Last Seen in Santorini by Vivian Conroy

Title: Last Seen in Santorini (Miss Ashford Investigates #2)

Author: Vivian Conroy

Published on: 6 January 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Last Seen in Santorini is the second book in Vivian Conroy’s Miss Ashford Investigates.

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.

Atalanta goes undercover as a new companion to discover the real reason behind the young girl’s death. But when she reaches the island, she discovers her client hasn’t been truthful to her. Someone’s watching her… she’s also warned many times that her predecessor died an untimely death.

First things first, I was so excited to receive an ARC from One More Chapter. I mean, it’s Viv!! Our very own darling Viv who writes fantabulous mysteries. How can I say no, tell me??

This is the second book in Miss Ashford Investigates. We have a glimpse of Atalanta’s previous sleuthing adventures and deets of how she came to become a private investigator. She was working as french teacher at a private school until her grandfather passed away.

His death had left her with a fortune, houses in various places, cars and stocks, more money than she could ever spend. And a rare vocation: to follow in his footsteps and do his life’s work: sleuth discreetly in the highest circles.

Atalanta (I love the name!!) is holidaying in Venice when she feels someone’s watching her. She thought she saw Raoul – a famous race car driver whom she met on her previous sleuthing adventure in France. He had helped her with the investigations and Atalanta was a tad attracted to him…

Turns out, it is Raoul and he warns her saying there’s someone following her. A veiled lady. Soon, Atalanta meets the veiled lady – and is asked to investigate the death of her daughter in Santorini. Atalanta goes undercover. Raoul tells her he would follow her so that she doesn’t have to venture into troubled waters alone.

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.

What are you waiting for? Go on, chop chop. Read Last Seen in Santorini by Vivian Conroy today!

I received an ARC from One More Chapter and NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.