This book is a thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s a murder mystery set during World War II, featuring three main characters who appear to be at odds with each other but ultimately work together to solve the mystery. The book is engaging and keeps you guessing until the very end, leading you on a merry chase to uncover the murderer. I had my suspicions, but it wasn’t until the final revelations that I was certain of the truth. I’m eagerly looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series.

Thank you, Netgalley.

I really enjoyed the first in this new cozy/historical mystery series, focusing on two apparently mismatched undercover detectives, Jane and Arthur. I already have the second installment in the series to read for the near future!

I liked the writing style of this book, which reminded me a bit of the Maggie Hope series by Susan Elia MacNeal. I do love anything from the WWII period! I also chuckled out loud several times while reading as well — always appreciated!

Thanks so much for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

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Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The Secret Detective Agency“ by Helena Dixon. This series is set in Britain during WWII and features Miss Jane Trent, who works in Whitehall places agents in occupied France. She is forced to work with Arthur Cilento, who is a codebreaker, which is a pretty interesting career. A dead body shows up in the lake and it is a race to figure out “who done it”.
This was a delightful start to the cozy mystery series. Arthur and Jane are both engaging characters. I look forward to their growth and interactions. Looking forward to Book Two! Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheSecretDetectiveAgency #HelenaDixon #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInASmallTown #BooksSetDuringWWII #CozyMystery

BOOK: THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY
AUTHOR: HELENA DIXON
PUB DATE: MARCH 2025
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REVIEW- 2.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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THINGS I LIKED
1. Both MCs were okay, they were both hardworkers
2. I liked the setting and insertion of WWI
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THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
1. The mystery/suspense was long and lackluster for me.
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I didn't really like this book. But, I was still able to finish it

London, 1941: Ultra-efficient, chain-smoking Miss Jane Treen is put out: another one of her agents has gone missing only to be discovered dead, floating in a pond near the home of a top-secret government code breaker, Arthur Cilento. Arthur had rented the house out to the agent until recently, when he returned for health reasons - he has bad asthma. When Jane shows up on his door step on orders to find out who killed the agent, he’s a bit dismayed as smoking and asthma don’t mix. There’s a lot of questions for Jane and Arthur to answer starting with why the agent had returned the area?
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I loved how one clue led to another almost like a treasure hunt and how there were a number of people who might be able to answer a question, but they were agents, out of the country on another mission and thus out of contact. Benson, Arthur’s long serving butler / manservant / valet, was a great character and could have been the cousin of Jeeves or Bunter. The parts I didn’t like was the constant repetition of Jane lighting a cigarette and where she was blowing the smoke this time and how fast she was walking. I got the author was making a point of how she was becoming more aware of Arthur and his health issues, but it didn’t need to be mentioned every other page. At some point, it feels like the author was just padding the story.
Recommended. It sounds like this is the first of a series, and I look forward to reading the next book. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.Com which I voluntarily reviewed.

This cosy mystery is set in the early 1940s in London and Devon and has an espionage twist. Miss Jane Treen, a chain-smoking coffee addict with an adored ginger cat, coordinates a team of individuals furthering the Allied war effort. Whilst undeniably clever, she lacks empathy. A mystery woman with a connection to Jane's team is found dead at the home of a code breaker, Arthur Cliento. He has chronic asthma and contributes to the war effort through his cerebral skills. Despite their strained relationship and Jane's lack of insight, they have to work together to find the leak in their network, and the possibilities are endless. I like the complex protagonists, who, despite their personality differences, complement each other in the investigation. Benson, the butler, is also key in this story in smoothing over Arthur and Jane's differences and anticipating their every need. The many suspects are well characterised, and the plot has twisty and increasing intensity as it progresses. It was an engaging read and a good start to the new series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, this compelling mystery follows Jane Treen and Arthur Cilentro as they attempt to uncover the truth behind the murder of a War Office agent, found dead in Arthur’s own home. Bound by the constraints of the Official Secrets Act, the duo navigates a web of intrigue, where every friend and acquaintance becomes a suspect, and the body count continues to rise.

