This is the first in a new series of cozy historical murder mysteries.

The book is set against the backdrop of the Second World War, with Jane Treen working for the government handling agents in the field. Unfortunately she’s managed to lose a couple of agents and is now trying to find them!

Jane is sent to Devon to solve the case of a mysterious woman found dead in a lake. The owner of the lake is Arthur, who Jane teams up with to solve the case. Whether the nervous, asthmatic, code-breaking Arthur likes it or not!

I found the book started off in a way that drew me in and made me want to learn about the characters and what was going on. However the first half overall felt a bit slow to get going. There was a lot of repetitive lines about Jane smoking and Arthur’s displeasure for it, which I felt it didn’t really need. This was also coupled with repeating about Arthur’s asthma. It made it feel a bit like filler.

I did find that the plot them quickly progressed into the second half and left me desperate to know what was going to happen next. The relationship between Jane and Arthur has a lot of scope about where it could go. I also found that Benson, Arthur’s companion, had some fun interactions that I’d like to see more of.

Overall I enjoyed the book and found it a good, character driven cozy mystery. I would definitely read the next instalment. I listened to the audio version of this book and loved the narrator Kristin Atherton. I would give this book a strong 3.5 ⭐️

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced audio copy of this book.

Reviews posted on Goodreads and threads.

In 1941 London, Miss Jane Treen, a coffee-drinking cat lover and secret super sleuth, is called to Devon to investigate the suspicious death of a woman found in a lake. Alongside shy code-breaker Arthur Cilento, Jane delves into a web of secrets in a quiet village, uncovering clues that point to a hidden coded diary and a dangerous killer. As they work together to solve the mystery, the two must confront the secrets of the villagers and stay one step ahead of the killer determined to silence them.

The first 1/3 of this book was pretty slow and & had to force myself to keep going but I’m glad that I did finish it. The plot does thicken and I did become invested in the outcome. Overall a decent read but if you can’t get past cheesy code names and a subpar “male voice” by a female narrator, then this book may be a pass for you.

⭐️⭐️💫

The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon is a fun, charming cozy mystery set in England during II World World. When a woman is found dead in a lake just by codebreaker Arthur Cilento estate he must join forces with a confident and determined Jane Treen who's working a top secret government job.

I have to say the story sounded intriguing from the start. And although it took awhile for me to get used to the style of the author and the stylized langue once I warmed up to it I really enjoyed my adventure with Arthur and Jane.
The plot is not as obvious as it may seem, and it's a major plus for me. I thought it's going to be two rather amateur sleuths working together to solve a mystery and I really didn't expect the secret agents, double identities and government secrets being part of the story. There are plenty of clues but nothing is too obvious so I was still surprised by the ending.

The only other thing that bothered me besides the slow start were the peculiar surnames and code names. They did pull me out of the story a few times.

I have partially read and listened to the audiobook of this book and I have to say that the narration was exquisite. Kristin Atherton really gives a great performance with the abundance of accents and voices. She really brought the characters to life and made listening to The Secret Detective Agency even more enjoyable than it already was.

I had a lot of fun listening to this and really got to like the characters. I wish there would be a bit more banter between Arthur and Jane as I did feel there's some potential for a future romance, especially with them having such opposite characters. Hopefully the romance is coming in book number 2 which I'd be really happy to pick up. Especially if the audiobook is read by the same person!

The Secret Detective Agency was a fun listen. Kristin Atherton did a fantastic job giving each character a distinctive voice.

I need a Benson novella. I bet there is an intriguing back story there.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookoutre Audio.

a simple cozy crime novel set during the blitz. not really for me. I would have preferred a little more history. the villan was very easy to work out.

It was beautifully narrated though. Her character voices were very easy to distinguish between and her tone kept my interest

Enjoyed this very much. I like the plot twist and they way you had to guessing. Loved the audio book of this one! The characters were very interesting and I loved the setting of the book. I would recommend if you like twist and little historical fiction this is the book for you.

This was a fun novel set in an English village during World War II. Jane's agents keep going missing. Worse is the knowledge that some of them are dead. When she receives a phone call letting her know that another of her agents has been found in the grounds of a house in Devon, she boards the train, determined to uncover what is going on.

Arthur has returned home to find the body of a woman in the grounds of his home. She had been renting the house, and now she is dead. Arthur and Jane are forced together to solve a string of murders and report their findings to the government.

There was plenty I enjoyed about the book. It's easy to draw me in with anything set during world war II, especially if there's a mystery. I liked the idea of Arthur being a code breaker and using clues to solve the mystery. And in many ways, the book delivered.

However I think I expected a little more from it. Given that Arthur and Jane were supposed to be brilliant, I expected them to be less trusting of the people around them. I didn't really feel like they put many clues together. For the most part, people told them things, and they followed up on the information. I also found the final resolution a bit disappointing as I think it could have been far more interesting.

Even with these complaints, I did enjoy the story and it was a nice way to pass my time especially because I've read quite a few intense books this year. I also enjoyed the disability representation in the book. Arthur has asthma and this has a significant impact on his life. There is another character who is autistic or possibly has a learning disability. They weren't a main character so their disability wasn't named. Some of the language around disability was a bit modern. I doubt people in the 40s would have referred to someone as non-verbal, for example. But I think these changes were made to be more polite given the audience today.

The audio narration was excellent. Kristin Atherton always does such a good job, and this book was no different. So if you are looking for an audio book with a very gentle mystery, this may be the one for you!

In 1941 London, Miss Jane Treen, a sharp government agent, is called to Devon after one of her agents is found dead. Arthur Cilento, a reserved code-breaker suffering from asthma, is alarmed when his quiet life is disrupted by Miss Treen. Together, they form an unlikely partnership as they work to catch a killer before more people pay the price.

This was a fun, cozy mystery to listen to. Jane Treen was an interesting, no-nonsense kind of woman who works for Whitehall. She is determined to discover why her agents are being killed. She’s addicted to cigarettes and coffee, and never travels without her cat. Arthur Cilentro wants to recover from a recent bout of illness in peace. His asthma is aggravated by Jane’s cigarettes and cat. Somehow, they manage to work together.

I enjoyed how flawed they both were, and how they managed to work well together despite their irritations. The title of the book left me confused until the end, and even then, I didn’t feel like it fit. The narrator did a phenomenal job of bringing the characters to life.

Overall, this was a fun read and I look forward to the next book of the series. If you’re looking for a cozy World War 2 mystery, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

3.5

Set against the backdrop of the Second World War this is the first novel what I assume will be a series of the Secret Detective Agency.

Jane Treen works for the government handling agents in the field. But she's managed to lose a couple of them in quick succession. She is then sent on a mission to Devon where she joins forces with code-breaker Arthur Cilento to try to find out where these agents are and who is behind the increasingly sinister disappearances.

This is most definitely a cosy mystery that's very much character driven. So I suppose you really have to like the characters. I'm therefore giving Jane the benefit of the doubt because she's obviously got an interesting back story that is only touched on in this book. On the other hand she is really irritating and unwilling to acknowledge frailties in others but I'm hoping she'll mellow.

Arthur is also quite closed off but again, we know litter of hos history and I'm hoping the next book will give us more detail.

The actual story is only really complicated because there are lots of players and it is otherwise easy to follow and interesting, using codes and psychology to crack the case.

I will definitely read the next one. It would be a good match for fans of Richard Osman or SJ Bennett.

I listened to the audio version which was read well by Kristin Atherton. No histrionics or putting on voices, although I do wish female narrators would find a different tone for male characters since they all sound a little nasal to me.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the audio advance review copy.

This was great fun, and I'm already looking forward to listening to more. of these adventures. I love the dynamics of the relationships and the contrast of the group against the stereotypes of the time. Highly entertaining.

Great Characters, Immersive Setting, but a Bit Hard to Follow

I love a good historical mystery, and The Secret Detective Agency has a lot going for it—WWII London, espionage, secret agents with nursery rhyme code names, and an unlikely detective duo in Jane Treen and Arthur Cilento. The setting is immersive, and Helena Dixon does a fantastic job pulling you into the chaos of bombings and wartime tension.

What really worked for me were the characters. Treen and Cilento don’t particularly like each other, but they make a great team out of necessity. There’s a level of mutual respect without camaraderie, which actually made their dynamic refreshing. And I have to say, Treen’s coffee and cigarette addiction reminded me of my younger days working in radio—caffeine and nicotine were practically their own food groups back then.

That said, the mystery itself was a bit hard to follow. The slow start may have caused me to miss key details, and by the time things picked up, I felt like I was playing catch-up. Operation Exodus, the murdered agents, and the espionage plot were all intriguing, but I struggled to keep track of who was who and what their motivations were. The bombings and war setting added to the confusion—not necessarily in a bad way, because it made the story feel authentic, but it also made it harder to focus on the unraveling mystery.

The narration by Kristin Atherton was excellent. She gave each character distinct voices and really brought the book to life, making the audiobook experience even better.

If you love historical mysteries with a strong setting, enjoy wartime espionage, reluctant detective partnerships, and a layered investigation, this could be for you. Just be prepared to pay close attention, as it’s easy to miss small but important details.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for the ALC via NetGalley!

This is a fun cosy mystery, set in England in WW2. After setting the scene for what I assume is to be a series of mysteries, the author has devised a twisty plot in a credible wartime England with a number of diverse, quirky characters who I look forward to meeting again in other books in the series.

It was a real pleasure to listen to this audiobook; Kristin Atherton’s narration is clear, expressive, and a very good speed.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the advanced audio format of this book!

Set in 1941 London, Jane Treen is not your average detective. She's fueled by a constant stream of coffee and cigarettes and totes a one-eyed, fluffy cat as her sidekick. When an agent from her field turns up dead in the small town of Devon, she finds herself collaborating with a quiet and severely asthmatic puzzle-solving pro, Arthur Cilento, to solve the case before more bodies start piling up.

If you like slow-paced mysteries plus historical fiction, this may be a good read for you. I found the pacing to be too slow, bordering on dull; nothing felt overly urgent until the very end. The story wrapped weirdly quickly after such a slow burn while still leaving a big opening for future books in the series. There was less character development than I prefer and while they each had some fun, quirky traits, I was really turned off by Jane's blatant disregard for Aruthur's health issues. I think Arthur's butler, Benson, was my favorite character but I don't think he got enough credit or character development. Despite being a huge part of solving the case, he was treated more like a background character.

The writing was fine and the details were thoughtful to make this period piece true to the 1940's. The audio narration was well done as well. That said, it is unlikely that I will return for the second installment of this series.

High quality quick listen cozy mystery is a good opening to a new series. The narration was good the story and plot more relevant to the time it was set in . Easy to follow and the final reveal i never guessed . Entertaining but a very a to b plot with predictable spy overtones. Perfect for a cozy mystery series short and to the point. This was more about the mystery than the characters I think it would have benefited from more character development however it did make me want to read book 2 to find out about them so maybe it was deliberate. A good start for a series. Thank you netgallery, publisher , author and narrator

The first few chapters were a little tough just because there were a ton of characters thrown at you very quickly, but after things got rolling, I loved this fast-paced mystery set in 1940s Britain.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this book. It is always nice to try a new series and find the first book enjoyable, which I have found happens not that often when it comes to series labeled as cozy mysteries. Maybe because of that, reading this book hasn't felt like a cozy mystery to me; the plot, characters, and tone are more similar to historical mysteries, which I love to read. Kristin Atherton's narration is excellent, both in a fitting tone for the setting and still making characters lively. Sometimes, cozies get too sweet with the narration for my taste; this is definitely not one of them.

I don't want to give too much about the plot. The dynamic between Arthur and Jane works quite well. If you like the themes of espionage and WWII but also find the high stakes and heartbreaking moments in a WWII setting too hard to read, you should try this one. I guess that is why it can be seen as a cozy mystery, although the cover mostly does that job.

I haven't read Helena Dixon's Miss Underhay Series. I think I will try that one, too, and follow this series. I quite liked her storytelling, and I'm always up for a new British series.

Thanks to Bookouture Audio for this ARC copy, which I received via NetGalley.

3.5 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Bookouture Audio for the ALC via NetGalley! 💌🎧

The Secret Detective Agency – a cozy historical murder mystery with a twist, and I have some thoughts… 🤔

Miss Jane Treen is basically the queen of caffeinated chaos. ☕ She's got her trusty fluffy cat, Marmaduke, by her side and is always ready to solve a mystery or two—preferably one with a side of drama. She's sent to Devon, 1941, to investigate a suspicious death in a lake. But things quickly take a darker turn, and she's paired up with the reluctant, shy, asthma-suffering code-breaker, Arthur Cilento. 🧐

The first half of this book was a bit of a slog. The pacing was slow, and the characters felt like they were just going through the motions. Jane’s over-the-top bossiness and constant smoking near Arthur (hello? He has asthma!) 😤 were straight-up frustrating. Like, girl, just chill for a sec. I get that she's a tough, no-nonsense character, but could she cut Arthur a break? 🙄 The constant repetition of her smoking habits and his asthma was kind of... exhausting. But hey, she’s a complicated character, and I’m sure she’ll grow. Fingers crossed!

But, THEN, the plot picks up! 🤩 The story gains momentum, and things start coming together. The suspense kicks in, and I’m finally invested. Arthur and Jane’s partnership has some real potential, and by the end, I was totally rooting for them. 🥹💘 They work so well together, like Sherlock and Watson, but with a bit more sass and definitely a lot more coffee. ☕️

I also can’t forget the brilliant narration by Kristin Atherton ! She brought Jane’s chaotic energy to life, and I was totally hooked by her performance. 🎧🔥

Was the ending a bit too quick? Yeah, it kind of left me blinking like... that’s it? 🤨 But I’m still here for the next book! There’s enough intrigue and potential to make me want to see where this partnership goes next! 🕵️‍♀️💖

So, if you like cozy mysteries with a splash of historical flavor, and some nice twists, this one’s for you! 🔍✨

The Secret Detective Agency (Audiobook) by Helena Dixon

Jane Treen works for a top-secret government agency in England and when another of her secret agents is found dead on Arthur’s property in Devon, Jane grabs her beloved cat, Marmaduke, and comes to Devon to investigate.

Jane Treen loves coffee and to chain smoke in other people’s houses, especially Arthur’s who has asthma, without asking for permission. She is not afraid to speak her mind and not easily Intimidated.

Arthur Cilento is a quiet man of few words. He is a code breaker. He lives on a large estate inherited from his uncle.

With Jane’s arrival Arthur is forced to partner with her in her investigation. They are both complete opposites but that is what makes this partnership great.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture Audio for a copy of this Audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I love Helena Dixon's Miss Underhay series and was excited to listen to this first in her new series. Now bear with me here. Ultimately, I like this book, and I am already looking forward to getting to know Jane and Arthur better in what I hope is a long running series. However, it is a testimony to Ms. Dixon's storytelling skills that I finished the book. because for the vast majority of it, Jane Treen was the rudest and most annoying protagonist that I have come across in a long time. Other than that, this is an engaging read. The mystery involving wartime intrigues is complex, and Arthur, a severe asthmatic and brilliant code breaker, is a unique and likeable character. The character development is slow and subtle, but by the end of the book, there is a noticeable alteration in both Jane and Arthur. Whether or not they will become involved in a slow burn romance is anyone's guess, but at least they are on their way to forming a crack investigative team. So, my recommendation is to be prepared to be annoyed, for a time, but also to enjoy the tale Ms. Dixon weaves in this introductory read.

Thank You, NetGalley and the publishers for an opportunity to listen to The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon.

This was a cosy mystery set against the backdrop of the Second World War. It kind of reminded me of Hercule Poirot in a way, not so much the main characters but the setting.

But I did like the characters of Arthur, his butler/man Friday and Jane who end up making the secret detective agency.

Looking forward to the next.

Thanks