My Not So Secret Love Affair: Guest Post by Jeffrey Siger

Thank you, Janet Rudolph, for inviting me to share with your Mystery Fanfare readers the essence of what’s driven me to set my fourteen-volume Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series amid the beauty, history, and wiles of Greece. 

It isn’t fame, it isn’t fortune. It is an irrepressible desire on my part to express through my novels why I, a non-Greek by birth, am so intensely drawn to share with the world the majesty of Greece as if it were my homeland, and the spirit of the Greek people as if they are my family.

Anyone who knows me understands that my heart and soul are Greek—even though my tongue can’t quite make the language transition…so much so that as I’ve often said, and many can attest, whenever I try to speak Greek, my friends rush into English to save their mother tongue. Thankfully, my inability to voice the words, has not held me back from chronicling the wonders and beauty of Greece and the ways and resilience of its people.

Without all I’ve learned from Greeks and fellow grecophiles I never would have discovered the true character of my protagonist, Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis, nor that of his vibrant supporting cast of good guys, bad guys, rich folk and poor, high society and not.

I owe sincere thanks to many for their candid contributions to the success of my series. They and their tales of customs, secrets, and intrigues inspired me in one way or another to reach this point in my career.

By now I think it’s obvious how much I appreciate the support Greeks have shown my novels, and the reciprocal obligation I feel to fairly present Greece and its resilient, creative, hardworking people to the world. Indeed, despite the many accolades my work has received, the greatest honor I ever received was when The New York Times Book Review selected me as Greece’s thriller-writer of record.

I say that because my overall goal as a writer has always been the same.  To explore issues confronting modern day Greece in a way that touches upon its ancient roots. And to do so honestly and with love for the land and its people.

The fourteen books I’ve written in my Kaldis series are not a record, but in retrospect they certainly validate the depth of desire that lingered within me for at least half a century. It was with me when as a child I found myself making up stories every night as I fell off to sleep.

And it was there with me in high school when as a freshman I thought I could make it as a writer … until I realized how unlikely I was to earn a living as a writer––leading me to become a lawyer.

That decision to practice law played a huge, unexpected role in my emergence as a creative writer. And by that I don’t mean that my many years as a lawyer taught me to be creative with the facts.  Rather, those years and experiences developed my style, my voice, taught me how to write clearly, concisely and convincingly – and to do so quickly.

The practice of law also taught me how to graciously accept and channel criticism, a vital skill for one to develop if as a writer you wish to survive critical analyses of your work by your editors, critics and reviewers.

Having said all that, I never imagined I’d find something that’s brought as much fun and joy to my life as does the time I spend with the Chief Inspector and his crew seeking to further entertain all the wonderful friends my wife Barbara and I have made through the writing life. 

I’ve come to accept that whatever honors have come my way do so in large measure because of one person…my protagonist Andreas Kaldis.  He and I have been through fourteen adventures together, all the while battling with each other over who gets to write them. It’s Andreas who insists on writing about life on the edge of societal change, then drags me into exploring family dynamics, ancient practices, political intrigues, the military, Orthodoxy, refugees, corruption, wild nightlife, vendettas, the business of bomba, preservationists versus developers, the impact of Artificial Intelligence, and on and on. 

The one thing we agree upon is no matter what the story line, the setting for each novel is always presented in keeping with the series’ longstanding international reputation for sharing Greece’s breathtaking beauty and unique lifestyles with the reader. 

So, here I am, more than 20 years into my writing gig, celebrating the series that’s brought plaudits for my work from so many I deeply respect in the mystery writing world.  All of that truly has me feeling blessed that the dream of the young boy I once was to someday become a writer came true.

But where to now, one might ask. Allow me to assure you that this is not a retirement speech…though with the latest title being NOT DEAD YET, it’s understandable how one might get that impression.  

Not only am I working on Kaldis #15, but I have a new book in an entirely different series coming out on February 3, 2026 ––A Study in Secrets, the debut novel in my The Redacted Man series. Plus, the folks with an option on TV/film rights to my Kaldis series say they’re close to making it all come together.
And did I mention that my entire Kaldis backlist, fitted with brand new B-2 format covers has just been re-released by my publisher Severn House and is available here:  https://jeffreysiger.com/books/

In other words, I’m still happily strolling along the road that’s led me from the Pittsburgh of my roots to a Manhattan legal career, and onto an ever-evolving love affair with Greece. 

Yiasas, y’all.

––Jeff

***

Jeffrey Siger fled his position as a name partner in his own NYC law firm to write Greece-based mystery thrillers on Mykonos. The New York Times picked him as Greece’s thriller novelist of record, Reader’s Digest Select Editions described him as among its “new favorite authors,” and the Greek National Tourism Organization recently honored him as “one of our country’s shining ambassadors to the world.” He’s received Lefty and Barry “Best Novel” nominations for his fourteen-book Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series, been Chair of Bouchercon, and served as an adjunct college professor teaching mystery writing.  www.jeffreysiger.com
 
 

How AI inspired my new Andreas Kaldis novel, At Any Cost: Guest Post by Jeffrey Siger

Attention fellow Luddite mystery authors, I’ve come to realize there is no need to fear the Metaverse or what it portends. We just need learn to write around it…not employ it. As one who bases his stories in the present rather than the past, it will be hard for me to ignore the implications of AI any more than I can ignore the existence of cellphones, computers, and DNA testing capabilities. But whether AI will be front and center to a plotline or just tangential, depends on what sort of story I intend to tell. 
 
