3.75 stars

An auspicious start for a new cozy series, featuring a young, rich introvert and the 60 year old research librarian he has hired to catalogue his Golden Age mystery collection. It is refreshing to see a woman of this age portrayed as a normal human being and not a madcap, stiletto wearing, gun-toting bingo addict.

Cam Clewe might be rich, but he has issues interacting with people. Jane Hunter, the retired librarian, has had bad luck in her past but she doesn't dwell on it and manages to have a calm and reassuring outlook on life. What these two disparate personalities share is a desire to be amateur detectives. They love the challenge of solving a puzzle and are good at figuring things out.

This first "case" features a dead ex-girlfriend who shows up at Cam's house during a fund-raising event. She was a pretty awful person so there are plenty of suspects, some of whom live at the house. The interaction between Cam and Jane is interesting as they are unlikely friends. This is a promising start to a new series and I will look forward to the next one. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the first in a new cozy mystery series, featuring a retired librarian and her new employer, a millionaire with anxiety, agoraphobia and few social skills.

Ex-librarian Jane Hunter was forced to take early retirement from the University library that she loved. Needing to occupy her time and supplement her small pension, she takes on the job of cataloguing the mystery collection of 33 year old wealthy collector Cam Clewe. Not only has he collected a lot of first editions from the Golden Age but has letters and clippings from newspapers and magazines about the books and writers so there is plenty to keep an archivist busy for quite some time.

Lacking social and emotional skills due in part to his lonely and loveless upbringing, Cam is not good at relationships with women. So, it is no surprise to anyone when he breaks up with the woman he has been dating, heiress Ashley Allen. However, it is a big surprise when she is found dead in the library the day after a fundraising event at his home.

This is an enjoyable murder mystery and a good start to a new series. Worried that he is the police’s main suspect, Cam recruits Jane and his personal assistant Lauren to do the sleuthing into Ashley’s past for him. They conveniently find a number of people willing to tell them all about Ashley who has managed to cause major trouble and distress for quite a few people, greatly expanding the number of suspects. I did not pick the killer but the dénouement revealing them and their motives was plausible and well done. At the end of the book, Cam invites Jane to solve further mysteries with him, including some pertaining to his own life, so we can look forward to more in this series.

After being aged out of her previous job as a university librarian, Jane goes to work for Cam, an eccentric collector who needs someone to inventory his collection of rare books and artifacts. When a body is discovered in his library and Cam is the prime suspect, Jane must clear his name.

This is the first book in a new series by an author I’ve read and enjoyed before. Fortunately, probably due to the author’s experience, it doesn’t suffer from most of the first-in-a-series problems usually encountered in series starters. Jane’s landlord is a former newspaper reporter, the story is set just outside of a college town, and since Jane is a former employee of one of the universities, she has plenty of resources to draw on during her investigation. There is a rather large cast of characters here, but it looks like only a handful of them will be back in the next book. Most of them were likeable, especially once you learn their backstories, but some rubbed me the wrong way.

The murder victim at first appeared to have a lot of friends, but as Jane discovered more details, she learned that that wasn’t necessarily the case, so there were more potential suspects than initially thought. A couple of characters jumped to the top of my mental list, and I was happy to discover that the killer was on my short list, although that person’s motive was different from that of most of the other suspects, and I didn’t have that pinned down.

Since this is listed on Goodreads as ‘Hunter and Clewe #1,’ it seems apparent that more books in this series will follow, and I look forward to reading them when they’re released.

A Cryptic Clue is the first in a new cozy mystery series by Victoria Gilbert, and one that I am looking forward to reading more of!

One of the things I really love in this series is the age difference and relationship between Jane and Cam. It’s also nice to have a cozy that doesn’t have a 28 year old as the main character. And it’s interesting to see the interaction between Cam, who is rich and really doesn’t have good social manners, combined with Jane, who is a single mother who has worked in a library for many years and has to deal with all sorts of people. I’m excited to see how their relationship progresses.

