What do you think?
Rate this book
Miss Ashford Investigates #2
Last Seen in Santorini
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…
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…
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2023
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 4, 2023
Last Seen in Santorini
by Vivian Conroy is the second book in the Miss Ashford Investigates cozy historical mystery series. Atalanta Ashford has recently inherited her grandfather’s wealth and his occupation as a detective for the wealthy and famous. While on holiday in Venice, Italy, she is approached in Murano by a woman wearing a veil. Atalanta is asked to investigate her daughter Letitia’s death. Letitia had been working on the Greek island of Santorini as a companion to Delilah Bucardi. Atalanta takes over as the companion and starts her investigation with some help from racecar driver Raoul Lemont.
Atalanta is a likeable character, but tended to rehash questions repeatedly. She is rational, inquisitive, analytical, wants to travel, and doesn’t enjoy crowds. Raoul is impulsive, irreverent, adventurous, and a risk-taker. The secondary characters are well defined and easy to visualize.
While the location of Santorini is beautiful, readers only get occasional glimpses of anything outside of the Bucardi family’s home. I wanted to experience more of the island. Additionally, while the novel is set in 1930, there isn’t much of a historical feel to it. Despite these quibbles, the premise is excellent and the story line kept me engaged. The plot has several twists as Atalanta sorts through the lies, questions, and deceptions. Themes include death, guilt, family loyalty, friendship, betrayal, and much more.
Overall, this entertaining novel brings out the inner sleuth in readers as they try to solve the mystery along with Atalanta. This novel works as a standalone novel, but readers will get more background if they start with book one. I am looking forward to finding out her Atalanta’s next case will take her.
HarperCollinsUK, One More Chapter and Vivian Conroy provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 06, 2023.
----------------------------------------
My 3.44 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Atalanta is a likeable character, but tended to rehash questions repeatedly. She is rational, inquisitive, analytical, wants to travel, and doesn’t enjoy crowds. Raoul is impulsive, irreverent, adventurous, and a risk-taker. The secondary characters are well defined and easy to visualize.
While the location of Santorini is beautiful, readers only get occasional glimpses of anything outside of the Bucardi family’s home. I wanted to experience more of the island. Additionally, while the novel is set in 1930, there isn’t much of a historical feel to it. Despite these quibbles, the premise is excellent and the story line kept me engaged. The plot has several twists as Atalanta sorts through the lies, questions, and deceptions. Themes include death, guilt, family loyalty, friendship, betrayal, and much more.
Overall, this entertaining novel brings out the inner sleuth in readers as they try to solve the mystery along with Atalanta. This novel works as a standalone novel, but readers will get more background if they start with book one. I am looking forward to finding out her Atalanta’s next case will take her.
HarperCollinsUK, One More Chapter and Vivian Conroy provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 06, 2023.
----------------------------------------
My 3.44 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
December 9, 2022
Miss Ashford Investigates #2.
It’s August 1930, and wealthy heiress Miss Atalanta Ashford is holidaying in Venice and thoroughly enjoying the sights. To her surprise, she is approached by a mysterious woman who begs her to investigate the death of her daughter Leticia on the Greek island of Santorini. She has been working for the well known and wealthy Bucardi family. Atalanta travels to the island, changes her surname to Renard and works as a companion to Mrs Bucardi, she is determined to uncover the truth of Leticia‘s fate.
First of all, it is rich in atmosphere and you do feel as if you have had a trip to Venice and Santorini! It also feels evocative of the times, although it can also be said to feel fresh, modern and lively via the manner in which it is told. There is an interesting and varied array of characters, Atalanta is very likeable with the others not quite so much! The mystery is good, things don’t add up as it’s apparent secrets of being kept and large lies are concealing them. There is tension between characters which is evident via cryptic comments and strange behaviour. The denouement is certainly very dramatic!
However, much as I like Atalanta she doesn’t half go over the same old ground asking the same old questions. Just get to the answer, already! It’s overly long and this is because of its lengthy descriptions which are long winded. For example, we spent a long time dandering about around Venice, nice thought that is. I’d much rather it got straight to the point.
Overall, it’s certainly a decent read but it’s not as riveting as I hoped for. It’s is a decent read to escape the here and now and if you like a cozy mystery in great settings this one may fit the bill.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins U.K., One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
It’s August 1930, and wealthy heiress Miss Atalanta Ashford is holidaying in Venice and thoroughly enjoying the sights. To her surprise, she is approached by a mysterious woman who begs her to investigate the death of her daughter Leticia on the Greek island of Santorini. She has been working for the well known and wealthy Bucardi family. Atalanta travels to the island, changes her surname to Renard and works as a companion to Mrs Bucardi, she is determined to uncover the truth of Leticia‘s fate.
First of all, it is rich in atmosphere and you do feel as if you have had a trip to Venice and Santorini! It also feels evocative of the times, although it can also be said to feel fresh, modern and lively via the manner in which it is told. There is an interesting and varied array of characters, Atalanta is very likeable with the others not quite so much! The mystery is good, things don’t add up as it’s apparent secrets of being kept and large lies are concealing them. There is tension between characters which is evident via cryptic comments and strange behaviour. The denouement is certainly very dramatic!
However, much as I like Atalanta she doesn’t half go over the same old ground asking the same old questions. Just get to the answer, already! It’s overly long and this is because of its lengthy descriptions which are long winded. For example, we spent a long time dandering about around Venice, nice thought that is. I’d much rather it got straight to the point.
Overall, it’s certainly a decent read but it’s not as riveting as I hoped for. It’s is a decent read to escape the here and now and if you like a cozy mystery in great settings this one may fit the bill.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins U.K., One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
December 17, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
Miss Ashford Investigates #2
Miss Atlanta 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 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 it all as it seems?
I quite like a good cosy mystery especially in the winter nights. Set in the 1930s, this book has been descriptively written. There are plenty of twist and turns and nobody seems to be whom they first appeared. Atlanta was asked to investigate the death of a young woman on the island and it's not long before she realises her client hasn't told her the truth. I suspected everybody. I do like Atlanta, she's a well-rounded character. This book could be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #VivianConroy for my ARC of #LastSeenInSantortini in exchange for an honest review.
Miss Ashford Investigates #2
Miss Atlanta 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 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 it all as it seems?
I quite like a good cosy mystery especially in the winter nights. Set in the 1930s, this book has been descriptively written. There are plenty of twist and turns and nobody seems to be whom they first appeared. Atlanta was asked to investigate the death of a young woman on the island and it's not long before she realises her client hasn't told her the truth. I suspected everybody. I do like Atlanta, she's a well-rounded character. This book could be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #VivianConroy for my ARC of #LastSeenInSantortini in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2022
Publication Jan. 6, 2023 Miss Ashford Investigates #2
I first crossed paths with this book when the author noticed I'd shared several cozy mystery reviews on Twitter, of all places, and suggested this one as one I might like. Despite the slow-to-me start, once I settled into the slower pace, I was hooked. I haven't read book one but other than wondering if it might have made it clearer why Atalanta Ashford didn't completely trust Raoul, there were no issues. In fact, I deducted that it was her own feelings toward the handsome race driver that she didn't trust, not Raoul himself. I also give credit to the book for distracting me while dealing with an unhappy tummy over the weekend, meaning it definitely kept my interest.