Blending moments of humor with edge-of-your-seat suspense, the story unfolds masterfully, culminating in a gripping and unexpected conclusion. Though I had suspicions about certain aspects of the mystery, the final revelation still surprised me. The audiobook narration adds an extra layer of charm, enhancing the tension and the lighter moments.

A fantastic introduction to this new cosy crime series—I can’t wait to see what’s next for the newly formed Secret Detective Agency!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Treen is efficient, cool and collected. She is a sleuth for the government working behind the scenes, very unobtrusive. When an urgent call summons her to Devon as one of her agents are found murdered, she has to coordinate efforts to find a traitor who can cause mayhem to a network. Her co conspirator Arthur Cilento, recently returned not in the best of health finds Ms Treens ways overwhelming and slightly intimidating. The two have to work together because the deaths keep mounting and it is apparent that the leak is well within their inner circle.

For a few chapters it was slow going and repetitive. Jane’s penchant to smoke indifferent to Arthur’s difficulty with smoke became boring but the book quickened its pace midway to become intriguing as the murders mounted and the investigators tried to keep pace, and prevent more deaths.

Detective genre and espionage the book may be, but it did have a lot to offer history fans.

The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon is a charming and suspenseful mystery set in 1940s London, filled with delightful characters and an intriguing case to solve. The story introduces Miss Jane Treen, a sharp-witted, coffee-loving cat enthusiast with a knack for solving crimes. When she’s called to the sleepy Devon village to investigate the mysterious death of a woman found in a lake, Jane’s investigation leads her to uncover dark secrets, hidden clues, and a list of suspicious townsfolk.

What sets this book apart is its unique and endearing main characters. Jane, with her no-nonsense attitude and sharp observational skills, makes for a refreshing protagonist, while Arthur Cilento, a shy and somewhat reluctant code-breaker, provides the perfect foil. Together, they form an unlikely yet compelling duo, and their growing partnership brings both humor and tension to the story. Their dynamic—combined with Jane’s fluffy ginger cat Marmaduke—adds warmth and charm to an otherwise tense investigation.

Dixon’s writing evokes a wonderful sense of time and place, bringing 1940s England to life. The small Devon village, with its colorful cast of characters, is an atmospheric setting that perfectly complements the mystery. As Jane and Arthur dig deeper into the case, the suspense steadily rises, with coded diaries, hidden clues, and potential danger lurking at every turn.

The Secret Detective Agency is a delightful blend of cozy mystery, historical intrigue, and witty banter. Fans of Agatha Christie and classic detective tales will enjoy this light-hearted yet gripping read. With its lovable characters, engaging plot, and twisty mystery, this is an excellent start to what promises to be a fun and captivating series.

Favorite Quotes:

Golly, it’s brass monkeys out there this morning,

Jane was perched on the edge of a seat next to a garrulous elderly woman who appeared to mistakenly believe that Jane would be interested in the state of her bunions.

My Review:

I became a Helena Dixon fan the first time I picked up one of her cozy mysteries, and each subsequent book of hers that I have read has only further cemented my adoration of her wry sense of humor, descriptive scenes, and smooth writing style. The mysteries found within are always full of unique twists and confounding clues, and I can rarely solve them myself as everyone seems a bit suspect.

The main female character of this new series is Jane. Jane is tenacious, very British, smart, not always likable, rather obnoxious at times, self-involved, and passive-aggressive. I am more drawn to Arthur as I sympathize with him putting up with Jane’s pushiness, but my favorite character is the ever-prepared and humble manservant, Benson. His pockets are like Mary Poppins’s bag. He reminds me of Verity Bright’s character of Clifford, whom I adore. I’m looking forward to more of their adventures and hoping Jane goes easier on Arthur in future installments.

This is a historical mystery set during WWII about a young lady who is working for the war office under a brigadier and is upset because several of her agents have died and she thinks it has to do with another operation called Operation Exodus.

When another one is murdered she is sent to the small village where it happened to work with Arthur who has asthma and isn't able to being in the military but is used in other ways as he can solve puzzles and is a bit of a codebreaker. Together along with Arthur's man servant Benson they try and figure out what happened and who has betrayed her team. Some are missing because of bombings while others might be hiding.

I really enjoyed this book though there were some things I found annoying. One of them being the main character. She just seemed to think she was a bit better than Arthur and it's probably a bit because he has a sickness that keeps him from doing a lot of things, but in many ways I thought he was smarter than her. She smoked like a chimney and in front of Arthur who has asthma! I thought that was very rude, I didn't care that she smoked this is a book set in the 40s but to do so in front of someone who has problems breathing was annoying.

The mystery I thought was done really well, although I figured out who done it, I did have to go back and forth on who I thought it was, then one of my suspects got eliminated and I had to reevaluate so I liked that.

All in all though it was a fun historical mystery and I think the three will be a fun team.

4 stars

Spies. Secret codes. A fluffy ginger cat. An unlikely duo. I couldn’t wait to get started!

Since this was the first book in a new series, there was a bit of a slow start to the book while things got set up, which is to be expected. But the action really picked up halfway through the book and things didn’t slow down until the very end.

I really like the premise – mixing in a spy network and secret code-breaking work with the usual village murder mystery. It really made for an interesting story. The mystery was well written and I particularly enjoyed immersing myself in the timeline. It was interesting to see how the second world war affected life in a small English Village (rather than a big city like London, where most war-time mysteries are set). The details and descriptions really created a vivid setting.

As for the characters… Jane took a bit to warm up to (I’m still not a fan of her inconsiderate chain smoking) but she is as feisty as they come and I like how she handles herself. I just hope that some of her more annoying characteristics will be toned down.

I do adore Arthur (and his butler Benson). I feel a bit sorry for Arthur – his life has been completely turned upside down. When I started the story I thought it would be a Jane-Arthur partnership, but I definitely think Benson is going to play a big part in the mystery solving in the future and I love that idea.

There is a lot to like about this new detective agency and I can’t wait to read more of their adventures!

*** Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture and Books on Tour, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review during the blog tour.

I'm in my cosy mystery era st the moment and can't get enough of them!

Dixon is a new-to-me author and what better way to become acquainted with her writing style...The Detective Agency is the first in a promising new series featuring Jane Treen and her trusty sidek̶i̶c̶k̶ cat, Marmaduke.

The Detective Agency is based in Whitehall, London. The year is 1941 and WWII is raging. The author has clearly researched the time period, with her vivid descriptions of scenes, I was easily able to visualise them coming alive from the pages.

Treen was an easy to invest in character and I can't wait to catch up with her again.

An enjoyable and entertaining mystery.

Cosy crime has a ring to it doesn’t it. It makes it seem gentle and friendly but I think this ‘genre’ can, at times, be undervalued. I love a good mystery. I love a good puzzle and the latest thirst for this type of mystery, both in the printed novel and on our televisions, I believe, is an antidote to the all too real horrors that seem to be part of a very sad reality we are now living with. Books are important. They help us escape as well as to keep us informed. Now, if it is pure escapism with a dash of the villain getting their comeuppance, then The Secret Detective Agency, may just be a good fit.

The first in what I hope will be an intriguing series, The Secret Detective Agency, sees Miss Jane Treen and Arthur Cilento thrown together to investigate when a woman’s body is discovered in suspicious circumstances on Arthur’s country estate. The dead woman is know to Jane and the top-secret agency that she works for in the early dark days of the Second World War. Espionage and homicide often go hand in hand and it is imperative that they find the culprit before more agents are lost. Could there be a leak in the agency? Someone who is working with the enemy to target their spies, or is the killer even closer to home? These are dangerous times and everyone is under suspicion as things become deadly for Jane and Arthur as they come closer to the truth of why this woman had to die.

