Dead in Devon by Stephanie Austin

It’s always satisfying when you get in at the beginning with a new mystery series. Austin’s Dead in Devon introduces us to amateur sleuth Juno Browne, who with her titian hair and tall, willowy good looks could surely be doing something other than housekeeping, dog-walking and sundry odd jobs for a living.

Juno advertises herself as a ‘Domestic Goddess’ and in her little yellow van, rushes from job to job in the Devon town of Ashburton, eking out a meagre living. When she takes on a new client, Old Nick, who has a dodgy history as a trader in antiques and collectibles, she gets more than she bargained for when Nick is murdered.

The police struggle to find any obvious suspects, so Juno, a born busy-body, steps in. High on the list of probables must be the two Russian thugs she caught arguing with Nick; then there are his estranged children, Helena and Richard who appear for the funeral. A budding romance with Paul the furniture restorer adds complications. Luckily she has chums like gay couple Ricky and Morris to bounce off her ideas with. The two run a company hiring out theatrical costumes, which is handy when Juno has a date and can borrow something striking from a play.

There’s heaps to find entertaining in this little mystery which includes some lively actions scenes, witty dialogue and an array of interesting characters. The setting of a quaint Devon town is conjured up nicely, and I shall look forward to paying a further visit and catching up again with Juno for another caper. The second in the series, Dead on Dartmoor is also in the library.

Posted by JAM

Catalogue link: Dead in Devon