The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon

Miss Jane Treen works as a top-secret government worker, but her undercover agents keep going missing. A mystery woman has been found dead in a lake. Is it one of her agents? Jane heads to Devon with her cat, Marmaduke, and is teamed up with shy, asthma-suffering code-breaker Arthur Cilento.

I felt a bit sorry for Arthur, really, because I'm pretty sure that Jane was trying to kill him, constantly smoking near him and then making him run around in the cold. Set during WW2 in 1941, Jane and Arthur have to contend with rationing, air-raid sirens, and tight-lipped villagers.

If you like a twisty, historical, cosy mystery with a bossy, coffee-drinking, chain-smoking lead character, then this book is for you.
Thumbs up 👍

Go read a book!

Body count: 4. I think.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing me with an ALC to review. The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon is out now.

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Jane Treen is a secret detective. One day a woman was found dead in a lake. Jane is called to investigate the case. However, Jane crosses paths with a shy Codebreaker named Arthur Cilento. Together, they team up to crack a coded diary and solve the case.

I thought that Jane was a very fun character! She was a cat fanatic and brought her cat with her everywhere she went. I also thought that she was very energetic. She was also very observant and is very passionate about crime! There were a few of her actions that I disagreed with. I also believed that she is selfish and judgmental at times. Nevertheless, Jane was a very quirky and enjoyable character!

I liked her relationship with Arthur. It took a lot for me to get invested in. I felt bad for Arthur because she did not take his health problems into consideration. However, they gradually grew to understand each other and were able to value the other’s talent. Therefore, their relationship grew on me, and I began to root for them. Their relationship eventually became one of the strongest aspects of this novel!

Overall, this novel is about secrets, war, and friendship. I liked all of the characters. I thought that they were very fun! I was also intrigued by the mystery and thought it was compelling! The novel is written in a humorous style! The novel also gave a good description of WWII, and thought that it was well-researched! Therefore, The Secret Detective Agency is a very light hearted and solid cozy mystery! I can’t wait to read the sequel, The Seaside Murders, soon! I am excited to revisit the characters again! I recommend this for fans of Maisie Dobbs, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, and Her Royal Spyness! I also loved the narrator! She made the story come alive! I love how she portrayed each character! Therefore, it was a solid audiobook!

If you expect people in historical times to have modern sensibilities (I am talking about cigarette usage, not racism) then you won't like this. Speaking as a person who is on asthma medication for a reason, the female lead smoking heavily around her coworker who has asthma is rude as hell but it's also historically accurate, and the author makes character development out of it. You will totally find reviews saying she is a jerk, and I yeah she is, but those people either didn't finish the book or weren't paying attention to her character development. And it's a series. Let the woman become a decent person at a plausible rate for her time.

This has some exciting parts and some interesting banter. This is probably going to be a really good series.

I had the opportunity to delve into "The Secret Detective Agency" by Helena Dixon, but I found it challenging to engage with the book. Normally, this genre is right up my alley, but the character development in this particular novel didn't meet my expectations, and its failure to capture my interest from the start made it difficult to remain invested in the audiobook. Although I typically enjoy similar books, this one struggled to draw me back in after a lackluster beginning.

This story which I received on audiobook was an unexpected delight. Right from the start, I liked the three main characters and the way in which they managed to get along for the sake of the war effort, even though they were very different. It is an easy listening but fast paced sort of story- there are no long extraneous passages to distract from the business of catching the traitor. I felt that the solution was slightly weaker and less intriguing than I had hoped, but it still fitted well. My only disappointment was the narrator- the voices of Jane, Arthur and his manservant were fine, but many of the other characters did not feel like they fitted and had bizarre accents. There was also a bit of confusion when she made the wrong characters 'drop their H's' several times! It wasn't enough to detract from a thoroughly good tale though. I have already started on the second book in the series.

The Secret Detective Agency is a clever golden age era whodunit with a fantastic sleuthing duo. 

Miss Jane Treen is an efficient super sleuth who loves coffee, cigarettes, and her ginger cat Marmaduke. Arthur Cilento is a shy asthmatic codebreaker who loves puzzles.

The unlikely duo need to piece together clues and crack a code to catch a dangerous villain before he (or she) harms someone else from their top secret detective agency.

I listened to the audio version of this cozy mystery, and it was fantastic. It was read by Kristin Atherton, an award-winning voice-over performer who has narrated more than 400 audiobooks.

She did such a great job, I actually looked up her list of narrated books so I could hear her read something else. 

The story, written by Helena Dixon, is fantastic. The characters are unique, the mystery is entertaining, and the setting is delightful. 

The time period for this historical mystery is 1941, which is an interesting era and one you don't see that often in cozies. 

I loved the Secret Detective Agency and can't wait to listen to the next audiobook! 

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and Net Galley for the ARC

*The Secret Detective Agency* by Helena Dixon is a delightful cozy mystery set in 1941 London and Devon. The story introduces Miss Jane Treen, a sharp-witted government agent turned sleuth, and her charmingly shy colleague, Arthur Cilento. Together, they unravel the mystery of a woman's death in a lake, uncovering secrets hidden within a sleepy village. Dixon masterfully blends intrigue, humor, and heartwarming character dynamics, creating a captivating tale of crime-solving and camaraderie. With its Golden Age mystery vibes and engaging twists, this novel is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and classic whodunits. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC of this new, cozy mystery!

The Secret Detective Agency invites readers into a charming whodunit. The small-town atmosphere and quirky characters create a sense of comfort, making the book a pleasant read despite its slow pace. Though the first book sets a solid foundation, I’m hoping book two will offer quicker pacing and deeper character exploration. Overall, it's a good read for cozy mystery fans, but I’m looking forward to more action and character growth in the next installment.

Murder mystery set in 1941 England during the war.

Miss Jane Treen works at Whitehall overseeing a cadre of secret agents for Brigadier Remington-Blythe. Hard and driven, she’s a chain smoker with a serious coffee addiction. She has no desire to go chasing after missing agents out in the country out of her comfort zone, but needs must when another of her agents goes dark after being hidden away for her own protection at a safe house. She travels to Half Moon Manor to work with codebreaker and puzzle solver Arthur Cilento. He has returned from a work mission for the War Office to find a dead body in the river by his home. Could this woman be Jane’s missing agent? Thus begins a reluctant partnership as the two try to trace a complicated organization of what might be traitors to the British government.

Let’s see — it took me quite a while to get invested in this time period and story. I didn’t immediately warm to the main characters of Jane (annoying) or Arthur (sickly) and the set up of them being forced to work together. The plot and the many different side characters seemed overly complicated and there were a lot of deaths as Jane and Arthur chased around with only the most flimsy of clues. I was definitely happy that the cat in this book had limited involvement and infrequent mention.

The plot was convoluted and the denouement seemed rushed after all the suspects couldn’t really be interrogated. I’ll have to reserve my thoughts about where this series might be going and if I will follow it after I read the second book. Not sure this unlikely pair will hold my interest if there is more repetition about Jane’s smoking and coffee and Arthur’s asthma. I surely hope no romance between them as she seems a determined spinster and him a confirmed bachelor. Of course there is also the faithful man servant who seems to be essential to the detecting and is always behind the scenes greasing the wheels.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The performance of the narrator, Kristin Atherton, was excellent. She did a fantastic job with all the voices and the transitions were seamless. Her dramatic flair made the book so much more enjoyable.

This is a classic cozy murder mystery set in 1941 WW2 England. I listened to this book and I felt like I was listening to a BBC murder mystery. I did have times when as a listener it could be hard to keep straight all the characters--especially because many had undercover names then we would find out their actual names. In general, the main male and female characters were likable and just quirky enough to be fun (imagine one with all kinds of allergies and asythma and the other showing up with her cat and smoking like a chimney).

The ending was quite abrupt, but that is not uncommon in mysteries. I liked the fact that the characters (if I understood correctly) were basically tricked into this working relationship and by the end it is clear that their "higher up" has wrangled them into a "secret detective agency" leaving us knowing there are more mysteries for them to solve.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for my ARC audio of this book

This book was better than I anticipated at the beginning. And I am glad that I stuck with it until the end!

When I first looked at this book and it described historical fiction and mystery, I thought, yep, that is it. But when I first started the book, it was a little slow for me, let me renitrate that, for me.

I like to listen to cozy mysteries, and I also really enjoy incredibly fast-paced thrillers, so it could have been that I started this too soon after a crazy page turner, so it was more difficult to get into. With that, I really, really enjoyed the second 2/3rds of the book. I found the pacing to be great (even if I think the ending seemed a little rushed). When I was listening to this, I could genuinely put myself into the time and think about how different and the stark contrasts between investigating something during wartime in the 1940's and even the early 2000's.

I think Helena Dixon had a rather challenging job of recreating something quite unique, and I think she did a job very well. done.

The only reason this book is not a full 5 stars is: one, I want to rate it a 4.5 and I cannot, and it just isn't a full five stars for me. And two, I think the pacing of this book just needs to be a little bit better. Because even with all that I said at the beginning of my review, the end did seem a little rushed and hurried. However, I would very much like to read the second book in the series that is coming out very soon!
This book was better than I anticipated at the beginning. And I am glad that I stuck with it until the end!

When I first looked at this book and it described historical fiction and mystery, I thought, yep, that is it. But when I first started the book, it was a little slow for me, let me renitrate that, for me.

I like to listen to cozy mysteries, and I also really enjoy incredibly fast-paced thrillers, so it could have been that I started this too soon after a crazy page turner, so it was more difficult to get into. With that, I really, really enjoyed the second 2/3rds of the book. I found the pacing to be great (even if I think the ending seemed a little rushed). When I was listening to this, I could genuinely put myself into the time and think about how different and the stark contrasts between investigating something during wartime in the 1940's and even the early 2000's.

I think Helena Dixon had a rather challenging job of recreating something quite unique, and I think she did a job very well. done.

The only reason this book is not a full 5 stars is: one, I want to rate it a 4.5 and I cannot, and it just isn't a full five stars for me. And two, I think the pacing of this book just needs to be a little bit better. Because even with all that I said at the beginning of my review, the end did seem a little rushed and hurried. However, I would very much like to read the second book in the series that is coming out very soon!

The Secret Detective Agency is a mystery about a woman doing top secret detective work in England during WWII, including the investigation of the death of a woman in a little village. This book was fun. It was twisted with a bit of silliness, such intricate details and all the cozy mystery vibes. It is the first in a series and now I need to read more.

This was a very fast-paced mystery set in London in 1941. The female main character, Jane, was strong-willed, quick witted, and courageous. She had quite the nicotine addiction too! Her and the male men character, Arthur made quite the crime solving duo. His initial distaste for her and her imposing behavior provided a bit of comic relief. The overall story was a bit dry for my tastes, but I'm sure there will be a large number of people who will really enjoy this one.

cute, cozy detective book set in WWII. Really enjoyed the two main characters, and of course the orange cat. Will be reading the next one!

London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk 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. Shy and handsome code-breaker Arthur Cilento didn’t expect to find a body when he moved into the house he’d recently inherited, he 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 start of a new series & the pace began slowly then increased throughout the book. I liked both Arthur & Jane but feel as though I’m still getting to know them, I did love how they interacted, Jane is an all guns blazing person whereas asthmatic Arthur takes things far more slowly. They are aided by Benson Arthur’s valet cum butler cum medic. The body count does rise throughout the book & Jane becomes increasingly worried about why agents she’s been supervising are being murdered. There were plenty of twists & turns as well as red herrings before the climax & I was kept guessing as to who the murderer was. A well written series starter. I half listened & have read the book & thoroughly enjoyed the audio version, the brilliant narrator certainly brough the book to life
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Set in 1941 London, this mystery follows Jane Treen as she investigates a traitor within British intelligence. Sent to Devon after an agent’s murder, she teams up with asthmatic codebreaker Arthur Cilento—despite their clashing personalities. As the body count rises, war-torn London looms, and the truth remains elusive.

The narration is strong, and the historical setting is immersive, but the story starts slow. Jane is hard to warm up to, and the codenames felt odd. However, the second half picks up. A solid start for cozy wartime mystery fans!

Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for the ARC!

3.5⭐

I love cozy mysteries and historical fiction and The Secret Detective Agency is both all rolled into one. This was an enjoyable story to listen as the narration was excellent. Initially I was a bit put off by the FMC, Jane's, behavior. She's brusque and not terribly concerned by the needs of others, namely her newest "partner" Arthur. However, by the end of the book I saw her rough edges softening and an interesting partnership between she and Arthur forming as they found their footing and learned to accept each other's idiosyncrasies.

Arthur's butler/man servant, Benson is a character I can't wait to learn more about in future books, and while not a cat lover myself, Marmaduke is a nice foil to Arthur.

The pacing in the first half was a bit slow as the groundwork was laid but it definitely picked up as the story progressed. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I'm not sure what happened to my original review, but
I absolutely loathed the self centered, abrasive female protagonist. Continually smoking around a severe asthmatic even after noting that the smoke bothers him is repugnant.
I'm not sure what the point of the cat was. To make Jane Treen more inconsiderate? She insists she had to bring the cat, but then essentially abandons it to the housekeepers care. And then gets pissy when the asthmatic person doesn't like the cat. Well duh. I'm a cat lover, but would NEVER just bring my cat (or other pet) to someone's house.
The protagonists don't actually solve the mystery, merely catch the murder when she tries to kill then.

This is more a 3.5 bumped to a 4 in hope that book 2 will be even better! Thank you, NetGalley! Cozy mysteries are my favorite, unfortunately this one wasn't one of them. It took me too long to get to the interesting parts of the story for me, but really enjoyed it once they did. Really hoping for some character development in book 2 as well as a quicker pace.