This is the second book in The Secret Detective Agency series and I thought it was even better than the first.

The story is set in October 1941. It takes place in the village of Ashbourne in Kent.

Once again the main characters are Miss Jane Treen, a mid level spymaster working in Whitehall and Mr Arthur Cilento a mathematician and codebreaker and his manservant Benton.

The ‘detectives’ Jane, Arthur and Benson are sent to Ashbourne (where Jane grew up) to investigate the suspicious death of an Italian POW and an escalation in black market activity in the area.

The plot was excellent. I thought the clues were clever and logical and the villain took me completely by surprise (but I didn’t feel that the author cheated)!

In The Secret Detective Agency we learnt more about Arthur from those who had known him throughout his life. In The Seaside Murders it’s the turn of Jane. We gain insights into her relationship with her deceased father as well as her glamorous and larger than life mother, Elsa.

We also see a softening in her attitude towards Arthur which was a relief. She is still larger than life and very much marches to the beat of her own drum, but she is now capable of not killing Arthur due to carelessness and single minded focus! It’s also quite sweet and funny how disconcerting they find their softening attitudes towards the other!

On a personal note it’s also much more pleasurable that Jane doesn’t spend the entire book smoking or obsessing about smoking! Yes, she still smokes but not on every page! She also tries to be less obnoxious about smoking AT Arthur (which annoyed me in the first book).

All in all definitely a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a good historical mystery.

*** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher ***

THE SEASIDE MURDERS is the second novel in The Secret Detective Agency series by HELENA DIXON. In this exciting story, which takes place in 1941 near the village of Ashbourne in Kent, we come across the three indomitable members of this detective agency that we have met in book one. They have been tasked by Whitehall with solving the discovery of a naked body on the beach and also a problem with theft and blackmarketeering in the area.
Deciding to stay in the house where Jane Treen grew up and which she inherited from her father, under cover of needing a rest from work, she and her colleague Arthur Cilento, together with his trusty manservant Benson, get down to their investigations. An interesting and unexpected addition to their party is Jane’s famous mother……..
There are many twists and turns and we are left guessing until the end……
I really enjoyed this most enjoyable and delightfully written book.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture.The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Having been recruited as part of the Secret Detective Agency, Jane Treen has helped solve a few mysteries alongside statastician Arthur Cilento and his manservant, Mr Benson. The body of a POW has been found near her family home, and although she hasn't been able to face returning there since her father’s death, she now has no choice. Alongside the unexplained death is the ever increasing threat from black marketeers who have been targeting victims of German bombing raids along the Kent coast in recent months. With very little to go on, can the trio solve both mysteries, or will the dangers they encounter be inescapable this time around?

Book two in Helena Dixon’s excellent new series is a really good read, and I had absolutely no clue who was responsible for any of the happenings in the small village of Ashbourne until the big reveal. Once again, the historical aspects of the time were pivotal in the discovery of whodunnit and were delivered in an effortless manner, although I'm sure the research was anything but! Arthur and Jane are gradually getting to know each other, and their relationship evolves throughout this instalment! There are now twenty books and counting in the author's other series, and I hope that the Secret Detectives will be around for that long as well.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bookouture, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is easy to recommend, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“The Seaside Murders,” the second installment in Helena Dixon’s “The Secret Detective Agency” series, is a captivating seaside cozy mystery that transports readers to the charming coastal town.

Jane and Archie find themselves entangled in a thrilling adventure as they investigate a series of perplexing murders that disrupt the town’s tranquility. The narrative is enriched by unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

As the duo delves deeper into the mystery, their evolving relationship adds an intriguing layer to the story, leaving readers curious if Jane and Archie will finally find romance with each other. Dixon masterfully combines suspense and charm, making this sequel a delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC read.

#netgalley #arc

A pretty seaside town, a body on the beach, and a boatload of clues. Can super-sleuth Miss Jane Treen solve the mystery?
Kept me awake most of the night as I just had to finish it. A great read… grabbed my attention from the first page… with each new revelation, I just kept wanting to turn the pages… I highly recommend this book!

Having recently met Arthur, Jane and Benson, I was delighted to find a second in the series. The trio have recently formed a secret group within Whitehall, looking into suspicious events and murders taking place around the country in the early days of the war. They form an unlikely group but each bring their own unique skills to the team.
In this book, Jane, Arthur and Benson decamp to Jane’s father’s house to investigate the murder of a POW and a black market gang operating in the area. With another fantastic cast of characters in the village and plenty of mystery and danger, this will keep any cosy crime reader happy. A great plot, several twists and turns and some thrilling dangerous moments, I was so pleased to read this one.

I like this series. I like the characters…the historical fiction…the setting…recipe for a fun quick read. This talented author has written a suspenseful mystery. The story moves quickly. It is not easy to determine the outcome. Curl up in a comfy chair with a warm blanket...become lost in the story of this detective agency...you will enjoy the journey. Thanks Netgalley.