The Pie and Mash Detective Agency - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  The Pie and Mash Detective Agency by J.D. Brinkworth

Rating:  Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

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.

Is it an open and shut case? Not on your Nellie…

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  The premise looked fun and I liked the idea of a fresh take on a cozy mystery.

My Impression:  This book had a bit of a rough start.  It was definitely quirky and young but for the first half or so of the book Jane and Simon read like school children on a massive sugar high and incredibly overstimulated.  Their actions were all over the place and the banter had a bit of a frantic feel to it.  There's also some timeline jumping between modern day and 1997 that took me a bit to really understand.

The book settles quite a bit in the second half.  While still a bit erratic, Jane and Simon have a bit more strategy and the plot starts building a bit better.  Through it all the mystery was fascinating.  How did Nellie Thorne disappear multiple times over the years and why was the description always the same?  I was hooked and couldn't wait for the reveal.  I flew through the last quarter fascinated as it all played out.  

This book is a bit uneven but it was always a fun read.  The characters grew on me once they had a chance to settle into the story.  If this becomes a series I would definitely continue with it.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would.  Overall, I enjoyed this one and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author does next.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes, with reservations.  The story is a lot of fun but the beginning is a bit of a fever dream.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *