Blog Tour - The Secret Detective Agency


 

Review - 5 out of 5 stars:


I’m not, in general, a fan of books set during war. However, I love Helena Dixon’s Miss Underhay Mysteries, so I decided to give The Secret Detective Agency a chance. I’m glad I did.


I was immediately sucked into the story, and I was particularly interested by the fact that Arthur has asthma. I have a chronic illness myself, so it’s good to see main characters who are not 100% healthy or able bodied. Though of course it depends on how they’re portrayed. In this case, I felt it was very well done, neither calling for pity, nor using the “triumph over disability” trope that is so exhausting.


I liked both main characters, though Jane seemed rather uncaring about Arthur’s difficulties with his asthma to start with. However, as the book went on, she took more care, and I warmed to her more. 


The mystery was an interesting one, I couldn’t tell who the culprit was until the reveal. It was very satisfying to follow along as Jane and Arthur solved the mystery.


Overall, I really enjoyed this story. In spite of being set during a war (one of my least favourite settings), it was fun to read and definitely remained in the cosy category. I’m looking forward to the second book in the series, The Seaside Murders.


I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.


Book Description:


Meet Miss Jane Treen – the coffee-drinking cat lover dressed head to toe in tweed, who just happens to be a secret super sleuth!


London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk, strong black coffee in hand and fluffy ginger cat by her side, when her top-secret government work is interrupted by an urgent call to Devon. A woman has been found dead in a lake in a place where she shouldn’t have been. Jane needs to gather the clues and find the killer before someone else from the agency gets hurt…


Shy and handsome code-breaker Arthur Cilento is bewildered by the arrival of the efficient Miss Treen and her cat Marmaduke. She bursts into his life unexpectedly, forcing him out of his comfort zone. The reluctant colleagues huddle near the warmth of a crackling fire in Arthur's country home, working to piece together the murderous puzzle at hand.


In the sleepy Devon village, someone is hiding something: but is it the busybody vicar and his sister, the dutiful housekeeper and her secretive son, the stern librarian, or someone else altogether? And who were the people with the woman in the lake on the day she died?


No sooner have Arthur and Jane have drawn up a list of suspects, than a parcel reveals a clue that sends them in hot pursuit of a coded diary stashed in a village church. But as the heavy wooden door slams behind them and a key turns in the lock, one thing is sure: they need to unravel the truth and crack this code before the killer decides their number is up…


But if they can catch the culprit in time, might this unusual pair become the finest crime-solving partnership since Holmes and Watson hung up their hats…?


If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Verity Bright!



Author Bio:


Helena Dixon is the author of the best-selling Miss Underhay murder mystery series and

lives in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and

housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010

as Nell Dixon.


https://www.nelldixon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nelldixonauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/helenadixonuk/

https://twitter.com/NellDixon


Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Helena Dixon here: https://www.bookouture.com/helena-dixon


Buy Link:


Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DQLTGRGFsocial


You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo


Blog Tour:


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