What do you think?
Rate this book
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency
Oddball couple Jane and Simon take a private detective class and must use their (admittedly limited) skills to solve a series of mysterious disappearances in this delightful debut mystery.
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a millennial couple with a little extra time on their hands. Jane was recently let go from her position as a back-end programmer, having never been quite sure what that meant. And Simon’s career as a corporate collaboration consultant seems to be less collaborating and more scrolling the internet in search of matching velour tracksuits and well-balanced charcuterie boards. When they sign up for a private detective class on a whim, they quickly realize they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.
Their instructor, having a feeling his two worst students don’t have a chance of solving anything beyond finding the classroom, assigns them the case of Nellie Thorne, a woman recently reported missing. But she's not the first Nellie Thorne to disappear. In fact, she's the fifth in fifty years. Jane and Simon set out to solve the case, armed with just a few days of notes, matching trench coats, and a feeling they should have enrolled in a different class. The investigation leads the newly minted Pie and Mash Detective Agency to places they never thought they'd go, including haunted woods, mysterious archives, and, most terrifyingly for Jane, Simon's mum's house.
As clues emerge, more questions than answers begin to pile up. What links the missing Nellies? Why do locals think she's a ghost? Is their teacher hiding something? So what if they’re heavy on heart but light on experience. Jane and Simon are determined to uncover the truth in time to pass the class and save the day.
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a millennial couple with a little extra time on their hands. Jane was recently let go from her position as a back-end programmer, having never been quite sure what that meant. And Simon’s career as a corporate collaboration consultant seems to be less collaborating and more scrolling the internet in search of matching velour tracksuits and well-balanced charcuterie boards. When they sign up for a private detective class on a whim, they quickly realize they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.
Their instructor, having a feeling his two worst students don’t have a chance of solving anything beyond finding the classroom, assigns them the case of Nellie Thorne, a woman recently reported missing. But she's not the first Nellie Thorne to disappear. In fact, she's the fifth in fifty years. Jane and Simon set out to solve the case, armed with just a few days of notes, matching trench coats, and a feeling they should have enrolled in a different class. The investigation leads the newly minted Pie and Mash Detective Agency to places they never thought they'd go, including haunted woods, mysterious archives, and, most terrifyingly for Jane, Simon's mum's house.
As clues emerge, more questions than answers begin to pile up. What links the missing Nellies? Why do locals think she's a ghost? Is their teacher hiding something? So what if they’re heavy on heart but light on experience. Jane and Simon are determined to uncover the truth in time to pass the class and save the day.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2026
73 people are currently reading
10052 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
November 1, 2025
Jane Pye and Simon Mash enrolled in a private detective night class. As part of an assignment, they’re given the Nellie Thorne case. Nellie Thorne is a woman who has been disappearing over the past 50 years — and now another Nellie Thorne has just been reported missing.
I was in the mood for something a bit lighter, and this was such a wholesome, cosy mystery — exactly what I was looking for.
Sometimes I find cosy mysteries a bit dull, but that wasn’t the case with this book. It was really well written and such a page-turner. The main characters were also an absolute delight!
This was a great debut, and the ending has definitely been set up for a series. I’m really looking forward to continuing with it when the next books are released!
I was in the mood for something a bit lighter, and this was such a wholesome, cosy mystery — exactly what I was looking for.
Sometimes I find cosy mysteries a bit dull, but that wasn’t the case with this book. It was really well written and such a page-turner. The main characters were also an absolute delight!
This was a great debut, and the ending has definitely been set up for a series. I’m really looking forward to continuing with it when the next books are released!
June 27, 2025
I acquired a copy of this novel proof at the Capital Crime 2025 festival.
I found this an enjoyable read. Light-hearted. Occasional silliness but then so is real life! The dialogue / repartee was excellent. The authors must have had so much fun role playing the conversations between Jane and Simon. The story and the characters kept me going.
There is often a comment that a lot more of an author’s real life goes into a first novel so I wondered how much of the detective course aspects including the mentor / teacher was based on experience. Or perhaps the online course the authors followed was just the start for the idea behind the plot device of going through the course and a ‘real life’ case. In any event it worked well.
I’ve only had one other experience of reading a proof copy but I didn’t find any more typos (think there were only 2-3) than I would find in a final copy.
Although I read crime fiction described as ‘cozy’ this as a first novel I thought was particularly well done. So generally I would recommend this book to others.
I found this an enjoyable read. Light-hearted. Occasional silliness but then so is real life! The dialogue / repartee was excellent. The authors must have had so much fun role playing the conversations between Jane and Simon. The story and the characters kept me going.
There is often a comment that a lot more of an author’s real life goes into a first novel so I wondered how much of the detective course aspects including the mentor / teacher was based on experience. Or perhaps the online course the authors followed was just the start for the idea behind the plot device of going through the course and a ‘real life’ case. In any event it worked well.
I’ve only had one other experience of reading a proof copy but I didn’t find any more typos (think there were only 2-3) than I would find in a final copy.
Although I read crime fiction described as ‘cozy’ this as a first novel I thought was particularly well done. So generally I would recommend this book to others.
March 11, 2026
Thoroughly delightful story about a couple, Jane and Simon, who are serially unemployed and always signing up for different training classes that will finally launch their amazingly successful careers. 😉 They fall under the tutelage of Gavin Smith, who assigned them a cold case to try and solve -- the mystery of the missing Nellie Thornes. Over three decades, women with the same name have gone missing, and the latest has just occurred as Simon and Jane have embarked on solving the mystery.
This book does not take itself too seriously, and while there is a real mystery to be solved, there is a lot of humor along the way. Loved it!
This book does not take itself too seriously, and while there is a real mystery to be solved, there is a lot of humor along the way. Loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✰✰✰⭑
This was a quirky inviting cosy crime, blended with mystery, sprinkled with a dash of humour topped with a light garnish of two millennial amateur detectives.
J Pye & S Mash sign up for a private detective night class.. Their assignment.. Find missing Nellie Thorne. Not all is as it seems... is she the only Nellie Thorne to go missing??
Overall, it is an enjoyable light-hearted cosy read with fun, unique characters. The mystery for sure piqued my curiosity. A delightful cosy crime novel ♡
Thank you to Netgally, Random House UK, and authors for an ARC in return for my honest thoughts!!
This was a quirky inviting cosy crime, blended with mystery, sprinkled with a dash of humour topped with a light garnish of two millennial amateur detectives.
J Pye & S Mash sign up for a private detective night class.. Their assignment.. Find missing Nellie Thorne. Not all is as it seems... is she the only Nellie Thorne to go missing??
Overall, it is an enjoyable light-hearted cosy read with fun, unique characters. The mystery for sure piqued my curiosity. A delightful cosy crime novel ♡
Thank you to Netgally, Random House UK, and authors for an ARC in return for my honest thoughts!!
August 7, 2025
Jane Pye and Simon Mash have signed up for a detective course and are assigned their first case for some coursework. Dev arrived home to find his girlfriend Nellie Thorne had vanished. However she isn’t the first Nellie Thorne to have disappeared, she is the fifth spanning over fifty years. As the couple start investigating they realise they may have bitten off more than they can chew. Will they solve the case of what links the missing Nellies?
Even though cozy crime isn’t usually my go to in crime fiction, I really liked the premise of this one and the mystery behind the missing Nellies sounded original and fun. I have to say that the detective agency also has a great name! This started off well and I was intrigued with the detective course and the characters, who were all very quirky. I found the main protagonists chatter amongst themselves fun, with lots of quips and humour, at times quite silly. Saying that, I found that the focus was too much on this and their own personalities and backgrounds were not explored at a deeper level, meaning my connection with them was lacking. Hopefully in future stories this can be developed a bit further to make them feel more three dimensional.
I enjoyed being an amateur sleuth along with the characters and trying to work out the mystery, although I feel that at times the pace of the story slowed down and became convoluted. I found that I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, which didn’t help with the pacing or engagement in the overall story. The conclusion made everything come together well and certainly hints there will be more to come from this duo.
Even though this wasn’t fully for me, this was a promising debut and start to a new series. This would be a good read for those who enjoy light hearted, cozy crime with plenty of humour and an entertaining concept. I would be interested to see where the authors take this next. Thanks to the authors and publisher for this copy.
Even though cozy crime isn’t usually my go to in crime fiction, I really liked the premise of this one and the mystery behind the missing Nellies sounded original and fun. I have to say that the detective agency also has a great name! This started off well and I was intrigued with the detective course and the characters, who were all very quirky. I found the main protagonists chatter amongst themselves fun, with lots of quips and humour, at times quite silly. Saying that, I found that the focus was too much on this and their own personalities and backgrounds were not explored at a deeper level, meaning my connection with them was lacking. Hopefully in future stories this can be developed a bit further to make them feel more three dimensional.
I enjoyed being an amateur sleuth along with the characters and trying to work out the mystery, although I feel that at times the pace of the story slowed down and became convoluted. I found that I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, which didn’t help with the pacing or engagement in the overall story. The conclusion made everything come together well and certainly hints there will be more to come from this duo.
Even though this wasn’t fully for me, this was a promising debut and start to a new series. This would be a good read for those who enjoy light hearted, cozy crime with plenty of humour and an entertaining concept. I would be interested to see where the authors take this next. Thanks to the authors and publisher for this copy.
December 26, 2025
Dev gets home from work one day and his girlfriend Nellie has disappeared. No note. No explanation. Jane Pye and boyfriend Simon Mash, in the process of attending a detective course, are given this ‘case’ to investigate as “homework”. It transpires that several “Nellies” have disappeared over several years. So are they the same person? Are they different people? Or are they victims of a serial killer? To be honest I really couldn’t get into this story enough to care.
