The story is set in Corfu in 1898. The combination of the location and the time were what drew me to the book. Imagining the almost 1900s on a Greek Island being dominated by Ex-pats was highly entertaining.

I almost forgot the time the story was set in sometimes, until someone mentions a donkey cart or other such random things. I do not know if that meant the author used any anachronistic expressions, but I enjoyed everything in the book nonetheless.

Somewhat like Gerald Durrell’s family, we have a widow and her two children living in Corfu and doing some small work or the other to sustain life there. Change is in the air, however. The first thing is a newcomer on the Island, a writer struggling with his books. Unfortunately for him, a murder occurs near his home and things start to change for everyone.

I would have rated this even higher if I had not guessed the culprit with some clues standing out more than others. Given the way things ended, there might be another story after the events of this one. I would love to read it if that is the case. I would highly recommend this to fans of the genre.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. It felt more like a cozy mystery and I enjoyed all the characters in the story. The protagonist at times felt a little naive but we have to consider the time period the story is placed in. While I was hoping for a "better" ending, the story still ended NOT open ended which is great. I hate when a story leaves the reader hanging and guessing to figure things out on their own. This mystery thought of everything and did leave the reader hanging until almost the end. I for one did not guess on "who done it."
I definitely recommend this book to everyone that enjoys cozy mysteries. 4 🌟

Minnie Harper is the widow of a British foreign service agent living on Corfu. That alone lets you know this is going to be an intriguing read. (Also, her son is absolutely hilarious). When she begins working for a mystery writer with a mysterious (read: scandalous) reputation, she soon finds herself involved in a real life murder mystery. I loved this read - the setting, the descriptions - especially of the food! The multiple layers of mystery playing out, and the ending ... oh the intrigue. What did Oliver do? What will Minnie do? Definitely a fun start to what promises to be a fabulous series.

This is my first read by Emily Sullivan and it was a great read. The story is well plotted and I really enjoyed the characters. I highly recommend!

A Death on Corfu is set among the expatriate British community on the island of Corfu in the late 1800's. The setting is wonderful; you can almost smell the scent of lemons and herbs. The mystery was mildly intriguing, and the characters were very likeable. Emily Sullivan sets us up for a follow-on mystery involving Minnie Harper. I look forward to reading it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Minnie Harper is a young English widow with two children living in Corfu at the end of the 19th century. Her husband mysteriously demanded in his dying breath that she not take their children back to England, and Minnie has some issues with her family anyway, so she has stayed in Corfu -- and rather at loose ends -- for years. Both emotionally and financially, things are getting difficult.

She meets an intriguingly shocking divorced man who writes mystery novels and takes a job with him as a typist with a little bit of editing thrown in. This new job seems to provide a solution for both her straitened means and her growing dissatisfaction with her life...until an actual corpse shows up. Soon she is tangled up with her handsome employer in amateur sleuthing. Cn they find the culprit before Minnie's reputation, peace of mind, and even her life are threatened?

This is a pleasant novel with just the right amount of romance and a well-planned puzzle of a murder mystery. The characters are likable and intriguing and I hope to learn more about them in future installments.

However, as a historical novel in an exotic clime, this book is a little disappointing. It doesn't really give a picture of the place or time. Still a fun read!

We love to see widowed British woman solving a crime with a handsome man, and A Death In Corfu delivers on all counts! Minnie is a widowed mother of two living on Corfu in the late 1800s. Mr. Dorian is a mystery writer, visiting Corfu to finish his latest book. When a maid is murdered, the two join forces to solve the mystery. Minnie and Dorian had great chemistry, and the book ended on quite the cliffhanger, so I hope there will be a sequel in the near future!

A Death on Corfu is #1 in a new cozy-type mystery series featuring amateur detective Minnie Harper. Minnie is widowed and living with her children on Corfu, after her husband's untimely death. The time period is early 1900s. Minnie takes a job as a secretary to a well-known English mystery writer, Stephen Dorian.

Almost immediately Minnie stumbles across the body of a young maid who works for a local family. The police are quick to bury the victim and show little interest in solving the crime, so Minnie and her detective-writing employer decide to take the case on.

This is a promising beginning for a new series. Minnie is likeable, and she has enough life complications to make her interesting. I picked this book for the colorful cover and because, as a travel buff, I liked the title. There is actually not a lot of information on Corfu, or colorful nuggets about the place, but I did like reading about the expats interactions who lived there.

