Please note that my actual review (when it's published), will have a rating of 4.5 stars rather than just four.
This was a lovely book and I found myself laughing loudly while reading it. The humour and banter between Jane and Cam was exceptional, and I love how Cam warmed up right at the very end. I love how it took time for him to trust Jane, and we can really see that throughout the whole book right up until their little heart-to-heart.
I loved the fact that the main character was an older woman, and that there was no hint of romance between her and Cam. I've not read other novels by Victoria Gilbert, but I know how rare it is to find to find older main characters (outside of the obvious classics of course.)
This really was a sweet, comfy-cozy book that I'm excited to buy when it's released and reread when I need a little pick me up. I wish it was released last year though, as I would have loved to have read this with my grandmother before she passed. I know she would have loved this too.

An excellent whodunit with red herrings galore that kept me guessing a writing style that works a treat with strong characters and an original plot. Highly recommend.
An independent review of NetGalley / Crooked Lane Books

A wonderful read, that takes you gently and leads you through intrigue and mystery. Dead bodies, murder, accusations and our heroine Jane is on the case. It falls to her to find the truth behind the death of the wealthy ex of her boss Cam and prove his innocence. A classic and compelling detective story and ticks all boxes and is a fun and enjoyable read. Colourful, well developed characters and an intriguing mystery to solve, an excellent and thrilling adventure.

The cover doesn't give you a lot so I wasn't sure what I was getting when I started this one. I liked the house, the grounds and the set up of meeting Cam and Lauren. The murder mystery is very fast, within the first few chapters. I liked the build up of the mystery, the cast of suspects was huge but well done - I enjoyed learning all their steps and possible reasons for wanting the victim dead.

Although the middle slowed down just a little for me, as she dug through both her day job of cataloging boxes of books and then trying to track down suspects and alibis, the ending was satisfying. And do I spy possible loose threads and hints in the end for a book 2? I hope so, I'd love to read it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This was a fun start to a new cozy mystery series! Cam and Jane are very different but they complemented each other well. Jane is wise, social, and patient, while Cam is reserved but incisive. I enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters that make up their friend circles as well but I'm hoping we get to see their characters built out in more detail in future books.

The story was focused on the mystery of the murder. I do wish there had been more research into the other house mysteries, but I seems that will be a common themes throughout the series as they work to solve them. My favorite part was watching Jane snoop through papers for clues, so I hope we see some more of her using those old records to get at the answers.

There were lots of suspects to keep us guessing in this one so I didn't have clear guesses, let alone resolution, until the final 25% or so. This was the perfect read to close out the end of the year and I'm looking forward to their next adventure!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review this book ahead of publication. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Sixty-year-old Jane Hunter, forced into early retirement from her job as a university librarian, is seeking a new challenge to keep her spirits up and supplement her meager pension. But as she’s about to discover, a retiree’s life can bring new thrills—and new dangers. Cameron “Cam” Clewe, an eccentric 33-year-old collector, is also seeking something—an archivist to inventory his ever-expanding compendium of rare books and artifacts. Jane’s thrilled to be hired on by Cam and to uncover the secrets of his latest acquisition, a trove of items related to the classic mystery and detective authors. But Jane’s delight is upended when a body is discovered in Cam’s library. The victim, heir to a pharmaceutical fortune, was the last in line of Cam’s failed romances—and now he’s suspect number one. Cam vows to use his intelligence and deductive skills to clear his name—but with a slight case of agoraphobia, rampant anxiety, and limited social skills, he’ll need some help. It comes down to Jane to exonerate her new boss. This is the start of a wonderful new series. I’m really hoping to see more of these characters sooner rather than later. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.

When sixty-year-old former university librarian Jane Hunter is hired as a cataloger for an eccentric and wealthy young collector, she ends up stuck in the middle of a murder mystery that could bring her new job to an abrupt end, unless she can use her research skills to help prove her employer’s innocence.

Part of what drew me to this cozy mystery was the middle-aged protagonist. Sometimes I get tired of reading about brilliant, special, talented young people who can miraculously figure out the answers to all life’s problems despite having experienced very little in their short lives. Jane is accomplished and hard-working, and has years of experience that make her uniquely qualified for the job she is hired to do. And it makes sense that some of those same skills would come in handy for amateur sleuthing. Jane was a likable and very sensible protagonist. I loved her dynamic with Cam (her enigmatic new boss) and look forward to the possibility of further books about their investigations. The author, Victoria Gilbert, did a great job balancing the main mystery that was solved in this book with the broader mysteries surrounding the Aircroft Estate that will presumably be explored down the road.

As a mystery, I did feel that A Cryptic Clue fell a little flat. Firstly, several crucial pieces of information were withheld until the end, which made it almost impossible to truly solve the case before the reveal. (Perhaps there were enough clues to guess at the culprit, but not the motive). Secondly, there were a few red herrings that were never resolved, which I personally found irritating. That said, it was still a fun read.