For starters the names of the protagonists were too silly, especially as they call their fledgling detective agency, the Pye and Mash detective agency. Then there is Simon’s irritating habit of calling Jane “babe”. The characters themselves were pretty boring although Jane had a bit of grit about her but Simon’s character was written rather as an afterthought I felt.
The novel was a bit of fun I suppose as there was no sense of peril or danger. The dialogue was trying very hard to be amusing but I felt the author didn’t quite pull that off. Fans of Richard Osman will probably enjoy this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle. This is my honest review after a full read of the book.
For starters the names of the protagonists were too silly, especially as they call their fledgling detective agency, the Pye and Mash detective agency. Then there is Simon’s irritating habit of calling Jane “babe”. The characters themselves were pretty boring although Jane had a bit of grit about her but Simon’s character was written rather as an afterthought I felt.
The novel was a bit of fun I suppose as there was no sense of peril or danger. The dialogue was trying very hard to be amusing but I felt the author didn’t quite pull that off. Fans of Richard Osman will probably enjoy this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle. This is my honest review after a full read of the book.
March 13, 2026
What fun! I knew almost right away that I was going to love this book - and I am so happy I was right. This is a mix of irreverence, danger, hilarity, real issues and some great characters. The set up is amazing; getting a now hot cold case in a learning to be a detective class? Perfection. I loved the dynamic between Simon and Jane so much; it was fun and had its up and downs in a very realistic way. SO many of the characters were over the top, in the best way to move the story along and keep it cozy even in the face of danger and confusion. I am so impressed they pieced this together with basically no leads and it shows that their people skills are wonderful and evolving. This was just such a fun time that I didn't want to put down!
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was 10/10 no notes, fabulously done to keep the energy high and the mood light.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC and ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was 10/10 no notes, fabulously done to keep the energy high and the mood light.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC and ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.
September 23, 2025
***Advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Jane Pye and Simon Mash sign up for a private detective night class on a whim, never expecting to find themselves pulled into a real case. Their assignment: investigate the disappearance of Nellie Thorne, a woman whose boyfriend insists something is wrong. But Nellie isn’t the first—four other women with the same name have vanished over the last fifty years. Following a trail that leads them through haunted woods, dusty archives, and some very odd encounters closer to home, Jane and Simon soon realise amateur sleuthing is a lot stranger (and funnier) than they imagined.
I really enjoyed this. It gave me Rivers of London vibes with its blend of wit, eccentric characters, and a streak of the surreal. The humour and turn of phrase are spot on, and Jane and Simon make for an entertaining detective duo.
If you enjoy cosy mysteries with a playful, slightly offbeat twist, this will suit you well. Fans of Jodi Taylor and Robert Rankin in particular will appreciate the sharp humour and energetic style. This is the first in a new series, and I’ll be keen to see where Jane and Simon go from here.
Jane Pye and Simon Mash sign up for a private detective night class on a whim, never expecting to find themselves pulled into a real case. Their assignment: investigate the disappearance of Nellie Thorne, a woman whose boyfriend insists something is wrong. But Nellie isn’t the first—four other women with the same name have vanished over the last fifty years. Following a trail that leads them through haunted woods, dusty archives, and some very odd encounters closer to home, Jane and Simon soon realise amateur sleuthing is a lot stranger (and funnier) than they imagined.
I really enjoyed this. It gave me Rivers of London vibes with its blend of wit, eccentric characters, and a streak of the surreal. The humour and turn of phrase are spot on, and Jane and Simon make for an entertaining detective duo.
If you enjoy cosy mysteries with a playful, slightly offbeat twist, this will suit you well. Fans of Jodi Taylor and Robert Rankin in particular will appreciate the sharp humour and energetic style. This is the first in a new series, and I’ll be keen to see where Jane and Simon go from here.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book may leave readers a strong feelgood factor.
Jane and Simon are a millenial couple who have enrolled on a private detectives course. As part of this course they are given an assignment to find a missing women called Nellie Thorne. During their enquiries they find that a number of women with this name have disappeared over the past fifty years. Their investigation takes them into a number of funny, risky and downright dangerous situations.
This cozy mystery is a romp that contains a great deal of humour. in some parts I found it a bit far fetched, but it does all come together in a tense and hectic conclusion. With a light hearted style of writing the author has produced a book that is an easy to read and enjoyable book.
Jane and Simon are a millenial couple who have enrolled on a private detectives course. As part of this course they are given an assignment to find a missing women called Nellie Thorne. During their enquiries they find that a number of women with this name have disappeared over the past fifty years. Their investigation takes them into a number of funny, risky and downright dangerous situations.
This cozy mystery is a romp that contains a great deal of humour. in some parts I found it a bit far fetched, but it does all come together in a tense and hectic conclusion. With a light hearted style of writing the author has produced a book that is an easy to read and enjoyable book.
March 10, 2026
In "The Pie & Mash Detective Agency" by J.D. Brinkworth, readers are invited into the whimsical world of a millennial couple who embark on a journey of amateur sleuthing. This charming tale intricately blends the classic elements of cozy mysteries with the relatable uncertainties and pressures faced by today's younger generations.
As they navigate a series of intriguing mysteries, the couple grapples not only with quirky suspects and puzzling clues but also with the modern anxieties of adulthood in a fast-paced world.
Characters...
Highlights...
The Unlikely Duo:
Jane Pye, a recently unemployed programmer, and her neurodivergent partner, Simon Mash, an unfulfilled corporate consultant, enroll in a "Level 1 Detecting" night class on a whim.
The Assignment:
Their instructor, Gavin—a semi-retired detective—assigns them the case of Nellie Thorne for their final project. Gavin believes the case is unsolvable, having failed to crack it himself decades earlier.
The Urban Legend:
Jane and Simon discover that the current missing woman, the girlfriend of schoolteacher Dev Hooper, is actually the fifth Nellie Thorne to vanish in Kent over the last fifty years.
The Connection:
As they dig deeper, they realize that all the missing Nellies were roughly the same age, with similar appearances and tastes, leading them to investigate whether the disappearances are a hoax, a romance scam, or something supernatural.
The Resolution:
The amateur sleuths eventually join forces with Gavin to uncover a secret he had been keeping, leading to a "satisfying twist" that ties the multiple disappearances together.
My thoughts...
THE PIE AND MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY centers on an "oddball" fun millennial couple full of humor, who enroll in a private detective night class on a whim. Both protagonists are at professional and personal crossroads; Jane is navigating unemployment while Simon feels unfulfilled in his corporate career, making their detective pursuit a search for purpose.
Through dual timelines (present-day and 1997), the book examines how unsolved cold cases and past failures haunt the people who left them behind, particularly their instructor, Gavin. The central mystery of the "recurring Nellie Thorne" plays with the line between local ghost stories and a more sinister, tangible truth.
The story emphasizes how "quirky" or neurodivergent traits—like Simon's specific fixations—can be assets in non-traditional environments like private investigation. A humorous recurring theme is how bumbling efforts and accidental discoveries can sometimes yield results where systematic police work failed.
Themes...
~Amateur Sleuthing & Curiosity
~Millennial Uncertainty
~Urban Legend vs. Reality
~The Weight of the Past
~Eccentricity & Modern Connection
~Incompetence Leading to Discovery
Literary Motifs...
~Matching Attire:
Their velour tracksuits and trench coats symbolize their status as a "team" despite their lack of experience.
~Food as Comfort:
References to charcuterie boards and "Pie and Mash" (both the dish and the character names) anchor the "cozy" tone of the narrative.
~The Red Candle:
A mysterious recurring object found at burial sites serves as a physical link between the missing women across decades.
Blog Tour...
Check out my blog tour stop on my website, pub date, March 10!
Recs...
If you enjoy cozy and quirky mysteries like Pie and Mash, check out The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano.
Special thanks to Berkey and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Mar 10, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars
March Newsletter
Blog Tour Stop
As they navigate a series of intriguing mysteries, the couple grapples not only with quirky suspects and puzzling clues but also with the modern anxieties of adulthood in a fast-paced world.
Characters...
Jane Pye:
A recently unemployed back-end computer programmer. She is the driving force behind their new hobby, often characterized as a "serious go-getter" with a passion for true-crime documentaries.
Simon Mash:
Jane’s partner is a "lackadaisical" corporate collaboration consultant. He primarily joins the class for moral support and is known for his eccentricities, such as his love for matching velour tracksuits, yellow raincoats, and well-balanced charcuterie boards.
Gavin Smith:
A grizzled, semi-retired private investigator who teaches the night class. He assigns Jane and Simon the "unsolvable" cold case of Nellie Thorne—a case he personally failed to solve decades earlier in 1997.
Nellie Thorne:
The central mystery figure. Five different women with this exact name have vanished in Kent over the last 50 years, roughly one every decade since 1971.
Dev Hooper:
A local schoolteacher and the boyfriend of the most recent Nellie Thorne. His desperation to find her leads him to accept help from the bumbling amateur duo.
Highlights...
The Unlikely Duo:
Jane Pye, a recently unemployed programmer, and her neurodivergent partner, Simon Mash, an unfulfilled corporate consultant, enroll in a "Level 1 Detecting" night class on a whim.
The Assignment:
Their instructor, Gavin—a semi-retired detective—assigns them the case of Nellie Thorne for their final project. Gavin believes the case is unsolvable, having failed to crack it himself decades earlier.
The Urban Legend:
Jane and Simon discover that the current missing woman, the girlfriend of schoolteacher Dev Hooper, is actually the fifth Nellie Thorne to vanish in Kent over the last fifty years.
