Miss Ashford investigates: Last Seen in Santorini by Vivian Conroy #bookreview #LastSeenInSantorini #cosymystery

Miss Atalanta Ashford is sightseeing near Venice when a mysterious veiled lady approaches her with the urgent request to look into her daughter’s mysterious death on the idyllic Greek island of Santorini. Whilst working as a companion for the eminent Bucardi family, the unfortunate girl took a plunge from the dramatic cliffs during a walk alone. But is all as it seems?
Sailing to Santorini and going undercover as the new companion, Miss Ashford soon discovers that her client hasn’t told her the full truth. Someone is watching her. Now she must unravel the mystery and prevent the breathtaking azure sea views from becoming the last she too will ever see…

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Hi and welcome to my review of Last Seen in Santorini!

When Vivian Conroy informed me that her upcoming book was available for request on NetGalley, I didn’t hesitate for a second, even though I had sworn I wouldn’t be requesting any more ARCs. I’d had such a great time with her A Murder Will Follow series and her Merriweather and Royston mysteries that I was really curious about this new cosy mystery series. Moreover, with the miserable weather we’d been having, the idea of going to Santorini, even if only in spirit, sounded absolutely divine 😄

Last Seen in Santorini is the second book in the Miss Ashford Investigates series, but don’t let that stop you if you haven’t read its predecessor, I hadn’t either but I could follow the Santorini tale perfectly fine: enough background is given but no spoilers are revealed should you want to go back to book 1 (Mystery in Provence), which I do, I bought a copy right after finishing Last Seen in Santorini!

Last Seen in Santorini kicks off, not in Greece as you might expect, but in Venice, Italy. Atalanta Ashford is enjoying a well-deserved holiday when she is approached by a mysterious veiled woman in black who tells her that her daughter was murdered in Santorini and begs Atalanta to find the killer. The woman claims she knew Atalanta’s grandfather, in whose sleuthing footsteps Atalanta has followed, and that he once promised her he’d help her anyplace anytime. Now how can Atalanta refuse?!

Off to Santorini she goes, under the guise of a position as companion to the elderly aunt of the family she is to investigate. But before she can find out anything, another death occurs and quite a few other things seem more than a little off.

I do love me a cosy mystery and Last Seen in Santorini is a fabulous one. The setting – a wealthy family’s Santorinian burg in the 1930s – is perfect, the protagonist – feisty and likeable – is fantastic, there are enough secretive and somewhat dodgy side characters to muddy the waters and there are a whole bunch of mysterious affairs to figure out. I had a ball and if cosy mysteries are your bag, I’m sure you’ll have one too. Recommended to fans of the genre.

Last Seen in Santorini is out on 6 January 2023.

Thanks to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.