The author does a lovely job of description. It allowed me to thoroughly enjoy my arm-chair traveler experience to both Venice and Santorini. Heck, it even seen me to research Santorini, which I knew little about. The photos I found made the scene come that much more alive but, no, you don't need to research your arm-chair travel to enjoy. You'll hear, see, and smell the noises, voices, vivid blues of the sea, and aroma of the flowers. All without leaving home!
As for the murder, this is only Atalanta's second case. She seems to have become a tad over-confident after solving the first, only reluctantly only giving Raoul the deserved credit for his help, not to mention info found in her late grandfather's papers. In this case, she responds to the distress and sadness of a woman in black who begs her to investigate a daughter's death in Santorini.
Thanks to her butler's info, Raoul seen appears. She spends a great deal of time denying her interest in him to herself, despite spending real time with him that is easily observed by others. Heck, she even thinks he may be part of the problem, if not the solution to at least one of her questions. Then, another death. The Bucardi family is not all it appears on the surface and, in fact, she fears for the young son's well-being. Convinced she can solve the investigation on her own, Atalanta tends to leap from one supposition to another. She even resents Raoul pointing out that just because she believes something to be true doesn't mean it is. Her attitude was rather annoying at times but I liked her.
Supposedly arriving to be caretaker to an elderly aunt of the Bucardi family, Atalanta quickly discovers all is not as it appears. Pirate's treasure? Quick tempers that flash into violence? Why are Luca's parents so cool toward him? Why does his father react so violently when Luca is given a puppy? Was Titia the innocent young victim she appears on the surface or could her photos hold a clue? Then, another murder? How the heck does the victim's body wind up in bed when evidence indicates they died elsewhere? Is Atalanta truly safe? Will she ever learn to trust both Raoul and her heart? Who.....oh, enough teasers. You're just going to have to read the book. I know I'll be looking forward to Atalanta's next adventure.
Thanks #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK - #OneMoreChapter, not to mention author #VivianConroy for bringing this book to my attention. Venice sounded dreamy but Santorini, with all its history and beauty was amazing.
I first crossed paths with this book when the author noticed I'd shared several cozy mystery reviews on Twitter, of all places, and suggested this one as one I might like. Despite the slow-to-me start, once I settled into the slower pace, I was hooked. I haven't read book one but other than wondering if it might have made it clearer why Atalanta Ashford didn't completely trust Raoul, there were no issues. In fact, I deducted that it was her own feelings toward the handsome race driver that she didn't trust, not Raoul himself. I also give credit to the book for distracting me while dealing with an unhappy tummy over the weekend, meaning it definitely kept my interest.
The author does a lovely job of description. It allowed me to thoroughly enjoy my arm-chair traveler experience to both Venice and Santorini. Heck, it even seen me to research Santorini, which I knew little about. The photos I found made the scene come that much more alive but, no, you don't need to research your arm-chair travel to enjoy. You'll hear, see, and smell the noises, voices, vivid blues of the sea, and aroma of the flowers. All without leaving home!
As for the murder, this is only Atalanta's second case. She seems to have become a tad over-confident after solving the first, only reluctantly only giving Raoul the deserved credit for his help, not to mention info found in her late grandfather's papers. In this case, she responds to the distress and sadness of a woman in black who begs her to investigate a daughter's death in Santorini.
Thanks to her butler's info, Raoul seen appears. She spends a great deal of time denying her interest in him to herself, despite spending real time with him that is easily observed by others. Heck, she even thinks he may be part of the problem, if not the solution to at least one of her questions. Then, another death. The Bucardi family is not all it appears on the surface and, in fact, she fears for the young son's well-being. Convinced she can solve the investigation on her own, Atalanta tends to leap from one supposition to another. She even resents Raoul pointing out that just because she believes something to be true doesn't mean it is. Her attitude was rather annoying at times but I liked her.
Supposedly arriving to be caretaker to an elderly aunt of the Bucardi family, Atalanta quickly discovers all is not as it appears. Pirate's treasure? Quick tempers that flash into violence? Why are Luca's parents so cool toward him? Why does his father react so violently when Luca is given a puppy? Was Titia the innocent young victim she appears on the surface or could her photos hold a clue? Then, another murder? How the heck does the victim's body wind up in bed when evidence indicates they died elsewhere? Is Atalanta truly safe? Will she ever learn to trust both Raoul and her heart? Who.....oh, enough teasers. You're just going to have to read the book. I know I'll be looking forward to Atalanta's next adventure.
Thanks #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK - #OneMoreChapter, not to mention author #VivianConroy for bringing this book to my attention. Venice sounded dreamy but Santorini, with all its history and beauty was amazing.
January 7, 2023
Sigh.
I had so much hope for this series. I loved the first book - found it fresh and interesting with a whole new way to introduce the MC and the mystery was good as well. I should have known from my previous experience with this author that a second book was not going to be nearly as charming as the first book and unfortunately, I was correct.
This book was a hot mess. SO. MUCH. REPETITION. It truly seemed that every other chapter was nothing but the same information over and over again [in the guise of Atalanta running over things in her head; over and over and over and over....], just in vaguely disguised different ways but always the same information. It got very tedious very quickly. As did the MC doing truly stupid things; she'd ruminate [over and over...] about how she needed to NOT do something, or NOT go somewhere etc etc and then TURN AROUND and do the complete opposite and then wonder WHY bad things were happening. Really??
This could have been a really good read with a little more editing and a little less repetition. Atalanta is not a bad MC and I can see her growing into her new role as detective and helper of persons in distress, but not the way she is being written now. The hand-wringing and the constant rehashing is tedious and really needs to be retooled. I know there are at least two more books on the horizon and I am just not sure I want to even begin thinking about reading them. I guess we shall see when the time comes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vivian Conroy, and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had so much hope for this series. I loved the first book - found it fresh and interesting with a whole new way to introduce the MC and the mystery was good as well. I should have known from my previous experience with this author that a second book was not going to be nearly as charming as the first book and unfortunately, I was correct.
This book was a hot mess. SO. MUCH. REPETITION. It truly seemed that every other chapter was nothing but the same information over and over again [in the guise of Atalanta running over things in her head; over and over and over and over....], just in vaguely disguised different ways but always the same information. It got very tedious very quickly. As did the MC doing truly stupid things; she'd ruminate [over and over...] about how she needed to NOT do something, or NOT go somewhere etc etc and then TURN AROUND and do the complete opposite and then wonder WHY bad things were happening. Really??