I did take a little while for me to warm to Jane in some ways. Her constant cigarette lighting was a little irritating but I could see the tension that it added to the relationship between her and Arthur. I hope that won’t need to continue too much in the next book. She did highlight the often important and dangerous jobs that women often held during the War and the difficulty they had with those who were less enthusiastic about women taking on more senior roles in a very male dominated world. By the end of the book I liked both her and Arthur very much and look forward to reading the next in the series, The Seaside Murders, which is due to be published at the end of April.

Now, I love Helena Dixon's Miss Kitty Underhay mysteries and I was both intrigued and a little apprehensive when this series was announced, but I needn't have worried! As with all of Helena Dixon's books, this was a well researched and well written historical cozy mystery that was entertaining from beginning to end.

A woman ends up dead in a lake behind Albert Cilento's house. She seems familiar to him and he has a sinking suspicion that it might have something to do with the secret work he has done in the past for the government. That suspicion turns out to be correct when Miss Jane Treen turns up and forces him, much to his annoyance, to help solve the case. They're thrown into a dangerous world of espionage while dealing with the realities of world war two going on around them.

Miss Jane Treen is a sharp minded, no nonsense sleuth with a coffee and cigarette addiction. Her only soft side comes out when she's with her cat, Marmaduke. Albert Cilento is the perfect foil for her. He's an introverted mathematician with asthma who much prefers his own company. Together they make a good team even if they don't believe it themselves most of the time!

I was curious about the setting of world war two. I was like, how are you going to have a mystery when there is a war raging in the background? But it ended up adding a lot of tension and peril to the story.

The beginning of the story starts off a little slowly, getting to know our sleuths and suspects before ramping up to an exciting and action packed ending.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jane and Arthur's first outing together and look forward to reading what they get up to next!

Really enjoyed this book and really hope there are more in the pipeline.

It's 1941 and London is at war, Jane Treen is in her office in Whitehall when she receives a telephne call about a dead body which is found in the grounds on the estate of Arthur Cilentro who is a code breaker of some repute, both of these people who work for top secret government departments will have to unite to find out what is happening to agents from a previous mission.

Engaging, evocative, with good humour and great characters, highly recommended

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Secret Detective Agency' by Helena Dixon.

This book was very well written and as always the fact that Helena has done her research is clearly evidenced in the storyline so a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Helena!!! There is not much worse than an author who has not researched much or at all about his chosen topic which means the book is unnecessarily littered with mistakes which can ruin a storyline!! However, Helena has completely avoided this by doing her research on the era she has set this amazing series in. This is the first book in Helena's new 'The Secret Detective Agency' and what an absolutely fantastic introduction to this new series it is!! I have read several of Helena's 'A Miss Underhay Mystery' series which I absolutely loved and would also highly recommend!

I am going to start my review a bit different to how I normally start them. Do you know when you found an author and that author has written a series that you absolutely LOVE with everything you have, from the characters, the locations to the storylines. And you know when that author then ends, yep ends, that series and starts a new series. Your heart freezes, you worry, I mean what are you going to do without your beloved characters and your home away from home? Well, ladies and gentleman! Helena Dixon did EXACTLY that. I was bewitched, in love, addicted (you get the idea) to her absolutely stunning 'A Miss Underhay Mystery series', if you haven't read those then WHY haven't you read them? Call yourself a cosy crime fan and yet you have never met Kitty? Tut, tut!! Anyway, one of my favourite authors then decides to take Kitty Underhay away from me and then starts a new series called 'the Secret Detective Agency', of which this is the first book. Well, I tell myself that's great!! I cannot wait to get into it! However, how the heck am I going to love it as much as Miss Underhay and her gang plus her mysteries and I could go on. Well, there is no chance is there? Well I said I would read it, I am sure I will love it but what I withheld is that I was dubious to how I could love Miss Jane Treen and the rest as much as I loved Kitty, Matt and the rest. Well, well, well let me ask you, yes you Helena, what sort of magic have you got going brewing? How did you do it?? How on Earth HAVE YOU created a second series JUST as amazing as 'A Miss Underhay' with characters that I have already fallen for? I am just pleased to say that the second book in this series which is called 'The Seaside Murders' is available to preorder now and will be published on the 30th April!! I mean as you could, possibly, maybe be able to tell I absolutely love, Love, LOVE this fantastic must read cosy crime book and explosive start to another guaranteed epic series, the characters, the storyline and just absolutely everything about the fantastic 'The Secret Detective Agency'!! Congratulations Helena on yet ANOTHER absolute fantastic masterpiece!!! It does not matter what I am reading when Helena drops a book I drop everything to read it! Sod reading the synopsis when I know I will absolutely LOVE it!! If you are looking for an addictive new series to sink your teeth into with a storyline filled with crime, mystery, gorgeous settings, history and so, SO much more stuff wasting your time reading what I have written when you can be reading so much better in this series and book!! Once you have finished this absolute gorgeous book, fallen in love with Helena Dixon and this series you are in luck as if you LOVED this book then head over to her 'A Miss Underhay Mystery' series where you will meet another group of amazing characters and more stunning settings while you are waiting for the next book in this series to be published!

This book an fantastic and addictive introduction to what absolutely promises to be another amazing, addictive and EPIC new series! However, I cannot say I am surprised as I have absolutely loved each book I have read by this amazing author. I do not even bother reading the synopsis of Helena's books before I start reading as I know I will love it whatever the back says!! I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the stunning settings, the storyline and just absolutely everything about this book when I started reading it and I am just so glad as I know this series is going to be just like her Kitty Underhay series, a much loved series that when I am transported to it I will not want to leave!! When you grab this gorgeous book Helena will take you on a time travelling journey back to the year 1941 and will transport you to London and then the stunning Devon where you will meet Jane Treen and her cat Marmaduke. Jane loves coffee, cigarettes and solving mysteries thanks to her work in a secret Government agency which manages agents. We also meet Arthur Cilento who also works for the secret service as a code break. Arthur lives in Devon and much prefers a quieter life due to the fact that he has chronic asthma. When Jane's agents go missing and some are found murdered, one in the home of Arthur, they are both determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. Jane ends up moving in with Arthur in order to solve the case quicker. Arthur is not best pleased though as Marmaduke's, smoking and chronic asthma don't exactly go well together!!! Thankfully Arthur has got a butler to help him out and he is a great help throughout. Benson also joins in with the investigation but can they get to the killer before it is too late? Well, if you want to know more you will have to grab your copy of this absolutely action packed and explosive page turner today and I promise that you will not regret it!!! You may even discover your new favourite author and series!! The fact that Helena truly does care for these amazing characters leaps out of the pages in their incredible character development and her evocative descriptions!! The twist at the end left me absolutely gob smacked, I mean my jaw was hitting the floor!!! There was no way on Earth I would ever seen that one coming!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Helena!!! It is getting harder and harder to shock me after reading hundreds of thrillers and crime books but you managed it hook, line and sinker!! I also want to say that even though there is so much going on at no point did I get confused which is an absolute credit to Helena's fantastic writing skills but she also wrapped everything up perfectly in the end and I am definitely looking forward to getting stuck in to the next book 'The Secret Detective Agency' series. One of the other things I love about this book is that although it is predominantly a crime is the fact that Helena also includes some humour!!! It is always nice to have humour thrown into books filled with darkness to lighten the atmosphere and Helena has the balance perfectly. The location , characters, descriptions are all just absolutely perfect with Helena's evocative writing skills bringing absolutely everything and everyone to life right in front of the readers eyes!! This book is fantastically written and had me hooked from the first page until the last. I gave up counting how many times I told myself one more chapter just to HAVE to know what happened next as this happened over and over until I ended up devouring the whole book in one sitting!!!

