Thank you to #NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I was unsure about this pairing at first. But this was a delightful read. I liked the premise of the story and the small twists and turns. I am looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to the author, narrator. publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

I goofed. When I read the summary and saw the author's name, I confused this authors name with another. I've read other books by this author and not enjoyed them - the way the mystery developed and the character personality - so I'd not planned to read another by this author. Sadly, it was the same case with this book, and even though our main character is an older, semi-retired librarian, and you would expect her to be a fun character, she's not. And all the comments about her body, appearance and abilities related to her age really drag down the story and leave me a bit offended.

This is really not the author for me, though I'm sure others enjoy her. I personally wouldn't recommend her books to anyone I know, so I'm rating this 2 stars for 'it was ok'

A Cryptic Clue should have been the perfect audiobook for me - not only a whodunnit but one solved by a librarian. However, I just couldn't connect with this book. I found all the characters really irritating, especially Jane. We get it Jane, cataloguing is time intensive and detailed. You told us. A lot. I also found the recording of Jane's internal monologue a bit cringy - for example "Donna swatted away a buzzing bottle fly. One of the last of the season, I thought. Doomed to die soon". I think because I was so irritated by the characters, I couldn't engage with the plot. I finished the audiobook just to finish it, but it was a slog and by the end, I didn't much care who had done it.

I received both an audiobook and e book copy of this book. I think I finished the audiobook due to the quality of the narrator, who did a really good job and made me engage with the plot, far more than the ebook.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. This was a fun audiobook that was very entertaining. The main character was a hoot and had a really good flow within the book. I also liked that this book had a really catchy investigation going on. Some detective type books tend to feel boring but this one had a mix of humor which helped move the case along.

A Cryptic Clue AUDIO by Victoria Gilbert is the beginning of a new series featuring Cameron Clewe and Jane Hunter. Cam is a wealthy thirty-three year old man who is definitely OCD, agoraphobic, and may well be Asperger’s. Jane is a sixty-two year old librarian who was forced to retire from her job at a nearby university because of her age and has been hired by Cam to organize and catalog his books and materials. Jane has rented an apartment above the garage of a man about her age who is a retired reporter and a font of local information. Things take a turn when Cam’s latest break-up is discovered dead in this library after a charity gala. Of course, he is the primary suspect so he enlists Jane to help him investigate. Her purview is mainly outside the house. They make an odd but productive pair.

As are all cozy mysteries, this one is character-driven and Gilbert, as is her wont, has created an interesting world of characters, some temporary and some permanent, at least for now. As Jane is cataloguing int the attic, she discovers a family secret, as well as a photo of a young woman she is unable to identify. When she later finds a drawing done by Cam’s mother of the same woman, albeit older, her curiosity is piqued. She isn’t at all sure she’d signed on for this sleuthing, but she enjoys it, as does Cam. Cam is an interesting character and I predict Jane will bring him out of his shell and change his life for him. I liked this book and am anxious for more.

The narrator is Carrington MacDuffie and I waffle back and forth as to my opinion of her performance. She gives Jane a distinctive voice, and voices the other characters well, but sometimes her rendition of Jane seems flat. Other times, I’m OK with it. It was a hair slow, not enough to change the speed, however.

I was invited to listen to an advanced copy of the audio of A Cryptic Clue by Dreamscape Media, through Netgalley. All thoughts an opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dreamscape #VictoriaGilbert #CarringtonMacDuffie #ACrypticClue

I received a free audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Jane Hunter is forced to retire early and is looking for a way to supplement her time and income. Cam Clewe is an eccentric who needed the help of an archivist to organize his collection of books and artifacts. Murder and mayhem ensue!

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It has everything I like, but for some reason it didn’t grab me like I hoped it would. I didn’t really like the performance by the narrator, Carrington MacDuffie. I know that isn’t fair to the author, but it does impact how I absorb a book. I will definitely give a second book in this series a try, and really another reader may enjoy this very much. I’d still give it a shot!

A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Suspense; 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

This was a great, well written cozy mystery that had all of the ingredients to make for a perfect night in. This is a new series by an author whom I have never read anything from before but let me be clear, she has a wonderful knack for writing mystery books.
We meet Jane Hunter who is a librarian for a university but unfortunately was forced to retire from her position there. She began looking for work at 60 to help provide more money to help with her meager pension. She found a job working for Cam Crewe who is a 33 yr old very eccentric collector who wants Jane to inventory his massive collection of books that contain the works of some of the best mystery authors and very rare items that he has collected over the years. However, the two do not hit it off immediately due to Cam’s misappropriation of words. Cam is somewhat more of a homebody and can be read as someone who is anxious or trepidatious.
Jane unfortunately discovers the body of Cam’s latest failed relationship on the floor of his library. Her name is Ashley and she is the heir to a conglomerate pharmaceutical company. Things start to change as Cam is now the primary suspect in her murder. Cam decides that he will use the skills he has to prove his innocence but his anxiety and lack of personality and social skills puts him in a situation where he decides to ask Jane for help and the the two begin to do some sleuthing. Jane becomes the only one who can clear Cam’s name but as time progresses it seems that there are only a few suspects. Can Jane help to exonerate her new boss or does he have more to do with the murder than he is admitting?
The ending was probably more predictable than I would have liked to see but it was still a great book with characters that were flawed, resourceful, and adroitly. I had a great time listening to it and would definitely read more from this amazing author.

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

I liked this book but did not like listening to it. The narrator seemed dry to me. I got distracted and had to keep bringing myself back to the book. I like audiobooks but think I would have liked reading this instead. Good book though.

The perfect book to curl up with a blanket and a hot cup of tea with.

The definition of a cosy mystery!

Jane Hunter is forced to leave her position as university librarian at age 60. She has managed to find a position to catalog the classic mysteries belonging to the wealthy young bachelor Cameran Clewe. When Jane is just beginning her job with Cam, he hosts a charity event. When Jane arrives the next morning she goes to the library; there she finds the body of Ashley Allen, a wealthy socialite who had been dating Cam. They had recently broken up, and at first Cam was the prime suspect. Jane agrees to do some sleuthing to try to help him. Cam is a loner who rarely leaves his home. His mother died when he was very young, and his father never seemed to love him in spite of providing him with excellent education and leaving him all his money.

Jane gradually finds several possible suspects who may have killed Ashley. Ashley has inherited all her grandmother's wealth, and none was given to her parents or sister. Ashley had promised Cam's cook she would invest in his almost ready restaurant, and then backed out at the last moment leaving the cook with no money. She had also promised an art store for a group of artists, and backed out of that as well after they had spent a lot for plans. Then there was an injured new pledge in Ashley's sorority at university when Ashley was President of the sorority. Jane is attacked with a stone through her car window by a passing car, and someone breaks into her apartment.

Near the end of the book, there is a surprise confrontation and the killer is revealed (I was surprised)! This is a great start for a new series. The characters are interesting and a 60 year old woman sleuthing with a 33 year old man is an interesting combination. I look forward to additions to the series.

I thank Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for providing an advance readers audio edition for my review. The ideas expressed are my own.

A fun light mystery in which an archivist and a collector team up to solve a murder in which the collector is the prime suspect.

This one is pretty simple and didn’t have as much ambiance as I like in a light mystery, but the pacing is good and it’s a decent story.

The solve isn’t great but isn’t completely out of left field, and I enjoyed the tidbits about book collecting, though there really needed to be more of this to to flesh out the story and setting.

This works well in audiobook format, and the narrator does a good job of capturing the characters’ voices.

Rating 4 stars, but probably closer to 3.5.

This was the first book in a new series by an author I've never read before.

The main characters are Jane Hunter and Cam Clewe (pronounced like 'Clue', appropriate for a cosy mystery I suppose).

Jane is a librarian hired to catalogue and inventory Clewe's large collection of books. Clewe is an interesting character, a bit anxious, inclined to stay home and it seems clear he's meant to be read as perhaps a bit neurodivergent to Jane's neurotypical.

There's a bit of a clash between the two at first, nothing too much, mostly just Jane wondering in her head why Clewe has said something rude or assumed something.

They end up working quite well together and the murderer is caught.

When the murderer was announced, I didn't expect but, but looking back, I think I should have and I just wasn't paying close enough attention.

I listened to the audiobook of this and the narrator was good, if not a bit.. dry maybe.

I gave A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert 5 stars

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 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—but is he truly innocent?

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I have read and loved Gilbert's other cozy mystery books and was happy to discover a new series by her. I listened to the audiobook and found myself taking the longer way home many times, so I could listen to it even more. It was a great start to the new series and I really enjoyed the theme of the book. Books about books is something I have a penchant for.

The ending was great as it hinted at future crime solving revolving cold cases. I can't wait to read more.

The narrator did a fantastic job and I can highly recommend this audiobook.

This book comes out 11 July.

Thank you, Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fantastic start to what I expect to be a wonderful series. The unlikley duo of Jane and Cam come together to solve a crime where everyone's a suspect - even Cam!

When Jane comes to work for Cameron Clewes as a personal librarian, she has no idea that she's also about to become an ameteur sleuth.Her natural powers of observation and curiousity that have made her a brilliant librarian are put to good use in this cozy, interesting whodunnit.

I love the dynamic between the two main characters as they get a feel for working together and I geniunely couldnt pick the killer this time, which is rare for me! A witty, dry yet cosy mystery which is perfect for fans of Agatha Raisin.

A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert, Narrated by Carrington MacDuffie is Book 1 in A Hunter and Clewe Mystery series. And yes, it's setting things up to want more! Absolutely brilliant beginning of the series!
Jane Hunter accepted her new job as an archivist to work with Cam's collections. Unfortunitelly things get twisted when Jane finds Cam's ex-girlfriend Ashley Allen dead! Cam knows he will be the first one to blame so instead of the job Jane was hired to do she is dragged into the research of who killed Ashley Allen?
It's so interesting to follow Jane's journey as she doesn't know what she must do but is so good at discovering new leads! I loved the ending as I didn't expect things to turn out in this way!
Carrington MacDuffie did a good job with the narration. She made the audiobook really enjoyable!
I think there is such a good setup for the next books!
Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for giving me this wonderful opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

A Cryptic Clue by Victoria Gilbert is book one of the Hunter and Clewe series. It stars 60 year old Jane Hunter and 33 year Cameron Clewe, she is a retired librarian and he is a wealthy young man with time on his hands. Together they are unstoppable and quite the crime solving duo. Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Publishing LLC for the advance audio copy, I am definitely a fan of this pair of amateur detectives.

This was an intriguing cozy mystery. It’s the first of a new series. The story introduces us to Jane Hunter, a librarian who was forced into retirement by her University employer. She is now going to work for a reclusive millionaire Cam Clewe being his personal librarian. On her first day on the job , she finds a body in her employer's house. Now, she aids her boss into solving this murder.
This book had many interesting side characters, and uncovered a few larger mysteries that hopefully will be solved in future books. The murder mystery aspect was great, and really kept you guessing. I'm looking forward reading more books in this Hunter and Clewe series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the Advanced Listener copy. Carrington MacDuffie was a wonderful narrator.

What a fabulous cover! This was a very enjoyable read. I am recommending it to my mystery book club. I love that the female protagonist isn't a 30 something pretty young thing. I enjoyed the relationship between the two protagonists and found that they worked well together even though they were very different from one another. The author did an excellent job with character development and I felt that the plot was very well done. An enjoyable read - I loved it!

Jane Hunter has retired (seemingly unexpectedly) from her job as a university librarian, and ends up taking a second job at the mansion of Cameron Clewe. (A funny name for someone who ends up being a detective - listening to the audiobook I heard it as "Clue" all the way through!) Shortly after she's hired, however, Cam's ex-girlfriend is murdered! In his library! Where Jane is meant to be cataloging his private book collection! Obviously this makes Jane's new boss Suspect Number 1, but Cam immediately asks Jane to help him investigate the murder independently.

This book has many aspects I like in a cozy mystery. The manor house setting, risky situations, escalating stakes, but with a solid helping of fun side characters. But while I enjoyed the mystery itself, I struggled with some of the writing on a line-level. I think that the dialogue was a little stilted, and it was uncomfortable and a little unbelievable, which took me out of the story a few times. Additionally, I think some of the hints about long-term story aspects that will probably be explored in the future (namely Jane and Cam backstory elements) were heavy handed, and I expected them to play more into the first book, but they will clearly be explored later.

Ultimately my biggest struggle with this book is that I was expecting that Jane would feel a bit like Miss Marple, but ultimately she became more the Watson to Clewe's Sherlock. I figured out this would be the dynamic early on, but I was rooting for Jane to have a more active role in the mystery towards the end!

As a librarian, it was a big plus for me to read a book with a librarian main character who actually seemed to really understand how libraries work. I could tell the author either has worked in a library herself or did great research. The nuance there was great for me in a space that could have easily broken my immersion. I felt so validated when she mentioned that librarians have to check books out and read them at home, not read on the job!

I thought the narrator was lovely. I think she suited the main character very well, and also was balanced in voicing other characters. It made for a very enjoyable listening experience. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and a narrator can be make or break for me. While I think some of the dialogue was formal/stiff, and some of the scenes were a little repetitive, I enjoyed the narration enough that I was able to comfortably and quickly finish the book.

Ultimately, there was a lot of set-up and things that I hope will be explored more in future books - Jane's backstory was mostly hinted at and left untouched, and there are secrets left in Cam's life too. I would be interested in listening to future books, especially if I could listen to future sequels with the same audiobook narrator!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a free digital audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and do not reflect those of my employer.

There were so many things that would make this a good cozy mystery: the setting of a private library in a large home, the sleuth: an older woman forced into retirement, the new job of cataloging an impressive collection, and a murder. However, this was not a cozy as I would like. The setting is more formal so the dialogue seems more formal as well, making it difficult to connect with the characters. The story itself seems to be all investigation and I didn’t feel like we really got to know the characters. Both Jane and Cam seem so wooden and unlikeable and some of her comments don’t make any sense (he remembers her daughter’s name and she is taken aback and thinks this is creepy). Hoping the next one works out the kinks and gets more cozy.