One Last Chance

Andreas Kaldis #12

by Jeffrey Siger

Welcome to the island where people never die

When Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis's longtime assistant, Maggie, returns to her ancestral home on Ikaria for her 104-year-old grandmother's funeral, she quickly realizes not only was Yiayia likely murdered, but that a series of other long-lived Ikariots had recently died under the same suspicious circumstances. Back in Athens, Andreas and his chief detective Yianni pursue a smuggling and protection ring embedded in the Greek DEA, and its possible involvement in the assassination of an undercover cop.

But then Maggie and Yianni uncover a connection between their respective leads in the elder-killings on Ikaria and the DEA corruption case, and they realize that there are international intrigues far more dangerous at play than anyone had imagined.

Genres: Thriller, Greece, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2022

About the author

I 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.

Reviews

[3 no 7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“One Last Chance” by Jeffrey Siger is one of the “Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mysteries.” The main characters from previous books return; characters are introduced and relationships are briefly described so new readers will quickly get to know everyone. The story is driven by conversations; professional discussions are focused and concise when there is work to be done, and casual conversations reveal each character’s distinct voice, unique personality, sense of humor, and outlook on life.

A compelling story needs great characters, an unusual setting, and a complex plot; “One Last chance” has all three. Chief Inspector Andreas Kladis is the head of Greece’s Special Crimes Unit, although he would not be the success he is without his administrative assistant, Maggie Sikestis, who is an expert at solving puzzles and quickly getting to the bottom of things.

Readers are transported to the Aegean island of Ikaria, where the stark and stony landscape somehow supports lush greenery. It has a unique population, stunning topography, and now a changing political philosophy. Ikaria is known as the island where people forget to die because one in three residents live well into their nineties and living past one hundred is common. However, this also makes residents attractive targets for creative medical researchers, resourceful pharmaceutical salespeople and unscrupulous con artists.

The story begins when Maggie’s previously healthy grandmother suddenly and mysteriously dies. Andreas and Maggie travel to Ikaria to find out why. What they discover is that in recent weeks, many of Ikaria’s older residents, despite being in relatively good health, have died. More troubling was that they all died at home, alone, in their sleep, and none had an autopsy. They survived the recent pandemic, so what is causing deaths now? Is the island inhabited by con artists, opportunists, or terrorists? Are the perpetrators disguised and hiding in plain sight? Maggie is determined to unravel the mystery of her grandmother’s death and all the others; innocent people have died and someone has to be held responsible. She must work quickly before more die.

“One Last Chance” plunges readers into a situation where things are not what they seem to be on the surface. An evil from the past returns, disguised, and hiding in plain sight. I received a review copy of “One Last Chance” from Jeffrey Siger, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks. It is a “life and death” race against the clock to save the citizens of Ikaria.

“One Last Chance” is now available in print and as an e-book from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greek crime thriller

A tale of murder, deceit and drug company perfidy set in the Greek Isles, more particularly Ikaria. Maggie Sikestis, whizz assistant to Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis returns to the island of her birth for her grandmother’s funeral. Something is off. Maggie discovers that more than is probable of the island’s elderly, some over one hundred years old, have died, despite surviving Covid. All appear to have strange bruises. Something’s very wrong and Maggie is determined to discover what, despite a near death experience. Links will form from corrupt drug enforcement agents to international players. I wasn’t surprised by the revelation of the culprits. Despite that, this still made for a sturdy read.

A Poisoned Pen ARC via NetGalley

[Aristotle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read the premise of the book I was a little unsure what to expect.
Set on a small island in Greece, Ikaria is known for its long lived people. Centenarian's are common on the island. Karavostamo is the village in Ikaria my family is from so I gave it a shot.

A series of long-lived Ikariots start dying under suspicious circumstances. Why so many deaths in such a short time? What do they have in common?
Is an evil Chinese pharmaceutical company behind these deaths?
Muahahahahahaha! Dumb.


I don't what else to say but this was dumb.
Jeffrey Siger just doesn't know how to tell a story. The plot is a snoozer, weak dialogue, and his main characters have a ξερή προσωπικότηταa, for those who don't read Greek I said 'a dry personality.'

Give me a cranky Harry Bosch with Mickey Haller or the cool duo Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers
If you're not from this part of the world skip this. Dumb!

[Lilisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 12th Andreas Kaldis book and this is my 9th read (I need to catch up on the other three) and I love coming back to Greece to hang out solving mysteries with Andreas and his team, including his spunky assistant Maggie Sikestis, who rules supreme and his right-hand man Yianni Kouros. Whether the setting is in Athens or one of the many Greek islands pursuing the bad guys, I love the way Jeffrey Siger colors his books with the unique local culture and traditions, geography, and history of Greece, and he does so again in this book with the island of Ikaria, where Maggie’s family lives. When a few residents in their eighties and nineties, as well as Maggie’s grandmother who was 105, pass away, no one thinks much of it - after all they are all elderly. In Ikaria for her grandmother’s funeral, Maggie gets a hint from her grandmother’s old friend that something’s not quite right, so she begins some sleuthing of her own. Meanwhile, back in Athens, Andreas and Yianni are running down dirty cops in the drug enforcement agency. Two separate cases…but coincidentally, are they linked? Nice detective work, humor, and camaraderie in action all come into play in this 12th Kaldis book. I like the international thread and the reference to the common link of ancient civilizations and respect of family tradition - no spoilers, read the book! I enjoyed this book and felt I was back at home with the familiar characters, including Maggie’s and Andreas’ better halves Tassos and Lila. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

One Last Chance is the 12th Andreas Kaldis procedural by Jeffrey Siger. Released 5th April 2022 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a very well written police procedural with an ensemble cast living and working in Greece. The characterizations are believable, well rendered, with smoothly written interactions and motivations. The descriptive prose is beautiful and the entire narrative flows very well. I wasn't yanked out of my suspension of disbelief once during the book. As always, the setting steals the show. Every page was redolent with the scents and sights of Greece and the author does a superlative job of showing the different locales and their local color and sights.

The mystery is self contained in this book, so it works well as a standalone. The entire series is so well written that I recommend reading them all. Readers who come to the series with this book won't have any trouble keeping up; the author is adept at providing necessary backstory without info-dumping or spoon feeding. With 12 books extant in the series, it would be a good candidate for a long weekend binge read.

It's not derivative at all, but it definitely falls into the subgenre of procedurals which feature exotic local settings, people, and cuisines, such as the Bruno novels by Martin Walker, and Brunetti by Donna Leon.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this was a little different.

Mr. Siger's novel is another in a series he has written featuring Greek police forces, and so this not only introduces the reader to some different people that s/he may be used to rubbing shoulders with, but also the chance to "see" the lovely if often rugged landscape of this ancient land and its many varied islands.

The focus in this case is on the odd increase in deaths among the very old on one of Greece's islands, where people in fact often live well into their 90s and even early 100s. Now having one or two people of this advanced age pass away seems to be well within what we should expect, this novel centers on why so many of them seem to so quickly fade and die.

Of course, evil is afoot and, along with it, considerable mystery, intrigue, and deceit.

I enjoyed the trip -- to Greece and its islands, but also tagging along with the several principals involved as they gradually solve the case, but not without some misleading and troubling developments along the way.

Quite enjoyable, and written by a fellow who in fact moved to Greece years ago from the US and lovingly paints those people into his stories.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have been in the perfect mood for One Last Chance because as I began to read it felt as though I were coming home-- and I was thrilled that the book centered around one of my favorite characters, Andreas Kaldis's indispensable and indomitable assistant Maggie. Maggie was long overdue for her starring role.

Having read all of Jeffrey Siger's books in this excellent series, I have to say that I think this one may be my favorite, and part of the reason for this is its setting. I found the landscape, culture, and history of Ikaria-- "the island where people forget to die"-- absolutely fascinating. I could go on to tell you about it in detail, but I'd rather have you read about it yourself.

I found the bad guy rather easy to point out, but the real mystery was what that bad guy was up to which led to a can of worms: people trying to make their fortunes off the pandemic as well as China targeting Greece as its primary gateway to the European Union. You learn a lot about Greece, its history, and its place in Europe through reading Siger's books, so you're getting more than just an entertaining story.

This fast-paced tale leaped off to a roaring start and kept me firmly in the shotgun seat of a forty-year-old Land Rover Defender-- yikes! Watch out for that pumpkin patch! I liked how the two very different investigations came together and the way that they proved justice can come in many forms.

You can read One Last Chance as a standalone if you're wanting to test the waters, but don't be surprised if you find yourself looking for the rest of the books in the series. Then you, too, will know why I consider Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis and his crew part of my family.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[David Knapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

UPDATE: August 20, 2024

I finished my reread of this 12th entry in the series in anticipation of reading the newest one: "At Any Cost." I actually enjoyed this book a little better the second time through, although many of my criticisms from this review are still valid - especially the slow-moving plot and a climax I thought would never end. (Even Andreas makes a snide comment during the climactic scene about how long it's taking for the suspects' story to be told...DOH!) Seriously, I actually bumped up the stars from two to three, but it remains probably my least favorite novel of the initial twelve.

This 12th (and last, to date) entry in Jeffrey Siger's Andreas Kaldis series was by far my least favorite. And I have to admit that kind of bums me out, given how much I've loved the series.

As I've mentioned before, I have fallen in love with his characters (Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldishis, Yianni Kouros, Lila, Tassos, Maggie, and now Toni...). Unfortunately, this one features Maggie, who stumbles upon a mystery when she visits the island of Ikaria for the funeral of her 104-year-old grandmother. (Ikaria is famous as "the island where people forget to die" because so many of its residents live into their 90's and 100's.) While I love Maggie in a supporting role, she's not the greatest protagonist.

A second reason I struggled with this entry was the plot. As you know, I never go deeply into plots to avoid "spoilers." I will say, however, that the islanders' famous longevity is a major component of the plot. On the surface, that sounds intriguing. But unlike the plots of his other novels, Siger fails to engage reader in this one. It's slow moving, hard to follow, and just not very interesting as a story.

In general, I found myself struggling to finish this entry, which contained too much explanation and exposition - and not enough action. (I thought the "climax" scene would never end. And the denouement was just as underwhelming.)

Still, I absolutely loved reading these novels. And I'll definitely reread them in the future. Perhaps before and/or during my next visit to Greece?

[Helena Kojevnikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeffery Siger has an uncanny gift for depicting the Greek islands as personalities in their own right alongside the human characters in his stories. On this occasion, he transports us to the small island of Ikaria, whose history, stretching back into the mists and myths of time, was known to the great Homer. In the "Iliad" Agamemnon urges his war-weary Achgaeans to renewed efforts by exhorting them to emulate the waves of the Ikarian Sea "when the east and south winds break from the heaven's cloud to lash them." The fierce Meltemi winds still blow in late fall. In the "Odyssey", perfidious enchantress Circe uses the famed Pramian wine of Ikaria in concocting her evil potions. Closer to our time, Ikaria was the place of detention for communists during Greece's bloody civil strife in the 1940s, and we meet some of these very old exiles still living out their last years on Ikaria, a place "where people forget to die." It is they who become the innocent targets of an incredibly amoral plot to exploit this very longevity, a plot that unfolds step by step to a horrified reader (fans of spoilers can stop reading now).
All the Kaldis stories are a rich mixture of action and subtly conveyed combination of local history, scents and colours of the land, and contemporary concerns of a country the author clearly adores. Therefore, Siger's characters are also born out of love, they are not two-dimensional cut-outs but living and breathing people. Andreas Kaldis, his family, and his team are no pattern cards of virtue,. they have their share of human frailties but are moved by a passionate desire to see justice done. They may not be identical to the "lithe archers, loosing shafts into hordes of ferocious Achaeans" fighting for honour at the walls of Troy, but in today's world, they surely share the task of being "lithe archers" called upon to thwart the designs of evildoers.
As always, the plot in "One Last Chance" is satisfyingly convoluted and the "dramatic personae" pleasingly varied. In an intricate departure from a scenario one might expect, Kaldis' closest lieutenants, indispensable assistant Maggie Sikestis and detective Yianni Kouros - take centre stage, brought together on Ikaria in two investigations that become one as Maggie, born on Ikaria and travelling to her grandmother's funeral, and Kouros, following leads in a separate police case, find themselves embroiled in a hideous criminal investigation. Kaldis does appear, but rather as a supporting player, not the main protagonist.
In some of the earlier books in this series, there have been occasional "villains" one could not help liking. Siger's writing is never formulaic, so even his villains are not stereotyped: he does not take the easy way of painting them a uniform, unrelieved black, but allows them individual differences on the scale of human behaviour as if admitting that even a monster might dream secretly of being good. Not so in "One Last Chance", which does not shy away from showing the degree of evil some people will perpetrate on the weak and vulnerable, forfeiting their humanity for the sole purpose of gaining unlimited access to Satan's Currency - earthly wealth. It is not giving away the plot to disclose that the motivations of the various "baddies" in this story are spawned by greed and envy, especially envy, the sin of Cain, leading to murder, which has remained the shadowy stalker of Mankind ever since.
Murder can be monstrously, elaborately grotesque or frighteningly banal, and Siger's Kaldis novels cover the entire spectrum of the aberration that is murder, proving that at times as well as envy, hatred, a lust for revenge, and greed for power can also overwhelm even love and desire.
Having read the entire series to date, I would venture to suggest that "One Last Chance" stands somewhat apart from previous stories. Not surprisingly, it makes an unavoidably timely mention of the COVID-19 pandemic but, to use a bit of received cavalry wisdom, the author "gets over heavy ground as lightly as possible" in this respect. There is an intriguing introduction of non-European characters into the mix, undoubtedly with an eye on the growing geopolitical changes shaping today's world. In most Siger's books the Greek Orthodox Church has a role to play, but in "One Last Chance" the Church is peripheral, not explored beyond the parameters of the main narrative apart from the fact that one of the characters is a priest.
Overall, as noted above, this book is something of a departure from Siger's usual style: it probes deeper into the spectrum of evil motivations as being equally powerful at times as those bathed in the light of all that is good in human nature. OF course, as in the entire series, there are moments of humour and the fun verbal sparring between Kalduis and his crew, but there are fewer such touches of light relief in "One Last Chance." The punishment of the guilty is a totally unexpected one, with the denouement echoing medieval morality plays or the Japanese Noh drama in its paralyzing grimness, portraying the different perceptions of retribution in different cultures.
This book is thiguht0provoking as well as being the engrossing read one has come to expect of everything from this author's pen. It is highly recommended, so don't sit around, go for it!
A goblet of Pramian wine, anyone?

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance copy of One Last Chance, the twelfth novel to feature Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis of Greece’s General Police Headquarters’ Special Crimes Unit and his team.

Maggie Siskedis, Andreas’s assistant, returns to the island of Ikaria for the funeral of her 104 year old grandmother. To her surprise she discovers that her yaya is not the only centenarian to die unexpectedly and that the deaths were probably not from natural causes. In the meantime Andreas and his chief investigator Yianni are looking into potentially corrupt DEA officers and the murder of an undercover cop, working the drugs smuggling angle.

I thoroughly enjoyed One Last Chance, which held my attention from start to finish. With poor concentration at the moment I am inclined to rate any novel that does that at 5*, because it’s not an easy thing to do.

I have been dipping in and out of this series for many years, so the characters are old friends and the familiarity brings a certain level of comfort to the read, and yet the author always keeps it fresh by locating each novel on a different island and offering a different kind of plot. This time it is Ikaria, a mostly undeveloped island where the living is hard and the lifetimes long, boasting one of the highest average ages in the country, which obviously gave the author the idea for his plot.

I must admit that I had no idea where the author was going with his centenarians death plot so I just followed along, but what came of it was ingenious and, in a twisted sense, an obvious opportunity to be exploited. What is less obvious, but more realistic, is who did what and the difficulty of proving anything. I found it fascinating and fell for whatever I was told, which made the detectives’ scepticism more of a jolt and a reality check than it probably should have been. The corruption plot is, on the face of it, more straightforward, but even that has unexpected twists, especially in its links to the centenarian case, and some unanswered questions.

The main theme in this novel is the difficulty in proving wrongdoing and exacting justice. There is justice of a sort in the end and it gave me satisfaction, but in a he said, she said scenario who knows if they got the right person? Still, it was fascinating to read.

One Last Chance is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeffrey Siger, known for writing fast-paced, tell-it-like-it-is mystery/thrillers that entertain, has written another spellbinding story, One Last Chance.

“Longevity was the great blessing - or curse - of a life lived on Ikaria.”

“If ever there was a place on earth that stood for the proposition that progress does not necessarily translate into a better or longer life, Ikaria was it.”

Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis’s assistant, Maggie Sikestis, returns home to the island of Ikaria to attend the funeral of her 104-year-old grandmother. Maggie is concerned when she discovers that despite her yaya being in excellent health, bruises from what appears to be a botched IV insertion were noted by the savonotria who prepared her body. When Maggie talks to the locals, she learns that there were other centenarians who recently died under suspicious circumstances. Maggie decides to stay and investigate.

While she’s gone, her boss, the head of GADA’s Special Crimes Unit, and his chief detective Yianni Kouros in Athens uncover a smuggling and protection ring inside the Greek DEA and the possible murder of an undercover police officer. When the two cases converge, the investigators find that it has international ties.

I absolutely loved my introduction to this series! I know, I’m starting at book 11, BUT it’s so very, very good that I’m going to go back and devour the backlist. I enjoy Siger’s writing because it is a perfect mix of police procedural, cozy mystery and Greek travelogue. Siger’s love of the islands and their beauty radiates from every page. Although Ikaria is only 7 square miles and the poorest of the Aegean islands, I feel like I’ve walked and climbed every part of the island and appreciated the picturesque setting.

Looking to escape to somewhere sunny? Are you an armchair detective? Check out this book that involves investigating the suspicious activity of a Greek Orthodox priest, two dirty DEAs, and a Hong Kong pharmaceutical company. The author cleverly tied in a scientific thread focussing on Covid and gave me plenty to ponder!

Chief Inspector Kaldis series is being adapted for a TV series.

I was gifted this advance copy by Jeffrey Siger, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[John Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel from this author that I've read, and I was motivated to obtain more of the series through the library hold service. It barely qualifies as a police procedural as it's more focused on just one investigator. Maggie is one of the main characters, a member of the Special Crimes Unit in the general police headquarters in Athens. Her grandmother (yaya) has died at the age of 105. She lived on the island of Ikaria, where we are told there are many centenarians. She heads over for the funeral and period of mourning, and is treated as an honoured guest by local cops.
Maggie discovers something suspicious about Yaya's death and starts to investigate.
I thought I had the mystery nailed quite early, but had to put my first theory aside. Then came another eureka moment, but again I found myself in error. Twice in one book?! This was unheard of.
I suppose if I had thought it through and really looked behind the evidence, and used my own experience, I should have cottoned on much earlier to the real truth.
It's a fairly long book at 280 pages, and certainly there were a few issues for me. Some of the dialogue seems a little strained, and some of the relationships a little unbelievable. Even some of the main characters are poorly fleshed out, but perhaps we should know them after reading eleven prior stories. The ending seems a bit rushed, and, for me, a little unsatisfying.
On the other hand, the reader learns a little about Greek ways, and also some interesting facts about the Greek islands. It's a beautiful setting. There's never a dull moment as the investigation proceeds. The ending is a wild ride where at least one of the miscreants gets their just deserts.
I don't think it mattered too much that I started at #12 in the series. Chief Inspector Kaldis is pretty much in the background of this story, which is maybe a device the author used to give some freshness to a long series. The book can be read as a stand-alone. I'm going to rate this 3.9, and definitely recommend it to crime / mystery lovers. I'm now looking forward to reading one of the earlier stories, Prey on Patmos.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ikaria is a Greek island known for its’ rugged terrain and rugged inhabitants who are known for their long life span. In Athens, Maggie is the administrative assistant to Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis of the Special Crime Unit. Her grandmother, a resident of Ikaria, was 104 years old and in good health so Maggie was surprised when she was notified of her death. Returning to Ikaria for her yaya’s funeral and surrounded by mourners who came to honor her, she is approached by the savanotria , the woman who prepared the body for burial. Despite her good health, yaya showed a bruise on her arm that was possibly from an intravenous needle. There have now been six unexplained deaths of centenarians and nonagenarians in the last two weeks often displaying the same bruising, making Maggie question her yaya’s death.

Back in Athens Kaldis and his chief detective Yianni are involved with a smuggling investigation. Their undercover agent pointed out two corrupt DEA agents dubbed Tom and Jerry. When Yianni follows them he finds a connection that leads him to Ikaria. Together with Maggie they race to stop further deaths in the senior community while looking for a connection between those deaths and the case in Athens.

This is the twelfth book in the Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mysteries. In each of his books his love of Greece shines through. His books are filled with the traditions, foods and scenery that allow you to experience a tour of Greece from your home. His characters are more than work associates. They are family. When Maggie suffers a loss, they are all there to offer support and when she finds the deaths on Ikaria suspicious, Yianni does not hesitate to help her find answers. Siger once again provides a mystery that will leave you looking forward to your next visit to Greece with Andreas Kaldis. I would like to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this book for my review..

[Emily Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Last Chance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery Suspense
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 5/5/22
Author: Jeffrey Siger
Publisher: Poisoned Press
Pages: 292
Goodreads Rating: 4.38

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: When Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis's longtime assistant, Maggie, returns to her ancestral home on Ikaria for her 104-year-old grandmother's funeral, she quickly realizes not only was Yiayia likely murdered, but that a series of other long-lived Ikariots had recently died under the same suspicious circumstances. Back in Athens, Andreas and his chief detective Yianni pursue a smuggling and protection ring embedded in the Greek DEA, and its possible involvement in the assassination of an undercover cop. But then Maggie and Yianni uncover a connection between their respective leads in the elder-killings on Ikaria and the DEA corruption case, and they realize that there are international intrigues far more dangerous at play than anyone had imagined.

My Thoughts: This is part of the Andreas Kaldis series being the 12th book, however there is enough backstory in this book to read as a standalone. The author does a fantastic job of describing the country of Greece, the cultures, traditions, foods, scenery, and history, you feel as if you there investigating along side, right in Greece. There is police corruption, murder, smuggling, and an underdeveloped island, what could possibly go wrong? The characters are developed well with continued depth, creativity, and inventiveness. The plot was complex, twisty, and intriguing. The ending tied up things, however a little complex, but it still made sense and worked for this book.

[Scilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the best book of the Andreas Kaldis series. Andreas's secretary, Maggie, gets a call that her grandmother (Yaya), 104 years old, has died suddenly on the Island of Ikaria, where there are more people in their hundreds and nineties than anywhere else. Maggie goes to Ikaria, and finds out that there have been several deaths of older people in the past few weeks, all of them rather sudden and unattended. The woman who laid out Yaya, tells Maggie that she had bruises which looked like they were caused by a botched IV. However, Yaya had not been in the hospital or had IVs recently. She also finds out about Papa George, a new priest who worked with the elderly on Ikaria, and with whom her grandmother had spent a lot time recently.

Meanwhile, Yianni, the Chief Detective who works with Andreas, and Andreas are working on a smuggling ring. When the undercover dock worker, Stavros, is murdered, they believe that the pair of cops working at the docks who are nicknamed Tom and Jerry are probably responsible. Yianni goes to Ikaria, and he and Maggie soon realize that their cases are related, and that they also have something to do with Papa George, and a couple of wealthy young people from Hong Kong.

The book becomes very exciting, and Maggie finds herself in a very dangerous situation!

