Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger (Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Series Book 1)

Following links on this page may result in my earning a small fee from affiliates. 

I purchased this book in the Kindle edition.

Synopsis

Andreas Kaldis has just been "promoted" — out of Athens and straight into a position as chief of police in Mykonos, a vacation "paradise" with a seedy underbelly that is often downplayed or pushed under the rug in order to not negatively impact the tourist industry.

Kaldis isn't exactly great at playing "politics" — he doesn't have a lot of patience for it. He'd rather just get the bad guys and the numbers be damned. You get the impression that this is what got him "promoted" out of Athens to a distant island.

So when a body turns up buried in a sacrificial manner under some church flagstones, and it's similar to a cold case from years back, he quickly puts two and two together and realizes the problem won't wait for politicians to get their act together. He needs to save a young woman's life and put the killer behind bars. 

Will posturing politicians cause more needless deaths through their inaction, or will Kaldis succeed in putting old skeletons — and politics — to rest once and for all?

My Thoughts

This was quite a thrill to read! I read it in a couple of nights, despite being exhausted from work. I really enjoyed the character of Kaldis and some of the others he meets along the way, including an older detective he teams up with. I'm glad this is a first in a series, as I will definitely read more adventures of Andreas and gang. There were times when I laughed a bit at his views of things, but mostly the book was darker and more serious in tone. 

Note: Those with any sensitivities to sexual violence, torture, etc., may want to tread carefully here. I consider myself to be semi-sensitive to these things, and while I didn't find it to be excessive, there were a couple of scenes that made me skim a bit rather than dwell any details. 

That said, it was a fascinating setting and story, with complex characters, some of whom you root for and some of whom you hope they get what's coming to them. I look forward to reading the next in the series! 

Get the Book

You can find Murder in Mykonos in various formats on Amazon. Inquire with your local bookstore or library about availability in those venues.

The Man with a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes (Richard Jury Mysteries Book 1)

Following links on this page may result in my earning a small fee from affiliates. 

I borrowed the Kindle version of this book from my local library through the Libby app, which I highly recommend! Libby lets you browse your library's shelves, borrow a book, and then read it either on your mobile device or it will give you a pass-through code to your Amazon account, which lets you "borrow" the Kindle version.

This is book 1 in a very long-lived series written by Martha Grimes.

Synopsis

A body is found in the wine cellar of a pub in the sleepy northern village of Long Piddleton. At the Man with a Load of Mischief, a victim was garroted and pushed head-first into a barrel. Then another body is found hanging from the mechanical clock structure above another pub, the Jack and Hammer! What exactly is going on in rural northern England and its pubs? Inspector Richard Jury of Scotland Yard is sent to investigate, along with his hypochondriac sergeant, Wiggins. Bodies and snow both start to pile up and time starts to run out for them to find the killer before he or she gets away scot-free.

My Thoughts

Martha Grimes's Richard Jury series is basically my raison d'être when it comes to mystery reading. Along with Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, Grimes was one of the very first mystery authors I got into as a kid. This book was published in 1981, and I think I probably read it (the first time) sometime between '83–'85 after I found it in a library. I realize during this pandemic, however, that local bookstores are suffering for business, so I ordered two of the later books in the series (#s 23 and 24) from my local Mystery Lover's Bookshop, and while waiting for the books to arrive, I decided to re-read the very first book, just to remind myself how it all began. Grimes writes lovely characters. From the poetry-loving Jury, to the not-snobbish, not-a-Lord, Melrose Plant, to pastel-Sobranie-smoking antiques dealer, Marshall Trueblood, to the ever imperious and annoying Aunt Agatha — every single one of the recurring characters is memorable. I also like the idea of naming each book after a pub. England's pubs often do have very interesting names and local characters within them, and Grimes is a master of creating settings that you can almost travel to in your mind's eye as you read. You'll like this if you like a really traditional British detective novel with a touch of cozy in it. (These were written before the "cozy craze," as I call it, and for all I know, Grimes is responsible for starting it. At least I like to think so.) I know I have later books waiting for me, but I might just start re-reading them all in order! Guess we'll see!

Get the Book

You can find The Man with a Load of Mischief in various formats on Amazon. You can (at the time of this writing) also read it for free via a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Inquire with your local bookstore or library about availability in those venues.

Deadly Games by Sally Rigby (Book 1 in Cavendish & Walker series)

Following links on this page may result in my earning a small fee from affiliates. 

I happened upon Sally Rigby's Cavendish and Walker series by chance in a marketing email or something—I can't remember where. I signed up for her email list and answered her call for advanced readers, so this book was provided to me for free in exchange for my review.

The first in Rigby's Cavendish & Walker series, this is an excellent psychological police procedural set in the fictional UK city of Lenchester and features a great team of female leads and supporting characters. 

Synopsis

Someone is targeting young women near the university campus, and DCI Whitney Walker is on the case. 

Dr. George Cavendish teaches forensic psychology at the university and offers her services to profile the killer...much to Walker's annoyance. To her, good old-fashioned policing will get the job done! Not some academic from the university, and not her Oxford-educated, fast-track boss, Jamieson, with whom Whitney isn't really enamored. 

Whitney better watch out she doesn't screw this case up! Her job is already on the line, and the case is tricky. Can she trust Cavendish to help her profile the killer and bring them in? Or will this collaboration be a waste of everyone's time?

My Thoughts

I could NOT put this book down. I enjoyed watching Whitney and George butt heads as they team up to work the case. The stakes are higher than anyone realized, and the gripping mystery kept me guessing right till the very end! 

Note: Those with any sensitivities to murder scenes may want to tread carefully here. I consider myself to be semi-sensitive to these things, and while I didn't find it to be excessive, there were a couple of scenes that made me skim a bit rather than dwell any details.

I also like the cover art on this series of books: they're a bit dark and gritty, but it's still easy to see details. Like most readers, I'm sure, I am drawn to books by their covers.

All in all, this is a great start to the series and as you will see in future reviews, the following books are just as good, if not better!

Get the Book

You can find Deadly Games at Amazon in paperback or Kindle editions. Inquire with your local bookstore or library about availability in those venues.