Aunt Maria’s Last Aria by Anna Nicholas
In her fourth exhilarating adventure, unorthodox and charismatic sleuth, Isabel Flores, investigates whether the grisly balcony fall of a famous local opera singer is a tragic suicide or, as she suspects, a case of murder.
Meanwhile, in her own mountain village of Sant Marti, elderly homeowners are dying in mysterious circumstances while a newly arrived estate agent is receiving anonymous death threats. With sinister forces at play and the clock ticking, Isabel, and pet ferret, Furó, once again join Chief of police, Tolo Cabot, in setting out to uncover the truth before more lives are lost.
About the author
ANNA NICHOLAS is of Celtic origin & has lived for 20 years in rural Mallorca. An inveterate traveller & experienced freelance journalist, she regularly participates in humanitarian aid expeditions overseas with British explorer Colonel John Blashford-Snell, CBE & is a Fellow of the RGS. She ran her own PR company in Mayfair, London, for 20 years, was a Guinness Book of Records adjudicator alongside the book’s founder, Norris McWhirter, CBE, and as a rookie press officer at charity Help the Aged, handled events for Princess Diana. She runs an international marathon annually for her favourite causes. Anna & friend, Alison, are currently scaling all of Mallorca’s 54 peaks over 1,000m. They hope to be the first women to have climbed them all by the end of 2024.
Review
‘Aunt Maria’s Last Aria’ is a fabulous read that combines crime with a feeling of community and love. The only other series I have read that manages to create this unique premise is Louise Penny’s Gamache and Three Pines. There is a magical quality that surrounds Isabel and Sant Marti that makes these books such comforting reads even as they delve into dark themes. I know that when I pick up these books I am guaranteed a brilliant and enjoyable time and it honestly does feel as if I am returning to friends and catching up on their lives as we linger over a prawn risotto and a good glass of wine! This is the fourth book in the series but these are easily read as standalone pieces and anything you need to know is provided by the author. I do recommend reading the whole series though as they are brilliant reads!
In this outing we see Isabel looking into the death of a local opera singer Tia Maria, who has fallen to her death from her bathroom balcony. It looks like a clear suicide to most but Bel believes there could be more to it than meets the eye. Also, there is something rotten in the heart of Sant Marti. When a South African property developer starts to buy up houses in the Soller Valley around the village it ruffles a few feathers and heightens family feuds.
Anna easily transports the reader to Mallorca with vivid prose, vibrant descriptions and characters that resonate off the page. It's clear that the author loves her home and that certainly shows in the love that Bel has for her island and the people and places on it. I feel a holiday to Mallorca is in my near future just so I can revel in the places that Bel goes to on her daily journeys. Hopefully, I will get to meet Furo! Oh did I forget to mention that Bel’s sidekick is a cute ferret?! Also, don't read this book if you are hungry as Anna peppers the pages with delicious-sounding food.
The mystery is intriguing from the get-go and really draws the reader in. Why would a world-famous opera singer, who is about to embark on a world tour throw herself off a balcony? And why has she hidden crushed fentanyl in her locket? It turns out Tia Maria isn't a well-liked woman but would someone hate her enough to kill her, plus how did they do it as the bathroom door was locked from the inside? This is where Anna excels as a writer as she manages to create characters that have shades of colour in them. We might not like them but we have empathy for them and their circumstances. She also doesn't shy away from topical issues that affect the island like the property development side of the mystery.
I devoured this book in one day and I don't think I looked up from the pages once. It drew me in and then didn't let go until the final page. The author has managed to create something special - a book that manages to balance the light with the dark. A book that is a joy to read. Characters that sparkle and crimes that chill. It's a magical combination and I can't wait to meet up with Bel again in the near future.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
