunday, October 16,
2016 @ 2:00 PM:
CLUES UNLIMITED
3154 East Fort Lowell Road
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tuesday, October 18,
2016 @ 7:00 PM:
TATTERED COVER
2526 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
Thursday, October 20, 2016 @ 7:00 PM:
MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP
58 Warren Street
New York, NY 10007
Friday, November 11,
2016 @ 7:00 PM:
MYSTERY LOVERS BOOKSHOP
514 Allegheny River Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15139
Thursday-Sunday, November 17-20, 2016
ICELAND NOIR
The Nordic House
Reykjavik, Iceland
That should be more than enough BSP for 2016. Except of course for touting SUNSHINE NOIR
(edited by MIE’s own Annamaria Alfieri and Michael Stanley)—now available in
paperback—a not to be missed anthology that has Nordic Noir types shuddering in
their frozen tundra boots.
See you in 2017 with Kaldis #9!
—Jeff
Posts
"Siger the Soothsayer." I like that. But aren't soothsayers usually toothless? Or at least snaggle-toothed? Best wishes on the new book! It's on my TBR stack.
ReplyDeleteThank you on the good wishes, and &%$#^*& on the rest.
DeleteYou should come to the Bay Area!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Barbara. My plan is to do so in early 2017 after the Thanksgiving through New Years book-lull holidays have passed.
Deletesantorini Caesars looks like a good one, and with political intrigues, right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteSo, tell me, does Golden Dawn (or its fictional name) appear in this book?
I'm waiting for an expose.
Chrysi Avyi is not a component of this book, for the story focuses on a more sinister threat to the country. In so doing, it refers to the fictionalized version of an organization that actually exists and has played a significant role in Greek politics,
DeleteHmmm, more of a threat than Golden Dawn? Right-wingers in the upper echelons of the military? A Greek version of the Mafia?
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll have to read it to find out.
I do recall there was a very right-wing government for quite awhile.
But no more guessing. I'll read it.
Feel free to guess, Kathy, as it's sort of how the government's running now. :)
DeleteI'm in luck. The library has this book and I see that another 15 copies are on order. So, New Yorkers are fans of this series because the austerity budget has gripped the library system for years and books are only purchased if they are popular.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks, Kathy. That's truly a compliment. How did you learn about the 15 copies?
DeleteAha! I looked the book up in the online catalogue, saw that the system now has one book, and then clicked on something where the book is posted and saw the list of branches which have ordered copies.
ReplyDeleteNot my branch, never allocated funds to buy books -- but because all books and dvds are centralized in the catalogue, readers can request books anywhere in the system from any branch.
So, tell me which books are about immigration and do any deal with Golden Dawn? I thought the murder of the young musician would have set off a bevy of books, horrible though it was.
I want to see a book about Golden Dawn is tied to some politicians. I know they have MPs, which is outrageous, since they're not for democracy.
Hi Kathy,
DeleteThanks for checking into the library situation. I had an event yesterday at the Sparta (NJ) library and my friends at that truly terrific institution confirmed that libraries all over are forced to cut down on acquisitions. They do so much for their communities and yet are among the first to feel the cutback knife.
On Golden Dawn (aka Chrysi Avyi), I have referred to them as either "neo-Nazis" or by their actual name in every book since my fourth book--Target: Tinos (I'm up to eight now)--and have Andreas Kaldis in a direct confrontation with them in the new one, SANTORINI CAESARS. However, I have not written a book on them per se, because frankly I don't wish to give them center stage. They do however serve as an object lesson for shortcomings in the system and I freely use them for that.
Here on Murder is Everywhere I've gone at them directly and shall continue to do so.
On the subject of immigrants, "Target: Tinos" is all about that, and it's the one that The New York Times selected as one of its five "picks for the summer" of its publication.
OK, well Santorino Caesars is on reserve, and I'll read Target: Tinos soon and I want to read about the immigrant situation.
ReplyDeleteI have great respect for the Greek people due to their generosity to the desperate refugees, helping however they can.
Sounds like a good idea not to focus on Golden Dawn, given your explanation.