The Secret Detective Agency: Book 2
Publication Date: April 30, 2025
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?
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!
Set in England in 1941, Miss Jane Treen works alongside codebreaking genius Arthur Cilento to solve the mystery of a murder on the beach of the little seaside town where she grew up.
Author Helena Dixon pens the second book in her The Secret Detective Agency series, The Seaside Murders. I have always loved reading the first book in a series, and I’m ecstatic that I could follow up with the second book in this highly entertaining series!
The lead protagonist, Jane, is no-nonsense and staid. She doesn’t seem to like emotion and tries to keep herself from feeling emotions. However, Jane is a sensitive soul on the inside and tough as nails on the outside. I can relate to that.
This installment is just as good as the first. There are loads of adventures and mysteries to solve, and the plot moves quickly with intriguing and well-developed characters. Jane and Arthur are true friends, and I adore their working relationship. One can “see” it in the written words.
At the end of the book, the author provides several excerpts of her work along with a backlist of her books, which I love to read. I can get just as lost in the excerpts of the works that are out or coming out as I do in the book.
Grab The Seaside Murders and immerse yourself in wartime England, and don’t forget to start with the first book, The Secret Detective Agency, because you don’t want to miss any of the good stuff these books have to offer.
Helena Dixon is the author of the best-selling Miss Underhay murder mystery series and
lives 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 is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and
housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010
as Nell Dixon.
