ARC Review of The Secret Detective Agency

 This is a netgalley eARC review, the opinions are my own.

Meet Miss Jane Treen – the coffee-drinking cat lover dressed head to toe in tweed, who just happens to be a secret super sleuth!

London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk, strong black coffee in hand and fluffy ginger cat by her side, 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. Jane needs to gather the clues and find the killer before someone else from the agency gets hurt…

Shy and handsome code-breaker Arthur Cilento 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 reluctant colleagues huddle near the warmth of a crackling fire in Arthur's country home, working to piece together the murderous puzzle at hand.

In the sleepy Devon village, someone is hiding something: but is it the busybody vicar and his sister, the dutiful housekeeper and her secretive son, the stern librarian, or someone else altogether? And who were the people with the woman in the lake on the day she died?

No sooner have Arthur and Jane have drawn up a list of suspects, than a parcel reveals a clue that sends them in hot pursuit of a coded diary stashed in a village church. But as the heavy wooden door slams behind them and a key turns in the lock, one thing is they need to unravel the truth and crack this code before the killer decides their number is up…

But if they can catch the culprit in time, might this unusual pair become the finest crime-solving partnership since Holmes and Watson hung up their hats…?

This is a historical mystery set during WWII about a young lady who is working for the war office under a brigadier and is upset because several of her agents have died and she thinks it has to do with another operation called Operation Exodus. 

When another one is murdered she is sent to the small village where it happened to work with Arthur who has asthma and isn't able to being in the military but is used in other ways as he can solve puzzles and is a bit of a codebreaker. Together along with Arthur's man servant Benson they try and figure out what happened and who has betrayed her team. Some are missing because of bombings while others might be hiding. 

I really enjoyed this  book though there were some things I found annoying. One of them being the main character. She just seemed to think she was a bit better than Arthur and it's probably a bit because he has a sickness that keeps him from doing a lot of things, but in many ways I thought he was smarter than her. She smoked like a chimney and in front of Arthur who has asthma! I thought that was very rude, I didn't care that she smoked this is a book set in the   40s but to do so in front of someone who has problems breathing was annoying. 

The mystery I thought was done really well, although I figured out who done it, I did have to go back and forth on who I thought it was, then one of my suspects got eliminated and I had to reevaluate so I liked that.  

All in all though it was a fun historical mystery and I think the three will be a fun team. 

4 stars

Week in Review #117

How was your week? What did you get? The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

Not much happened this week worthy of talking about. It was pretty quiet which I am fine with. We have possible storms tonight, welcome to spring. It's the only thing about spring I don't like the storms. Hope it doesn't get to nasty I am not ready for that.

Have a great week and happy reading!

Books I have added

Nothing!

Books I Read

• Mr. Zero - This one is from 1939 and it's very easy to read but wasn't exactly huge on mystery and had a character I wanted to reach in and slap she was so ditzy and self absorbed but over all it had some fun parts and was interesting enough that I would try another from this author.
• Case of the Curious Bride - This is the fifth book in the Perry Mason series and I felt it was a bit different than the others I have read but still entertaining. I really like Perry, he is a bit morally grey at times and very sneaky but he is a lawyer...lol. 
• Murder on Wall Street - The 24th book in the Gaslight series and I am so sad that I am getting close to the end of the series as the author passed away last year. I have three books left but then I can always reread if I want. It's probably my favorite historical mystery series.
• Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister - Third and final book in this fun middle grade graphic novel trilogy. Steve's sister really is the villain in this family even though Steve thought he was at first...lol. If you have middle graders who like graphic novels this one is a fun trilogy. 

Currently Reading

• Small Favors - I am running out of month for these books! I am 64% into this one and enjoying it as always. 
• The Secret Detective Agency - I am getting there! I keep butting this one off for other books but now I need to dig in and get it done as I am 67% into the ebook.
• Rebecca - I waited to long to start this 15 hour audiobook as it's not one I can just listen to for long hours. I am enjoying it but I have to give myself breaks as some of the characters are horrid. 

How did your week go? Hope you had a great week!

Week in Review #116

How was your week? What did you get? The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

I didn't post last week because I have been battling the flu. I am pretty much over it but the cough is still kicking my butt. I haven't been sick like this is several years and its not fun...lol. The weather going up and down cold, warm, cold, warm doesn't help much either.

So I did a lot of lounging and watching tv and a bit of reading. Mostly I listened to audiobooks as my eyes just didn't want to read.

I have been watching a lot of Acorn TV, finished up Chelsea Detectives which was pretty good. I think a new season is coming in April so I am glad it's not over.

Books I have added

• Death at the Highland Loch by Lydia Travers - First book in a new series. I have enjoyed this authors other series so I am excited to try this one. 

Books I Read

• You Have Gone Two Far - Third book in the County Kerry series. A gritty Irish mystery. I enjoyed it. 
• The Black Ice - The second Harry Bosch book and Bosch is a bit morally grey but he gets the job done and I enjoyed it. 
• First three J. P. Beaumont books - I am really enjoying J. P. Beaumont a series started in the 1980s.
• Physik - The third book in the Septemis Heap series and it was a lot better than book two!
• The Secret of the Old Mill - The third book in the Hardy Boys series and I really enjoyed it.
• Listening Woman - The third book in the Leaphorn and Chee series (Dark Winds the TV show is based on this series). I am starting to enjoy this series a bit more than I have been. It's a bit dry but getting better. 
• The Silence of the Flans - Cozy mystery reread for a readalong and I didn't like this as much as I did the first time. I think my taste in cozies have changed a bit. 

This is two weeks worth of books as I was sick, I listened to a lot of books. :) 

Currently Reading

• Mr. Zero - Trying Patricia Wentworth for the first time and enjoying it. This story is from the 1930s but I am finding the writing style very easy to read. Maybe I am starting to get use to the older books. :) I am on page 84 of 216. 
• The Case of the Curious Bride - Perry Mason book five, also from the 1930s and I really like Perry Mason though he is very different in the books than TV show, the old show, not talking about that new thing they created. Almost finished! On page 141 of 182. 
• Small Favor - Continuing my reread of Dresden Files and enjoying it a lot. :) 18% into the audiobook.
• The Secret Detective Agency - I am enjoying this one though I haven't read much on it lately. I am 41% into the ebook. 

How did your week go? Hope you had a great week!

Feed Your TBR! #7

It's time to FEED YOUR TBR and I have a couple books you might find interesting!! I am curious about these books though I may not be anticipating them. These picks are almost out so not a lot of waiting involved.  (Feed Your TBR is my version of Waiting on Wednesday now hosted by Wishful Endings)

Middle Grade

Skin of bark, soul of a hero. An astonishing fantasy adventure from the bestselling author of The World of Podkin One-Ear series.

Albion city is governed by a puppet queen, secretly controlled by Lord Cromwell, and strange magic is afoot as six Guilds all compete to rule it. Although the Leaf Guild is the weakest, no one has reckoned with newcomer Jed Greenleaf's extraordinary ability to transform into a half-tree, covered over with bark. He just needs to learn how to harness that power.

Could he be the hero that the Guild needs to win at the Punchbowl tournament? It just might be that this year Jed can turn over a new leaf in the history books, and bring glory to the decaying Guild and peace to Albion.

I haven't tried this author but some of my friends have enjoyed the Podkin One-Ear series and this sounds fun. Comes out September 9th from Faber and Faber Children. 

Adult

A pretty seaside town, a body on the beach, and a boatload of clues. Can super-sleuth Miss Jane Treen solve the mystery?

England, 1941. When Jane Treen is summoned to her boss’s office at the end of a long day, she smooths down her tweed skirt and makes them both another strong pot of coffee. Brigadier Remmington-Blythe slides a folded copy of the evening newspaper towards her, with one small article circled in red ink. A body has been found on an English beach in the little seaside town where she grew up, and he wants her to investigate.

Jane is used to managing secret agents and spies, but she is now part of The Secret Detective Agency, England’s answer to solving the most mysterious murders. Making her way to the coast and brimming with curiosity, she’s heartened that shy and handsome codebreaking genius Arthur Cilento will be joining her to help her wade through the fishy goings-on. Although Jane doubts he will appreciate her bringing her beloved one-eyed cat, Marmaduke…

Together, Jane and Arthur drop anchor in her crumbling childhood home overlooking the sandy beach where the body was found. Surrounded by potential suspects, their eyes are on a devious doctor, an eccentric artist and a secret sweetheart. But as Jane and Arthur are searching for the truth, those giving evidence start to clam up. One thing seems sure: they need to reel in the killer before they’re out of their depth…

Can The Secret Detective Agency triumph again, or will they meet their watery end at high tide?

I am currently reading book one in this series and enjoying it so I am excited to see another coming out so soon! :) This comes out April 30th from Bookouture.

Week in Review #115

How was your week? What did you get? The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

Hope everyone had a great week, my week was busy and so I hope this coming week will be back to being boring...lol. Dad fell on Monday and I was worried her hurt is foot again but both were swollen. He had a foot doc appointment the next day anyway so that was good and the doc said it was just swollen because the fall sent blood rushing to his feet and that compression socks would help. He is still really sore but doing better. We got rid of an old car that was taking up space and I am glad to have it out of the yard now. We traded it for tires for our new used car we just got last week. It wasn't working so the guy could use it for parts.

The weather is up and down and I think this coming week we have a lot of days in the 70s and I am so happy!! :) I am so over winter.

Have a great week and happy reading!

What you might have missed on my blog

Review of White Night

Review of Murder at the Loch

Books I have added

• No Rest For The Wicked - I blame this on Barb as I seen it on her blog and the cover grabbed me and it sounded interesting so immediately went to Netgalley and requested. :) It's about a Halloween obsessed town and it's a mystery/thriller it's all I needed to know. 

Books I Read

• Murder at the Loch - Second book in the Ally McKinley series and this is a cozy mystery for those who like more cozy than mystery. I just thought it was okay because I like more mystery. I like the characters and setting.
• The Secret of the Old Clock - The first Nancy Drew and I don't remember ever reading these as a kid so decided to try one for March Mystery Madness. :) It wasn't bad. I will read more. 

Currently Reading

• Berlin Game - This one is off to a slow start and a bit boring. I am hoping once the main character gets involved it will pick up. I am on page 43 of 344.
• The Black Ice - Harry Bosch #2 and it's going pretty good. I have the print book but also listening to the audiobook via youtube. On page 124 of 427.
• The Hovering Darkness - I haven't had much chance to read on this one so only on page 14 of 192.
• The Secret Detective Agency - eARC of a first in series and it's a historical mystery. So far it's not bad but only 9% into it.
• Physik - Third book in the Septimus Heap series and I am almost finished. This one is going way better than book two so I am happy. I am 81% into the audiobook.
• You Have Gone Too Far - Third book in the County Kerry series. This is a gritty detective mystery. This author also writes cozy mysteries but this one is not cozy. I am enjoying it. I am currently 37% into the audiobook.

How did your week go? Hope you had a great week!

Two Bloggers One Series ~ White Night by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #9)

 We are back for another Dresden Files review! I love this series and I am glad I got Barb to read it with me as  I do a reread. :) After you see what I thought go on over and check out what Barb thought at Booker T's Farm.

Wizard Harry Dresden must investigate his own flesh and blood when a series of killings strike Chicago’s magic practitioners in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Someone is targeting the members of the city’s supernatural underclass—those who don’t possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Some have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But now the culprit has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes—a message for Harry Dresden.

Harry sets out to find the apparent serial killer, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe guilty: his half-brother, Thomas. To clear his brother’s name, Harry rushes into a supernatural power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation.

And Harry knows that if he screws this one up, people will die—and one of them will be his brother...

When some younger wizards are being attacked and some girls are killed Harry has to figure out what is going on. The way some were killed it points to his brother as maybe being the killer but Harry doesn't believe he would do something like that but he is a supernatural being and so he can't rule him out.

He ends up running into his ex-flame from a long time ago who at times he is not sure if she can be trusted but she is trying to protect a small group of women from being harmed by what is out there doing the killing. He has to work with her at times to help the young ladies. 

Also going on is the fact that Molly, the young lady that Harry is responsible for, wants to get in on some of the action and is trying to get better at her abilities and so Harry has his hands full with her as well. 

There is an epic battle between supernatural forces as always and life is just never dull around Harry.

I love this series!

5 stars 

Blog Tour ~ Murder at the Loch

 

This review is part of a blog tour for this book and my honest opinion of this book.

Meet Ally dog lover, guesthouse owner and accidental detective, as she tackles her next case in the beautiful Scottish Highlands!

Recent retiree Ally McKinley has stepped out with her puppy Flora for a walk by the loch in the tiny village of Locharran, taking a break from running the cosiest little guesthouse in the Highlands. But Ally’s peace and quiet is sunk when she and Flora find the body of a mysterious woman floating in the water…

Before she knows it, Ally finds herself wading into the middle of a new investigation. Who was the mystery woman and why was she killed? Her enquiries take her all over the from the corner shop and the nearby hotel to the turreted castle, home of local earl Hamish Sinclair where preparations are underway for his upcoming – and much gossiped about – wedding.

The body in the loch soon has the rumour mills buzzing. But then Elena, the earl’s new bride, is also found poisoned to death the morning after her marriage! With two deaths to investigate, the police appear to suspect almost everyone in Locharran, even Ally herself…

Determined to uncover the truth and clear her name, Ally finds poison at the home of one of her suspects and thinks she might be on the right path to solving both murders. But with a killer on the loose in the Scottish Highlands, can Ally unravel the clues before the next person in a watery grave is her?

My thoughts:

This is the second book in the Ally McKinley series a cozy mystery set in Scotland. 

Ally owner of a B&B who is friends with Hamish the Earl is surprised to find out the Earl has decided to get married and to someone way younger than him. Almost immediately after their chat about this they discover the body of a young woman in the Loch. She is a stranger to town and soon it's found out that she was coming to Locharran to marry someone else in the village. 

Elena the earl's bride to be makes it safely to Locharran with her sister but after the wedding is found murdered. This young lady whom looks a lot like the woman found in the lake and was a stranger to the place makes this look like the first murder could have been a case of mistaken identity as some people didn't want the older Earl to get married as then he might have a baby with the younger lady and have an heir if it was a boy. One such suspect being the cousin of the earl who is looking forward to the day Hamish dies so he can be Earl. 

Ally who is friends with the Earl decides to try and figure out what happened because she feels bad for the Earl and the policeman in town also thinks it was convenient that she found the body at the loch and also was at the wedding where the Earl's new wife was murdered.

Okay so the mystery. I know this is a cozy mystery, but it's still a mystery and I felt that most of this story was more cozy than mystery. This will appeal to a lot of people as I know a lot of cozy readers and we all have things about them we like and for me it's the mystery. I just needed a bit more sleuthing and a bit less of Ally hanging out with Ross and everything else. I will say that even though I figured things out about the same time as Ally, it didn't really surprise me none. The author did get me with the motive though as I totally was surprised about that and is probably what gets this half a star more. I just wasn't grabbed by this mystery and it's the mystery that keeps me wanting to read the story.

I do like the characters in this story. I like Ally, Ross, Linda, Hamish, and all the others and I don't mind getting to know what is going on with them, I just need more mystery. I am curious to see how things will go from here with the Earl and well, you just have to read to find out, but I am interested.

Overall, I thought it was an okay book and think that others might enjoy it a bit more than I did but I still that it was a decent read.

3.5 stars

About Author:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

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