Besides excelling at writing very complex characters, I also really enjoyed when Jane brought forth her various library skills, having worked at a library myself for 14 years, seven of them in the cataloging department. I knew exactly how she felt when she was exhausted after cataloging for four hours. You may be just sitting in a chair, “reading” a book(s), but it really does take a lot of mental energy out of a person.

The mystery had lots of suspects and I’m really happy about the way that Jane ended up going through them and their alibis, since it wasn’t over and over again. There was actually a lot of the main story and some side stories/mysteries included so it read like a good mystery, not just the main character reviewing a list for two-thirds of the book.

Can’t wait to see what mystery Cam and Jane tackle next, and to see how Jane’s daughter reacts to Cam whenever she meets him.

This is a light cosy mystery set in the modern day! I found parts of the plot a bit of a stretch for me and the dialogue a little stilted but not overall a bad read, just not my cup of tea!

Jane, the main character in Victoria Gilbert's "A Cryptic Clue' was a little miserable and sad for me. I found no joy in her life. The premise of Jane working in the future to help an eccentric at best Cam in righting wrongs is intriguing. I will give the next book a go to see if it is more light and likeable for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I'm a fan of cozy mysteries so I was excited to receive the arc of A Cryptic Clue, a new series. I enjoyed the setting, the pace of the story as well as the writing itself; it was a pretty good premise also. What I didn't like at all was the main character, Jane Hunter. She was overly critical and judgemental, pushy, stubborn. I just didn't like her at all. I wanted to quit reading half way thru because she was just so unlikable, but I continued to read because I was invested in the plot and it's resolution. If not for Jane, I'd have given this 4 stars. Unfortunately I will most likely not continue on with the series.

Victoria Gilbert never disappoints! She is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors, so i was excited to see she has a new series, Hunter and Clewe.

Jane Hunter is a 60-year-old librarian who was forced into retirement. Can Clewe is a young millionaire with an extensive rare book collections of primarily mystery and detective stories. He hires Jane to catalog and inventory his collection.

Cam is an interesting. He has some character straits that can be off putting but by the end of the book. you (as well our co-sleuth Jane) come to know and understand him better.

At a charity event at his estate a former girlfriend is murdered in the library. Cam becomes the prime suspect. Cam doesn't believe the police will look much further than him and want to solve the case. He asks Jane and his assistant Lauren to assist him in this quest. Jane is not convinced he did it, in spite of his odd behavior, and agrees.

This is the first in a new series, so it took a few chapters to get to know the characters. I loved this book! I did not want it to end. I can't wait till I can visit my new friends again!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read A Cryptic Clue.

I really held out good hopes for this book - I liked the premise - an older librarian as the sleuth but the execution lacked something for me and didn't hold my interest. I read and love this genre, which is overflowing with excellent, funny and gripping mysteries, and unfortunately this didn't reach the mark.

A Cryptic Clue is the first in a new series with an unlikely pair of detectives. Most of the story is told through the eyes of librarian Jane Hunter. After taking on a new role cataloguing Cameron Clewe's books she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery, even more so when Cam asks for her help to solve it.
Although it's Jane who does most of the investigating, it's Cam who comes in at the end and puts it all together. I wasn't sure that I really enjoyed that side of it, but perhaps in later books they will work more closely together.
I wasn't completely convinced by the mystery itself. I followed some of it fine, but the reveal at the end didn't completely seem to fit. I still enjoyed it though. This was a strong start to a new series and I'll be interested to see where they go next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my approval to read and review this book.

I loved the setting of the book with the well written characters in particular Cam Clewe and Jane Hunter. They set out to prove who the murderer is of Ashley Allen. They uncover a few truths behind various crimes that occur in the house and in a different time as well.

I will be on look out for book 2 and I will recommend this book to my fellow book friends.

With a solid mystery and fascinating details introducing one to the world of a librarian, Gilbert creates a solid mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie.
The characters were a little too much for me but I could look past that for the well constructed mystery Gilbert presented.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Victoria Gilbert and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this early release copy of the book.
I enjoyed this book - it gave me a vibe reminiscent of Agatha Christie or Patricia Wentworth, which I really liked. The characters were interesting and the dialog and pacing were good. Well done!

I look forward to the next in the series.

A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert follows librarian, Jane, as she begins work for a rich, mysterious, young benefactor, Cam, in his luxurious mansion. The plot soon leads to murder, and Cam asks for Jane’s help to prove his innocence and find the killer.

I love that Jane was a mature woman in the thick of the story. As a library student, I personally enjoyed some of the work details that Gilbert included. The mystery was solid but I felt no special connection to the characters. The plot was slower and not very exciting or suspenseful. It took a long time to get to the anti-climactic but satisfying ending.

Overall, a good but not great mystery for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the review copy.

A Cryptic Clue releases on July 11, 2023

An enjoyable bibliomystery, although some of the comments about the complexity of cataloguing felt like overkill - and I say that as someone who catalogues most days.

The only reason it's a four-star rather than a five-star read for me is that I found the protagonists tedious. I really wanted to love Jane, because there aren't enough leading women her age, but I just found her judgmental of others while being quite the slacker at work, a total gossip, and someone who seemed to feel it was OK to borrow her employer's documents and photographs willy-nilly.

The mystery itself was really well-constructed, and, of course it was well-written - Victoria Gilbert knows her business.

Three Word Review: Nosey Parker cataloguer.

I have mixed views regarding Victoria Gilbert's A Cryptic Clue. Given that it's subtitled Hunter and Clewe #1, I'm assuming this is the beginning of a series. Will I read new volumes as they come out? I'll definitely try the next, but beyond that, it's a toss-up.

What I enjoyed about this book
• It didn't include the two-detectives-falling-in-love trope of which I am heartily sick. Can't a man and a woman try to work out a puzzle together without burning with secret passions, etc.?
• I feel quite fond of the first of the two "detectives," Jane Hunter, an aging librarian who has lost her university job due to budget cuts. She's just beginning a job working with Cam Clewe, a millionaire who wants his collection of classic mysteries and related documents catalogued so they can be made available to scholars. She knows her stuff.
• The use of a collection of classic mysteries at the heart of this tale. It's fun to be getting some real-world reading info while moving through the story. And the books referenced are all by women—real women who wrote real mysteries that are too-little-known today.

What I didn't enjoy about this book
• I have my usual string of complains, primarily about things like
1. interfering with a police investigation
2. witnesses willing to speak in detail to anyone who asks them questions
3. over-explaining villains
4. convenient gossipy locals
You know what I mean. There's a formula here, but it's handled pretty successfully.

If you enjoy reading series mysteries, I would recommend this title—as much for the fact that it will set a context for future volumes as for the story it narrates. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Retired librarian gets hired to catalog the extensive collection of mystery novels and miscellany housed in Mr. Clewe’s mansion, dream job right? WRONG because she finds a dead body on her first day on the job and then obviously has to solve the crime!

Premise is great, execution made me want to weep. Everything seemed over explained. Every thought our narrator had was written out and then explained. Every statement anyone made to anyone else they followed up with an explanation. Every pun or small joke was followed up with a “I see what you did there.” it was PAINFUL.

The mystery was only engaging once we were halfway through the book and thankfully done being introduced to the full cast of the story. Every introduction was, you guessed it, over explained. The author left no room for the reader to have a single thought, each one was written out and EXPLAINED.

Anyway I did not like this at all but I’m giving two stars because I did like the premise and I did have a little fun between 70% and 85%.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!!

