How to Get Murdered in Devon

Devon Mysteries #9

by Stephanie Austin

When Juno Browne purchased a car for her lover, Daniel Thorncroft, she was not expecting that the previous owner would lock a dead body in the boot. Who the dead man could be is a persistent question, as is the whereabouts of the seller, Amber Horrell. While Inspector Ford and the Ashburton police are on the case, Juno's insatiable curiosity and concern for the missing Amber lead her to start sleuthing on her own. It turns out that the Horrells, Amber's family, are notorious in this corner of Devon, with an ancient murder and vanishing red diamond in their past and a shady antiques business very much in their present.

With a second murder, Juno's involvement in the investigation becomes more complicated and the line between reality and fiction also become blurred. But the truth, she discovers, is far more complicated than it seems.

Genres: Crime, Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

Published September 18, 2025

Reviews

[Tracy Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buying a car can be expensive but it's not normally dangerous! So, when Juno Browne's boyfriend Daniel Thornecroft looks round the vehicle left outside his home, after she bought it for him, the discovery of a dead body in the boot comes as a bit of a shock! Determined to find out as much as she can about the victim, Juno is a little concerned when Amber Horrell, the young woman she purchased the car from, disappears without trace. Warned off from investigating by both Daniel and the local police she knows that clues are just a chat away, especially as the Horrells are antique dealers just like her. Nothing is quite as it seems, however, and Juno is soon in far more danger than she could ever imagine.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Allison and Busby, but the opinions expressed are my own. Although this is the ninth book in the Devon Mystery Series, it was my first experience of this author's work, and I loved it. Juno and Daniel are a great couple, and they have an eclectic group of friends I really enjoyed getting to know. I will definitely be reading the other books in this series as I've definitely found another great writer to add to my list of must reads!

[Beachcomber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Another one local to me, this is set in and around Ashburton and Buckfastleigh. Juno is a fairly take-no-nonsense lady who’s developed a rep as a bit of a local Miss Marple, who this time ends up trying to solve the mystery of who dumped a body in the boot of the car her boyfriend just bought…

I did guess a few bits, but there were still a few surprises, and I think this is a strong addition to the series. I know there are a lot of fans locally who will enjoy this!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Get Murdered in Devon is the ninth book in the Devon Mystery series, and is my first foray into this author's work. But let me tell you, it certainly won't be my last, I'll definitely be adding the previous books to my ever growing "to read" list.

The Murder mystery genre is one of my favourites, so this read really was right up my street and I flew through this in two sittings.

We follow Juno, who buys a car for her lover, Daniel, but little did she know, the previous owner left a dead body in the boot.

Who is the dead person? Where is the previous owner? While the police are on the case, Juno can't help but give into her curiosity and start sleuthing herself. But oh no, a second murder makes things much more complicated and truth becomes more and more blurred by the day.

Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up to find out.

So all in all, I really enjoyed this read. Juno and Daniel really are great characters, they're interesting and wonderfully written, with a brilliantly assorted group of friends to get to know too.

The storyline bobs along nicely and holds your attention to the very end.

Just brilliant.

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle murder mystery, How to Get Murdered in Devon (2025) by Stephanie Austin features amateur detective Juno Browne. An unidentified body is found in the boot of a car Juno had purchased for her boyfriend, and its seller, Amber Horrell has disappeared. With her curiosity aroused, Juno investigates, discovering the complicated history of the Horrell family, a vanished red diamond and an antique trunk. As the body count rises, Juno integrates herself into the Horrell family as she tries to solve the mystery of who was killed and why. Despite it being the ninth book in the Devom Mysteries, this is a standalone review given, the lack of prior knowledge of the preceding books. A pleasant English village whodunnit, with a range of interesting characters makes for a three and a half star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Allison & Busby and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

[K McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest Juno Browne mystery is as engaging, well-written, and enjoyable as the rest of the series, which is high praise. Juno is again wrapped up in a murder mystery, this time when boyfriend Daniel finds a dead body in the boot of his newly acquired used car. The ensuing mystery brings old family drama, steampunk conventions, and graphic novels together as Juno’s curiosity drives her unofficial investigation forward. For part of this book, I did struggle a bit with just what that curiosity drives Juno to do to get more information, given her lack of personal connection to the case and the cost that curiosity has had in the past. Full credit to the author for addressing that point head on before the book ends. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

[Eleni · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Get Murdered in Devon is a well-crafted cozy mystery featuring Juno Browne, an engaging amateur sleuth, who quickly pulls the reader in. When Juno buys a car for her partner, Daniel, the last thing she expects is for a dead body to be discovered in the boot. Her search for answers soon entangles her in the complicated history of the Horrell family. Although this is the ninth book in the 'Devon Mysteries' series, I found it worked perfectly fine as a standalone, having not read the previous installments. The English village setting gave the story that classic whodunnit charm.

Overall, this was an enjoyable mystery read—I would say that this book is suited for fans of village or English mysteries, and this could be a seasonal pick for autumn or winter evenings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the eARC.
Juno Browne bought a car for her boyfriend Daniel, but when he opens the boot he is horrified to find a dead man there. It takes quite some time before the police find his identity.
Juno, who has an insatiable curiosity, finds it difficult to promise Daniel not to do any sleuthing and she soon breaks her promise.
This is such a fun read, I enjoyed it tremendously. It's a cosy with a bite and also has a good dose of humor, great characters and a lovely sense of the beauty of the surroundings.
There's a 98-year old woman Juno visits, who is delightful and her dog's antics made me snort through my nose. All in all this is a great, entertaining book that I recommend highly!

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juno was familiar with death in suspicious circumstances. It was well known to the local police too that Juno will be in the midst of unaccountable deaths so when a body is discovered in a car she bought for a boyfriend, it was not such a big deal. Except for the victim and how he came to be in the boot of her car.

The story has a lot of ups and downs, false starts, family disputes going back a long time and of course the greed for money overwhelming always and the cause for so many deaths. The power of money and with it the control that comes. Investigations continue and the story unfolds in different directions, hiding the true murderers till the end.

Very well told with wily characters.

[R Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grew on me as it progressed. The plot started in quite a mundane, domestic way detailing the characters and routines central to the lead character Juno. As it progressed, the plot became more intriguing as she investigated in an informal way why a stranger was killed and placed in the boot of a car she had just purchased for her boyfriend. There were plenty of twists and turns and some surprises in store especially towards the end. unusually, come the denouement Juno found it a chastening experience rather than one that vindicated her. It’s nice to see a very human conclusion rather than an amateur sleuth making the police look daft.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely the small-town cozy mystery I was in the mood for. I liked how it was a one-sitting read and this was my first introduction to Juno Browne, who I thought very intelligent but a little bit too careless when she needed to be more conscientious, especially when a murder is involved. The story started off slow-churning but eventually picked up as the plot progressed.

P.S. Since I received this book as a digital ARC, it was sent completely unformatted with no paragraph indentations or line breaks. Made the it much more difficult to stay committed to. But still, thank you Allison and Busby and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Jackie Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Get Murdered in Devon is the first book I’ve read by Stephanie Austin. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this author.
Juno Browne buys a used car for her long-distance boyfriend to drive when he’s in town. They are shocked when he discovers a dead body in the trunk. The previous owner of the car, Amber Horrell, has disappeared. Juno is an amateur detective, and of course she investigates the murder plus much more.
I enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the story.
I received a free ARC copy of this from NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Nimalee Ravi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and engaging murder mystery. I loved the writing style and the characters. Juno bought a car for her partner Daniel, and he is shocked to find a dead body in the boot of his new car. Juno's curiosity gets the better of her, and she sets out to find the killer.

This is definitely a one sitting read, and I couldn't put it down. This is my first read by the author, and I enjoyed getting to know all the characters. How to get Murdered in Devon is definitely a cozy murder mystery and perfect read for the spooky season. Highly recommend this book.

[Kathryn Ashe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve loved all the titles this series having lived in Cornwall and spending much time in Devon. With this ninth in the series, I felt the story approached being a thriller rather than the typical cozy mystery. I found the conclusion both satisfying and heartfelt ending.

I can’t wait to see what Ms. Austin has to offer with the 10title and will be preordering the first day available.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another short and sweet addition to the series. It took some time for the plot to move forward. Some parts could be guessed. The concluding chapter was nice.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Lovely series set on Dartmoor. Characters develop with every book.

[Rebecca Bridson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of Stephanie Austin's latest novel 'How to Get Murdered in Devon'.

I have so many good things to say about this book and the series in general. Once I finished this novel I went searching for the rest of the series and bought the first four books from Kobo.

If you are looking for a cozy murder mystery series with a compelling heroine and a well-rounded and engaging ensemble of supporting characters set in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK look no further. Juno Browne is plucky and endearing and has a horrific track record of finding dead bodies. Seriously, the body count in these books puts some Midsomer Murders episodes to shame.

Some readers will understand when I say I get a cozy, comforting feelings each time I start reading a book in the Devon Mystery series. It's like watching your comfort show on repeat because you enjoy the company of the characters and you want to know what is going on in their lives.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and I hope other readers will take a chance on this series.