This is the kind of book that works better as a foundational setup than an individual plot. I will try to explain what I mean by that.
Mystery series are of several types, but the most prominent in recent times is the one with the unofficial amateur who lives in a town filled with uncovered secrets, and over the course of the series, we have one death(minimum) in each case, followed by investigations.
This main type of book means that the first is sometimes sacrificed to establish the longer arc, which is meant to reveal an older, deeper issue that has not been touched for several years. In this case, we have two different secrets that are waiting to be uncovered. I am extremely excited for them, more than I was for the case in this case. That is not to say that it was a bad book - just filled with facts that let us know about all the people who will be recurring characters in the rest of the series, something that I plan to keep up with if given a chance.
Jane has had to take early retirement, so she finds herself in a private research/librarian employment. This gets her in contact with a slightly peculiar employer and his house. The house is filled with eccentric characters who move in and out with ease. When a girlfriend is found dead after an acrimonious breakup, Jane wants to get to the truth.
She feels she is a step behind her employer, Cam, but in the process of investigation, she finds some perplexing questions she thinks she can figure out if given the time and resources.
I could not guess the killer, but when the reveal occurred, I was not as invested in the solution. I found the investigative process a little natural, with the police being active and involved without making them seem like caricatures.
The writing and the central characters are simple and easy to understand, and I would recommend this to fans of the genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

A strong start to a new series, I found myself channeling Jessica Fletcher during this book as the main sleuth is a middle-aged research librarian with all the necessary smarts to sift through clues and sort out suspects with the best of them. And her employer, who doubles as both sleuth and suspect, promises to provide a contrast with his flirtations, his quirks, and his somewhat eccentric household. If you're looking for a cozy caper to wile away a fall evening in front of a roaring fire, this one will do nicely. And as advertised, there'll be more to come.

Jane Hunter didn’t think she’d be job hunting at age sixty but there she is, applying for a job cataloging books for Cam, a wealthy man who has few manners. He’s asked her to create a record of all his books and artifacts, an intriguing job and one that, if she can last, will help fund her so-called retirement.

It’s not that he’s rude. He’s agoraphobic to some extent, has limited social skills and little desire to improve them, and suffers from anxiety. She’ll have to draw on her people skills to get along with him.
He does lend out his manor house for special events, making the briefest of appearances if absolutely necessary, before retiring to his rooms upstairs. His assistant, Lauren, takes care of all the details. For the current party, there are house guests. Except for one. Cam dates, shows an interest in the woman, loses it quickly, and Loren has to take care of any fallout. Ashley, wealthy in her own right, is his latest breakup. Still, she comes to the party, perhaps in hope of reconciliation.

Sadly, before that can happen, Jane finds her body. Due to recent arguments, Cam is suspect number one. Since he reads mysteries, he feels he should be able to solve the case himself. However, hampered as he is by not wanting to leave the house, he enlists Lauren and Jane to ask questions and report back to him.
During the course of ‘investigating,’ Jane’s cottage is broken into and she’s followed. It must mean she’s getting close to the killer’s identity but really, who is it? The killer assumes she knows more than she does. The house guests, despite staying at the manor, don’t hesitate to throw suspicion on Cam. So much for friendship.

This is the first in a new series, Hunter and Clewe. Jane and Cam are delightful together and Lauren adds a level head when Cam goes off on a tangent. Once the three get used to each other, it’s a great combination. It was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book.

Absolutely fantabulous series debut! I loved every bit of this marvelous first in a series and I cannot wait to read the next installment.

Unlike some of the series debuts which leans towards character introduction and series-plot setting rather than murder mystery and amateur sleuthing, A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert had the perfect mix of not only character introduction and series-scene setting, but a good amount of sleuthing and side stories(which finally added to the murder mystery).

The mystery behind the murder kept me guessing till the end. I loved Jane and glimpses of her personal life (past and present) made the story extra special. The killer's identity was shocking as I didn't expect them to be involved in any way.

There's another side story that caught my attention. It's that of the mansion's previous owners and their only son's mysterious death. I believe this mystery will be revealed to us readers, bit by bit, in the next installments of this series. I cannot wait to learn more about the reason behind the poor young man's tragic death.

Victoria Gilbert is a master storyteller. I follow her Booklover's B&B mystery series and I absolutely love her writing. It goes without saying A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert is an excellent series debut and a series that I would follow till the end.

A cozy with a classical murder mystery feel.

The setting, the characters and the murder create a classic Sherlock Holmes like mystery in the modern era. Our protagonist, Jane Hunter, is close to retirement age but wasn't quite ready for it when the university she had served as a librarian forced her in that direction. She is downsizing but needs to supplement her retirement with a job. Her skills and years of experience has led her to be hired by eccentric Cam Crewes', to catalog a section of his extensive collection of books. Her first official day on the job and a body is found in the library. Now it's up to Jane and Cam to figure out who the killer is.

Jane's years of dealing with students allows her to form a kinship with Cam and all his quirks. And Cam's quirks can be a hinderance, but he uses his mind for deductions to help solve the mystery with Jane.

A good solid mystery with characters that cause you to keep in mind that everyone is a suspect. A good first start to the series and a solid 3 stars. I'm interested in seeing where the series goes and finding out more on the extra mysteries that revolve around Cam's history and that of his home. I look forward to book 2.

Thank you #NetGalley and #CrookedLane for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Our protagonist Jane is a 60-year-old newly retired librarian. Since she was forced into retirement by the university where she worked; she is looking for a new adventure. She takes a job inventorying books for a 33-year-old eccentric book collector, Cameron. Jane doesn't know to think of Cam upon meeting him as he seems to lack social skills. However, once Jane finds more than books in Cam's library she agrees to help him clear his name.

I enjoyed reading this new cozy mystery. The unlikely duo of Jane and Cam is entertaining. I like how well they worked together even though at times Jane had some doubts about Cam. Cam's character is interesting, he was brought up by a rich but distinct father and he seems to suffer from agoraphobia and severe anxiety. I like how Jane is eager to take on a job using her skills in a new setting. She refuses to just sit at home and waste time doing nothing. The mystery is well-written. It moves at a great pace and is full of twists and turns to keep the reader in suspense and guessing who the murderer is. I look forward to reading more about these two's adventures.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

I didn't enjoy this book and should not have read beyond the first few chapters. The descriptions were excessive and repetitive, and the plot contained unrealistic events. The author included too many elements without proper development, resulting in a slow-moving story that abruptly concluded. I had to backtrack and remember the culprit and how they had fit into the story. Needless to say, the characters were unremarkable and despite being the first book in a series, I have no desire to read the second installment.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the Advanced Readers Copy of A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1) by Victoria Gilbert. I loved the cover and synopsis of the book and was thrilled when I learned that I was receiving a free copy of it in exchange for my honest review.

At first, I had trouble getting into the story, so I put the book aside and came back to it. Being in a different mindset definitely made the difference. I ended up enjoying the storyline. I really liked the main character, Jane Hunter. I wasn't as crazy about Cameron Clewe, but he ended up growing on me.

There were lots of suspects, and I wasn't sure who the killer was going to be. In fact, I didn't figure out who it was, and when the identity was revealed, I felt like it came out of left field. Additionally, there were a couple of underlying mysteries involving people's identities. However, those identities were never revealed, and it really bothered me that the author didn't wrap those two storylines up. Since it appears that there will be at least a sequel, I'm hoping that we find out who these two people are.

All in all, I enjoyed A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1) by Victoria Gilbert for the most part. Four out of five stars is what I gave this book.

This book had charm. I liked the pairing of detectives between someone who was older and a younger partner. There were some charming elements to the story. This is the first book in the series and I am excited for additional books and time to enjoy these characters.

A CRYPTIC CLUE by Victoria Gilbert is a new cozy mystery introducing the pairing of amateur sleuths Hunter and Clewe. Jane Hunter is a retired, recently divorced librarian who is hired to catalog and inventory an extensive collection inherited by Cameron Clewe, a young, socially awkward recluse. A wealthy and pampered young woman is killed and here are plenty of suspects (including Cam who is her ex-boyfriend), but overall the dialogue felt stilted and the pacing seemed slow. For example, there is a fair bit of explaining about cataloguing vs. inventory and OCLC (!) which was not really necessary. A second book in the series, A Killer Clue, is due to be published in April 2024; these titles seem likely to appeal to readers who enjoy cozies like the Jenn McKinlay library-themed mysteries.

What caught my attention almost immediately is the unusual pairing of Jane and Cam – one, an older, retired woman with a grown daughter, and the other, a younger, socially awkward man. It seems a bit odd on the surface, but as you read on, you realise what a perfect sleuthing duo they will make, especially as they share one big thing in common – a love of classic detective stories.

Jane and Cam are both really interesting characters that could carry a story in their own but are much more interesting paired together. They seem to bring out something more in each other – Jane has the maturity and life experience to help Cam overcome some of his anxieties and social interactions, while Cam has the means to help Jane make the most of her forced retirement. Together they complement each other’s skillset and there is a quickly growing mutual respect between them.

It’s also pretty clear that there is going to be ZERO romantic tension between the two and their relationship as boss-employee, and later on, sleuthing partners, adds a nice tone to the books.

Aside from Jane and Cam, there are several other characters that I think will be recurring in future books, including Cam’s assistant Lauren, Jane’s landlord Vince, and Vince’s ‘friend’ Donna. All three are nicely developed supporting characters that add to interesting dynamics.

The murder is a personal one for Cam – the victim is his ex-girlfriend and her body was found in his library. Cam knows he’s the prime suspect and will do whatever he can to clear his name. While he originally hired Jane to catalog his book collection, he quickly sees a kindred spirit in her and the two set about solving the crime.

While Jane is new to the area, she quickly makes some valuable connections, and Cam’s access to resources helps the pair a lot. I really enjoyed the interactions between all the characters – there are so many personalities in the mix that you see a lot of different relationships unfolding.

Cam and Jane very quickly develop a mutual respect and they work well as a partnership to try and solve the case. The mystery is well-paced and interesting, with lots of secrets, family intrigues, multiple suspects, and several twists. I also appreciated how realistic Jane’s reaction was to finding a dead body (so many other sleuths are quite calm about but Jane reacted much more how I expect a real person to react!)

All in all, A Cryptic Clue is a great series starter and I’m already in love with the Jane and Cam duo. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book!

*** Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I never cease to be impressed with the myriad ways Victoria Gilbert incorporates librarianship into her series. A Cryptic Clue, the first installment in her new Hunter and Clewe mystery series brings together a retired academic librarian (Jane Hunter, age 60) and a socially inept book collector (Cam Clewe, age 33). Cam hires Jane to inventory his collection, but after a body is found in his library and Cam becomes a suspect, the unlikely pair shift gears and become sleuthing partners.

The strength of this book primarily draws from this central relationship, which transcends a generational gap in a believable and satisfying way. The mystery plot itself was straighforward and fairly forgettable (especially since I'm a character-driven reader and often don't pay attention to the plot), but as with Gilbert's other books the characters are so well-written they feel like real people the reader wants to spend time with chapter after chapter and book after book.

Overall, this is another strong start to another promising series by a fantastic author of library-themed cozies.

Retired reference librarian Jane Hunter starts over in a new job and new home in this start to a cozy mystery series. Her new boss is Cameron Clewe, wealthy, socially clueless, and a little reclusive. He lives in a large estate on a large property, and maintains an extensive library many researchers have used. Jane must catalogue materials Cam has built up on female Golden Age mystery writers.

The day after a charity gala at his estate, Jane finds the dead body of Cam’s former girlfriend, whom he was arguing loudly with the day before.

Cam is the police’s prime suspect, and, noticing Jane’s analytical and logical skills, asks her and his no-nonsense executive assistant Lauren to help him find clues leading to the actual murderer so the police can exclude him from consideration.

Jane eagerly begins, talking to researchers who are currently staying at Cam’s house, as well as people who knew the dead woman. The more questions she asks, the more she irritates the killer, as Jane begins receiving threats. But, Jane does amass enough useful information for Can to figure things out.

This was a fun mystery, with a likeable main character in Jane. She’s still recovering from a bad marriage, and has a wonderful relationship with her actor daughter, and a straightforward, friendly demeanour.

Cam is likeable, too, despite frequently not understanding how to interact with others, including Jane, at times.

The mystery wasn’t that hard to figure out, but I was reading this story more for its librarian heroine than anything. The author also has a great ear for dialogue.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I have read a couple of books from the author's other series (A Blue Ridge Library and The Booklovers B&B Mystery series) and the first thing I noticed while reading/listening to A Cryptic Clue was a difference in tone between this book and the others. I guess it has something to do with the age gap between the protagonists Jane Hunter and Cameron Clewe but I distinctly felt it. 

I received both an ARC and ALC of the title and I mostly listened to the audiobook. The narration by Carrington MacDuffie was good and helped me keep apace with the book. There is a backstory to Cameron and since he offers Jane to become his crime solving partner to solve any future cold cases, we can expect more revelations as the series continue.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media and the author Victoria Gilbert for both the ARC and ALC of the book. I had finished reading the book before the publication date but got delayed in sharing my thoughts.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

I always give more grace to a first in a series as it is challenging to set everything up interestingly and create the characters you would want to follow in successive books. But for me, the bad outweighed the good in terms of the writing. It was rigid, overly done, and lacking finesse entirely. The dialog was wooden, and I just didn't care about any of the characters.