This is a great addition to the Andreas Kaldis series

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've come to this series late having only read three of the dozen written so far. That didn't diminish my enjoyment of One Last Chance. Now I have another favorite detective to follow with Andreas Kaldis. In this book we find out more about his assistant, Maggie when she goes home to attend her grandmother's funeral. The residents of the island of Ikaria are known to live well into their 90's so when her grandmother passes away at 104 no one is surprised. However she isn't the only death and Maggie soon suspects the death may not have been natural. While Maggie asks questions on Ikaria, Andreas's partner, Yianni, is investigating smuggling and some possibly crooked cops. Can there be a connection between the deaths and the smuggling? I won't say any more for fear of spoilers.
This series lets me return to Greece and the places I enjoyed visiting - the islands, the people, the food, the history and so much more. Add to it a well developed cast of regular characters and top notch mysteries to puzzle over, well, it's a series not to be missed.
My thanks to the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Harvee Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie, a detective in Athens, returns home to the island of Ikaria for her 104-year-old grandmother's funeral. The island is renowned for the longevity of many of its residents, and the grandmother had been in excellent health before her death. Maggie unravels a mystery surrounding the sudden and recent deaths of 90 and 100-year-old islanders.

An enchanting setting with gorgeous descriptions of cliffs, mountains, the ocean, and the green of the small but mountainous island made the novel worth while reading for me. But the plot was also excellent, with its complexity, surprises and twists. We get a look at police procedures both in Athens and among the islands. However, the explanations at the end of the book, of who the realculprits were and who were not, and why, could have been easier and more interesting. The dialogue of explanation went on too long, and became a bit tedious. But it doesn't take away from the excellence of the setting, characters, and general story.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5

This one took me soooo long to get through. Not because it was boring or poorly written, but because it took me until page 130 to be fully invested in the characters, the story and the outcome.

I got this one from The Book Drop and it became evident that it was a part of a series or collection utilizing the same group of characters. So there were details of the personal relationships that I felt like I was missing - though the mystery stood alone in its story.

Determined to finish, I found myself sucked in and wanting to know the ending. Also fun to note is that this is another "post-pandemic" book where the ripples of 2020 are reflected in the storyline taking place in Greece.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific addition to the Chief Inspector Kaldis series

I've read all the books in this marvelous series and think this is one of the best. The setting is mostly the island of Imagine and Athens. The descriptions of both places will make you want to visit.

While it can be read as a stand alone novel, it is a terrific addition for this a of us that have come to know Chief Inspector Kaldis and his crew. Maggie plays a central role, with Yianni along to help.

What makes this series so enjoyable are the characters, dialogue and being set in Greece. Looking forward to the next book...

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I unexpectedly enjoyed this mystery novel! I felt the author painted a picture of beautiful Greece. I enjoyed the bond between Maggie, Yianni, and Andreas

This book follows the mysterious deaths of Ikaria’s eldest and comes to light when Maggie’s yaya unexpectedly passes away. Do these deaths have anything in common?

Back in Athens, Agent Kaldis and Yianni are investigating crooked cops involved in a drug deal. When a shakedown goes wrong, pieces fall into place that seemingly place Maggie and Yianni on the same island. Now they are working their separate clues together to try and gain justice for all involved

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and this is an excellent addition. The author did a lot of research on the setting, the Greek culture, and the current situation.
Great plot, solid mystery, excellent character development.
I read it as fast as I could and loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Ida Anak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative

Another interesting book by J. Singer
The plot is interesting and I learned a lot about the island and its history and geography.
I wad a bit disappointed by the ending but it was a good and more realistic than what I had in mind.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Siger's latest. My main reason for reading these is for the Greek atmosphere that sparks memories of when I lived there. The premises for the mysteries, as with this one, are often a stretch. That's ok, I enjoyed the food references.

[Terri Giffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read in this series, and interestingly woven into current events (i.e. the pandemic).

[charles tanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

The core characters in this series are as welcome as old friends. The story is as well plotted and engaging as any out there. Highly recommended.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greece - Traditional police procedural. Enjoyable. The Greek islands having a starring role.

[Glenda Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant great storyline - a binge read for me

[Marjorie Cavalier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved seeing a lot more of Maggie!

[T-Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the setting and the traditions. This is a very unique and enjoyable mystery series.

[Nancy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good.