This could have been a really good read with a little more editing and a little less repetition. Atalanta is not a bad MC and I can see her growing into her new role as detective and helper of persons in distress, but not the way she is being written now. The hand-wringing and the constant rehashing is tedious and really needs to be retooled. I know there are at least two more books on the horizon and I am just not sure I want to even begin thinking about reading them. I guess we shall see when the time comes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vivian Conroy, and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2023
Last Seen in Santorini is the second book in Vivian Conroy's historical mystery series Miss Ashford Investigates.
This series takes readers on adventures to new, beautiful locales with each book, and this one takes us to the gorgeous Greek island of Santorini. I love the concept of these books. With the first set in Provence and future installments planned for Tuscany and Salzburg, they provide armchair travel to go along with each whodunnit.
It's 1930, and Atalanta Ashford is visiting Venice when approached by a woman asking her to go undercover as a paid companion in a wealthy family to investigate the mysterious death of the woman's daughter. Unfortunately, Atalanta finds more than she bargained for between the family, their secrets, and an unsettling feeling of imminent danger.
This setting is spectacular and reads rather like a PBS Masterpiece show. The descriptions of the island and the grand house put you in the time and place. A large pool of suspects with tense interpersonal dynamics and plenty of motives creates enough misdirection to keep you guessing. Atalanta's backstory is intriguing. A poor school teacher, she was left a fortune by a grandfather she never met as he and her father were estranged. But it comes with strings as he asks her to make discreet inquiries for the well-to-do. As Atalanta travels, sees more of the world, and works as a detective, her confidence grows, and her naivete is slowly fading. However, this works as a stand-alone, and there are no spoilers from the first book. Enjoyable and escapist, this immerses the reader in a picturesque world, and the clever globe-trotting premise promises more adventures to come.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter HC for the opportunity to review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This series takes readers on adventures to new, beautiful locales with each book, and this one takes us to the gorgeous Greek island of Santorini. I love the concept of these books. With the first set in Provence and future installments planned for Tuscany and Salzburg, they provide armchair travel to go along with each whodunnit.
It's 1930, and Atalanta Ashford is visiting Venice when approached by a woman asking her to go undercover as a paid companion in a wealthy family to investigate the mysterious death of the woman's daughter. Unfortunately, Atalanta finds more than she bargained for between the family, their secrets, and an unsettling feeling of imminent danger.
This setting is spectacular and reads rather like a PBS Masterpiece show. The descriptions of the island and the grand house put you in the time and place. A large pool of suspects with tense interpersonal dynamics and plenty of motives creates enough misdirection to keep you guessing. Atalanta's backstory is intriguing. A poor school teacher, she was left a fortune by a grandfather she never met as he and her father were estranged. But it comes with strings as he asks her to make discreet inquiries for the well-to-do. As Atalanta travels, sees more of the world, and works as a detective, her confidence grows, and her naivete is slowly fading. However, this works as a stand-alone, and there are no spoilers from the first book. Enjoyable and escapist, this immerses the reader in a picturesque world, and the clever globe-trotting premise promises more adventures to come.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter HC for the opportunity to review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
January 7, 2023
This time Atlanta has stepped into a nest of vipers!
Approached by a heavily veiled woman in Venice, Atlanta Ashford cuts short her holiday to go to the Greek of Santorini, to try to discover if the death of the woman’s daughter Letitia, was an accident or murder.
(Atlanta has just lately, and out of the blue, inherited her unknown dead grandfather’s houses, stocks, cars and fortune. A wealth that enables her to travel the world. She also inherits his mission to “sleuth discreetly in the highest circles.”)
Raoul Lemont, the racing car driver she’d previously met in Provence, turns up in Santorini. Atlanta thought she’d spied him in Venice as well.
The Island stronghold of the Bucardi family turns out to be a bed of intrigue, rumors and strange behaviors.
Supposedly Atlanta is a companion to Pietro Bucardi’s elderly aunt, Delilah. A strange woman, at one moment fragile, the next tyrannical.
When the Nanny disappears Atlanta finds herself stepping into those shoes.
Mystery and danger! Who is to believed? Who had a motive to kill ? Where does Raoul fit in?
So many questions and seeing to the heart of the matter is no easy task as red herrings are strewn across Atlanta’s path willy nilly.
A HarperCollins One More Chapter ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
Approached by a heavily veiled woman in Venice, Atlanta Ashford cuts short her holiday to go to the Greek of Santorini, to try to discover if the death of the woman’s daughter Letitia, was an accident or murder.
(Atlanta has just lately, and out of the blue, inherited her unknown dead grandfather’s houses, stocks, cars and fortune. A wealth that enables her to travel the world. She also inherits his mission to “sleuth discreetly in the highest circles.”)
Raoul Lemont, the racing car driver she’d previously met in Provence, turns up in Santorini. Atlanta thought she’d spied him in Venice as well.
The Island stronghold of the Bucardi family turns out to be a bed of intrigue, rumors and strange behaviors.
Supposedly Atlanta is a companion to Pietro Bucardi’s elderly aunt, Delilah. A strange woman, at one moment fragile, the next tyrannical.
When the Nanny disappears Atlanta finds herself stepping into those shoes.
Mystery and danger! Who is to believed? Who had a motive to kill ? Where does Raoul fit in?
So many questions and seeing to the heart of the matter is no easy task as red herrings are strewn across Atlanta’s path willy nilly.
A HarperCollins One More Chapter ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
January 3, 2023
Brilliant book to finish as the year ends
Really enjoyed it so very highly recommend!
Miss Ashford is following her grandfather's role
Helping nobility by discretely investigating is her goal.
After successfully concluding her very first case
She sets off to explore a new to her place.
A Venetian holiday in 1930 is where this story starts
When a grieving mother explains her broken heart.
An elderly aunt keeping an eye on things, a possible romance
And a young child who insists on taking chances.
Along with a marriage is it what it seems?
What about the other young lady following wild dreams?
A new investigation, another death, what’s the cause?
Evidence for an accident or murder give her pause.
A broken family with secrets galore
Can Atalanta discover more?
An intriguing read with so many disparate clues
Can she piece them together to create true views?
Strange friendships and relations, too,
But just who is saying what is true?
There are questions, suppositions, lies and deceit,
Nothing is really sorted, though it appears so neat.
With the help of someone from her last case
Can Atalanta put all the pieces into the right place?
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review
Really enjoyed it so very highly recommend!
Miss Ashford is following her grandfather's role
Helping nobility by discretely investigating is her goal.
After successfully concluding her very first case
She sets off to explore a new to her place.
A Venetian holiday in 1930 is where this story starts
When a grieving mother explains her broken heart.
An elderly aunt keeping an eye on things, a possible romance
And a young child who insists on taking chances.
Along with a marriage is it what it seems?
What about the other young lady following wild dreams?
A new investigation, another death, what’s the cause?
Evidence for an accident or murder give her pause.
A broken family with secrets galore
Can Atalanta discover more?
An intriguing read with so many disparate clues
Can she piece them together to create true views?
Strange friendships and relations, too,
But just who is saying what is true?
There are questions, suppositions, lies and deceit,
Nothing is really sorted, though it appears so neat.
With the help of someone from her last case
Can Atalanta put all the pieces into the right place?
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review
March 11, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
Historical cosy mysteries are very much a new genre for me to venture into, and I enjoyed the first book in this series. This one had the same vibe to it, and my favourite part was definitely the final showdown!
However, the storytelling aspect fell flat in my opinion. The book was overly lengthy, with Atalanta chewing over the same points throughout, and it did grow tedious over time.
I do like the main character, but the story itself needed some more work.
Historical cosy mysteries are very much a new genre for me to venture into, and I enjoyed the first book in this series. This one had the same vibe to it, and my favourite part was definitely the final showdown!
However, the storytelling aspect fell flat in my opinion. The book was overly lengthy, with Atalanta chewing over the same points throughout, and it did grow tedious over time.
I do like the main character, but the story itself needed some more work.
Read
April 20, 2024I was hoping this series would warm up and grow on me a bit more, it’s an entertaining enough diversion but a stilted style and continuing need to suspend disbelief wearing a bit as the story progresses. A bit of escapism, but not my favourite of the genre.
May 29, 2023
The second is the series but the first I’ve read. A bit wrong-footed at the beginning as we were introduced to Atalanta and given a brief backstory, which confused me at first, but once I’d moved on made more sense. This is supposed to be set during the 1930’s, but there isn’t much of a feel of that, although the descriptions of both Venice, where the story begins, and Santorini, where it finishes, are quite lovely.
Atalanta is approached in Venice by the mother of a young Italian woman who died whilst working as a lady’s companion for the Bucardi family on Santorini. The woman’s mother is not convinced it was an accident, but has no proof otherwise, and wants Atalanta to find out what actually happened. Atalanta is hired, via this woman, as the new lady’s companion for the family’s elderly aunt (who, as a point I noted, if she never married, wouldn’t be Mrs Bucardi, but Miss).
Whilst the mystery is quite good and the characters reasonably well-presented, it moved quite slowly and Atalanta also spends a lot of time in her head asking the same questions and reviewing information over and over, and I skimmed quite a lot towards the end because I got tired of reading the same stuff again and again.
Definitely an armchair traveller type of book, gentle and not especially gripping, but good enough to while away some holiday time with. The series won’t be added to my TBR pile, but I would read it if I came across it at a charity shop or needed a bit of a break between other, grittier/darker books.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC to read and review. All opinions are strictly my own.
Atalanta is approached in Venice by the mother of a young Italian woman who died whilst working as a lady’s companion for the Bucardi family on Santorini. The woman’s mother is not convinced it was an accident, but has no proof otherwise, and wants Atalanta to find out what actually happened. Atalanta is hired, via this woman, as the new lady’s companion for the family’s elderly aunt (who, as a point I noted, if she never married, wouldn’t be Mrs Bucardi, but Miss).
Whilst the mystery is quite good and the characters reasonably well-presented, it moved quite slowly and Atalanta also spends a lot of time in her head asking the same questions and reviewing information over and over, and I skimmed quite a lot towards the end because I got tired of reading the same stuff again and again.
Definitely an armchair traveller type of book, gentle and not especially gripping, but good enough to while away some holiday time with. The series won’t be added to my TBR pile, but I would read it if I came across it at a charity shop or needed a bit of a break between other, grittier/darker books.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC to read and review. All opinions are strictly my own.
December 19, 2022
Vivian Conroy the author of Last Seen in Santorini reached out to me on Twitter after seeing my review requesting me to read her book. This is the first time have read Vivian Conroy and I wasn't sure what to expect. The story starts off very slowly and it takes a little time to really get into the mystery. The author creates her world in the book that will have reader transported into Venice, Santorini and the many different locations that will come to life.
The story does get a little wordy at times, Atalanta needs less internal monologues, and lastly yes, I figured out the mystery before the characters. That being said Vivian Conroy creates a cozy mystery that will bring readers into her colorful world and a mystery that needs to be solved.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Author for advance copy of Last Seen In Satorini.
The story does get a little wordy at times, Atalanta needs less internal monologues, and lastly yes, I figured out the mystery before the characters. That being said Vivian Conroy creates a cozy mystery that will bring readers into her colorful world and a mystery that needs to be solved.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Author for advance copy of Last Seen In Satorini.
November 26, 2022
I typically enjoy cosy mysteries, and I got the impression that this might be a historical cosy mystery, maybe a little bit like Agatha Christie, so I was pleased to be approved for a review.
The writing in general was excellent, and the story provided the kind of escapism that I would expect from reading a cosy mystery. Atlanta was a protagonist that I warmed to, and identified with in some ways, and the story itself was entertaining. It did remind me a little bit of Agatha Christie too!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
The writing in general was excellent, and the story provided the kind of escapism that I would expect from reading a cosy mystery. Atlanta was a protagonist that I warmed to, and identified with in some ways, and the story itself was entertaining. It did remind me a little bit of Agatha Christie too!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
February 24, 2024
A rather passive murder mystery. Miss Ashford seemed to do more internal debating of possible questions as opposed to her actively collecting evidence and clues. The plot would have unfolded as it did with or without her.
I was hoping for more interesting and likable characters in this sequel, but, unfortunately, I didn't get that. Conroy is good at writing bland yet irritating secondary characters/cast of suspects. Once again, I was not emotionally invested in any of them and didn't really care who was going to be the next victim, who might be wrongly accused, etc.
I was hoping for more interesting and likable characters in this sequel, but, unfortunately, I didn't get that. Conroy is good at writing bland yet irritating secondary characters/cast of suspects. Once again, I was not emotionally invested in any of them and didn't really care who was going to be the next victim, who might be wrongly accused, etc.
December 23, 2022
Another good mystery in this series: I thooroughly enjoyed it, had fun and the solid plot kept me guessing.
I loved the descriptions of the setting and was glad to catch up with the characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
I loved the descriptions of the setting and was glad to catch up with the characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
January 5, 2023
I chose this book to read on the basis of the synopsis and the absolutely beautiful cover which reminds of old time railway advertisements. Atalanta is on holiday in Venice when she is approached by a mysterious woman in black who asks her to investigate her daughter's death in Santorini where she was working for an old Venetian family. This is the second book in a series and the author does refer quite heavily to the previous novel, but it is not a prerequisite to have read it.
