The year is 1941, and Jane Treen is extremely proud of the work she does in a top secret government department in Whitehall. She has, however, been rocked by the deaths of a number of her agents and finds herself on the way to Devon to investigate the latest tragedy. Arthur Cilento is a code breaker; unable to serve in the armed forces, he is, if he's honest, quite glad his contribution to the war effort has to be more solitary and cerebral!

Although known to each other, neither are thrilled to be working together, especially as Arthur's home was where he unfortunately found the latest victim. It soon becomes clear there is far more at stake than either of them could have imagined, and as they gather any useful information, they are painfully aware of being one step behind their unknown killer.

When one of your favourite authors begins a new series, it is an exciting prospect coupled with a hint of concern. What happens if you don't enjoy it or the main protagonists are too similar to previous characters? There are no such concerns here, thank goodness! The Secret Detective Agency was a great read, the storyline didn't disappoint and the effects of the second world war on a small Devon village was a great contrast to the devastation being suffered in London and the surrounding area. There is no real comparison between Jane Treen, Arthur Cilento, and Kitty and Matt Bryant other than they are likeable, driven, and easy to read about.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bookouture, but the opinions expressed are my own. If you want a great new cosy series to read right from the beginning, this won't disappoint in any way.

It's a good thing I took the dog out for her walk before I started reading or I'd have had a very cranky dog. While it wasn't my plan, I found myself reading it straight through with only periodic breaks (I mean, my dog insists on her treats and cannot be ignored) and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it, even if main character Jane Treen is very obviously a cat person. While I was a bit taken aback by Jane's chain smoking and seeming lack of consideration for others, such as worsening Arthur's asthma by smoking, I found myself liking her focused, albeit often prickly personality. Being on the introverted side myself, I probably related more to Arthur Cilento's wish for peace and quiet and routine, especially routine. And, of course, we can't ignore butler Benson, who seems to be terribly efficient and almost know what is needed before Jane or Arthur do. Oh, and Marmaduke, Jane's one-eyed cat rescued from the rubble of a bombing raid prior to the opening of the story. I liked them all, even while hoping Jane cuts back on the smoking, not to mention learns not to distract him when he's concentrating on code breaking. ings

Set in 1941 England at a time when deadly German bombings were common and frequent in London, being at Arthur's safer country home should have been a nice break. Nope. Not when the body count keeps going up. Even worse, they're covert agents under Jane's watch, two of them being killed almost under her nose. Has the intelligence community of Whitehall been compromised? Are there Germans or double-agents amongst them? How to find out? Urgency is obviously of the utmost importance but it seems like for every clue Arthur, Jane, and Benson find, there's another incident or death. Like what? Not telling, you're just going to have to read the book. Our three sleuths/spies show initially unseen sides of themselves as the story progresses, including skills that prove helpful. I found it interesting which of them remained the cool, calm head, too, not to mention Benson's foresight in toting along Arthur's medical kit to treat his breathing problems. I really want to know more about Benson, I must admit.

Bottom line, this series quickly hooked me. I liked the characters and the setting. The author also does an excellent job reminding us what being caught in a bombing raid was like with it's sudden randomness and death. I also have to admit to smiling when it noted they had lunch near Paddington Station, ie a connection to Paddington Bear. Totally unrelated but fun. I did seem to have a bit of trouble sorting out the side characters initially but realized without thinking about it that I'd done so, hence not a real issue. And, oh, boy, wait for that final action scene. That was unexpected, not to mention discovering who Jane's mother was. Oh, boy, thanks #Bookouture for this early intro to the Secret Detectives. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and am looking forward to their next case together.

Are you a mystery fan? Check out The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon. It’s one you should enjoy.

This was a DNF for me. I made it about 26% through before I had to put it down. The characters felt very one-dimensional, and their animosity toward each other didn’t seem to have any real foundation—it just existed for the sake of conflict. The plot had potential, but the execution was too straightforward, making it feel robotic rather than engaging. Overall, while the premise was interesting, the story just fell flat for me.