For those who love historical mysteries with not much violence or gore, this might be a good pick. I enjoyed reading it and will watch for the second in the series. Sidenote, I understand the author has written romance novels, and although there is a romance simmering, this is very much a mystery story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Sullivan, and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Death on Corfu is my first Emily Sullivan’s novel and it certainly won’t be my last. I loved her writing and the setting is beautiful and atmospheric. The characters are well-developed and the story kept me completely engrossed.

It’s the turn of the new century, 1898, and the English expats on Corfu are a closed community. The protagonist, Minnie Harper, has been widowed for four years and she’s been raising on her own her two children, fifteen-year-old Cleo, who loves to read and sometimes seems already a grown-up, and eight-year-old Tommy, who loves to collect any kind of animals. Although her husband has left her a little money to live on, their house is in constant need of repairs so she’s accepted a few jobs as a typist, including for her new neighbour, arrogant bestselling mystery author Stephen Dorian. Minnie and Stephen don’t exactly hit it off, but when a maid is found murdered, they decide to investigate together to find the killer.

I really liked the character of Minnie and how she develops throughout the novel. Even though she stood up to her family when she was younger to get an education, she then always relayed to her husband, even promising him to stay in Corfu and never return to England. And even as she now struggles with her own daughter’s desire for an education in England, we see her coming to her own and fighting to find justice for a young woman who no one seems to really care about. I also liked the chemistry between her and Stephen and I am really hoping for a second book to explore it more.

Death on Corfu is a wonderful read: there is mystery, intrigue, lots of historical details, and compelling characters. And while I am keeping my fingers crossed for a follow-up, I am going to get started on the author’s Regency novels!

Great New Historical Cozy Mystery Series

A Death in Corfu is a great historical cozy mystery. Author Emily Sullivan has recreated a world in a small village on the Greek Island of Corfu in the late eighteen hundred. The details paint a picturesque local that will have the reader packing for a trip there themselves. The book begins as a romance when a widowed mother takes a job as a typist for a scandalous mystery writer who has traveled to the island to finish his latest novel. Despite his physical charms, she finds his personality wanting and the two barely get along at first. But when Minnie finds the body of a young servant and the police do not seem to be making any effort to solve the case, Minnie and the writer start chasing clues themselves. The author does provide a few red herrings and the mystery makes an enjoyable diversion. Like many cozy mystery series, the slow burn romance takes a back seat, and I can't wait to read the next novel to see what happens.

I read an electronic advanced review copy provided by Kensington Books, however I can honestly recommend this new series to any historical cozy mystery fan.

I know I need a new installment in this series as I thoroughly enjoyed this instalment: well plotted, solid, entertaining.
I loved the characters and liked the storytelling.
Corfu is a magic setting and I wish I could travel there soon
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a solid 5 stars for me! I love mysteries set in days before cell phones and computers and the sleuths have to use old school methods. This is a solid first entry in a new series and featured an exotic locale and a strong female lead character. I didn't solve the mystery until the author did the reveal. Fans of the Jan Wunderly Series would enjoy this title. I can't wait for the second book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for review.

A well-plotted and charming cozy-style mystery.

I enjoyed the tone and premise of this one, and the mystery itself is well-structured and satisfying.

I tend to prefer this style of mystery when it’s heavy on atmosphere and sense of place, and this one unfortunately misses the mark on those components. I was excited to see Corfu as the setting, having greatly enjoyed visiting there, but I didn’t get much specific to the island at all here.

Essentially, from the descriptive information we get, this could have been anywhere in Greece that has a coastline, or really anywhere on the Mediterranean. When exactly this is taking place is also a bit of a mystery, which furthers the fuzziness of it in terms of properly rendering setting.

I enjoyed the mystery itself enough to read another should the series continue, but I’d like to see a lot more attention paid to atmospheric detail.

Emily Sullivan presents Minnie Harper living on Corfu with her children and her husband's graveyard in the neighbourhood in 1898. She is typing the mystery manuscript for Stephen Dorion when she falls over the corpse of a maid from the nearby household. A Death on Corfu looks at the intimate village Greek life and the widow who is emerging from grieving for her husband to a new life. Cozy with local Greek accents.

I saved this book to read on my trip to Greece, knowing the setting would enhance the experience—and it did not disappoint. From the very first page, I was hooked. The story opens with a nod to Gerald Durrell and his whimsical accounts of life on Corfu, and that, combined with the evocative Greek setting, made it irresistible.