The setting in the story is interesting and detailed and the characters are all different and striking. The mystery is also satisfyingly twisty.
So, why only two stars? Because of the style of telling. Atalanta goes over everything in her head and questions the possibles endlessly. Every paragraph is laced with questions marks and it slows down the action and the interactions no end. Moreover it stops the read working things out for themselves. I don't always want to be told that is could have been this person or that person. I want to work it out for myself. By the end of the book I was so annoyed with the style of writing that I wanted to take a red pen and cross out the endless questions.
So while the book ticked all the boxes in the type of story I like to read, I'm afraid this one was not for me.
With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
The setting in the story is interesting and detailed and the characters are all different and striking. The mystery is also satisfyingly twisty.
So, why only two stars? Because of the style of telling. Atalanta goes over everything in her head and questions the possibles endlessly. Every paragraph is laced with questions marks and it slows down the action and the interactions no end. Moreover it stops the read working things out for themselves. I don't always want to be told that is could have been this person or that person. I want to work it out for myself. By the end of the book I was so annoyed with the style of writing that I wanted to take a red pen and cross out the endless questions.
So while the book ticked all the boxes in the type of story I like to read, I'm afraid this one was not for me.
With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
November 26, 2022
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.
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.
January 4, 2023
Last Seen In Santorini by Vivian Conroy is a cozy mystery set in Santorini, Greece in 1930. Atalanta Ashford is a young woman who has recently come into an inheritance from her deceased grandfather. The only proviso is that she investigate things and help people who need it, as he had done. She was not at all prepared for this but seemed to have a natural talent for it. She had already solved one murder and was now taking a short leave before she moved on. As she walked around Murano, trying to pick a piece of glass to purchase, she noticed a man watching her. It looked for all the world like Raoul, the extremely handsome race car driver who had helped with her last case. All at once she was approached by a woman all in black, including a veil, who needed help to find out how her daughter had died. She’d been told it was an accident, but she was not sure. After this exchange, Raoul approached, out of concern. He had seen the entire thing and wanted to know what the woman had said to Atalanta. He was concerned for her safety. He promised her he would find her in Santorini and help investigate, so off she went.
This is an enticing time period, and Venetians in Santorini were the rich and famous in their heyday. The family she was to work for fit into that category. The lifestyle was decadent and the scenery beautiful. What more did she need? The people, at least some of them, were entitled, some just crazy. Atalanta found herself in the middle of a situation with no way out. The sorry thing was the four-year-old boy who was part of this dysfunctional family. The characters were good and the mystery decent, although so sad. The entire book was Atalanta coming up with different possible scenarios with every little clue she found. It did get kind of old, although I suppose, accurate. Everything did turn out well in the end. Isn’t that why we read cozy mysteries?
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Last Seen in Santorini by Harper Collins UK-One More Chapter, through Netgalley. All thoughts an opinions are mine. #Netgalley #OneMoreChapter #VivianConroy #LastSeenInSantorini
This is an enticing time period, and Venetians in Santorini were the rich and famous in their heyday. The family she was to work for fit into that category. The lifestyle was decadent and the scenery beautiful. What more did she need? The people, at least some of them, were entitled, some just crazy. Atalanta found herself in the middle of a situation with no way out. The sorry thing was the four-year-old boy who was part of this dysfunctional family. The characters were good and the mystery decent, although so sad. The entire book was Atalanta coming up with different possible scenarios with every little clue she found. It did get kind of old, although I suppose, accurate. Everything did turn out well in the end. Isn’t that why we read cozy mysteries?
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Last Seen in Santorini by Harper Collins UK-One More Chapter, through Netgalley. All thoughts an opinions are mine. #Netgalley #OneMoreChapter #VivianConroy #LastSeenInSantorini
December 28, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advance copy of Last Seen in Santorini, the second novel to feature Miss Atalanta Ashford, set in the 1930s.
Atalanta is on holiday in Venice when she is asked to take another case. Letitia fell to her death while working as a companion to an elderly woman on Santorini, but her mother thinks she has been murdered and asks Atalanta to investigate. Once on Santorini she finds more problems and mysteries than she was led to believe.
I enjoyed Last Seen in Santorini to a point, as it is a light read with a mystery attached, but it’s not as exciting as it perhaps could be due to the format. I did, however, like that it is told entirely from Atalanta’s point of view, which allows the reader to get stuck in to the read and guess alongside her.
It is a novel of secrets and seething emotions, so Atalanta’s job is to try and uncover a motive for Letitia’s death, if, indeed, she was murdered, but it’s not a happy household and there are deep waters to navigate. Ordinarily this would hold my attention relentlessly, but her habit of continually rehashing what she knows and learns becomes repetitive and slows the momentum of what is a well thought out plot. Still, the author manages a few surprises and a few well deserved dressing downs to some characters, which are unexpectedly sharp in a cosy. I was last seen cheering them on.
I love the concept of Atalanta Ashford, a poverty stricken schoolteacher left a fortune by grandfather she never met, due to her father being the family black sheep, and a request that she carry on the family tradition of discreet enquiries for the rich that she accepts. After two novels I still find her a bit of a cypher with no obvious personality and too many repetitive thoughts. There is a potential love interest in the form of racing car driver Raoul Lemont, but a tortoise could move faster than their relationship, so there’s no excitement there.
Last Seen in Santorini is an easy way to spend a few hours.
Atalanta is on holiday in Venice when she is asked to take another case. Letitia fell to her death while working as a companion to an elderly woman on Santorini, but her mother thinks she has been murdered and asks Atalanta to investigate. Once on Santorini she finds more problems and mysteries than she was led to believe.
I enjoyed Last Seen in Santorini to a point, as it is a light read with a mystery attached, but it’s not as exciting as it perhaps could be due to the format. I did, however, like that it is told entirely from Atalanta’s point of view, which allows the reader to get stuck in to the read and guess alongside her.
It is a novel of secrets and seething emotions, so Atalanta’s job is to try and uncover a motive for Letitia’s death, if, indeed, she was murdered, but it’s not a happy household and there are deep waters to navigate. Ordinarily this would hold my attention relentlessly, but her habit of continually rehashing what she knows and learns becomes repetitive and slows the momentum of what is a well thought out plot. Still, the author manages a few surprises and a few well deserved dressing downs to some characters, which are unexpectedly sharp in a cosy. I was last seen cheering them on.
I love the concept of Atalanta Ashford, a poverty stricken schoolteacher left a fortune by grandfather she never met, due to her father being the family black sheep, and a request that she carry on the family tradition of discreet enquiries for the rich that she accepts. After two novels I still find her a bit of a cypher with no obvious personality and too many repetitive thoughts. There is a potential love interest in the form of racing car driver Raoul Lemont, but a tortoise could move faster than their relationship, so there’s no excitement there.
Last Seen in Santorini is an easy way to spend a few hours.