To state the obvious, storytelling is about the story, not ancillary matters that detract from its telling. If AI doesn’t further the plot or interferes with my fast-paced style, it’s out.  I’ve come to accept that what my future plotlines might be shall continue to depend upon what the mystery writing gods have in store for me, not AI.
 
As you may know, I write the Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series of Greece-based mystery thrillers that play out against serious societal issues confronting far more than just Greece. That niche has me continually on the lookout for what’s percolating on the edge of societal change.  A little over two years ago, as I was tinkering with using the history and intrigues surrounding Greece’s horrid wildfires for the backdrop to what is now my just released 13^th novel in the series (At Any Cost), I noticed a surge in internet and corporate interest over what some labelled the “metaverse.”
 
With my interest now piqued, and no clear explanation offered for what constituted this metaverse, I delved into it.  In what I can only describe as an epiphany, the very real threats posed by the bright and shiny lure of this digital metaverse jumped out at me as a solid foundation for the story I wanted to tell.  But for those threats to come to pass, one needed (a) extraordinary electrical power, (b) virtually unlimited financial capabilities, (c) world-class digital savvy, and (d) a ruthless unchecked autocratic nature. 
 
Lo and behold, my research revealed that all four elements already existed in abundance in Greece.  Greek forests destroyed by wildfires had been approved by the government for hosting wind and solar power generating facilities, and a trio of autocratic world powers possessing vast financial resources, top notch technical skills, and ruthless histories were and continued to be deeply involved in Greece. 
 
I sensed that once the trio’s goal of becoming masters of the metaverse attracted media attention, public panic and a new form of “arms race” would undoubtedly ensue.
 
I finished that book over a year and a half ago, well before wide-spread concern broke out over Artificial Intelligence/ChatGPT, more horrific wildfires, and the visible banding together in common cause of a trio of the world’s most autocratic powers.
 
As for why I had that epiphany, I wish I had an answer. I just seemed to end up there.  Writing by the seat of one’s pants can be like that. In the past, I’ve been called a “prognosticator,” a writer whose “finger is always on the pulse of modern-day upheavals,” and even “Cassandra” by some.  That’s all flattering to hear, though I never forget that things did not end well for Cassandra.
 
Hmm, perhaps ChatGPT can rework Cassandra from an inevitable axe murder victim, into more of a thoughtful Spock-type character rummaging around the Starship Enterprise predicting things. Just a thought.
 
And for the record, AI played absolutely no part in the writing of AT ANY COST … or Aeschylus’ Agamemnon. 

***

 
A former Wall Street lawyer, Jeff Siger fled his career as a name partner in his own NYC law firm to live on the Greek island of Mykonos, free dive for fish, and write mystery thrillers—13 published as of February 6, 2024. It was the best decision he ever made…other than proposing to his wife, Barbara.

JEFFREY SIGER LITERARY SALON: April 4

Jeffrey Siger Literary Salon: 
An Evening in Greece
Thursday, April 4, 7 p.m.  
Berkeley, CA

RSVP in a comment below for address and directions. Be sure and leave your email.

Join Mystery Readers NorCal for an evening with award winning mystery writer Jeff Siger in Berkeley.

Jeffrey Siger practiced law at a major Wall Street law firm and while there served as Special Counsel to the citizens group responsible for reporting on New York City's prison conditions. He left Wall Street to establish his own New York City law firm and continued as one of its name partners until giving it all up to write full-time among the people, life and politics of his beloved Mykonos, his adopted home of more than 30 years. The City and County of San Francisco awarded him the Certificate of Honor citing that his "acclaimed books have not only explored modern Greek society and its ancient roots but have inspired political change in Greece." When not in Greece, he enjoys his other home, a farm outside New York City. He has written 10 books in the Inspector Andreas Kaldis series. His latest is The Mikonos Mob. Jeff 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.

International Mysteries Literary Salon January 26: Jeffrey Siger, Cara Black, Lisa Alber

Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 26, 7 p.m.!
INTERNATIONAL MYSTERY NIGHT! 

Join Mystery Readers NorCal for a LITERARY SALON in Berkeley (CA) with Jeff Siger (Greece), Cara Black (Paris), and Lisa Alber (Ireland).
Open to All, but you must RSVP to attend. Space Limited. Address given when you RSVP.
Make a comment below with your email.

Jeffrey Siger (Greece)

Jeffrey Siger, born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, practiced law at a major Wall Street law firm and, while there, served as Special Counsel to the citizens group responsible for reporting on New York City's prison conditions. He left Wall Street to establish his own New York City law firm and continued as one of its name partners. He now lives and writes full-time in Mykonos, his adopted home of 30+ years.

Santorini Caesars is the eighth novel in his internationally best-selling and award nominated Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series, following up on Devil in Delphi, Sons of Sparta, Mykonos After Midnight, Target: Tinos, Prey on Patmos, Assassins of Athens, and Murder in Mykonos.

Cara Black (Paris)

Cara Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 14 books in the Private Investigator Aimée Leduc series, which is set in Paris. Cara has received multiple nominations for the Anthony and Macavity Awards, a Washington Post Book World Book of the Year citation, the Médaille de la Ville de Paris—the Paris City Medal, which is awarded in recognition of contribution to international culture—and invitations to be the Guest of Honor at conferences such as the Paris Polar Crime Festival and Left Coast Crime.

With more than 400,000 books in print, the Aimée Leduc series has been translated into German, Norwegian, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew.

Lisa Alber (Ireland)

Lisa Alber is the author of the County Clare mystery series, which has been described as atmospheric, complex, and with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The first novel, "Kilmoon," was a Rosebud Award finalist for best debut novel. The second novel, "Whispers in the Mist," is now available. Lisa is busy writing the third (and fourth!) novels in the series.