This mysterious and handsome young collector hires a retired librarian as an archivist. I thought I would like the librarian character, Jane, but her inner monologue was so stiff and she was so boring as a character that I almost dnf'ed the book. Their connection felt forced, I didn't understand why she was hired in the first place, and I didn't care about the solution to the mystery.

This won't be a series I continue with, unfortunately.

I do want to thank the publisher for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Cryptic Clue is the first book in a new cozy mystery series starring Jane Hunter, a retired librarian and her new employer, Cameron Clewe who is a 33-year-old estate owner with a large collection of books for Jane to catalogue.
When Cameron’s ex-girlfriend is murdered, Jane & Cameron join forces to solve the murder. There are a number of suspects who were present at the time and who have various motives. Jane and Cameron work together to solve the mystery – there are a number of additional plot threads that intertwine through the book, some of which are resolved and others which remain unresolved – they may be meant to resolve later in the series, though I think I’d prefer it to be standalone/fully resolved in this instalment. I felt that the ending was a little anti-climactic.
The mystery itself is a bit contrived and not entirely realistic, but it has a good pace. Typically for the genre, this book is easy to read and has a few quirky characters that have distinct personalities. I liked Jane. She is clever & perceptive, but the story is sort of told from her perspective and some of the “inner thoughts” are a bit clunky. Cam is awkward and there is definitely a focus on his “tapping” – perhaps an indication that he has autistic traits?
I liked that the protagonist was an older woman, who brought her life experience to the case, and I also appreciated that Cam was younger and therefore there will not be a romantic element to the series! The two characters played off each other fairly well & as they get to know/trust each other more as the series progresses, I think they will become good friends and work well together.
I dual read this book, part ebook & part audiobook. The narrator Carrington MacDuffie brought the large cast of characters distinct and distinguishable from one another. I liked how she portrayed Jane, but her interpretation of Cam was not quite how I imagined him. It felt very much like a “Murder she Wrote” episode!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the Earc of A Cryptic Clue!

As a fan of Murder, She Wrote and Jessica Fletcher, I knew once I saw the synopsis for this I was going to need to read it - and I'm so glad I did!

It's a great mystery and getting to know the characters is so fun.

A Cryptic Clue is the first book in an amateur sleuth cozy series by Victoria Gilbert. Released 11th July 2023 by Crooked Lane Books, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in late 1st quarter 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is a light character driven cozy with several entwined plot threads, some of which remain unresolved at the end of this installment and which tease the next book(s) in the series. The main protagonists are a 60something semi-retired reference librarian and her 30something millionaire employer who has engaged her services to help catalogue his extensive library and ephemera collections. A murder after a charity gala at his mansion draws them into examining the clues as well as several other mysteries from the past.

The mysteries are fairly well constructed and engaging, albeit -very- contrived (and not very realistic). The book's written in 1st person PoV, and does drag a bit from "telling" instead of "showing", but overall, the characters are well rendered and distinct. The dialogue is often a bit clunky and unpolished. The author's representation of Cam Clewe (the millionaire) will likely be problematic for some readers. He's never been diagnosed or been in therapy, but he's socially inept, overly direct, awkward, and has symptoms of OCD (tapping, counting, etc) and agoraphobia, and the author uses these behaviors to move the plot along and as a humorous counterpoint for commentary from the secondary characters. NONE of the characters have *any* concept of confidentiality or personal responsibility.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 8 hours, 31 minutes and is well narrated by Carrington MacDuffie. She has a husky contralto voice, and does a good job of keeping the very large cast of characters distinct and distinguishable from one another.

Three stars. Readable, but flawed. The high point was the audio narration.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Boring read. The characters were bland. The writing was confusing and sometimes disjointed. Too long of a read for a mystery considering how bland the characters and poor the writing was. This was not just for me.

#VICTORIAGILBERT. #ACRYPTICCLUE. #NETGALLEY

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting this review!

This is the first in a new series of "cozy mysteries" - I was attracted to the title due to one of the two main characters being a librarian, and felt that character - an older woman who was forced to retire earlier than planned, and found a new position cataloging a wealthy young man's book collection - was well-drawn. However, the second main character, i.e. the wealthy young man, remained an enigma for much of the book, and the mystery, while being a classic case of "death in the library" with lots of suspects, moved very slowly and for my taste with almost a total lack of tension. I am sure this will appeal to cozy mystery fans, although I prefer my mysteries with a bit more oomph.