Title: The Pie & Mash Detective Agency Author: J. D. Brinkworth
Publisher: Berkley
Date of Publication: March 10, 2026
My Rating: 4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
Who is Nellie Thorne and why does she keep disappearing? Jane Pye and Simon Mash are on the case in this cosy crime mystery novel.
Dev Hooper arrives home from work to find his girlfriend, Nellie Thorne, has vanished.
But she's not the first Nellie Thorne to disappear. In fact, she's the fifth in fifty years.
Enter Jane Pye and Simon - a millennial couple who signed up for a private detective night class on a whim. When they're assigned Dev's case for their coursework, they quickly realise they've bitten off more than they can chew.
Armed with just six weeks of notes, matching trench coats, and a lot of enthusiasm, they set out to solve a case that has baffled Kent’s police for decades.
What connects the missing Nellies? Why do locals whisper about a ghostly presence? Only the Pie & Mash Detective Agency can uncover the truth behind this eerie urban legend.
MY THOUGHTS:
Jane Pye and Simon Mash, newly minted private detectives, have attended a private detective class and are assigned their very first case. Their first task is to choose a name for their partnership, which they settle on the catchy name, “The Pie & Mash Detective Agency.” With their assignment of finding a missing woman, Jane and Simon dive into their investigation.
Dev Hooper is devastated to discover that his girlfriend, Nellie Thorne, has disappeared. Jane and Simon quickly realize that this is far more than a missing persons case. They uncover a disturbing history: five women with the exact same name have vanished in as many decades.
If the police haven’t been able to solve these mysterious disappearances, Jane and Simon might not be equipped to do so either. However, one thing is certain: this is not a mere coincidence. A sixth woman with the exact same name as Nellie Thorne must be connected to the previous disappearances.
I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery. In fact, this debut story establishes the foundation for what could be an incredibly captivating series. I eagerly anticipate reading more from the talented duo behind the author J. D. Brinkworth.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
J. D. Brinkworth is the pseudonym of London-based writing duo Jo Dinkin and Catherine Brinkworth. Catherine is a comedy writer and winner of the BBC Comedy Writing Bursary. She has written on flagship BBC shows like the News Quiz and Have I Got News For You. Jo won the 2020 Green Stories writing prize and was nominated for Best Screenplay at the British Horror Film Festival. They both recently graduated as private detectives from a suspiciously cheap online detecting course.
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