Grime Doesn't Pay

Aunt Audrey's Angels #1

by Jay Larkin

Fired from her boring office position, Jenny lands her dream job at Aunt Audrey’s Angels cleaning agency, where she pursues her twin passions of cleaning houses and solving mysteries.
Inquisitive, resourceful and persistent, the cleaner-turned-sleuth stumbles across mysteries wherever she works, including theft, extortion and fraud. Along the way, she enlists the help of a police detective, a private investigator and an attractive lawyer.
When Jenny herself is framed for a jewellery heist, she needs all her courage and tenacity to outsmart the criminals and reveal the truth.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2023

About the author

I grew up devouring the clever cases of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Father Brown – always marvelling, “How did they spot the killer before me?” Despite my best efforts, I never beat the detective to the punch.
As a teenager, I playfully contemplated poisoning my relations – not out of malice, but purely to test whether my hypothetical methods would work. Thankfully, no one was harmed!
Like my main character, Jenny Brooks, I’m naturally curious and love to mix in – but always with the best of motives. In Grime Doesn’t Pay, Jenny leaves her staid office job to join Aunt Audrey’s Angels cleaning agency, where she turns her twin passions for cleaning and sleuthing into a series of cozy investigations. From theft and extortion to fraud, she untangles mysteries one cleaning job at a time – and even gets framed for a jewellery heist along the way.
In the follow-up, Grime and Punishment, Jenny again proves resourceful and persistent – delving deeper into local intrigue and showing that nothing stays hidden under a layer of dust.
These light-hearted, character-driven mysteries – set in 1980s England – blend gentle humour, unexpected twists and the comforting charm of small-town life. You can dip in and out – or binge the full series of four books in one go.
These days, crafting my own puzzles – and keeping readers guessing until the very end – is far more satisfying than solving them. I hope you enjoy following Jenny’s adventures as much as I enjoy creating them.

Reviews

[Oliver Dowson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve met lots of houseproud people in my life who like keeping their own living spaces spick and span, but never one like Jenny, who loves it so much that she chooses to put her business qualifications aside to go out and clean other people’s houses (and the odd golf club along the way). It’s not just pride in polishing; her new life gives her the opportunity to poke her nose into other people’s business, highlighting misdemeanours but also helping where she can, her progress lubricated by an inordinate number of cups of tea that way outnumber the red herrings. The late 80s in provincial England in Judith Isenberg’s book was a friendly, happy place – not quite how I remember it, but never mind.

Written more as a collection of short stories than a novel (though it does get there in the end) means readers who look for an undemanding gentle hour’s reading (over a cup of tea!) can dip in and out.

[Kelly Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grime Doesn't Pay by Jay Larken is a well-written, easy to read cozy mystery focused on the world of the cleaning business, and the mysteries that the main character, Jenny, comes across courtesy of her varied assignments.
The first in the Aunt Audrey's Angels series differs from the average cozy mystery in that it features a series of individual mysteries, each taking a chapter, forming what is more of a mystery anthology than a single, book long mystery. The unique approach allows one to pick up and put down the book with ease while remaining with the core characters, making it a perfect read for summertime relaxation.
I highly recommend you sign up for the author's newsletter in order to get the short prequel to the series, A Clean Start, and read that first. While not necessary for enjoying this book, it's a wonderful beginning to the series, that you won't find it anywhere else.

[Eva Pasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Keen Spree

Author Jay Larkin’s ‘Grime Doesn’t Pay’ (Aunt Audrey’s Angels, Book 1) is a keen spree of a novel featuring amateur sleuth, Jenny Brooks. A single, attractive gal with a business degree and boring office job, she’s let go due to the company’s financial straits. Jenny, who has a passion for housework, is in her glory when Hannah Bradshaw hires her at Aunt Audrey’s Angels.

What ensues, is a lighthearted, entertaining novel showcasing what a well-meaning, nosey person can accomplish for righting what’s wrong on her watch. Each chapter puts Jenny smack dab in the middle of confronting and solving a theft, extortion, or fraud with several unexpected twists to keep the reader fully engaged from one venture to the next.

While Jenny Brooks strikes me as a tad too inveigling, and I certainly hope a romance with Tim Wardell takes root to keep her busy, I truly enjoyed every word in this gratifying story where grime or crime doesn’t pay.

[Cozy Champagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grime Doesn't Pay is the first book in the Aunt Audrey's Angels series by Jay Larkin. The protagonist is Jenny, a businesswoman who gets fired and decides to change careers and become a cleaner. As she cleans houses, she stumbles across mysteries and solves them.

This was a fun and unique cozy. Unlike most cozy mysteries, this one does not revolve around a murder mystery. Instead, Jenny solves mysteries involving theft, fraud, and other crimes. Each chapter contains a mystery of sorts. There is also a book-length arc for Jenny.

This book's format makes it easy to read in bits and pieces. The gentle nature of the story makes it perfect for readers who like clean cozies or mysteries that involve crimes other than murder.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.

[Ashley Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grime Doesn't Pay by Jay Larkin was a pleasant read. Ms. Larkin's writing style is classy with good word building and likeable characters. This is a collection of short stories- if you enjoy mysteries like "Murder She Wrote", you will enjoy Aunt Audrey's Angels! Some of the stories seem to have an abrupt conclusion, but the mystery is solved, and all questions are addressed. This is a wonderful series if you are looking to relax and decompress, with an elegant flow that draws you in and gives you that cozy feeling on every page.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book to read. Grime Doesn't Pay is the story of Jenny Brooks who takes a job as a house/business cleaner at Aunt Audrey's Angels in 1988. Her jobs subject her to all kinds of interesting situations and she uses her sleuthing skills to solve several mysteries. This book is different from other mysteries I've read. There isn't a murder mystery and each chapter in the book centers on a different mini plot. This book is well written and I read it in one sitting!

[Stefanie Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows a cleaner called Jenny as she goes about her job in 1980s England. Along the way she also solves mysteries. The book is organised with a mystery per chapter so it's easy to dip in and out of. Each mystery is slightly different, and my favourite was probably the one with the wife in the attic. There is no spice, gore or violence in this book. It's a gentle, calming, cosy read.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, cozy mystery. Jenny loves to clean, she also likes mysteries. Of course, being the center of one isn't all that fun. The author takes readers on a quick ride as the story unfolds and the mystery begins. In this book, you not only can whistle while you work but you can get rid of the grime and solve a crime.

[Gerald Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light, breezy, cozy set of stories about Jenny, former business woman turned house cleaner. Her curiosity sometimes gets her in trouble and often leads to a mystery only she can solve. If you’re looking for something that won’t tax the brain too much but is still enjoyable, give it a shot.

[Sharon Mierke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great cozy mystery!

When Jenny loses her job, taking on work with Aunt Audrey’s Angels cleaning company doesn’t seem like a step backwards - she loves to clean! Grime Doesn’t Pay is filled with Jenny’s experiences and who knew cleaning people’s homes could lead a young woman into the role of amateur sleuth! An interesting easy read. 5 stars.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nozy Mystery

I like a good cozy mystery, but I called this a Nozy mystery. The lead character found lots of unscrupulous activities because she was snooping where she didn’t belong.
Transition from case to case was awkward, and didn’t flow easily. Gave it a 3 because it’s better than a 2

[Ryan Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is a fun cozy about a cleaner at an agency in 1980's England. It's a fun romp ofa cozy with the protagonist Jenny. She's neat and tiny to the point that she notices thing with observation prowess. It's fun ti watch her clean a client's place though the agency she workes for Aunt Audrey's Angel's. It's a treat of a book and enjoyed every minute of it. Also read the prequel, that was fun too.

[Shelley Fishel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Easy reading kept me engaged right through

I just finished this delightful book. Reading in a few sittings. Delightful characters well rounded and kept me engaged all the way through. Now looking forward to reading about Jenny's next adventures. Loved it.

[Helen Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jay Larkin's delightful book brings the character of Jenny Brooks, a determined if unlikely sleuth, to life. Educated, middle class Jenny is made redundant from a well paid job and on a whim, turns her hobby - keeping her cottage spotless - into a job as an agency cleaner for Aunt Audrey's Angels. Her inquisitive nature, intelligence and new found access to a variety of venues provide Jenny with the means, motive and opportunity to unravel the variety of mysteries that she encounters. In creating Jenny Brooks, Jay Larkin has created a loveable, if occasionally fallible, detective. Her depiction of middle England is perceptive and her principal character's unassuming manner and deductive powers could rival those of Miss Marple. This charming book is delightful, amusingly written and a must-read for lovers of cozy mysteries. I look forward to Jenny's continuing adventures in the next book of the series. Thoroughly recommend.

[David Bradtguides · Rating 4 out of 5]

My partner bought this and i saw it on the coffee table. Not my usual thing, but I picked it up and was still reading a couple of hours later. Finished it that evening, and really enjoyed it. Light and entertaining, actually a real fun read !
If someone had told me that I'd be eagerly anticipating the next in the series of books about a cleaner-detective, I might have thought that they been inhaling a few too many cleaning-product fumes !
Recommended !