This was a good start to a new historical fiction/mystery series. This was my first time reading one of Emily Sullivan’s novels, and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. I found myself eager to keep reading.

I liked our FMC Minnie; I found her intelligent with a great, sarcastic sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed her daughter Cleo. Mr. Dorian has the potential to be a great leading man, we just need to see him a little more vulnerable. I felt like we only got to scratch the surface of a man that clearly has a lot of emotional baggage.

I am intrigued to see where this series goes next. I am definitely hoping for a little more romance going forward.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

This book was something unique. I really liked Emily Sullivan’s other books so I was excited to give this one a try as well. It’s an interesting historical mystery with lots of intrigue, a little romantic tension, and a determined FMC trying to move forward from a loss. The setting was cozy and interesting. My only complaint is that it was a bit predictable at times, but I very much enjoyed this read overall and was excited to find out what happened next.

This was a really well done novel. it had that mystery element that I was looking for and enjoyed figuring out what was going on. It had a great start to this series and was engaged with what was happening. I enjoyed the way the characters were written and going on this adventure with them. Emily Sullivan has a strong writing style for this type of book and am excited for more in this series.

new-series, first-in-series, historical-mystery, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, amateur-sleuth, island-life, widow, witty, typist, 1900s, Greece, family-dynamics, family, family-expectations, local-law-enforcement, small-town, local-gossip, British*****

An interesting historical cozy mystery set in the land of baklava and spanakopita
British expat Minnie Harper has two children and was suddenly widowed about four years ago. When younger she had gone to further her education despite the conservative expectations of her family, but then married for love to a man in the Foreign Service. British mystery author Stephen Dorian has become her neighbor and asks her to help him out by becoming his paid typist for a few hours a day. He presents as a rather insensitive toad with good investigative skills despite his inability to know Greek. Then came the day when she was out walking and came across the dead body of a local domestic wearing an expensive necklace which seemed to have been the instrument of her strangulation. Together Minnie and Dorian pursue the answers the local police don't feel necessary. Well done start to a new series!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
Avail Apr 29, 2025 #ADeathOnCorfu by Emily Sullivan #MinnieHarperBk1 #NetGalley #HistoricalCozy @KensingtonBooks #Mystery

Wow! Emily Sullivan you did such a wonderful job with writing this book. I loved it! It was beautifully written. Such a great story.

What a wonderful start to a new mystery series! I really enjoyed the first book in the new Minnie Harper historical mystery series. Minnie is a young widow living on the Greek island of Corfu who ends up working for a mystery writer named Stephen Dorian. They solve a murder and we learn about multiple other family situations and mysteries that hopefully will be addressed in future books. The characters are well written and were a pleasure to read about. The mystery was well written and it was lots of fun to watch them work through the mystery to find the unexpected killer. I look forward to reading more about Minnie, Stephen and her children. Stephen and Minnie make a great crime solving duo and I hope they will work together again soon!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

A Death on Corfu by Emily Sullivan is the first book in a new historical cozy mystery series. Looking forward to where this goes.

I like cozy mysteries and I like historical fiction…so it is nice to enjoy a book that blends the two together. There was a nice blend of a relaxing, getaway vibe, and the actual murder/mystery. A bit on the slower speed at times, but it is (I think) the first book, so a bit of character and location setting was needed. Definitely room for growth and potential.

It was also nice to have a diff location to be used, Corfu at the beginning of the 20th century. Looking forward to where this goes.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/29/25.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Minnie Harper moved to Greece with her husband and two children, after he retired from his job with the foreign service. Not long after, he dies unexpectedly, leaving her to raise her children alone. With her children growing up, she decides it’s time for the next stage of her life. When well-known mystery writer, Stephen Dorian, moves into the villa next door, she’s intrigued by the handsome author but quickly finds him to be a boorish grump. But when he offers her a job to be his typist, she can’t turn it down, even if it means working side by side next to a man she hates.

Before she has a chance to regret her choice, she discovers the death of a young maid. With the authorities dragging their feet to solve the case, Minnie takes it upon herself to investigate the young woman’s murder. As she searches for answers, she uncovers dangerous secrets that could change everything.

When I saw this on Netgalley, I immediately requested it. Who doesn’t love a historical mystery? For fans of Emily Sullivan, know going in that this isn’t a romance, and it seems Ms. Sullivan is branching out to other genres.

The story starts out at a sedate pace, much like life on an island, things move slowly and lulls you into a sense of security. The slow pace does go on for a bit longer than I wished for, but once Minnie finds the body of the dead young maid, Daphne, the pace begins to speed up. Not all as it seems, and when Minnie notices an expensive necklace on Daphne’s body, she begins to suspect her murderer is part of her social circles. The only person who takes her seriously is none other than Stephen. Together they begin to uncover the clues left behind by the murder.

Minnie was kind of bland as a character. The story is told entirely from her point of view, but we don’t really get glimpses of her personality. She feels quite distant and removed from the story, so it was hard to relate to her. Stephen is your typical brooding, grumpy historical hero. There was nothing about either character that made them truly stand out. It’s uncharacteristic of Ms. Sullivan as she often creates unique, relatable characters in her novels. I wasn’t able to make a connection with either character. Perhaps this could’ve been a result of the story being told through first POV. The murderer is fairly easy to guess. This could be in part because there aren’t many plausible suspects or red herrings.

In spite of that, I did enjoy the story. The ending was left a bit open ended, and I wonder if this will be part of a series. This novel will appeal to audiences interested in historical mystery novels.

I'm not usually a fan of historical mysteries, but this one did capture my interest and was fun to read.
The characters are a solid part of the story, which is well written and enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.