Jane has been forced into retirement as a university librarian. To make ends meet, she answers an ad for an archivist to catalog his collection of rare books and artifacts for Cameron Clewe, a reclusive billionaire. Jane is overjoyed. That is until she finds the body of Cameron’s ex-girlfriend in the library. With evidence pointing at Cameron, Jane and Cameron decides to clear his name. But that is easier said than done. Someone doesn’t want them to find out who killed Cam’s ex-girlfriend or the reason why. Will Jane and Cam find the killer? What was the motive?

Locked room mysteries are a favorite of mine. I love using my mind to figure out who the killer is and why they did it. So, it was no surprise that I decided to pick up A Cryptic Clue. The blurb did its job by capturing my attention and making me want to read this book. And guess what? I enjoyed reading it.

A Cryptic Clue is a medium-paced book. The pacing for this book was perfect. It would have been ruined if it had gone any faster. There was some lag towards the middle of the book, but it did not affect how much I enjoyed it.

I was tickled to read that this book is set in North Carolina. A Cryptic Clue takes place in central North Carolina, mainly in Bradfordville. There were mentions of Winston-Salem sprinkled throughout the book. I live further west of Winston-Salem (about an hour’s drive) and have been dying to visit. Now that I have read the book, I might take a day trip there.

The main storyline in A Cryptic Clue centers around Jane, Cam, the murder of Cam’s ex-girlfriend, and their investigation. This well-written storyline gave little clues as to who the murderer might be. I liked how Jane’s investigation (thanks to the mysteries she read) revealed some possible clues. Of course, I was shocked at who was behind the murder and the reason why. It was pretty sad.

I was going to start with Jane for the character section, but I decided to highlight Cam first. I loved that the author had Cam as neurodivergent (ADHD) and suffering from mental illness (OCD, anxiety, a bit of agoraphobia, and depression) and that he might have autism. He found it hard to connect to people and show emotions. I could understand why he was on Jane’s radar for a while after his ex’s murder and why it took him so long to open up to her. He was also insanely smart and was one step ahead of Jane in their investigation.

I loved Jane. She was a ball of sunshine in this book, and when she decided to help Cam clear his name, she committed to it. She was just an overall nice person. I was obsessed with her job (it is my dream job). I would be happy to sit and just catalog all day. This reason is why I wish the author had given more details about her doing her job. She was also a great detective and did unearth some things that surprised her.

The mystery angle of A Cryptic Clue was amazingly written. This book kept me guessing who the killer was and their motive. For a while, I did think Cam killed his ex. But she had a past and a laundry list of suspects. The more Jane dug into Cam’s ex’s history; the more people turned up. And the motives were as numerous as the suspects. The author had so many red herrings out that I almost didn’t believe it when the killer was revealed.

The end of A Cryptic Clue was one of the better endings I have read. I won’t get into it, but it was very twisty. I liked how the author ended with Cam and Jane bonding in her apartment. It makes me wonder what other books in this series will be like.

I recommend A Cryptic Clue to anyone over 16. There are no sexual situations, but there is mild violence and language.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Victoria Gilbert for allowing me to read and review A Cryptic Clue. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC of this book.
I’m not sure if this book would be classified as a cozy mystery, but I thought it was. In general, I don’t do so well with any “cozy” books because the stakes are too low for me. I did finish this book in two days, which is really fast for me, so I did enjoy it.
I had some issues with the MC. She’s supposed to be sixty and it is constantly mentioned in the book. However, I didn’t really feel like she was different from any younger MC I usually read about. I wanted to see more interaction between her and Cam based on the age difference, but I was disappointed. However, maybe, it’s reserved for future installments in the series.
I also found the investigation of the murder a bit unrealistic sometimes because she had zero involvement and there was no reason for her to investigate anything. It was very weird when she just walked up to different suspects and just asked them what they knew about the victim or what they had to say for themselves.

This book was totally enjoyable. The characters were interesting and the setting was pretty cool. However, The interactions and overall plot came across as super unrealistic. I’m a fan of the amateur sleuth genre but everyone was far too forthcoming and then WAM out of nowhere the whole thing was solved. Additionally our main character didn’t even solve it which felt odd.