January 25, 2023
Many mysteries claim to satisfy Agatha Christie fans, but this one did. It's one of the better cosy mysteries I've read because it kept me guessing about the murder and motives. I especially liked how the setting came to life. I felt completely immersed in the lovely, exotic location. Atalanta Ashford, the detective, is a very likeable, genuinely sincere and good person. I recommend this novel to fans of cosy mysteries. The author does an excellent job of describing. It enabled me to enjoy my armchair traveller experience in Venice and Santorini. It even prompted me to learn more about Santorini, which I was unfamiliar with. The photos I found brought the scene to life, but you don't have to do any research to enjoy your armchair travel. The noises, voices, vivid blues of the sea and aroma of the flowers will be heard, seen, and smelled. All without leaving your house!
This is only Atalanta's second murder investigation. She appears to have become overconfident after solving the first, reluctantly only giving Raoul the deserved credit for his assistance, not to mention information discovered in her late grandfather's papers. Raoul appears as a result of her butler's information. Despite spending real time with him, which is easily observed by others, she spends a significant amount of time denying her interest in him to herself. She even suspects he is a part of the problem, if not the answer to at least one of her questions. Then there was another death. The Bacardi family is not what it appears to be on the surface, and she is concerned for the safety of her young son. Atalanta convinced that she could solve the investigation independently, tends to jump from one hypothesis to the next. She even resents Raoul's observation that just because she believes something is true doesn't make it so. Her attitude was grating at times, but
This is only Atalanta's second murder investigation. She appears to have become overconfident after solving the first, reluctantly only giving Raoul the deserved credit for his assistance, not to mention information discovered in her late grandfather's papers. Raoul appears as a result of her butler's information. Despite spending real time with him, which is easily observed by others, she spends a significant amount of time denying her interest in him to herself. She even suspects he is a part of the problem, if not the answer to at least one of her questions. Then there was another death. The Bacardi family is not what it appears to be on the surface, and she is concerned for the safety of her young son. Atalanta convinced that she could solve the investigation independently, tends to jump from one hypothesis to the next. She even resents Raoul's observation that just because she believes something is true doesn't make it so. Her attitude was grating at times, but
December 4, 2022
"Last Seen in Santorini" is a mystery set in 1930 in Venice and Santorini. This is the second book in a series. You can understand it without reading the first book, and this book didn't spoil the mystery of the previous book. Frankly, I kept forgetting that this was a historical as it could have happened in modern day. Even the setting was only briefly described as most of the action happened at the Bucardi house.
After solving one case, Atalanta now felt very confident that her logic could solve any case. She avoided requesting information and advice from her staff or her grandfather (through his letters), which was disappointing as I liked their involvement in the first case. She agreed to the racecar driver going with her to keep her safe, yet she still didn't trust him. He challenged her assumptions when she shared her ideas, but she didn't share everything with him. She was more interested in poking her nose into his past than in realizing that blackmail could be done based on what someone in power might believe, whether true or not.
She spent more time asking herself questions about the crime than in finding answers. She went over the same scenarios again and again in her thoughts, getting stuck on certain assumptions. Basically, she frustrated me, though she was generally likable. Still, there were enough clues that I had no trouble figuring out how the second murder happened and who was most likely to have done it. Further clues only confirmed my guess. I didn't even have trouble guessing the truth about the boy. Atalanta probably wouldn't have figured it out before the reveal if she hadn't finally read some advice from her grandfather. There was no sex or bad language.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
After solving one case, Atalanta now felt very confident that her logic could solve any case. She avoided requesting information and advice from her staff or her grandfather (through his letters), which was disappointing as I liked their involvement in the first case. She agreed to the racecar driver going with her to keep her safe, yet she still didn't trust him. He challenged her assumptions when she shared her ideas, but she didn't share everything with him. She was more interested in poking her nose into his past than in realizing that blackmail could be done based on what someone in power might believe, whether true or not.
She spent more time asking herself questions about the crime than in finding answers. She went over the same scenarios again and again in her thoughts, getting stuck on certain assumptions. Basically, she frustrated me, though she was generally likable. Still, there were enough clues that I had no trouble figuring out how the second murder happened and who was most likely to have done it. Further clues only confirmed my guess. I didn't even have trouble guessing the truth about the boy. Atalanta probably wouldn't have figured it out before the reveal if she hadn't finally read some advice from her grandfather. There was no sex or bad language.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 26, 2022
I was immediately attracted by the gorgeous book cover portraying Santorini, but slightly disappointed as most of the plot was within the dark and gloomy walls of an ancient Greek castle. (Reading in deepest winter I had hoped for summer in the Med.)
The plot was slow to start and, not having read the previous book, much wasn't explained. How did Atalanta’s wealthy grandfather become a sleuth and where did Atalanta gain enough knowledge to become an investigator, particularly in solving crimes of murder.
Once the plot gathered speed I forgot my ignorance of the backstory and enjoyed the novel.
Atalanta Ashford, previously employed in Switzerland as a french language teacher, has become the heiress to her late grandfather's massive fortune. She plans to continue her grandfather's legacy becoming a globe trotter and solving crimes, mainly murders. After successfully solving her first case (Book 1;Mystery in Provence) Atalanta is on holiday in Venice, when she's approached by a woman who insists her daughter was murdered and begs help to discover the culprit. The daughter, who's death was reported as an accident, was working for the wealthy Bucardi family in Santorini. Agreeing to investigate, Atalanta poses as a companion and travels to the Bucardi's castle, where she'll attempt to discover the truth while acting as a companion for the family's elderly aunt. Arriving at the castle Atalanta finds tensions are high, after another death occurs she wonders if she herself might be at risk.
An enjoyable cosy mystery set in the 1930s with plenty of clues, real or misleading, and false trails to keep the reader guessing.
ARC generously supplied by HarperCollins, One More Chapter UK and NetGalley, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.
The plot was slow to start and, not having read the previous book, much wasn't explained. How did Atalanta’s wealthy grandfather become a sleuth and where did Atalanta gain enough knowledge to become an investigator, particularly in solving crimes of murder.
Once the plot gathered speed I forgot my ignorance of the backstory and enjoyed the novel.
Atalanta Ashford, previously employed in Switzerland as a french language teacher, has become the heiress to her late grandfather's massive fortune. She plans to continue her grandfather's legacy becoming a globe trotter and solving crimes, mainly murders. After successfully solving her first case (Book 1;Mystery in Provence) Atalanta is on holiday in Venice, when she's approached by a woman who insists her daughter was murdered and begs help to discover the culprit. The daughter, who's death was reported as an accident, was working for the wealthy Bucardi family in Santorini. Agreeing to investigate, Atalanta poses as a companion and travels to the Bucardi's castle, where she'll attempt to discover the truth while acting as a companion for the family's elderly aunt. Arriving at the castle Atalanta finds tensions are high, after another death occurs she wonders if she herself might be at risk.
