Dead in Devon is an enthralling smalltown crime fiction novel from Stephanie Austin set in the small town of Ashburton in Devon and focusing on Juno Browne who runs her own 'Domestic Goddess' business. Juno is prepared to do whatever chores her clients request, from dog walking, cleaning, pet-sitting, gardening and meeting the needs of the elderly. Living with Adam and Kate, her landlords, money is tight but Juno loves her life and she has some good friends. When Mr Nickolai (Nick), an elderly Russian antiques dealer asks for her help in cleaning many of his antiques, she accepts the job because she likes him, despite being warned of his criminal activities. But when she arrives at Nick's place one day she discovers something truly terrible... he has been murdered.

When the police investigation starts to falter Juno desperately wants to know what happened to Nick, in spite of the obstacles and any dangers that could emerge. When she discovers another murdered body, partially submerged in a pond, and Juno herself is the subject of unwanted attention, she knows she must find the perpetrator before she becomes the next victim.

This was a fabulous read that I thoroughly enjoyed from the very beginning. Juno was a spirited and resourceful character with a caring and warm nature, taking the time to help her friends and clients, regardless of their personality traits. The icing on the cake for me in Dead in Devon was Stephanie Austin's super characterisation, including the quirky supporting cast, such as the decidedly unpleasant Verbena Clarke and the irascible Maisie. The mystery itself was well plotted and held a few surprises, with plenty of suspects for discerning armchair detectives to select from.

All in all, this is was a light and immensely entertaining read.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Allison & Busby via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I was really intrigued with the cover which is gorgeous. I love reading book about murder in a quite country town in Ashburton in Devon. I like this book and can't wait for the sequel.

Loved this book so much!
I can’t pinpoint exactly why, but I was hooked on this book instantly. I loved Juno, the lead character, and I loved Old Nick.
I desperately wanted to keep reading to see where their new partnership/friendship lead.
This book didn’t disappoint me at all. Although I have to say there is a character who’s part in the story is cut short too quickly for my liking, but obviously that forms the plot for the rest of the book.
I’d have loved to have seen how things could have developed had they stuck around a little longer!
There are a couple of occasions where I laughed out loud at lines said by Nick and Juno. Nick said something in response to being told to remove his rugs from his flat as they posed a trip hazard - I can’t quite remember what he said, and unfortunately I didn’t highlight it so I could go back to it, but it did make me giggle!
As did Juno’s comment referring to a man with a bald head... “I felt an overwhelming urge to tap him on the head with a spoon”. It probably tickled me more than it should have, but there you go!
I digress!
No part of this book was slow or an effort to read, yet it wasn’t rushed either. The pace was perfect, and nothing was left unexplained.
The culprit was exactly who I thought it was going to be, although, I doubted my belief on several occasions, as there were many other possibilities throughout.
I totally, absolutely, recommend this book!
This is Stephanie Austin’s first book, and it is definitely one to be proud of. I could clearly picture it all in my mind as if it were real. I almost feel like I’ve just watched it on the tv, it was that real for me!
I shall be looking out for her future work and cannot wait to get my hands on her next book.
As a little side note - i was interested to read in the ‘about the author’ section, that Stephanie’s previous varied career has clearly come into play when writing this book.
Fantastic!

A very well written story, keeping the interest of the reader going till the end. Finished it in one go. The description of the place is nicely done. The flaws of all the characters are brought out which makes the reader connect with them. The dog‘s name is left out.

Juno Browne, do-er of all things domestic, turns amateur sleuth in this entertaining mystery set in a picturesque Devon village. An engaging plot backed up with a quirky and colourful cast. A very enjoyable read - this is book one in the 'Devon Mysteries' and I very much look forward to the next instalment.

A excellent cosy mystery with a plot that is fast paced, engrossing and entertaining.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I loved this book.
Juno is a great character, a strong woman with a complex life and you cannot help loving her.
The quirky cast of characters is well written and likeable, the setting is lovely and it makes you wish to be there.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing.
I'm happy this is a series because i can't wait to read the next instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I enjoyed this, it was well paced and credible. Juno is juggling one too many jobs when she is offered another as an antiques dealer. Things get complicated when her employer is found murdered and she needs to find out who did the deed before she is the next victim or the person under most suspicion

Stephanie Austin knows how to spin a gripping yarn. Based on its cover, you might think 'Dead in Devon' will be another undemanding cozy in the style of an Agatha Raisin caper; you'd be wrong, of course. 'Dead in Devon' offers layers of depth and grit that the lighter fair don't hope to reach. The mystery itself was fairly well-plotted - I had sussed out the murderer early on, but the circumstances and reason were a surprise; they shouldn't have been, as there were a good amount of breadcrumbs scattered for me to sort out. There were plenty of suspects, a well-crafted curmudgeonly police detective in the guise of Inspector Ford, and just enough violence and suspense to keep you reading, without ever going over the top. Stephanie Austin is an author I'll keep on my reading wish list until I've checked off all of her books. This was a quality read! Four and a half out of five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

A painful, in more ways than one, for Juno, the domestic goddess when she finds Nick dead in his sitting room. Between the 'Russians Vlad and Igor, Nick's children and the lost earrings, she's not having an easy time of it.

A fun and entertaining book.

I received a free advance review copy. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

This is engaging crime fiction from Stephanie Austin set in the small town of Ashburton in Devon where Juno Browne runs her own business turning her hand to whatever her clients require of her, from dog walking, cleaning, and meeting the needs of the likes of the elderly Maisie with her uncontrollable terrier, Jacko. She lives with her landlords, Adam and Kate, struggling financially but loving what she does as she drives around the district in her van. She has been offered full time work by Ricky and Morris, providers of theatre costumes for productions, she has turned this opportunity down, partly because she couldn't stand being around them all the time, although they are good friends, but she likes the variety and independence of what she does.

So when the elderly Mr Nickolai, a Russian antiques dealer asks for her help in cleaning many of his antiques, she accepts the job, despite being warned of his criminal activities and his time spent in prison in the past because she likes Nick with his wickedly mischievous eyes. The book begins with Juno turning up at Old Nick's, shocked to discover that he has been murdered. The story then goes back in time to Juno's work with Nick, becoming interested in antiques, encountering the likes of Paul who helps restore items, the sinister Albert Evans and the menacing, villainous Russian criminal thugs that Juno refers to as Vlad and Igor, not knowing their real identities. Juno desperately wants to know what happened to Nick, despite the obstacles and dangers that emerge. She finds herself under the close scrutiny of the police, when she discovers another murdered dead body, partially submerged in a fish pond.

The more I read of this book, the more it grew on me, Juno is a enterprising character, with plenty of warmth, who goes out of her way to help her friends and clients, even when they are not very nice, like Verbena Clarke. What made this a great read for me was the wide range of quirky supporting characters, like the gay couple, Ricky and Morris and their love of gossip, Juno's friend, the artist Sophie Child, and the cantankerous Maisie. This is a light and entertaining read, set in the fabulous location of Devon, where all sorts of intrigue, murder and mayhem lurks. Many thanks to Allen and Busby for an ARC.

Juno Browne is a domestic goddess--or at least that's the name of her company. Juno has cobbled together a living doing all sorts of odd jobs from dog-walking to house cleaning. Things get interesting when old Nick sees her card and hires her to clean antiques. Nick is an elderly Russian emigre with a shady past, including a stint in prison. When Juno finds Nick dead in his flat, she feels obligated to find his murderer. I enjoyed this book and nearly read it all in a single sitting. The story is told from Juno's perspective in an engaging conversational manner, and has interesting supporting characters that promise more opportunities for Juno to get drawn into sticky situations. A fun read and good introduction for a promising new amateur sleuth.

Dead in Devon is a good cozy mystery with great characters. The characters are well developed and the storyline is entertaining. Well written and enjoyable.

An enjoyable cosy detective based in Devon and dealing with, mostly, dodgy antiques' dealers and their wares. Juno, the heroine, a dog walker, house cleaning "Domestic Goddess" has to deal with the death of her sort of partner Nick. She ends up detecting various aspects of his life and the junk/antiques in his shop with only a small part played by the local constabulary. Inevitably she puts herself in danger when she works out who the murdered has to have been, but there you are. These heroines are all the same! Nicely written and I especially like the descriptions of her local haunts - in and around Ashburton. Thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Juno Browne is a jack of all trades in the village of Ashburton, but she may have made a mistake with her newest business partner, a shady antique dealer by the name of Old Nick. He hangs around with a rough crowd, so it’s not really a surprise when he ends up dead, evidently done in by someone he may have double crossed. Can Juno track down the killer before they strike again?
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Found this to be a good book but loves the setting as it was almost a character itself
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book