“A Death On Corfu” isn’t a nail-biter, but it’s definitely a page-turner. The plot flows at a comfortable pace, and the quirky, endearing characters make it an easy and enjoyable read. I especially appreciated how the atmosphere and charm of Greece were woven into every chapter.

I'm already waiting—rather impatiently—for the second book in the series. How will the dramatic opening line play out: “I have been often asked how I first met the great Stephen Dorian.” What’s next for Mimi? The prose is crisp and quietly layered, enough to make me wonder whether Dorian is a casual name choice or an allusion to “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?

One question -- WHEN does the next book in this series arrive?!! I can't leave it like this! I must read this reunion of Minnie & Stephen and Minnie and her dead husband Oliver's Family/Her Own Family. Juicy stuff awaits! I'm on pins and needles!

This was a charming who-dun-it team up/mid-life sweet second chance romance set on the Greek isle of Corfu. Widowed mother of two Minnie Harper takes a job as a typist to help her rakish author neighbor Stephen Dorian complete his latest mystery novel. When the maid of another neighbor is found murdered, Mrs. Harper & Mr. Dorian find themselves investigating when the police fail to do a thorough job. They are both recovering from broken hearts and their friendship is sweet to watch develop.

By the end you'll be exclaiming - "What? That's the end?!" and crying for the next book like me - because this one ends on a big question mark! They've got the mystery of Oliver's escapades to unravel now! I think I might be more of a fan of Sullivan's historical mystery-romances than her historical romances!

I mostly listened to the audiobook and have to say that the narrator is my favorite voice actor - she blends the characters voices so seamlessly that you feel like you're watching a movie in your head. Highly recommend.

Ooh my I loved this book. I was immediately transported by the description of the island of Corfu and can understand why the MC does not want to leave the island (though some surprises are in store regarding that). The characters were charming and fascinating and worked so well together. Seeing how Mimi took care of her kids and supported whatever they wanted and needed warmed my heart. And then her venture into first typing for and then sleuthing with her new neighbor (despite his surly demeanor and the salacious gossip surrounding him) was fascinating. I fell for both of them and their banter was perfect. There was a surprising amount of spark and longing in this book, even against the mysterious and dangerous landscape. I was SHOCKED by the twists and turns and the many bombshells at the ending had my jaw dropped. The writing had the perfect balance and I already cannot wait for more.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Emily Sullivan for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Death on Corfu coming out April 29, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a fun start to the series. I really love faraway settings and islands! So that really added to the story for me. Cozy mysteries are really fun and I really enjoyed the characters. I loved the mystery author plot. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

(4.75 stars)

Thank you to Kensington Books for the free ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

A Death on Corfu is a historical, romantic cozy mystery set on the Greek island of - you guessed it, Corfu! - in 1898. It follows Minnie Harper, a British widow and mother of two who promised her late husband that she would stay in Corfu to raise their family. As the book begins, a mysterious writer named Mr. Dorian has moved into a home nearby, piquing Minnie's curiosity.

I enjoyed how Minnie and Mr. Dorian's initial interactions had a very Pride & Prejudice vibe. And later in the book there was a direct reference, which was fun! Despite getting off to a somewhat rough start Minnie ends up working for Mr. Dorian, typing up the handwritten manuscript of the next book in his series of mystery books. After the titular death occurs, Minnie and Mr. Dorian join forces to investigate when they notice the local police force's lackluster efforts. I'll leave my synopsis there to avoid spoilers!

As a cozy mystery, historical fiction, and romance reader, this book was right up my alley. The setting was charming, the plot was interesting, and I loved the simmering romantic tension between Minnie and Mr. Dorian. I also found the ending interesting and satisfying, leaving off with just enough of a cliffhanger to remind the reader that this is the first book in a new series. I also enjoyed how Minnie and Mr. Dorian's discussions about the structure of a mystery novel were a bit meta. It felt like a little wink from the author.

If you enjoy the genres I listed and the plot interests you, I highly recommend picking this one up! It came out last week, on April 29, so it's available now.

I'm not usually a big fan of historical mysteries, but the setting of Corfu caught my attention. I’m glad I read it. This was quite the enjoyable read. I love the setting the characters and the mystery. I would definitely read another book from this author in the future.