This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Kristin Atherton
who did an absolutely amazing job bringing this story and the characters to life. I would listen to this book in the car and while walking at any opportunity. I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Helena but also to listening to more books narrated by Kristin.

I love that there are several amazing, unique and colourful characters in this series and I became completely invested in each and every one of their lives immediately. Although I still miss Kitty, Matt and the gang these ones are definitely filing the gap that they left!! I loved getting to know each and every single one of them. I really cannot wait to read the next books in this absolutely amazing series. The characters were all realistic and it was lovely to watch all the different relationships and friendships between different characters develop and grow. The fact that Jane has a ginger cat called Marmaduke is right down my street being a huge animal lover myself. I run my own animal rescue called Golden Oldies Cat Rescue And Hospice which you can find on social media so any books that contain animals always get bonus points from me! Congratulations Helena on creating another group of larger than life and unforgettable characters!!!

Congratulations Helena on yet another huge success!!! I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your books and this is exactly why you are on my favourite author list!!! Here is to your next guaranteed success 🥂!!

Overall YET AGAIN, another absolutely addictive and unputdownable cosy crime by Helena and an absolutely fantastic start to this new and addictive series that will keep you up all night.

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Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC. This series is a bit different to Helena Dixon's Miss Underhay series. I was expecting the same but this felt less cozy, a bit more serious. Perhaps its the setting, spies in WW2. Whatever it was, it was a great read, even if the ending seemed a little rushed. Hoping the second will be just as good.

Helena Dixon regales readers with the pairing of an unlikely duo, Miss Jane Treen and Arthur Cilento. The pair have at least one thing in common. Both work in similar fields: Jane has a top-secret government job, while Arthur is a code breaker. Their paths cross when Jane arrives at his residence, accompanied by her cat Marmaduke. Arthur finds their presence, especially Jane’s, quite annoying, especially when she announces they’ll be staying for the foreseeable future.

The timing, as well as their lines of work, are delicate. It is right in the middle of WWII and their work is of great significance. When one of the agents that works with Jane is found dead, her boss sends her to work with Arthur.

I enjoy new series like this. Admittedly, the book started a bit slow, but that was no doubt due to the introduction of Jane, Arthur, and Chief Inspector Thorne, whom they consult with. The setting and the mystery were intriguing, and I found myself enjoying both Jane and Arthur. When you factor in the excellent narration by Kristin Atherton, especially when it came to the voicing of the different protagonist, it turned out to be a very engaging read. I can only imagine the adventures they’ll face together in the future.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY (The Secret Detective Agency Book #1) by Helena Dixon is a historical cozy mystery introducing two British government agents working with clandestine agents being sent overseas in occupied Europe during 1941. A group of Miss Jane Treen’s agents are missing and turning up dead. Her boss assigns her to work with codebreaker Arthur Cilento when one of the missing agents ends up dead in a lake by his property in Devon. The blurb had me quickly picking up this book, but I ended up being disappointed.

The mystery starts out slowly, but I expect that in a new series due to setting up not only the mystery, but the new characters for the series, but it took too long for me. The mystery plot pace does pick up about halfway through the story, it does have a good resolution, and the author does a good job with her descriptions of the historic period settings, which is why I gave it a three-star rating. In the beginning of the story, the main characters are continually bouncing between the missing and dead agents’ code names and real names which is confusing, and I needed a cheat sheet to keep it straight. I usually love a strong, independent female protagonist, but Jane is a chain smoker with no consideration of others. Add to that Arthur has asthma and does not tell her to stop, which I found a major irritant that continually threw me out of the story. Overall, just not what I was hoping for.