The Connection:
As they dig deeper, they realize that all the missing Nellies were roughly the same age, with similar appearances and tastes, leading them to investigate whether the disappearances are a hoax, a romance scam, or something supernatural.
The Resolution:
The amateur sleuths eventually join forces with Gavin to uncover a secret he had been keeping, leading to a "satisfying twist" that ties the multiple disappearances together.
My thoughts...
THE PIE AND MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY centers on an "oddball" fun millennial couple full of humor, who enroll in a private detective night class on a whim. Both protagonists are at professional and personal crossroads; Jane is navigating unemployment while Simon feels unfulfilled in his corporate career, making their detective pursuit a search for purpose.
Through dual timelines (present-day and 1997), the book examines how unsolved cold cases and past failures haunt the people who left them behind, particularly their instructor, Gavin. The central mystery of the "recurring Nellie Thorne" plays with the line between local ghost stories and a more sinister, tangible truth.
The story emphasizes how "quirky" or neurodivergent traits—like Simon's specific fixations—can be assets in non-traditional environments like private investigation. A humorous recurring theme is how bumbling efforts and accidental discoveries can sometimes yield results where systematic police work failed.
Themes...
~Amateur Sleuthing & Curiosity
~Millennial Uncertainty
~Urban Legend vs. Reality
~The Weight of the Past
~Eccentricity & Modern Connection
~Incompetence Leading to Discovery
Literary Motifs...
~Matching Attire:
Their velour tracksuits and trench coats symbolize their status as a "team" despite their lack of experience.
~Food as Comfort:
References to charcuterie boards and "Pie and Mash" (both the dish and the character names) anchor the "cozy" tone of the narrative.
~The Red Candle:
A mysterious recurring object found at burial sites serves as a physical link between the missing women across decades.
Blog Tour...
Check out my blog tour stop on my website, pub date, March 10!
Recs...
If you enjoy cozy and quirky mysteries like Pie and Mash, check out The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano.
Special thanks to Berkey and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Mar 10, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars
March Newsletter
Blog Tour Stop
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everything was going perfectly normal… until a missing woman with the same name started vanishing across decades and suddenly my cozy little reading night turned into a full-blown conspiracy board moment.
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J. D. Brinkworth completely pulled me into its wonderfully chaotic little mystery.
Published by Berkley Publishing Group, and many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
I went into this expecting a light, slightly silly cozy mystery. What I didn’t expect was to spend the entire book feeling like I was sitting at a cluttered café table with two chaotic amateur detectives while they excitedly pinned red string between clues. And honestly? That messy, slightly ridiculous energy is exactly what made this book so much fun.
The story follows Jane Pye and Simon Mash, a millennial couple who decide that becoming private detectives seems like a perfectly reasonable hobby after Jane loses her programming job and Simon’s corporate consulting career mostly involves scrolling the internet. They sign up for a private investigator class, probably thinking it’ll be a quirky side adventure. Instead, their instructor hands them a case involving a woman named Nellie Thorne who has mysteriously disappeared.
Except… she’s not the only one.
Apparently women named Nellie Thorne have been vanishing for decades.
And suddenly Jane and Simon, armed with enthusiasm, trench coats, and wildly questionable investigative skills, are chasing leads through haunted woods, dusty archives, and a parade of wonderfully odd locals. The mystery itself is twisty in that cozy-chaotic way where you keep thinking you’ve figured it out, only for another weird clue to pop up.
What really sold this book for me, though, was the tone. It’s witty, a little sarcastic, and packed with the kind of dry humor that sneaks up on you. Jane’s practical determination mixed with Simon’s slightly ridiculous charm makes them a duo you can’t help but root for, even when you’re thinking, “Oh no… this is going to go terribly wrong.”
At one point the book perfectly captures their whole vibe:
“Confidence is an important investigative skill,” Simon said. “Even if it’s entirely unfounded.”
Honestly? That line alone sums up the entire Pie & Mash Detective Agency.
Reading this felt like watching two lovable disasters accidentally stumble toward solving a genuinely intriguing mystery. It’s cozy, clever, and just a little bit chaotic in the best possible way.
If you love quirky British mysteries, eccentric characters, amateur sleuths who are absolutely making it up as they go, and stories that don’t take themselves too seriously, this will probably be your kind of read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Would you trust Jane and Simon to investigate a mystery in your town… or would you quietly pack up and move while they’re still figuring it out?
#ThePieMashDetectiveAgency #JDBrinkworth #CozyMystery #MysteryBookReview #BookReview #NetGalley #ARCReader #MysteryReaders #CozyMysteryBooks #BookstagramReads #AmateurSleuth #MysteryLovers #BookRecommendations #ReadersOfInstagram
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J. D. Brinkworth completely pulled me into its wonderfully chaotic little mystery.
Published by Berkley Publishing Group, and many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.
I went into this expecting a light, slightly silly cozy mystery. What I didn’t expect was to spend the entire book feeling like I was sitting at a cluttered café table with two chaotic amateur detectives while they excitedly pinned red string between clues. And honestly? That messy, slightly ridiculous energy is exactly what made this book so much fun.
The story follows Jane Pye and Simon Mash, a millennial couple who decide that becoming private detectives seems like a perfectly reasonable hobby after Jane loses her programming job and Simon’s corporate consulting career mostly involves scrolling the internet. They sign up for a private investigator class, probably thinking it’ll be a quirky side adventure. Instead, their instructor hands them a case involving a woman named Nellie Thorne who has mysteriously disappeared.
Except… she’s not the only one.
Apparently women named Nellie Thorne have been vanishing for decades.
And suddenly Jane and Simon, armed with enthusiasm, trench coats, and wildly questionable investigative skills, are chasing leads through haunted woods, dusty archives, and a parade of wonderfully odd locals. The mystery itself is twisty in that cozy-chaotic way where you keep thinking you’ve figured it out, only for another weird clue to pop up.
What really sold this book for me, though, was the tone. It’s witty, a little sarcastic, and packed with the kind of dry humor that sneaks up on you. Jane’s practical determination mixed with Simon’s slightly ridiculous charm makes them a duo you can’t help but root for, even when you’re thinking, “Oh no… this is going to go terribly wrong.”
At one point the book perfectly captures their whole vibe:
“Confidence is an important investigative skill,” Simon said. “Even if it’s entirely unfounded.”
Honestly? That line alone sums up the entire Pie & Mash Detective Agency.
Reading this felt like watching two lovable disasters accidentally stumble toward solving a genuinely intriguing mystery. It’s cozy, clever, and just a little bit chaotic in the best possible way.
If you love quirky British mysteries, eccentric characters, amateur sleuths who are absolutely making it up as they go, and stories that don’t take themselves too seriously, this will probably be your kind of read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Would you trust Jane and Simon to investigate a mystery in your town… or would you quietly pack up and move while they’re still figuring it out?
#ThePieMashDetectiveAgency #JDBrinkworth #CozyMystery #MysteryBookReview #BookReview #NetGalley #ARCReader #MysteryReaders #CozyMysteryBooks #BookstagramReads #AmateurSleuth #MysteryLovers #BookRecommendations #ReadersOfInstagram
March 11, 2026
Jane Pye is currently between jobs, but she is focusing on a new hobby. She and her partner, Simon Mash, are taking a class in private detection, and Jane is so ready to take on a case. She and Simon sit in the back of the room as their teacher Gavin presents information every week. But to finish the class, everyone in the class has to take on a case. When it’s time to pass out the cases, Gavin gives everyone in the class an old case of his, one that he solved already, but he’s one short. So he gives Jane and Simon an entirely different type of case.
Dev had come to the police station to report his girlfriend missing. Her purse and phone were left in the kitchen, but some of her clothes were gone and the front door had been left open. The police were not all that helpful, thinking that she had just decided she didn’t want to be in the relationship anymore. And then he told them his girlfriend’s name.
Nellie Thorne is well known as a missing person. She had been reported missing back in the 1990s and back in the 1970s. Both times before, Nellie Thorne, a pretty young woman with long hair, just disappeared one day and never showed up again. And now, apparently, it’s happening again. The police have been dealing with this case for decades, but they’re not sure if Dev’s case is real or a practical joke of some kind.
Jane and Simon start with Dev and find out his side of the story. From there, they try to find information anywhere they can, finally hitting the jackpot at the local library. But they also find that everyone has a different theory of what’s going on with Nellie Thorne. Some think that she is a ghost, just showing up briefly every twenty years. Others think she is a demon or a succubus. But Jane keeps following her detective lessons and investigates everything she can think of. She is the one who finds the clues that lead them in the right direction.
But will leading them towards the truth end up putting them all in danger?
The Pie and Mash Detective Agency is a clever reboot of the amateur detective series. These young detectives are smart and creative, taking an unusual run at finding the truth while they also try to sort out their lives. Jane is balancing solving the case with finding a new job, and Simon is taking conference calls while he and Jane are out looking for clues.
I especially love how Jane could solve other mysteries while looking for Nellie Thorne, like why Simon’s mother and her friends have been having trouble with people stealing their bank card information. She has a knack for solving crimes, while Simon is charming and good at getting people to talk. They make a really good team, and I cannot wait until it’s time for their next case. Their chemistry is addictive, and reading this book just left me wanting more. It’s pure fun.
Egalleys for The Pie and Mash Detective Agency were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.
Dev had come to the police station to report his girlfriend missing. Her purse and phone were left in the kitchen, but some of her clothes were gone and the front door had been left open. The police were not all that helpful, thinking that she had just decided she didn’t want to be in the relationship anymore. And then he told them his girlfriend’s name.
Nellie Thorne is well known as a missing person. She had been reported missing back in the 1990s and back in the 1970s. Both times before, Nellie Thorne, a pretty young woman with long hair, just disappeared one day and never showed up again. And now, apparently, it’s happening again. The police have been dealing with this case for decades, but they’re not sure if Dev’s case is real or a practical joke of some kind.
Jane and Simon start with Dev and find out his side of the story. From there, they try to find information anywhere they can, finally hitting the jackpot at the local library. But they also find that everyone has a different theory of what’s going on with Nellie Thorne. Some think that she is a ghost, just showing up briefly every twenty years. Others think she is a demon or a succubus. But Jane keeps following her detective lessons and investigates everything she can think of. She is the one who finds the clues that lead them in the right direction.
But will leading them towards the truth end up putting them all in danger?
The Pie and Mash Detective Agency is a clever reboot of the amateur detective series. These young detectives are smart and creative, taking an unusual run at finding the truth while they also try to sort out their lives. Jane is balancing solving the case with finding a new job, and Simon is taking conference calls while he and Jane are out looking for clues.
I especially love how Jane could solve other mysteries while looking for Nellie Thorne, like why Simon’s mother and her friends have been having trouble with people stealing their bank card information. She has a knack for solving crimes, while Simon is charming and good at getting people to talk. They make a really good team, and I cannot wait until it’s time for their next case. Their chemistry is addictive, and reading this book just left me wanting more. It’s pure fun.
Egalleys for The Pie and Mash Detective Agency were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.
March 17, 2026
This charming, funny book is set in present day London and follows the adventures of Jane Pye and Simon Mash, who are taking a detective class at their local learning center. (To a US reader, this will seem like a community college class.) Jane is between jobs, aka unemployed, and Simon is employed but willing to go along with Jane on her lark. She’s started with a book on detection and gone from there.
As a final assignment, the teacher (and working private eye) Gavin, assigns each team in the class a case to be solved. He gives the only unsolved case to Jane and Simon, and as it later becomes clear, it’s a case he himself has been frustrated by for decades. Jane and Simon plunge in, going to interview Dev, whose girlfriend has vanished. The thing is, the police don’t believe she exists as not only does Dev not possess a photo of her, she doesn’t seem to be a voter or be on National Health or have a passport or a driver’s license.
Jane and Simon do the best they can though, but as they are learning on the job, they really aren’t very good at detecting. However, Jane is finding it preferable to a series of job interviews she has with a gambling app company. Their interview with Dev and later stakeout in the woods yield little result, as does a meeting with a local ghosthunter. It turns out that Dev’s missing girlfriend has the same name (and appearance) of several women with the same name through the decades. The missing women would form an attachment, vanish, and would never be seen again.
Jane is more than determined, and she and Simon begin to edge closer to a solution, to the astonishment of Gavin. He’s working a parallel path but never seriously expected Jane and Simon to find the answer to the mystery.
The solution, when it comes, is achieved through genuine detective work and deduction on Jane’s part, and the story adds on some delightful sidebar characters – a retired policeman, a goth librarian, Simon’s mum and her cougar pals, and Dev himself, who seems to ultimately be moving past his now assumed breakup with the missing woman.
This is more of a detecting adventure story than a murder mystery (there’s no murder) and a humorous take on the private eye novel, millennial style. I came to be fond of Jane and Simon, worried about their relationship, and hopeful for them that they would find a solution before Gavin does. All ends well in Adventureland, with a nice set up for the next case. I can only imagine that Jane and Simon will get better at detecting – but I hope not too much better. Watching them try to figure things out is way more fun.
As a final assignment, the teacher (and working private eye) Gavin, assigns each team in the class a case to be solved. He gives the only unsolved case to Jane and Simon, and as it later becomes clear, it’s a case he himself has been frustrated by for decades. Jane and Simon plunge in, going to interview Dev, whose girlfriend has vanished. The thing is, the police don’t believe she exists as not only does Dev not possess a photo of her, she doesn’t seem to be a voter or be on National Health or have a passport or a driver’s license.
Jane and Simon do the best they can though, but as they are learning on the job, they really aren’t very good at detecting. However, Jane is finding it preferable to a series of job interviews she has with a gambling app company. Their interview with Dev and later stakeout in the woods yield little result, as does a meeting with a local ghosthunter. It turns out that Dev’s missing girlfriend has the same name (and appearance) of several women with the same name through the decades. The missing women would form an attachment, vanish, and would never be seen again.
Jane is more than determined, and she and Simon begin to edge closer to a solution, to the astonishment of Gavin. He’s working a parallel path but never seriously expected Jane and Simon to find the answer to the mystery.
The solution, when it comes, is achieved through genuine detective work and deduction on Jane’s part, and the story adds on some delightful sidebar characters – a retired policeman, a goth librarian, Simon’s mum and her cougar pals, and Dev himself, who seems to ultimately be moving past his now assumed breakup with the missing woman.
This is more of a detecting adventure story than a murder mystery (there’s no murder) and a humorous take on the private eye novel, millennial style. I came to be fond of Jane and Simon, worried about their relationship, and hopeful for them that they would find a solution before Gavin does. All ends well in Adventureland, with a nice set up for the next case. I can only imagine that Jane and Simon will get better at detecting – but I hope not too much better. Watching them try to figure things out is way more fun.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There's a moment about a third of the way through The Pie and Mash Detective Agency where our Millennial trainee detectives - they're doing a night course - consider the implications of their case. A woman with the same name has run out on men five times in fifty years. The descriptions are all similar, but they are all young women, somewhat secretive. Is it time travel, is it supernatural? It is a case that has baffled and annoyed Kent and the Metropolitan Police, but is there something that these neophyte sleuths can bring to the case? Truth is that writing team J.D.Brinkworth are mainly more invested in making jokes about the couple, and their broad social anxieties, and inability to find a comfortable place in the world than really get invested in the bigger picture of the crime. Which is a bit of a pity because a bit of Hitch-Hikers far-fetchedness would have added to the hapless vibe. That said, the solution is rather clever, neat and just about plausible, particularly given the hopeless men the women end up with. But then you don't come to a book called The Pie & Mash Detective Agency looking for a serious examination of the criminal underworld.
Jane Pye is between jobs, and they are the kind of office jobs that she hates anyway. Her partner Simon Mash has the good fortune to work in one of those remote online jobs that he can largely skive off of, setting up the occasional presentation that baffles his bosses. She signs them up for a Detective night school because the idea excites her. Simon is less keen, but wants to keep her happy, and they very much play as the naughty kids in class. Which might be why, for their graduation exercise, they are given this baffling case who has just had another disappearance. Jane and Simon learn quickly on the job what they are useless at, but it is a case with plenty of leads, so there are research flashbacks, as well as inept stakeouts and eventually a rather well-played finale.
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency is primarily interested in its idea of relatively hopeless millennials trying to become detectives. Jabe in particular is on the edge of a crisis, and mental health and well-being are issues brought up here. Demographic and gender stereotypes abound, particularly with a largely useless (until he isn't ) Simon, and it seems their main driving factor is to avoid all responsibility. I think I wanted a little bit more play on the actual mystery, and maybe it hit the "millennials are useless" button a bit too hard (though I believe it is coming from inside the house), but it is plenty of fun.
Jane Pye is between jobs, and they are the kind of office jobs that she hates anyway. Her partner Simon Mash has the good fortune to work in one of those remote online jobs that he can largely skive off of, setting up the occasional presentation that baffles his bosses. She signs them up for a Detective night school because the idea excites her. Simon is less keen, but wants to keep her happy, and they very much play as the naughty kids in class. Which might be why, for their graduation exercise, they are given this baffling case who has just had another disappearance. Jane and Simon learn quickly on the job what they are useless at, but it is a case with plenty of leads, so there are research flashbacks, as well as inept stakeouts and eventually a rather well-played finale.
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency is primarily interested in its idea of relatively hopeless millennials trying to become detectives. Jabe in particular is on the edge of a crisis, and mental health and well-being are issues brought up here. Demographic and gender stereotypes abound, particularly with a largely useless (until he isn't ) Simon, and it seems their main driving factor is to avoid all responsibility. I think I wanted a little bit more play on the actual mystery, and maybe it hit the "millennials are useless" button a bit too hard (though I believe it is coming from inside the house), but it is plenty of fun.
September 15, 2025
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J.D. Brinkworth is a fun cosy crime read. It follows a young couple, Jane Pye and Simon Mash, who live in South London. Jane is “between job” and on enrols Simon and herself onto a Private Detective night class. Part of the coursework is to investigate a case and present their findings back to the group.
They are assigned a real current case to investigate the disappearance of a young woman called Nellie Thorne. Her boyfriend, a Teacher called Dev Hooper, reported her missing when he got home and found that she’d vanished. What makes the case so unusual is that several women over the years, also called Nellie Thorne, had also disappeared from Kent. That fact really piqued my interest.
I loved reading how Jane and Simon managed the investigation around their lives. Simon works full-time, Jane is “between jobs” and looking for work and preparing for interviews whilst taking public transport down to Kent to investigate. Jane is completely committed to the course and wholeheartedly believes that she will be a great detective. In reality, they only have a few weeks lessons under their belts and have a strong gung-ho spirit. They throw themselves into the investigation feet first, carrying out surveillance, interviews and research. Their lack of planning and flying by the seat of their pants really does make for some humorous escapades. I was crying with laughter reading Simon’s first presentation on the case to the class. Whilst the investigation is ongoing, they attend night school classes and check in with their world-weary instructor Gavin, who steers them away from supernatural rabbit-holes and back to real detection practices.
Jane and Simon are very likeable characters, and the fact they are a couple and also investigators is rather fun and adds some frisson to the mix. The book feels like it’s the first in series, and I would really like to read more of Jane and Simon’s escapades, which will no doubt be peppered with sage advice from Gavin!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Random House UK, Cornerstone, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
They are assigned a real current case to investigate the disappearance of a young woman called Nellie Thorne. Her boyfriend, a Teacher called Dev Hooper, reported her missing when he got home and found that she’d vanished. What makes the case so unusual is that several women over the years, also called Nellie Thorne, had also disappeared from Kent. That fact really piqued my interest.
I loved reading how Jane and Simon managed the investigation around their lives. Simon works full-time, Jane is “between jobs” and looking for work and preparing for interviews whilst taking public transport down to Kent to investigate. Jane is completely committed to the course and wholeheartedly believes that she will be a great detective. In reality, they only have a few weeks lessons under their belts and have a strong gung-ho spirit. They throw themselves into the investigation feet first, carrying out surveillance, interviews and research. Their lack of planning and flying by the seat of their pants really does make for some humorous escapades. I was crying with laughter reading Simon’s first presentation on the case to the class. Whilst the investigation is ongoing, they attend night school classes and check in with their world-weary instructor Gavin, who steers them away from supernatural rabbit-holes and back to real detection practices.
Jane and Simon are very likeable characters, and the fact they are a couple and also investigators is rather fun and adds some frisson to the mix. The book feels like it’s the first in series, and I would really like to read more of Jane and Simon’s escapades, which will no doubt be peppered with sage advice from Gavin!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Random House UK, Cornerstone, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 10, 2025
When Dev Hooper reports that his girlfriend, Nellie Thorne, has disappeared, he is astonished that the first police reaction is – “she’s not real”, because Nellie Thornes have been appearing and disappearing across Kent for decades. They appear out of nowhere, never have a background, hang around with a bloke for a few months, then disappear leaving no trace – not even an image on a photograph. They are an urban myth, The last one appeared twenty-five years ago and private detective Gavin Smith had investigated at the time, searched tenaciously for clues since then, and, in fact. has never really given up. However, he is now retired and running an evening course training aspiring private detectives. When he hears about Dev’s missing girlfriend, he starts investigating again, but this time he has assistance in the shape of a young couple, Jane and Simon, students on the course to whom he assigns the case as a final project. In truth, he doesn’t think these two Millennials have a cat in hell’s chance of solving the mystery which has baffled him, and the Kent Constabulary, for so many years. They are too young, too inexperienced, too flighty, too flamboyant. But they take on the task and set off, haphazardly, in pursuit of the Nellies.
This could easily be the start of a fantasy story, a ghost story, a horror story, but it is actually a cosy crime story, told with a light, frequently funny, style. Much of the humour stems from is a true reflection of the way that generation speaks, but it’s definitely entertaining, and adds a lot to the writing and the characterisation of the two principals. The supporting characters are also interesting, and quirky. The plot is good, not original as such but approached at an angle that makes it more of a puzzle. I’m on 4.5 rounding to 5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
This could easily be the start of a fantasy story, a ghost story, a horror story, but it is actually a cosy crime story, told with a light, frequently funny, style. Much of the humour stems from is a true reflection of the way that generation speaks, but it’s definitely entertaining, and adds a lot to the writing and the characterisation of the two principals. The supporting characters are also interesting, and quirky. The plot is good, not original as such but approached at an angle that makes it more of a puzzle. I’m on 4.5 rounding to 5.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
March 18, 2026
A beguiling and very different 'cosy' mystery that grabs you from page one with an e-mail that hints at how the story will end, all the way up to finding out just how a rental car can be riddled with bullet holes in Kent.
The core mystery - who is Nellie and why does she keep going missing throughout the decades - is an utterly captivating one. I was fully engaged and onboard with. The solution was satisfying and made perfect sense, there was that delicious sensation of things clunking solidly into place as the final pieces were revealed that made it a good one, although there are plenty of open threads.
Characters range from the sympathetic to the weak to the utterly unhinged; I'm looking in the direction of the library for that one. They were all bold and memorable, and despite their being a relatively large cast, it was easy to keep track of who was who.
I have to say, I think Jane is coasting. She can do better than Simon, who comes across as one of the more unlikable MMC I've read recently. He's vain and doesn't take her seriously, it's less red flags than beige ones but I don't think their relationship as it stands right now is healthy. They both need to work on it, themselves and each other.
At times, there is something of a tonal whiplash, which perhaps, in part, can be explained by this being a pair of author's writing together. For the most part the shift between comedy and darkness works well because it stops the story being too much of one, but there are moments when the slapstick just feels almost in poor taste with the very serious subject matter than can surround it. It wasn't enough to bring it down to three stars, but it was somewhat off putting.
Still, a very entertaining read and I am excited after the breadcrumbs at the end to where their next case takes them!
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
The core mystery - who is Nellie and why does she keep going missing throughout the decades - is an utterly captivating one. I was fully engaged and onboard with. The solution was satisfying and made perfect sense, there was that delicious sensation of things clunking solidly into place as the final pieces were revealed that made it a good one, although there are plenty of open threads.
Characters range from the sympathetic to the weak to the utterly unhinged; I'm looking in the direction of the library for that one. They were all bold and memorable, and despite their being a relatively large cast, it was easy to keep track of who was who.
I have to say, I think Jane is coasting. She can do better than Simon, who comes across as one of the more unlikable MMC I've read recently. He's vain and doesn't take her seriously, it's less red flags than beige ones but I don't think their relationship as it stands right now is healthy. They both need to work on it, themselves and each other.
At times, there is something of a tonal whiplash, which perhaps, in part, can be explained by this being a pair of author's writing together. For the most part the shift between comedy and darkness works well because it stops the story being too much of one, but there are moments when the slapstick just feels almost in poor taste with the very serious subject matter than can surround it. It wasn't enough to bring it down to three stars, but it was somewhat off putting.
Still, a very entertaining read and I am excited after the breadcrumbs at the end to where their next case takes them!
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
March 21, 2026
This is not at all what I expected but I loved it. This book alternates between being a genuine police thriller and a slapstick crime caper, which works surprisingly well! The premise - Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a couple, who while taking a Level 1 PI course are assigned a case which leads them in unexpected directions. The case? A mixture of a modern day missing person and a local legend - multiple women with the same name have disappeared over a course of decades. She seemingly appears with no family or friends and no past - only to disappear without a trace a year or two later. Who is she? Where does she come from? Why does she keep going missing? Is she even a real person?
Jane is a cute if sometimes frustrating MFC, very sweet and very human - you can't help but relate to her on some level. Simon is not a likeable MMC - he comes off as shallow, vain and patronising a lot of the time. But again, very human - everyone knows a Simon, and I as a reader was definitely left with the feeling that Jane can do better for herself. While that sounds like a criticism it's not meant as one - it's rare in a cozy murder mystery to find myself so genuinely invested in a fictional relationship.
The plot was genuinely captivating, and at points far more complex and dark than I anticipated. The solution was a gem and being able to go on the journey with the characters and put everything together when the final puzzle piece was revealed was super satisfying.
The main reason for the 4 star is that sometimes the balance isn't quite there between the comedy and the mystery. There are points when it works really well but there are other points when the shift between the two seems really out of place and inappropriate. But I so enjoyed this, I am completely hooked and cannot wait to see what happens in book two!
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
Jane is a cute if sometimes frustrating MFC, very sweet and very human - you can't help but relate to her on some level. Simon is not a likeable MMC - he comes off as shallow, vain and patronising a lot of the time. But again, very human - everyone knows a Simon, and I as a reader was definitely left with the feeling that Jane can do better for herself. While that sounds like a criticism it's not meant as one - it's rare in a cozy murder mystery to find myself so genuinely invested in a fictional relationship.
The plot was genuinely captivating, and at points far more complex and dark than I anticipated. The solution was a gem and being able to go on the journey with the characters and put everything together when the final puzzle piece was revealed was super satisfying.
The main reason for the 4 star is that sometimes the balance isn't quite there between the comedy and the mystery. There are points when it works really well but there are other points when the shift between the two seems really out of place and inappropriate. But I so enjoyed this, I am completely hooked and cannot wait to see what happens in book two!
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This cozy crime novel is very much not my usual thing, but I was amused by the title and thought I’d give it a go. This is a review of an ARC from Netgalley and publisher Random House/Cornerstone.
J D Brinkworth is actually two people, a nom de plume, although (confusingly) my Kindle showed the author as one “Steve Jones”.
Jane Pie and Simon Mash are a quirky young couple who are taking a night class at a local college: Level 1 Detecting. As part of their coursework, they’re given the case of a missing person, Nellie Thorne. But it turns out that “Nellie Thorne” is a name that keeps appearing in police missing persons files. So who is this mysterious woman who vanishes in the night? A romance scammer? A ghost?
There’s chaos all over the place in this. The two amateur detectives are convincingly chaotic, and the narrative reflects their scattershot, distracted way of going about things.
One of the reasons I’m never sure about cozy crime is that the lighthearted tone doesn’t really fit with murder. This book sidesteps that by having the case focused on a missing person, though there are of course hints that there might be foul play. Still, it just about gets away with the light tone, the snarky asides and the absurd details.
At first, I thought I was going to be irritated by the casual style and the snark/absurdity, but this book won me over, and I had to grumpily acknowledge that the authors were in control behind all the chaos. I was hooked on the mystery and wanted to see all the very obvious loose ends tied up. There is some judicious withholding of information at crucial points, but although you notice that you’re not being told what a particular person said when interviewed, you’re still being carried along.
I wasn’t laughing out loud, but I was wryly amused throughout.
J D Brinkworth is actually two people, a nom de plume, although (confusingly) my Kindle showed the author as one “Steve Jones”.
Jane Pie and Simon Mash are a quirky young couple who are taking a night class at a local college: Level 1 Detecting. As part of their coursework, they’re given the case of a missing person, Nellie Thorne. But it turns out that “Nellie Thorne” is a name that keeps appearing in police missing persons files. So who is this mysterious woman who vanishes in the night? A romance scammer? A ghost?
There’s chaos all over the place in this. The two amateur detectives are convincingly chaotic, and the narrative reflects their scattershot, distracted way of going about things.
One of the reasons I’m never sure about cozy crime is that the lighthearted tone doesn’t really fit with murder. This book sidesteps that by having the case focused on a missing person, though there are of course hints that there might be foul play. Still, it just about gets away with the light tone, the snarky asides and the absurd details.
At first, I thought I was going to be irritated by the casual style and the snark/absurdity, but this book won me over, and I had to grumpily acknowledge that the authors were in control behind all the chaos. I was hooked on the mystery and wanted to see all the very obvious loose ends tied up. There is some judicious withholding of information at crucial points, but although you notice that you’re not being told what a particular person said when interviewed, you’re still being carried along.
I wasn’t laughing out loud, but I was wryly amused throughout.
January 13, 2026
A book written from the perspective of a couple who go to private investigator classes and some how get allocated an exciting mystery that spans decades to use as their case study. The case is of a missing woman and as they investigate they find decades of women who go missing with the same name(s). Jane and Simon are likeable, I probably wouldn’t want to go to the pub for a drink with them though, and the writing is humorous. For me it had the atmosphere of the Simon Peg films, think Hot Fuzz. For some reason I did struggle to finish the book, taking more than a month over Christmas. I tend to read quickly and I couldn’t with this. I am not sure why, I wonder if there is quite a lot of humour and sometimes I just miss humour. I think it’s very personal and maybe missing the joke made the book take longer. Maybe although likeable Jane and Simon and much younger than me so I wonder if a younger reader maybe 20-30s would appreciate it more. For some reason I thought it would be a couple setting up a detective agency post retirement, I blame my expectations on Richard Osmond. I enjoyed the ending and although foreshadowed was still fun. Would I read again, no but I can’t really aim any criticism at the book and would recommend to younger people and maybe people who find the Simon Peg films funny. I actually imagined him as Simon in the book so could well imagine this book as a film and I would probably enjoy it just didn’t quite work for me as a book, it was something to read in between other books rather than something I had to finish. I think I’ve been reading lots of exciting fast paced books and wonder if I’d been unwell whether I would have enjoyed its more meandering style.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A thoroughly enjoyable, amusing and light-hearted romp, which reminded me of the 1990's comedy detective shows such as Jonathan Creek, Pie in the Sky and The Detectives.
Jane Pye is out of work and has joined a Private investigation night class. Her other half, Simon Mash has also joined as moral support but doesn't really take things seriously. They are a bumbling duo in a similar vein to Shakespeare and Hathaway, but even more unprofessional.
They are investigating a missing persons case. Dev's girlfriend, Nellie Thorne has gone missing. He's tried reporting it to the police but they aren't taking him seriously, thinking it's just a hoax. Several 'Nellie Thornes', matching the given description of very pale with long dark hair, have been going missing since the 1970's, never to be seen again. Can Pie and Mash solve the mystery that their very own teacher could not?
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was refreshing to read something that doesn't take itself to seriously with becoming silly, have a strong plot and is also well written.
The comedy hit the mark more often than it missed and the story is an interesting one that keeps you invested.
The amateur sleuths are just that, amateurs and do make logical decisions (and many idiotic ones) as they investigate, avoiding miraculous leaps in logic which you so often see.
I particularly liked how the story would go from the present day investigation to the 1997 missing Nellie Thorne, investigated but Gavin Smith, Jane and Simon's P.I. teacher.
I do hope that this is the first in a series. It felt like it should be. And I think it deserves a sequel.
I would like to convey my thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone Publishers for the chance to review this novel. All opinions are my own.
The Pie and Mash Detective Agency is due to be released on 26th February 2026.
Jane Pye is out of work and has joined a Private investigation night class. Her other half, Simon Mash has also joined as moral support but doesn't really take things seriously. They are a bumbling duo in a similar vein to Shakespeare and Hathaway, but even more unprofessional.
They are investigating a missing persons case. Dev's girlfriend, Nellie Thorne has gone missing. He's tried reporting it to the police but they aren't taking him seriously, thinking it's just a hoax. Several 'Nellie Thornes', matching the given description of very pale with long dark hair, have been going missing since the 1970's, never to be seen again. Can Pie and Mash solve the mystery that their very own teacher could not?
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was refreshing to read something that doesn't take itself to seriously with becoming silly, have a strong plot and is also well written.
The comedy hit the mark more often than it missed and the story is an interesting one that keeps you invested.
The amateur sleuths are just that, amateurs and do make logical decisions (and many idiotic ones) as they investigate, avoiding miraculous leaps in logic which you so often see.
I particularly liked how the story would go from the present day investigation to the 1997 missing Nellie Thorne, investigated but Gavin Smith, Jane and Simon's P.I. teacher.
I do hope that this is the first in a series. It felt like it should be. And I think it deserves a sequel.
I would like to convey my thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone Publishers for the chance to review this novel. All opinions are my own.
The Pie and Mash Detective Agency is due to be released on 26th February 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Pie & Mash Detective Agency
by J.D. Brinkman (pseudonym for the writing team of Jo Dinkin and Catherine Brinkworth) is a cozy mystery with some humor. Dev Hooper arrives home one evening to an open front door and a missing girlfriend named Nellie Thorne. Soon afterwards Jane Pye and her boyfriend Simon Mash sign up for a private detective night class are assigned Dev’s case for their coursework. They find out that there has been several Nellie Coopers who have disappeared over the years. What connects them?
Jane has recently lost her job as a programmer. She has a logical mind and asking for help doesn’t come naturally. Simon is charming, has an odd sense of humor, and is a corporate collaboration consultant. Both are tenacious, but will that help them solve the case?
This cozy mystery relies on light humor and somewhat quirky main characters to infuse entertainment into the missing person case. It’s mainly set in Tonbridge, England and the surrounding area with some scenes in South London in and near Croydon. I loved the idea of Jane’s detective’s day bag with what she thought was essential for the investigation. The authors do a great job of atmosphere and setting, but I thought there were a few too many coincidences. These detracted from the story’s believability. It’s engaging, but lacked the suspense I expected except during the ending action scene. However, it was entertaining.
Overall, this was a light and humorous cozy mystery that had a fun premise.
Berkley Publishing Group – Berkley and J.D. Brinkworth provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 10, 2026.
--------------------------------------
My 3.35 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Jane has recently lost her job as a programmer. She has a logical mind and asking for help doesn’t come naturally. Simon is charming, has an odd sense of humor, and is a corporate collaboration consultant. Both are tenacious, but will that help them solve the case?
This cozy mystery relies on light humor and somewhat quirky main characters to infuse entertainment into the missing person case. It’s mainly set in Tonbridge, England and the surrounding area with some scenes in South London in and near Croydon. I loved the idea of Jane’s detective’s day bag with what she thought was essential for the investigation. The authors do a great job of atmosphere and setting, but I thought there were a few too many coincidences. These detracted from the story’s believability. It’s engaging, but lacked the suspense I expected except during the ending action scene. However, it was entertaining.
Overall, this was a light and humorous cozy mystery that had a fun premise.
Berkley Publishing Group – Berkley and J.D. Brinkworth provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 10, 2026.
--------------------------------------
My 3.35 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When schoolteacher Dev Hooper return home from work expecting to find his girlfriend waiting, he’s startled to discover the house deserted and his anxiety only deepens when he notices her handbag still inside. Fearing the worst, he contacts the police but the moment they hear her name, their response is surprisingly dismissive. The reason? Nellie Thorne is something of an urban legend. Dev’s Nellie is the fifth woman with that name to vanish over the years, and with Dev unable to provide many solid details about her, the authorities, are sceptical she ever existed.
The investigation instead falls to Jane Pye and Simon Mash, two enthusiastic twenty-somethings training to become private detectives, who are assigned the case by their course tutor. Their involvement injects fresh energy into the story as they set out to prove themselves and unravel the mystery behind Nellie’s latest incarnation’s disappearance.
This book doesn’t take itself too seriously, blending intrigue with a subtle, understated humour that gives it a distinctly cosy feel. There’s an intriguing question at its heart. Is there something supernatural about Nellie? When she appears, she seems oddly out of step with the modern world. Or is there a far more ordinary explanation, with the recurring name being nothing more than coincidence? Whoever Nellie truly is, she slips away as quietly as she arrives, almost in the blink of an eye, leaving little or no trace behind.
Overall, the author’s writing style delivers a well-paced, light-hearted mystery that’s easy to follow, peppered with twists and turns. Jane and Simon are engaging leads, as they embark on an adventure they hope will launch them onto new and rewarding careers. By the end, it feels as though The Pie & Mash Detective Agency could happily be the beginning of a charming new series.
The investigation instead falls to Jane Pye and Simon Mash, two enthusiastic twenty-somethings training to become private detectives, who are assigned the case by their course tutor. Their involvement injects fresh energy into the story as they set out to prove themselves and unravel the mystery behind Nellie’s latest incarnation’s disappearance.
