I listened to the audiobook of this historical fiction and mystery blend, and while it had a few slow parts, the story kept me engaged from start to finish. The plot takes a bit of time to gain momentum, but once it picks up, it’s an intriguing ride. The character dynamics, especially between Jane, Arthur, and Benson, are well-developed, with a tension-filled frenemy relationship that I really enjoyed. However, Jane’s inconsiderate actions, particularly smoking around Arthur despite his asthma, did annoy me at times.

The narration really brought the story to life. The accents made it easy to distinguish between characters, but they never felt overdone or distracting, which enhanced the experience for me. The audiobook format was definitely the right choice here. There was a lot of back and forth dialogue with that I’m not sure I would have enjoyed as much without the voices for each character.

The setting is another strength—the author does a fantastic job transporting you to the wartime era, making you feel the tension and danger of the spy world. Half Moon Manor, where Arthur lives and Jane is staying, felt like a cozy haven amidst all the suspense. It was a great contrast to the overall mood and added warmth to the story.

Though the book didn’t fully blow me away, it was still enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mix of historical fiction and mystery. It’s a solid read, and I’d be interested in picking up the next one to see where the story goes. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced listener copy.

This was a cute British mystery novel. It kept my attention the whole way through. I'll be looking for more from this author!

Set against the back drop of the 2nd World War, we follow Jane Treen and Arthur Cilentro as they try to work out who murdered the war office agent in Arthur's home.

Working within the confines of the Official Secrets Act to crack the case, Jane and Arthur's worlds are torn apart as the list of bodies continues to rise and friends and acquaintances all take their turn under the gaze of suspicion.

Containing moments of humour and edge of the seat thrills; helped along perfectly by the narrator in the audiobook version. The threads of case slowly come together in a climatic conclusion. I have to admit, I didn't guess the outcome although I'd half wondered about an aspect of the character earlier.

A perfect beginning to this new cosy crime series. I look forward to seeing what is in store next for the newly formed Secret Detective Agency.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Secret Detective Agency' by Helena Dixon.

This book was very well written and as always the fact that Helena has done her research is clearly evidenced in the storyline so a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Helena!!! There is not much worse than an author who has not researched much or at all about his chosen topic which means the book is unnecessarily littered with mistakes which can ruin a storyline!! However, Helena has completely avoided this by doing her research on the era she has set this amazing series in. This is the first book in Helena's new 'The Secret Detective Agency' and what an absolutely fantastic introduction to this new series it is!! I have read several of Helena's 'A Miss Underhay Mystery' series which I absolutely loved and would also highly recommend!

I am going to start my review a bit different to how I normally start them. Do you know when you found an author and that author has written a series that you absolutely LOVE with everything you have, from the characters, the locations to the storylines. And you know when that author then ends, yep ends, that series and starts a new series. Your heart freezes, you worry, I mean what are you going to do without your beloved characters and your home away from home? Well, ladies and gentleman! Helena Dixon did EXACTLY that. I was bewitched, in love, addicted (you get the idea) to her absolutely stunning 'A Miss Underhay Mystery series', if you haven't read those then WHY haven't you read them? Call yourself a cosy crime fan and yet you have never met Kitty? Tut, tut!! Anyway, one of my favourite authors then decides to take Kitty Underhay away from me and then starts a new series called 'the Secret Detective Agency', of which this is the first book. Well, I tell myself that's great!! I cannot wait to get into it! However, how the heck am I going to love it as much as Miss Underhay and her gang plus her mysteries and I could go on. Well, there is no chance is there? Well I said I would read it, I am sure I will love it but what I withheld is that I was dubious to how I could love Miss Jane Treen and the rest as much as I loved Kitty, Matt and the rest. Well, well, well let me ask you, yes you Helena, what sort of magic have you got going brewing? How did you do it?? How on Earth HAVE YOU created a second series JUST as amazing as 'A Miss Underhay' with characters that I have already fallen for? I am just pleased to say that the second book in this series which is called 'The Seaside Murders' is available to preorder now and will be published on the 30th April!! I mean as you could, possibly, maybe be able to tell I absolutely love, Love, LOVE this fantastic must read cosy crime book and explosive start to another guaranteed epic series, the characters, the storyline and just absolutely everything about the fantastic 'The Secret Detective Agency'!! Congratulations Helena on yet ANOTHER absolute fantastic masterpiece!!! It does not matter what I am reading when Helena drops a book I drop everything to read it! Sod reading the synopsis when I know I will absolutely LOVE it!! If you are looking for an addictive new series to sink your teeth into with a storyline filled with crime, mystery, gorgeous settings, history and so, SO much more stuff wasting your time reading what I have written when you can be reading so much better in this series and book!! Once you have finished this absolute gorgeous book, fallen in love with Helena Dixon and this series you are in luck as if you LOVED this book then head over to her 'A Miss Underhay Mystery' series where you will meet another group of amazing characters and more stunning settings while you are waiting for the next book in this series to be published!

This book an fantastic and addictive introduction to what absolutely promises to be another amazing, addictive and EPIC new series! However, I cannot say I am surprised as I have absolutely loved each book I have read by this amazing author. I do not even bother reading the synopsis of Helena's books before I start reading as I know I will love it whatever the back says!! I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the stunning settings, the storyline and just absolutely everything about this book when I started reading it and I am just so glad as I know this series is going to be just like her Kitty Underhay series, a much loved series that when I am transported to it I will not want to leave!! When you grab this gorgeous book Helena will take you on a time travelling journey back to the year 1941 and will transport you to London and then the stunning Devon where you will meet Jane Treen and her cat Marmaduke. Jane loves coffee, cigarettes and solving mysteries thanks to her work in a secret Government agency which manages agents. We also meet Arthur Cilento who also works for the secret service as a code break. Arthur lives in Devon and much prefers a quieter life due to the fact that he has chronic asthma. When Jane's agents go missing and some are found murdered, one in the home of Arthur, they are both determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. Jane ends up moving in with Arthur in order to solve the case quicker. Arthur is not best pleased though as Marmaduke's, smoking and chronic asthma don't exactly go well together!!! Thankfully Arthur has got a butler to help him out and he is a great help throughout. Benson also joins in with the investigation but can they get to the killer before it is too late? Well, if you want to know more you will have to grab your copy of this absolutely action packed and explosive page turner today and I promise that you will not regret it!!! You may even discover your new favourite author and series!! The fact that Helena truly does care for these amazing characters leaps out of the pages in their incredible character development and her evocative descriptions!! The twist at the end left me absolutely gob smacked, I mean my jaw was hitting the floor!!! There was no way on Earth I would ever seen that one coming!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Helena!!! It is getting harder and harder to shock me after reading hundreds of thrillers and crime books but you managed it hook, line and sinker!! I also want to say that even though there is so much going on at no point did I get confused which is an absolute credit to Helena's fantastic writing skills but she also wrapped everything up perfectly in the end and I am definitely looking forward to getting stuck in to the next book 'The Secret Detective Agency' series. One of the other things I love about this book is that although it is predominantly a crime is the fact that Helena also includes some humour!!! It is always nice to have humour thrown into books filled with darkness to lighten the atmosphere and Helena has the balance perfectly. The location , characters, descriptions are all just absolutely perfect with Helena's evocative writing skills bringing absolutely everything and everyone to life right in front of the readers eyes!! This book is fantastically written and had me hooked from the first page until the last. I gave up counting how many times I told myself one more chapter just to HAVE to know what happened next as this happened over and over until I ended up devouring the whole book in one sitting!!!

This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Kristin Atherton
who did an absolutely amazing job bringing this story and the characters to life. I would listen to this book in the car and while walking at any opportunity. I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by Helena but also to listening to more books narrated by Kristin.

I love that there are several amazing, unique and colourful characters in this series and I became completely invested in each and every one of their lives immediately. Although I still miss Kitty, Matt and the gang these ones are definitely filing the gap that they left!! I loved getting to know each and every single one of them. I really cannot wait to read the next books in this absolutely amazing series. The characters were all realistic and it was lovely to watch all the different relationships and friendships between different characters develop and grow. The fact that Jane has a ginger cat called Marmaduke is right down my street being a huge animal lover myself. I run my own animal rescue called Golden Oldies Cat Rescue And Hospice which you can find on social media so any books that contain animals always get bonus points from me! Congratulations Helena on creating another group of larger than life and unforgettable characters!!!

Congratulations Helena on yet another huge success!!! I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your books and this is exactly why you are on my favourite author list!!! Here is to your next guaranteed success 🥂!!

Overall YET AGAIN, another absolutely addictive and unputdownable cosy crime by Helena and an absolutely fantastic start to this new and addictive series that will keep you up all night.

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Helena Dixon regales readers with the pairing of an unlikely duo, Miss Jane Treen and Arthur Cilento. The pair have at least one thing in common. Both work in similar fields: Jane has a top-secret government job, while Arthur is a code breaker. Their paths cross when Jane arrives at his residence, accompanied by her cat Marmaduke. Arthur finds their presence, especially Jane’s, quite annoying, especially when she announces they’ll be staying for the foreseeable future.

The timing, as well as their lines of work, are delicate. It is right in the middle of WWII and their work is of great significance. When one of the agents that works with Jane is found dead, her boss sends her to work with Arthur.

I enjoy new series like this. Admittedly, the book started a bit slow, but that was no doubt due to the introduction of Jane, Arthur, and Chief Inspector Thorne, whom they consult with. The setting and the mystery were intriguing, and I found myself enjoying both Jane and Arthur. When you factor in the excellent narration by Kristin Atherton, especially when it came to the voicing of the different protagonist, it turned out to be a very engaging read. I can only imagine the adventures they’ll face together in the future.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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!