Set for the most part on a South American cruise sailing South from Buenos Aires, Last Passage to Santiago centres on Stephie and Ben Ranier, a young married couple feeling somewhat out of place amidst their generally much older travelling companions; although Ben has already made prior plans to avoid any possible tedium by ensconcing his young mistress Ann aboard the cruise ship. The story opens however as the travellers are about to make the return flight home from Santiago following the cruise, whereupon Stephie is kidnapped; the story then takes us back to Buenos Aires some days prior to embarkation for the cruise and to all that leads up to the kidnapping.

We get to meet some of their unusual fellow passengers as well as learn more of Ben and Stephie and their background. Ben it appears has been unfaithful in the past, and seems intent on continuing his philandering. Stephie works for a highly secret US National Security Agency, and even during this voyage she remains in contact with her boss. Is her kidnapping related to her work or is it some hair brain scheme of her husband's to get her out of the way? And what will come of the new interests she discovers on the voyage, assuming she survives her ordeal?

While the underlying theme of the book builds up to the kidnapping, it seems to play a relatively minor part for much of the story; yes there are secrets and mysterious happenings, but for the major part of the story could be better described as a travelogue. We are given guided tours of a number of the sites included in their itinerary, and many interesting facts and even figures relating to these; penguins too feature quite prominently along with an enthusiastic and handsome young exponent on the subject.

Last Passage to Santiago is perhaps a better travel guide than mystery, more a leisurely read than an edge of the seat thriller; for me it was at its best when offering detailed descriptions and providing historical facts about the various places visited by the cruise. ( )