An enjoyable cosy mystery set in the 1930s with plenty of clues, real or misleading, and false trails to keep the reader guessing.
ARC generously supplied by HarperCollins, One More Chapter UK and NetGalley, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.
January 9, 2023
Miss Atalanta Ashford is sightseeing near Venice when a mysterious veiled lady approaches her and asks to look into her daughter's death. The girl was just nineteen when she left home to work as a companion for an elderly Bucardi family in the idyllic Greek island of Santorini. She fell off the cliffs and died. Though her death was claimed to be an accident, the mother believes her daughter was murdered.
As Atalanta reaches Santorini and starts working as a companion to an elderly aunt of the Bucardi family, she realizes her client wasn't true to her. A local island festivities brings joy and a murder, making Atalanta wonder if someone in the Bucardi family or their employees is guilty.
I was hooked on to the story and could not put it down until the end. This perfectly paced murder mystery set in a scenic Greek Island has made it to my favorites list. I loved the setting, characters, and the series-plot. Atalanta might be new at sleuthing but she's quite skilled. Her ability to blend in makes her an excellent sleuth. Not to forget, handsome Raoul plays a significant role in this story.
The second half of the book is where things get suspenseful - edge of the seat, like. Multiple twists and shocking discoveries (some of which were Atalanta's wildest imaginations *wink wink*) kept me guessing till the end. The ending, my god, is simply mind-blowing. I never saw the final twist coming - I was so sure this person when we have a jaw-dropping revelation!! Maybe I must ditch my amateur sleuth hat while reading Viv's books.
Absolutely fantastic storytelling (It's Viv!!!) I don't know why but the setting and the storytelling were giving this books a historical/rustic/laid-back mystery vibe - making this a charming and engrossing read.
Highly recommended!
As Atalanta reaches Santorini and starts working as a companion to an elderly aunt of the Bucardi family, she realizes her client wasn't true to her. A local island festivities brings joy and a murder, making Atalanta wonder if someone in the Bucardi family or their employees is guilty.
I was hooked on to the story and could not put it down until the end. This perfectly paced murder mystery set in a scenic Greek Island has made it to my favorites list. I loved the setting, characters, and the series-plot. Atalanta might be new at sleuthing but she's quite skilled. Her ability to blend in makes her an excellent sleuth. Not to forget, handsome Raoul plays a significant role in this story.
The second half of the book is where things get suspenseful - edge of the seat, like. Multiple twists and shocking discoveries (some of which were Atalanta's wildest imaginations *wink wink*) kept me guessing till the end. The ending, my god, is simply mind-blowing. I never saw the final twist coming - I was so sure this person when we have a jaw-dropping revelation!! Maybe I must ditch my amateur sleuth hat while reading Viv's books.
Absolutely fantastic storytelling (It's Viv!!!) I don't know why but the setting and the storytelling were giving this books a historical/rustic/laid-back mystery vibe - making this a charming and engrossing read.
Highly recommended!
December 14, 2022
Atalanta Ashford inherited her grandfather’s wealth and his occupation as a society sleuth. She has been able to give up her job teaching at a Swiss boarding school and after solving a murder case in Provence is travelling in Italy. While enjoying sightseeing in Venice, she is approached by a veiled woman in black who asks her to go to Santorini to investigate the sudden death of her daughter Leticia who was working as a companion to an elderly lady. Using an undercover name, Atalanta takes over Leticia’s job and starts to find out what the family and their employees know about Leticia and her untimely end.
I wanted to like this novel with its delightfully stylish cover, its beautiful location and excellent premise for a cosy mystery, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I really like historical mysteries that have a good sense of time and place. However, while the early scenes in Venice were a visual feast, the location of Santorini could have been better exploited as most of the action happens in the family’s castle/burg with no local colour. By the end it felt more like a family drama than a mystery. There also wasn’t much of a historical feel of the 1930s and the tale could very well have been set in the present day. I also found most of the characters very superficially described with Atalanta less of an undercover detective and more adept at having constant repetitive interior monologues. She had many, many questions but didn’t so much as search for answers as have them fall in her lap. To be honest, it was a struggle and a relief to get to the end of this book. 2.5★
With thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter via Netgalley for a copy to read
I wanted to like this novel with its delightfully stylish cover, its beautiful location and excellent premise for a cosy mystery, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I really like historical mysteries that have a good sense of time and place. However, while the early scenes in Venice were a visual feast, the location of Santorini could have been better exploited as most of the action happens in the family’s castle/burg with no local colour. By the end it felt more like a family drama than a mystery. There also wasn’t much of a historical feel of the 1930s and the tale could very well have been set in the present day. I also found most of the characters very superficially described with Atalanta less of an undercover detective and more adept at having constant repetitive interior monologues. She had many, many questions but didn’t so much as search for answers as have them fall in her lap. To be honest, it was a struggle and a relief to get to the end of this book. 2.5★
With thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter via Netgalley for a copy to read
December 20, 2022
I do enjoy a cosy mystery, so when the author Vivian Conroy connected with me on Twitter and suggested I might enjoy her latest book, I decided to give it a read. Although this is the second book in the Miss Ashford Investigates series, I didn’t have a problem settling into the characters and the premise behind Miss Atalanta Ashford becoming a secret investigator. This book takes us on a murder mystery adventure starting in Venice and journeying to the beautiful island of Santorini. Whilst holidaying in Venice, Atalanta is approached by a mysterious grieving mother who wants to know the truth behind her daughter’s death in Santorini. Linking herself to Atalanta’s grandfather ensures Atalanta accepts the case. And so begins the challenge of uncovering the truth.
The island is full of charm and history; the home of the Bucardi family is filled with intriguing characters all of whom could have been responsible for the death of the girl. As Atalanta plays her cover role of companion to an aging aunt, can she and the dashing Raoul (a daring racing driver who obviously featured prominently in book one) discover who the murderer is before more tragedy strikes?
At first I thought the story was a little slow to get going, but once it did I was hooked. There are lots of potential suspects and in fact nearly everyone could have been guilty. I enjoyed solving the case along with Atalanta and I’m sure she’ll be back soon with another case in another destination. If you enjoy a cosy mystery and an arm chair travel, then this is a lovely book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for a review.
The island is full of charm and history; the home of the Bucardi family is filled with intriguing characters all of whom could have been responsible for the death of the girl. As Atalanta plays her cover role of companion to an aging aunt, can she and the dashing Raoul (a daring racing driver who obviously featured prominently in book one) discover who the murderer is before more tragedy strikes?
At first I thought the story was a little slow to get going, but once it did I was hooked. There are lots of potential suspects and in fact nearly everyone could have been guilty. I enjoyed solving the case along with Atalanta and I’m sure she’ll be back soon with another case in another destination. If you enjoy a cosy mystery and an arm chair travel, then this is a lovely book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for a review.
January 1, 2023
This is book #2 of a series following Atalanta Ashford, who has inherited her grandfather's wealth along with his role as a private detective/sleuth for hire. Due to this turn of events she has been able to give up her teaching job at a boarding school. When we meet her she has already solved her first murder in Provence, and is travelling in Italy on holiday. She is sightseeing in Venice when she's approached by a mysterious woman dressed in black with a veil - she wants to engage Atalanta to investigate the death of her daughter Leiticia in Santorini, where she was a companion to an elderly lady.
The initial descriptions around Venice really help build the visuals for the story, but once the action moves to Santorini there isn't the same lush level of detail. This was a real shame and a missed opportunity I felt, it meant the story could really have been located anywhere/anytime. There wasn't much of a feel of the 1930s in the majority of the story.
Atalanta arrives in Santorini to take up the companion post and also attempt to discover what happened to the previous companion. During her time at the castello she finds a tangled web of intrigue and tensions running high - when another murder happens she starts to feel that she may also be at risk.
The mystery is well constructed and there are plenty of twists, turns and false leads, Atalanta does however seem to spend a lot of time asking the same questions and going over the same ground without actually doing an awful lot to progress her investigations - but luckily the answers seemed to come to her without a lot of effort on her part.
The initial descriptions around Venice really help build the visuals for the story, but once the action moves to Santorini there isn't the same lush level of detail. This was a real shame and a missed opportunity I felt, it meant the story could really have been located anywhere/anytime. There wasn't much of a feel of the 1930s in the majority of the story.
Atalanta arrives in Santorini to take up the companion post and also attempt to discover what happened to the previous companion. During her time at the castello she finds a tangled web of intrigue and tensions running high - when another murder happens she starts to feel that she may also be at risk.
The mystery is well constructed and there are plenty of twists, turns and false leads, Atalanta does however seem to spend a lot of time asking the same questions and going over the same ground without actually doing an awful lot to progress her investigations - but luckily the answers seemed to come to her without a lot of effort on her part.
January 8, 2023
Last Seen in Santorini is my first encounter with Atalanta Ashford. She is an interesting sleuth who both jumps to conclusions and keeps an open mind.
Venice is well described and a great beginning to the story. Santorini remains less clear for the arm chair traveler as a place of stairs and cliffs. I’m not sure if the haziness of Santorini as a setting is due to a historical setting with landmarks that no longer exist or if there is another reason.
The pacing is rather slow, which felt odd since the timeline from start to finish once Atalanta arrives in Santorini is about a week. It seemed like the story should have moved more quickly.
The story was a pretty dramatic and gothic for a tale set in the 1930s. The Bucardi’s were a classic family for a gothic tale. I like the mystery but could see parts of it coming and was just waiting for them to play out.
I admit to skimming parts of the book because I was impatient for resolution. I may not be the best audience for drawn out historical dramatic mysteries.
It’s a good story. It may delight you and be just the right speed for your race….Raoul is a dashing sidekick.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.
Venice is well described and a great beginning to the story. Santorini remains less clear for the arm chair traveler as a place of stairs and cliffs. I’m not sure if the haziness of Santorini as a setting is due to a historical setting with landmarks that no longer exist or if there is another reason.
The pacing is rather slow, which felt odd since the timeline from start to finish once Atalanta arrives in Santorini is about a week. It seemed like the story should have moved more quickly.
The story was a pretty dramatic and gothic for a tale set in the 1930s. The Bucardi’s were a classic family for a gothic tale. I like the mystery but could see parts of it coming and was just waiting for them to play out.
I admit to skimming parts of the book because I was impatient for resolution. I may not be the best audience for drawn out historical dramatic mysteries.
It’s a good story. It may delight you and be just the right speed for your race….Raoul is a dashing sidekick.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.
December 31, 2022
Book 2 in the Miss Ashford Mysteries but my first read although that didn’t matter as the first chapter was virtually a précis of book 1 so this can easily be read as a stand-alone. Very descriptive the book takes you from the canals of Venice to the idyllic island of Santorini with its narrow steep streets and dangerous cliffs, in the 1930’s. I liked the idea of this protagonist, her background is brilliant and the storyline is good, but I think Atalanta needs to be a bit sharper.
Briefly, following the previous investigation Atalanta has decided to take a holiday in Venice only to be accosted by a woman who asks her to investigate her daughters death which she believes was murder. Curiosity winning out Atalanta takes a job as a companion with the Bucardi family. Not long after arriving a second woman working for the family dies. There is clearly something amiss!
It’s a good read, written from Atalanta’s POV, although I did find some of the repetition as she considered possible scenarios unnecessary. That said it was a fun cozy mystery, with a few surprises, and a perfect holiday read. I think this is a series that could be really good and I would read again.
Briefly, following the previous investigation Atalanta has decided to take a holiday in Venice only to be accosted by a woman who asks her to investigate her daughters death which she believes was murder. Curiosity winning out Atalanta takes a job as a companion with the Bucardi family. Not long after arriving a second woman working for the family dies. There is clearly something amiss!
It’s a good read, written from Atalanta’s POV, although I did find some of the repetition as she considered possible scenarios unnecessary. That said it was a fun cozy mystery, with a few surprises, and a perfect holiday read. I think this is a series that could be really good and I would read again.
January 5, 2023
Last Seen in Santorini is the second Miss Ashford Investigates series book. Drawn to the idyllic cover with blue, white and red splashes, this book did not disappoint! Vivian Conroy reels you with an exciting plot and beautiful descriptions etched with myths, superstitions and history. Atalanta Ashford is a great character, a cosy mystery sleuth slowly building her confidence and being highly observational, rational and empathetic. However, the numerous unanswered questions get repetitive, slightly hindering my reading experience. This resulted in the element of suspense being dragged on for far too long. The cosy mystery slowly evolves into a domestic drama with a memorable ending, and it is a delight when all the puzzle pieces come together. Even though this book is set in the 1930s, there's minimal reference to the time period. It can easily pass as a modern-day cosy mystery. If you're seeking a tropical getaway in your mind's eye, do not skip this one. It will be an excellent way to start the new year as this book releases on 6 January 2023.
Thank you to NetGalley & One More Chapter for giving me this e-ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.
Thank you to NetGalley & One More Chapter for giving me this e-ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.
January 6, 2023
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. Sailing to Santorini and going undercover as the new companion, Atalanta 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
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. A well written book with strong characters & lovely descriptions. There are of course red herrings plus twists & turns. The story is well plotted & I found myself engrossed & trying to work out who the villain was. I look forward to reading more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. A well written book with strong characters & lovely descriptions. There are of course red herrings plus twists & turns. The story is well plotted & I found myself engrossed & trying to work out who the villain was. I look forward to reading more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews