The Secret Detective Agency: Book 3
Publication Date: November 6, 2025
Big Ben chiming in the distance, chilly walks along the river Thames, cocktails at the Ritz… and a government secretary dead? Only Jane Treen can solve the case!
London, 1941. Miss Jane Treen is faced with another mysterious disappearance within her Secret Detective Agency’s team. Tabitha Moore, a government typist, was on her way to meet Jane with vital information about some secret codes. But she didn’t turn up for work and has seemingly vanished without trace. Then Jane and her colleague, handsome codebreaker Arthur Cilento, receive a call: a body has been found, and it matches Tabitha’s description…
It quickly becomes clear that Tabitha’s death was not due to ongoing air raids on the city: the silk scarf tied tightly around her neck suggests otherwise. The prime suspect is Tabitha’s fiancé Leo Cavendish, a dashing government official, but there are plenty of others with a motive too. Jane and Arthur scrutinise those around Tabitha at work and at home, including a charming newsreader reporting on government affairs, a jealous pianist in love with Leo, and a known womaniser and gambler fond of causing trouble.
Together, Jane, Arthur and her fluffy ginger cat Marmaduke hole up in her London townhouse, with black coffee in plentiful supply and a roaring fire in the grate. But just as they begin to piece together the puzzle, someone else is found dead. It’s clear they need to step up and catch the killer on the loose in the big smoke, before it’s their turn next…
If you love twisty crime novels, top-secret intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Helena Dixon’s totally gripping cozy novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright!
When Tabitha Moore is a no-show, and later her body is found murdered, Miss Jane Treen enters the scene to catch a killer in this WWII-era cozy mystery by Helena Dixon, Murder Most British. This is the third book in The Secret Detective Agency series, and I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to read this series from the beginning.
With 1940s London as the backdrop to this mystery, it adds a certain allure and intrigue to the setting, which I find particularly appealing. I love the British sayings and vocabulary that Americans don’t use, such as “torch” for “flashlight” or “jumper” for “sweater.” I found them endearing.
I love how Jane gets her assignments in her boss’s office. I can see it in my mind’s eye, and I feel as if I’m there with Jane, getting the rundown on her next assignment. Jane is a particularly strong character, especially for her era, and it was nice to see a woman excel at her job in a man’s world. She must work harder to get recognition than her male counterparts. It’s not right, but Jane will do the right thing and solve the case at the end.
When Jane and Arthur team up, they make for a dynamic duo. They work well together to accomplish the task. They each have their strengths, which complement one another.
I always hate to see the end of these books, but now I can look forward to the next book in the series!
If mystery wrapped in a good story is what the reader is looking for, look no further. Murder Most British delivers on all counts.
Helena Dixon is the author of the internationally bestselling Miss Underhay cozy mystery series. She is a Black Country girl living in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She was the winner of the RNA Romance Prize in 2007 and the RNA Love Story of the Year 2010.