I am giving this book three and a half stars out of five. I found the characters likable, the setting engaging, and the story interesting, if a bit one-dimensional. Because I have no major complaints, I am rounding up rather than down. If you enjoy the TV shows Murder, She Wrote or Monk then I recommend giving A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert a try.

Victoria Gilbert is a new author to me and I was drawn to this book by the synopsis, which sounded both interesting and on the humorous side. The first couple of chapters were smoothly done, introducing the characters and filling in a little background on them. Unfortunately, once the body popped up in the library, it all got a little boring, almost as though the author were ticking off each element of the story and then moving swiftly on to the next. I'm afraid I lost interest in the densely written story, although I did finish it. I found it lacking in humour and in need of a lighter touch.
I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this mystery. It follows retired university librarian, Jane Hunter who has taken a job inventorying and cataloguing wealthy collector Cameron Clewe's ever-expanding collection of rare mysteries and ephemera. When Cameron's ex-girlfriend is murdered in his large mansion, he and Jane work together to find the killer. ⁠
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The mystery itself was well done and I loved the nods to rare and classic detective stories. I wrote down a few new-to-me authors to check out. My favourite part of the story was the relationship between Cameron and Jane. It's not often that you see a friendship between a younger man and an older woman. The ending left lots of openings for more Hunter and Clewe mysteries and I'm eager to read them.

Jane Hunter has lost her job as a librarian. At only 60, she isn’t ready or financially able to retire. She is hired by Cameron Clewe, a wealthy thirtysomething collector of rare books. Jane is excited to begin even though her first meeting with Cameron reveals him to be socially inept and seemingly very set in his ways.
Jane arrives for her first day of work, ready for this new challenge. What she doesn’t anticipate is a dead body in her office and someone she has seen before. Ashley Allen, Cameron‘s latest ex girlfriend lies dead on the floor and the two of them were seen arguing last night. Wil Jane’s chance at financial stability be snatched away already? Could Cameron be a killer or is there more to this cozy mystery?

The first book in what appears to be a new series. A lot of background information which is expected in the first book. I thought the pacing was a bit slow at the beginning, but again it takes time to get familiar with the characters in a new series. I’m looking forward to seeing how the second book flows and whether or not I wind up caring about Jane and Cameron. They definitely make an interesting pair and I can see this one having many cozy murder mystery potentials. 3.5 stars.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A brand new cozy mystery series that has the promise it’ll be around for a long time.

Jane and Cam are excellent MC. They’ll draw you into their world without a moment’s hesitation. Don’t make plans for the day you pick this one up. You’ll be so immersed in the story, you’d have to cancel.

Jane Hunter takes a job as a cataloguer in the private library of quirky, eccentric Cameron Clewe. When the body of Cam's ex-girlfriend is found in the library after a party, Cam is naturally a suspect, but Jane needs the job so she works hard to prove he did not kill Ashley Allen, heir to a pharmaceutical fortune. There are plenty of suspects to go around including Ashley's own parents and sister. Working alongside Cam, Jane pieces together the clues and points the police in the right direction, while also uncovering some history about Cam's life. Interesting characters and an intriguing plot make this a fun mystery.

As mysteries go, this was a light and quick read. It’s a good one time read. The characters are interesting although a bit flat for my taste.

I was unsure at the beginning of The Blood Compass but pushed on. I was very glad I did as the story picked up it's tension and pace.
The main character is Jane Hunter, a retired research librarian who takes on a new job with a 30-year-old reclusive millionaire called Cam. At a big sponsored event at his mansion, a young heiress is murdered. They team up as amateur detectives to preserve Cam's reputation as he becomes the main suspect.
I mostly enjoyed the mystery and was pleasantly surprised by the ending that probably means there will be more books to come.
Recommended.

Couldn't finish this one--characters and plot did not engage me. Main characters were unappealing. Premise was great--love plots that involve librarians, but I didn't care about the characters or "who did it."

Jane Hunter is a retiring professional librarian and archivist, pushed out of her career path by a younger crowd and tough economic times. Divorced from her abusive husband, and with her grown actress daughter touring the world, Jane takes a job curating a rare collection of mystery novels at a private estate. The job seems like the perfect place to land and figure out her next steps in life… until her new employer becomes embroiled in the center of a startling murder.

From the first few sentences of A Cryptic Clue, I knew two things: Victoria Gilbert has clear skill as a prose stylist, and a commanding love and respect for the work of the classic golden age mystery authors.

The care taken in crafting the scenes, in describing the world, and in building the relationships between the characters, is impressive. While remaining inviting and fast-paced, A Cryptic Clue manages to offer the same tone as the classic mysteries it is clearly built up. This is a modern example of the golden age mystery tradition done right.

Each scene’s arc pulls you through, offering personal mysteries and growth alongside the dual-sided murder mystery at the story’s core. The dynamic between Jane Hunter and her eccentric new boss, Cameron Clewe, is intriguing, and leaves you constantly wondering if theirs is a partnership or a dangerous game of cat and mouse. But the secondary characters are all equally well-defined, offering a deep canvas into which you can easily become immersed.

There are points within this novel where certain elements are thinner than they could be, or where certain twists betray the authorial hand behind the action: but these elements don’t detract from the work as a whole, they feel more like the growing areas any writer must tackle as they continue to master their craft.

As a fan of cozy mysteries, I often find myself dissatisfied with the quality of the writing, where sheer theme is presented in the place of strong prose and meaningful content. In A Cryptic Clue, I feel the balance has been struck perfectly: there’s danger alongside safety, and mystery alongside certainty. There is also more depth of character than you find in many classic mysteries, reminding me more of something like the 1990s Poirot series with David Suchet: there is a whole cast to become invested in, as well as a central character who is flawed but, ultimately, someone you constantly root for.

This is the first book in a planned series, and clearly sets up a strong world within which the main characters can share future adventures. What gets set up in A Cryptic Clue is the platform of character relationships that can clearly persist into future stories, and is destined to grow and evolve alongside the mysteries to come. And I will be there, happily immersed in every single one.

-Odin Halvorson

A Cryptic Clue is the first in a new series of mysteries from Victoria Gilbert. The murder happens right away, but the rest of the novel moves less rapidly. The central protagonist is a retired librarian, Jane, who at age 60 reminded me of Miss Marple, although not in a good way. 60 is not old anymore, although librarian Jane does, in fact. seem rather old, even as she describes herself as in good shape. I do hope in subsequent books, Jane, who functions as narrator/protagonist, will begin to seem less retired and retiring.

The supporting cast of characters were interesting certainly, while varied and each with different quirks that helped to keep them all straight. To return to the murder, the victim was not a surprise. since as soon as she appeared in the book, her forthcoming murder was too obvious. The story is not complex, with plotting that is pretty straightforward. None of the red herrings are especially compelling.

This is a good mystery, but not a great mystery. The best cosy mysteries tend to have some humor to help break the tension. There is no humor in A Cryptic Clue, which is perhaps why it seems to drag. That said, I still think there is much to like in this most recent Gilbert novel. I fully expect her to establish a smoother rhythm in book 2 of this series.

I do want to thank the author and publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my honest review. And a thank you to NetGalley for providing this invaluable service, in listing this novel.

Not the favorite book I’ve read this month, but it has a lot of promise.

Library Jane Hunter has been laid off from her longtime job as a university library; she’s got health coverage, but needs something to supplement her income until she’s eligible to collect Social Security, etc. When she hired by eccentric, reclusive, but wealthy Cam Clewe to catalog his extensive library, it seems the perfect job. Jane sells her house, and moves to an apartment close to Cam’s estate.

Unfortunately, on her first day on the job, Jane finds the body of Cam’s former girlfriend. Convinced that he’s the prime suspect (he reads lots of mystery novels), Cam recruits Jane (“as Archie to his Nero Wolf”) to help him find the real killer.

While I enjoyed the book, I felt there were a few too many stereotypes. Jane hints at a dark secret in her past surrounding her divorce, only for it to be a bit cliche. Jane kept mentioning her divorce; at one point, I thought it was recent, not closer to 20 years prior. As their investigation uncovers more and more horrible deeds done by the victim, I was expecting to find out next on her list was to make a coat out of puppies a la Cruella de Vil. Jane’s new landlord happens to be a potential love interest. Likewise for Cam’s secretary. I did like the fact that there’s a different in ages between the two, and the idea that they supplement each other’s investigation. I also liked the relationship between Jane and her actor daughter Bailey.

But overall, I enjoyed this book. During the course of the book, there were several cold cases discovered; Cam hints that future books will involve solving them.

Recommended! I’m looking forward to future installments of this series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review.

I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about Jane at first but by the end of it I not only loved her I loved her AND Cameron! I loved the character development. Just the relatability is what really grabbed my attention. The suspense throughout the entire book really made me get through this in less than 3 days! The author did an amazing job.

This book is the start of a new series by a favorite author. Retired librarian Jane takes a job with 33-year-old Cam, a rich man with agoraphobia who lacks social skills. Jane is going to catalog and organize Cam's very extensive book collection. When Cam's ex is found murdered in the library of his very large mansion, after an elaborate party, Jane finds herself pulled into Cam's informal investigation. I like the new duo of an older woman and a younger man, a combination that, in this case, eliminates the hint/worry/expectation of romance. Instead, I think the two will learn to help each other. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC.