A young man comes home to find his girlfriend, Nellie Thorne, is missing. But this is not the first time a Nellie Thorne has gone missing, and there are historic cases dating back to the 1970s through the 1990s to prove it. When Jane Pye and Simon Mash are assigned the case by their Private Investigation Level One Class instructor, the young couple is not prepared for a simple class assignment to go so far off the rails in THE PIE AND MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY.

As Jane and Simon don their trench coats and begin their investigation, they wonder if the woman simply left, or if there is something more nefarious going on. When a pregnancy test is found in the man’s toilet, their suspicion deepens. Why are women named “Nellie Thorne” disappearing without a trace? As they start looking into previous cases, they are led on a tour of the haunted woods, educated by a strange librarian, intrigued by a candle and missing posters, and exposed to paranormal and cult theories. As they get closer to the truth, will they find the missing woman, and will Jane and Simon make it through their first investigation alive? And why is their instructor acting so funny?

THE PIE AND MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY is a fun trip with an oddball millennial couple from South London who lack employment prospects and rent money, but make up for it with spunk and determination. The mystery is intriguing, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as Simon strays from the topic, and Jane reels him back in. Simon is the charmer, and Jane is the brains as they tackle the “Nellie Thorne” mystery. The story sometimes meanders into unknown territory, but it adds charm to the story as the duo bumble through their first investigation. The ending ramps up the action and has a high-stakes feel as bullets are flying and people are fleeing. Offbeat, quirky, and fun, THE PIE AND MASH DETECTIVE AGENCY is a good debut for the writing duo that makes up J.D. Brinkworth. In the future, I’d like to see Jane and Simon tackle a darker, more ominous mystery.