The Pie & Mash Detective Agency promises an oddball couple investigating a series of mysterious disappearances. The premise has potential, but the mystery quickly gets lost inside a clutter of characters and competing storylines.
As part of their private investigator course, Jane and Simon begin looking into the disappearance of several women named Nellie Thorne. That should provide a clear and intriguing case. Instead, the investigation competes with Jane’s job search, Simon’s mother and her friends’ personal problems, an overeager librarian, and a detective writing terrible fiction.
The story sends Jane and Simon across several locations, but movement does not create momentum. Each new stop introduces another character, complication, or quirky exchange without bringing the investigation into sharper focus. Some of the dialogue lands, and Jane and Simon have the makings of an entertaining partnership. The book simply seems more interested in eccentric character beats than in building a compelling mystery.
By the time the case comes together, the payoff does not justify the amount of setup. The result is not unreadable, just unfocused. It works as a passable, light cozy mystery, but it never becomes the delightful detective story the blurb promises.