A Death on Corfu

My first time reading Emily Sullivan was last fall with Duchess Material. I loved that series opener, so I was excited to read another book—also the first in a new series!—A Death on Corfu. Set on the Greek island of Corfu in 1898, it opens with Minnie Harper, the widowed mother of two. Despite her initial dislike of newcomer Stephen Dorian, a popular mystery author, she accepts his request for her to type up his latest manuscript. She could use the money, after all. But when a local servant girl is found murdered, and the police do virtually no actual investigation, Minnie and Stephen team up to solve the crime themselves.

What I Liked:

• Mystery with a dash of romance! My previous Emily Sullivan read was a historical romance with a dash of mystery; it ended with mention of a honeymoon on Corfu. So it was fun to read a book set on the same island, this time more mystery but with a clear romantic relationship starting to take form. Stephen Dorian is divorced and has a murky reputation; Minnie Harper lost her husband four years ago but remains a loving mother to her daughter and son. They might not get along at first, but there’s nothing like investigating murder together to make the heart grow fonder!
• Minnie’s kids. Ever since becoming a mom myself last year, I’ve been more zeroed in on books showcasing motherhood, especially to young children. Minnie is a single mom, and I loved her dynamic with her daughter Cleo and younger son Tommy. They add new dimension to her goals and actions throughout the book.
• He’s a mystery author! I loved that Stephen is a popular author of mystery novels. Even beyond his profession, he has an air of mystery around him, and he leans into that reclusive, grumpy writer characterization. This also makes him well suited to investigating murder in real life, too, as it turns out.
• Greece and Greek culture. The main characters are expats from England, but I enjoyed getting to know other Greek characters. Especially when Minnie and Stephen go on a day trip together, readers get a subtle sense of Greece in the late 19th century.

Audiobook:

Siobhan Waring does a superb job of narrating A Death on Corfu. It’s all from Minnie’s perspective, and her personality comes out in full force. I also enjoyed the Greek accents given to certain characters; it makes for a more immersive listen.

Final Thoughts

A Death on Corfu is an engaging historical mystery about family ties, English and Greek culture, and the rather meta aspect of a mystery author investigating murder. I loved following Minnie and Stephen around Corfu and the way the mystery unfolded. I also can’t wait to see what happens next (both with more crime solving and the romantic relationship) in future novels in the Minnie Harper Mystery series. Emily Sullivan is a writer I’m excited to read more of!

Special thanks to Kensington, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy A Death on Corfu here – it’s available as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

A Death on Corfu by Emily Sullivan
Series	Minnie Harper Mystery (#1)
Audiobook Narrator	Siobhan Waring
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Mystery; Historical Romance
Setting	Greece
Number of Pages	288
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	April 29, 2025
Publisher	Kensington

Official Summary

Living in Greece at the turn of the twentieth century, widow Minnie Harper struggles to find her place in a swiftly changing world. But when a local woman is murdered, her resolve is put to the test in a race to shed light on the truth . . .

The first in a new series for readers of Tasha Alexander, Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, and Rhys Bowen.

Minnie Harper isn’t used to putting herself first. Not after she moved away from England only to be left raising two children alone on the Greek Island of Corfu following her husband’s unexpected death. But with her daughter begging to be sent to school abroad and her son grasping at his own independence, Minnie realizes she must prepare for the next stage of her life.

When famous mystery author Stephen Dorian settles into a neighboring villa to escape writer’s block and hidden scandals, she is intrigued at first by the handsome Londoner—until he proves to be nothing more than a boorish grump. Determined to avoid the man as much as possible, Minnie is shocked when he offers her a well-paid job as his typist. She isn’t in a position to turn down work, even from a man she has sworn to hate.

But before Minnie can fully regret her decision to take the job, she makes a horrifying discovery that changes everything. A young maid has been murdered, and local authorities aren’t moving fast enough to bring justice to the terrible crime. Unwilling to allow the death to fade into obscurity like the stories of so many other women deemed unworthy by society, Minnie launches an investigation of her own—and reluctantly accepts Stephen’s help. As she embarks on a dangerous search for answers that reveals another side of Corfu, unsettling questions take shape about her employer-turned-confidant and the culprit who just might do whatever it takes to strike again . . .