This book doesn’t take itself too seriously, blending intrigue with a subtle, understated humour that gives it a distinctly cosy feel. There’s an intriguing question at its heart. Is there something supernatural about Nellie? When she appears, she seems oddly out of step with the modern world. Or is there a far more ordinary explanation, with the recurring name being nothing more than coincidence? Whoever Nellie truly is, she slips away as quietly as she arrives, almost in the blink of an eye, leaving little or no trace behind.
Overall, the author’s writing style delivers a well-paced, light-hearted mystery that’s easy to follow, peppered with twists and turns. Jane and Simon are engaging leads, as they embark on an adventure they hope will launch them onto new and rewarding careers. By the end, it feels as though The Pie & Mash Detective Agency could happily be the beginning of a charming new series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are on the verge of completing their detective course and becoming private investigators. All they need to do to pass is complete their coursework assignment, which is proving more difficult than expected. Tasked with finding a missing woman named Nellie Thorne, Jane and Simon are puzzled to learn that this isn't the first Nellie to have gone missing. The police are stumped, and locals are fascinated by what they think is an ongoing paranormal mystery. Can the Pie and Mash detective agency finally crack a case that has been unsolved for decades?
I generally enjoy a cosy mystery, and this one caught my attention because of the added oddness to it. Unfortunately I felt the book missed the mark, so ended feeling a bit disappointed.
My biggest struggle was with the characters. Jane and Simon are meant to be endearing in their haplessness, but I found their disorganisation more frustrating than charming. Their mentor, Grant, didn’t resonate with me either. Without a character I genuinely cared about, I found it difficult to stay invested in the unfolding mystery.
The plot itself had promise, but much of the story is spent following leads that ultimately go nowhere. It isn’t until very late in the book that the duo stumbles onto meaningful clues — and even then, it feels like luck more than detective work. This was disappointing because the eventual reveal is genuinely intriguing, and I wish that thread had been developed earlier and more consistently.
Overall, this one was a bit of a slog for me, mostly due to characters I couldn’t connect with and pacing that didn’t quite land. That said, I can imagine readers who enjoy quirky amateur‑sleuth stories finding much more to love here. It just wasn’t the right fit for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Cornerstone for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I generally enjoy a cosy mystery, and this one caught my attention because of the added oddness to it. Unfortunately I felt the book missed the mark, so ended feeling a bit disappointed.
My biggest struggle was with the characters. Jane and Simon are meant to be endearing in their haplessness, but I found their disorganisation more frustrating than charming. Their mentor, Grant, didn’t resonate with me either. Without a character I genuinely cared about, I found it difficult to stay invested in the unfolding mystery.
The plot itself had promise, but much of the story is spent following leads that ultimately go nowhere. It isn’t until very late in the book that the duo stumbles onto meaningful clues — and even then, it feels like luck more than detective work. This was disappointing because the eventual reveal is genuinely intriguing, and I wish that thread had been developed earlier and more consistently.
Overall, this one was a bit of a slog for me, mostly due to characters I couldn’t connect with and pacing that didn’t quite land. That said, I can imagine readers who enjoy quirky amateur‑sleuth stories finding much more to love here. It just wasn’t the right fit for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Cornerstone for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2026
My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Humor
Spice Level: Low; nothing on the page
Language: Infrequent uses of profanity
Gore Level: Low; nothing worse than a beating on the page
THE PIE & MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY caught me in its web of an unsolved missing person case that spanned decades and its uproariously funny moments.
You may ask, uproariously funny? Yes, because I laughed aloud and tittered over this book. It's it a screwball humor? Not really, but things tickled me. One example is the opening page where someone is returning a rental car with bullet holes. This wasn't even the problem the rental company mentioned first. So, I hope you find it as funny as I did.
Jane is sensible (sort of) and is job hunting because they are going to be out on their ear soon if they can't make the rent. So, of course, she has signed them up for a private detective course.
Simon is a dreamer (think a little loopy) and has a job. But in the job he hardly ever does any work. As the creative member of their team, we will leave no conspiracy or supernatural element unturned.
Is this a supernatural mystery? No, it is not. And that is why I found him funny.
Why are there so many Nellies? This is the clue that stumped me because I couldn't come up with a logical reason. But I was satisfied with how it all came about.
Mystery readers will enjoy this book because it's got a fascinating premise for the case. Cozy mystery readers will particularly love it. If you're tired of romantic subplots, this book is for you because the romance is very much in the background—no more prominent than faded wallpaper. And yet, our duo of Pie and Mash get the case because of a love affair gone wrong.
Happy reading!
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Humor
Spice Level: Low; nothing on the page
Language: Infrequent uses of profanity
Gore Level: Low; nothing worse than a beating on the page
THE PIE & MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY caught me in its web of an unsolved missing person case that spanned decades and its uproariously funny moments.
You may ask, uproariously funny? Yes, because I laughed aloud and tittered over this book. It's it a screwball humor? Not really, but things tickled me. One example is the opening page where someone is returning a rental car with bullet holes. This wasn't even the problem the rental company mentioned first. So, I hope you find it as funny as I did.
Jane is sensible (sort of) and is job hunting because they are going to be out on their ear soon if they can't make the rent. So, of course, she has signed them up for a private detective course.
Simon is a dreamer (think a little loopy) and has a job. But in the job he hardly ever does any work. As the creative member of their team, we will leave no conspiracy or supernatural element unturned.
Is this a supernatural mystery? No, it is not. And that is why I found him funny.
Why are there so many Nellies? This is the clue that stumped me because I couldn't come up with a logical reason. But I was satisfied with how it all came about.
Mystery readers will enjoy this book because it's got a fascinating premise for the case. Cozy mystery readers will particularly love it. If you're tired of romantic subplots, this book is for you because the romance is very much in the background—no more prominent than faded wallpaper. And yet, our duo of Pie and Mash get the case because of a love affair gone wrong.
Happy reading!
March 18, 2026
There was something about this cozy mystery novel that reminded me of an episode of the X-Files with a bit of Pink Panther (Inspector Clouseau).
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a couple who signed up for a private investigative course at night college. When their instructor hands them a cold case as an assignment, they must look into the complexities of a woman named Nellie Thorne who is a bit of an urban legend but whom has gone missing. Determined to solve a decade's long case, the two are out to sift through the lore to find out what happened in this mysterious disappearance.
The general plot behind the book was strong and included a cold case of a missing girl, local police involvement in a case that was not highly publicized, and the myth behind a missing person during several timelines (this may seem confusing but it makes sense when you read the book). There was quite a bit of humor and quirk in this novel, but what irritated me most was the paranormal trajectory this book was headed that came across as cheesy. I am not a fan of paranormal cozy mystery novels nor of anything demonic and when you pair this with sleuths that are so green, it made me uncertain of the main characters' credibility at solving the case. If I can't root for the main characters, I quickly lose interest, but I pressed on because I truly wanted to see how the story ended.
Jane and Simon are amateur sleuths that never seemed to skillfully solve the case but rather stumbled onto clues by luck that pointed them in the right direction (very much like Inspector Clouseau in Pink Panther). Their relationship and daily lives complicated the storyline a bit but also brought a little levity to the plot.
If I had known early on about the paranormal undertone, I would not have read this book.
3.4/5
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary.
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are a couple who signed up for a private investigative course at night college. When their instructor hands them a cold case as an assignment, they must look into the complexities of a woman named Nellie Thorne who is a bit of an urban legend but whom has gone missing. Determined to solve a decade's long case, the two are out to sift through the lore to find out what happened in this mysterious disappearance.
The general plot behind the book was strong and included a cold case of a missing girl, local police involvement in a case that was not highly publicized, and the myth behind a missing person during several timelines (this may seem confusing but it makes sense when you read the book). There was quite a bit of humor and quirk in this novel, but what irritated me most was the paranormal trajectory this book was headed that came across as cheesy. I am not a fan of paranormal cozy mystery novels nor of anything demonic and when you pair this with sleuths that are so green, it made me uncertain of the main characters' credibility at solving the case. If I can't root for the main characters, I quickly lose interest, but I pressed on because I truly wanted to see how the story ended.
Jane and Simon are amateur sleuths that never seemed to skillfully solve the case but rather stumbled onto clues by luck that pointed them in the right direction (very much like Inspector Clouseau in Pink Panther). Their relationship and daily lives complicated the storyline a bit but also brought a little levity to the plot.
If I had known early on about the paranormal undertone, I would not have read this book.
3.4/5
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I got this book via NetGalley and thought it sounded like a fun read. The basic premise is that a young woman called Jane Pye decides to do a night class about being a detective and gets her boyfriend, Simon Mash to join her. As part of their coursework, they are assigned a live case about a missing person. The person in question is called Nellie Thorne and she's actually the fifth person with that name to go missing in the past fifty years.
The main characters have the most ridiculous names and are just so contrived. The characters themselves are okay - Jane comes across as being the more determined of the two to be a detective while Simon is rather more meh about the whole thing. He's more interested in his looks and is really quite self-centred. I didn't think that they made the best couple, Jane would have been much better off with someone on her own wavelength and who supported her hopes and dreams. There didn't seem to be any chemistry between them at all and they seemed more like friends/roommates than an actual couple.
The plot itself is very slow and seems to have been really dragged out. It comes together in the last few chapters but I found the solution to the disappearance to be quite dissatisfying. I'm not sure if I would read any more of the series. Neither of the main characters particularly grabbed me and there was nothing in this book that intrigued me to want to read further books. It was a shame as it was an intriguing premise but the book as a whole just felt rather as though it was lacking something, there was no oomph or spark to it. It was okay, but nothing more than that.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.
The main characters have the most ridiculous names and are just so contrived. The characters themselves are okay - Jane comes across as being the more determined of the two to be a detective while Simon is rather more meh about the whole thing. He's more interested in his looks and is really quite self-centred. I didn't think that they made the best couple, Jane would have been much better off with someone on her own wavelength and who supported her hopes and dreams. There didn't seem to be any chemistry between them at all and they seemed more like friends/roommates than an actual couple.
The plot itself is very slow and seems to have been really dragged out. It comes together in the last few chapters but I found the solution to the disappearance to be quite dissatisfying. I'm not sure if I would read any more of the series. Neither of the main characters particularly grabbed me and there was nothing in this book that intrigued me to want to read further books. It was a shame as it was an intriguing premise but the book as a whole just felt rather as though it was lacking something, there was no oomph or spark to it. It was okay, but nothing more than that.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.
March 11, 2026
The story:
When teacher Dev Hooper returns home one day to find his girlfriend missing, he assumes the police will be keen to help. And they are… up until the point he mentions her name is Nellie Thorne. Because this isn’t the first time a Nellie Thorne has been reported missing. In fact, it’s happened at least four-times before, the first time in 1971…
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are detectives-in-training. Or at least, they’re enrolled in the evening class ‘Private Investigation Level 1’ at a training centre in Croydon, and that’s close enough. When their instructor hands them the latest Nellie Thorne case for their coursework, they are definitely in over their heads. But the fledgling Pie & Mash Detective Agency are determined to get to the bottom of things – how are the Nellie Thornes connected? Where do they go? And why has no one ever got to the bottom of Kent’s weirdest urban legend?
My thoughts:
“The Pie & Mash Detective Agency” by J. D. Brinkworth is a cosy mystery that I really enjoyed reading! We meet quirky couple Jane Pye and Simon Mash, who are taking an evening class in private detection – guided by their tutor, the seasoned professional Gavin Smith. Jane is definitely the keener of the couple, although Simon is happy enough to accompany her and have a bit of fun. But when they are assigned the Nellie Thorne case for their coursework, they really have their work cut out!
The story is told across two timelines – Jane and Simon’s investigations in the present day and the last Nellie Thorne disappearance in 1997. It emerges that instructor Gav knows rather more than he’s let on to Jane and Simon, and while this book is light-hearted and humorous, there’s a genuinely intriguing mystery here too and it really kept me guessing. I did wonder how far down the paranormal route things might go at one point (!), but the solution turned out to be far more satisfying.
Author J. D. Brinkworth is actually the pseudonym of writing duo Jo Dinkin and Catherine Brinkworth, and I find writing duos so interesting – I’d love to see how they work together on a novel! But however they work, I hope they keep doing so and that we get to see more of Jane and Simon soon!
When teacher Dev Hooper returns home one day to find his girlfriend missing, he assumes the police will be keen to help. And they are… up until the point he mentions her name is Nellie Thorne. Because this isn’t the first time a Nellie Thorne has been reported missing. In fact, it’s happened at least four-times before, the first time in 1971…
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are detectives-in-training. Or at least, they’re enrolled in the evening class ‘Private Investigation Level 1’ at a training centre in Croydon, and that’s close enough. When their instructor hands them the latest Nellie Thorne case for their coursework, they are definitely in over their heads. But the fledgling Pie & Mash Detective Agency are determined to get to the bottom of things – how are the Nellie Thornes connected? Where do they go? And why has no one ever got to the bottom of Kent’s weirdest urban legend?
My thoughts:
“The Pie & Mash Detective Agency” by J. D. Brinkworth is a cosy mystery that I really enjoyed reading! We meet quirky couple Jane Pye and Simon Mash, who are taking an evening class in private detection – guided by their tutor, the seasoned professional Gavin Smith. Jane is definitely the keener of the couple, although Simon is happy enough to accompany her and have a bit of fun. But when they are assigned the Nellie Thorne case for their coursework, they really have their work cut out!
The story is told across two timelines – Jane and Simon’s investigations in the present day and the last Nellie Thorne disappearance in 1997. It emerges that instructor Gav knows rather more than he’s let on to Jane and Simon, and while this book is light-hearted and humorous, there’s a genuinely intriguing mystery here too and it really kept me guessing. I did wonder how far down the paranormal route things might go at one point (!), but the solution turned out to be far more satisfying.
Author J. D. Brinkworth is actually the pseudonym of writing duo Jo Dinkin and Catherine Brinkworth, and I find writing duos so interesting – I’d love to see how they work together on a novel! But however they work, I hope they keep doing so and that we get to see more of Jane and Simon soon!
December 4, 2025
Move over Thursday Murder Club, Pye and Mash of The Pie & Mash Detective Agency are on the case!
Jane Pye and Simon Mash, two twenty-something wannabe private detectives—well, one wannabe private detective, the other just tagging along for relationship points and the cool outfits—are assigned the cold case of a repeatedly missing woman for the coursework element of their private detective night class in this genuinely funny cosy mystery.
This book was honestly a joy to read. It’s not often that a novel claimed to be humorous actually lives up to the hype, but I was wearing a constant smirk while reading this book in an attempt to stop myself from laughing out loud in public. (I wasn’t always successful.) It’s just so good. The perfect pick-me-up for a dreary winter’s day!
I love Simon and Jane—though, in terms of vibes, they do give me more ‘Will and Grace’ than ‘couple in a romantic relationship’—and I hope we get to see more of them again soon. All the other characters were such fun to spend time with too. Plus, the plotting is fantastic, with never a dull moment and not a whiff of predictability.
In terms of who will like this book, it’s ideal for fans of humorous, cosy mysteries (natch…), but readers in their mid-30s will probably appreciate it the most, being young enough to relate to the protagonists but old enough to get the 90s references. It makes a great gift book too, as it comes with no spice nor contentious topics. I’ll definitely be buying the cosy-mystery-lovers in my life a copy!
Many thanks to NetGalley, J.D. Brinkworth and Random House UK for the ARC.
Jane Pye and Simon Mash, two twenty-something wannabe private detectives—well, one wannabe private detective, the other just tagging along for relationship points and the cool outfits—are assigned the cold case of a repeatedly missing woman for the coursework element of their private detective night class in this genuinely funny cosy mystery.
This book was honestly a joy to read. It’s not often that a novel claimed to be humorous actually lives up to the hype, but I was wearing a constant smirk while reading this book in an attempt to stop myself from laughing out loud in public. (I wasn’t always successful.) It’s just so good. The perfect pick-me-up for a dreary winter’s day!
I love Simon and Jane—though, in terms of vibes, they do give me more ‘Will and Grace’ than ‘couple in a romantic relationship’—and I hope we get to see more of them again soon. All the other characters were such fun to spend time with too. Plus, the plotting is fantastic, with never a dull moment and not a whiff of predictability.
In terms of who will like this book, it’s ideal for fans of humorous, cosy mysteries (natch…), but readers in their mid-30s will probably appreciate it the most, being young enough to relate to the protagonists but old enough to get the 90s references. It makes a great gift book too, as it comes with no spice nor contentious topics. I’ll definitely be buying the cosy-mystery-lovers in my life a copy!
Many thanks to NetGalley, J.D. Brinkworth and Random House UK for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jane Pye and Simon Mash are “ Detectives in training”, Simon is a Corporate Collaboration Consultant, Jane is unemployed and is wondering if she can make a career out of detecting.
The instructor gives the whole class some real life cases to investigate and hopefully solve, and Jane and Simon end up with being allocated a most unusual case concerning a woman named Nellie Thorne.
Nellie has apparently disappeared from the home she shares with her boyfriend, Dev Hooper. She left behind her handbag and phone, taken hardly any clothes with her and Dev realises he has never met her family, friends or has any photos of Nellie.
When Jane and Simon find out that she is not the first Nellie Thorne to go missing over the last few decades, and her name has become part of an urban myth, they know that if they manage to solve this mystery, their names will be made, but with literally nothing to go on concerning this elusive “ ghost” of a woman, this case will test them both to the very extent and possibly beyond their combined skills and knowledge.
A real laugh out loud novel, once you get past the slightly dodgy names. Jane and Simon are such very likeable and supportive characters, people you start to care for.
The mystery held my attention throughout and the conclusion was surprising, much like the unusual introduction to this novel.
A very promising debut novel and I am looking forward to the next escapade in this new series.
A five star read, most enjoyable.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, publishers, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will review to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.
The instructor gives the whole class some real life cases to investigate and hopefully solve, and Jane and Simon end up with being allocated a most unusual case concerning a woman named Nellie Thorne.
Nellie has apparently disappeared from the home she shares with her boyfriend, Dev Hooper. She left behind her handbag and phone, taken hardly any clothes with her and Dev realises he has never met her family, friends or has any photos of Nellie.
When Jane and Simon find out that she is not the first Nellie Thorne to go missing over the last few decades, and her name has become part of an urban myth, they know that if they manage to solve this mystery, their names will be made, but with literally nothing to go on concerning this elusive “ ghost” of a woman, this case will test them both to the very extent and possibly beyond their combined skills and knowledge.
A real laugh out loud novel, once you get past the slightly dodgy names. Jane and Simon are such very likeable and supportive characters, people you start to care for.
The mystery held my attention throughout and the conclusion was surprising, much like the unusual introduction to this novel.
A very promising debut novel and I am looking forward to the next escapade in this new series.
A five star read, most enjoyable.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, publishers, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will review to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews