This was a fun series debut, but it wasn't my favorite. I liked it, but I'm not sure if I'll read more of the series. I think I was wanting a little bit more from it, since it was the start of something new.

A good start to a new series. As a longtime fan of the Blue Ridge Library series, this one definitely hit my radar since it’s set at the nearby college mentioned in the BRL series. The mystery is enjoyable and the cast of characters is mostly likable although Jen did bug me on occasion. I’ll read more of this series!

I always enjoy Victoria Gilbert's bookish mysteries, and this first title in a new series was no exception. I enjoyed the campus setting, and found the main character really easy to root for. Also fun were the little Easter eggs for fans of the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series. I loved meeting familiar characters along the way and seeing the universe of that earlier series expand to incorporate this new one. Reading Schooled in Murder has made me want to catch up in all of his author's other series, and to keep up with this one as it continues!

A fun cozy mystery and a promising start to a new series.

For a cozy this is pretty well written, and while I didn’t love the solve, everything adds up in the end and the mystery was well-structured and well-paced.

I love a campus setting, and this one does a good job of bringing that to life. There isn’t a ton of academic content here, but the sense of place is strong and the atmosphere feels right.

I didn’t really care about the romantic subplot and felt it took up too much space in the narrative that would have been better allocated to other things, but I liked Jen and the way that Gilbert envisioned Clarion and its environs. I’d happily read another.

I thorughly enjoyed this mystery as it's well plotted, intriguing plot, and entertaining. . I liked the good storytelling
Another well plotted story in this beloved series
Highly Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Schooled in Murder is the first book in the Campus Sleuth Mystery Series.

This was a decent, cozy mystery. I enjoyed the setting of the story. It was set on a college campus. Our amateur sleuther, Jennifer Dalton, is the director of the writing center at Clarion University in Virginia. She's also the authour of a popular mystery series.

Jen is doing some research in the library when she comes across the body of an English professor at the university. One of the students who had been seen arguing with him right before his death is the prime suspect. Jen is sure she's innocent and is determined to help her.

Often, in cozy mysteries, our amateur sleuth has a love interest. In this case, it's an enemies to lovers type situation. Well, only in that Jen sees the school psychologist as the enemy, at first. I didn't love this dynamic at first. It felt unnecessarily uncomfortable. But, the relationship did start to grow on me. It was also a little more "on the page" than most cozy mysteries.

In terms of the mystery, there were lots of plausible suspects. But, I didn't necessarily buy them as actual suspects. I had the who and why figured out early on. However, there was a second victim, and that one I didn't see coming.

Jen found herself in danger as a result of her sleuthing, which often happens in cozy mysteries. This did leave me wondering how she was going to save herself and gave some heart-pounding moments. But, then it happened a second time, and it just felt a little too much for me.

Overall, I did enjoy this cozy. There were just a couple of aspects that didn't work as much for me.

Schooled in Murder is the first installment in Victoria Gilbert’s new Campus Sleuth Mysteries series. Set in the same fictional universe as her Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, this book introduces Jenn Dalton, a mystery writer who finds herself drawn into a real-life investigation. When a college student she is mentoring is accused of murdering a professor, Jenn steps in to uncover the truth.

The murdered professor was known for his disdain toward genre fiction and had criticized the student for writing romance despite her clear talent for the genre. This adds a compelling layer of academic snobbery and creative passion to the mystery.

Fans of The Blue Ridge Library Mysteries will enjoy a brief cameo from Amy and Richard, though they don’t play a central role in the investigation. The plot itself is straightforward, which I appreciate, yet it still offers enough twists to keep the story engaging. However, I’m less sold on the budding romance subplot between Jenn and Zach. Her shift from irritation to interest feels abrupt, and personally, I didn’t find Zach particularly compelling.

Overall, this is a promising start to a new series, especially for readers who enjoy light, campus-set mysteries with a literary twist.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This is the start of a new cozy mystery series that follows an author that has to solve a murder.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery but didn't love it. I love a bookish cozy mystery, whether that means we follow an author, librarian, bookshop worker, etc. Books about books always get a higher rating from me. I enjoyed all of the characters and the mystery. The mystery kept me engaged throughout.

However, I did find the pacing to be a bit slow. I wish it would've been a bit faster paced.

Overall, I would still recommend this cozy mystery!

I went back and forth in my review for this book. It was good in parts bit just okay in others. Overall, I like the characters, but at times Jen, the main character, submitted me. Since this is the first book in the series that I have read, I would read a second before deciding in the series was a whole. I would give this particular book 3.5 stars.

3.5 stars

"A mystery writer must solve a real murder case before an innocent girl is condemned - in this series debut." - from Goodreads.

Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite ways to break up my reading when I've been reading a bunch of darker reads. I also thought the idea of a mystery writer being involved in solving a murder (and actual mystery) sounded like fun. And it was a fun, entertaining time. The mystery kept my attention and kept me guessing. Overall it was just an easy, breezy good time. That being said, I struggled a bit with how fast everything happened at times. I'm not sure if this is because I read an advanced copy and not a finished copy. But for instance at the beginning when the main character finds the body, instantly there were rumors flying around about who had done it like seconds later. That seems silly to mention but it happened a lot at the beginning of the story and kept taking me out of the book. Other than that, I enjoyed my time with this book. There is a budding romance that I liked as well as a good cast of side characters. And I would definitely be interested in continuing on with this series in the future.

Readers who are cozy mystery fans or just looking for a bookish, suspenseful read should pick this book up. I'm landing on 3.5 stars for this one and rounding up.

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book. Honest thoughts are my own.

The first in a new series follows Jen, a mystery author who works at a university's writing center. One day in the library, she stumbles upon a dead body. One of her protegees is immediately suspected so Jen sets out to find the real culprit.

Overall, I really enjoyed this debut! There were a few clunky moments or things that felt forced, but I thought in general it was well paced and good! At first, I thought the whodunit was a little obvious, but then there was a slight twist that made the ending more interesting too. I definitely will be on the lookout for the next in this series!

The cover and title caught my attention immediately. It gives cozy mystery vibes.. This was an easy read with an exciting plot. I enjoyed the story and learning about each character. I did find myself confused at certain times, but it didn't alter my view of the plot. I thought the mystery was good. I would have liked a little more suspense. Overall, I would recommended to any thriller/suspense fan.

It took me a long time to get into this book, but once I did I could not put it down! I really liked the beginning of this cozy mystery series. A few parts got confusing, but for the most part the story was solid and I enjoyed the characters. I will keep an eye out for book 2!

Thank you #crookedlanebooks and #netgalley for the ears of this title.

In exchange for the ARC, netgalley requests an honest review. I have read enjoyed other novels by Victoria Gilbert. But this one felt a bit off. It took me half way through this book to really get into it. Of course the beginning introduced us to the characters and gave a base story and quickly found a murder victim as well. Which all worked out well till people started calling Jen, our main character in what felt like seconds, to tell her and also to find out about the murder. Plus the awkwardness of the cops letting her leave without fully questioning. Everything just seemed odd with timing. Jen does mention that it's a small college and gossip moves fast. But It either needed to be more of a joke or little slower in moving. That awkwardness was my big beef. I kept with the book and at 50% through she attends a party at the provost's house and that's when I feel things clicked. It started playing out more like a good tv mystery (Hallmark like with tiny touch of a romantic interest). Characters are interesting. Setting is interesting. If you're looking for a book taking place in Autumn you can add this to the list, but that doesn't play a big part in the story. Thanks to the 2nd half of the story, I am giving this a solid 3 stars, maybe a 3.25. I think it's a good start for a series.

Book Review: Schooled in Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Rating: 3 Stars

I recently dove into Schooled in Murder by Victoria Gilbert, and it was quite the cozy mystery experience! As the first book in a new series, it introduces us to Jennifer "Jen" Dalton, a mystery author and educator at Clarion University in Virginia. Jen's life takes a dramatic turn when a confrontation between one of her students and a rather pompous professor escalates, resulting in the professor's untimely demise. Amid the chaos, Jen's student, Mia, becomes the prime suspect after she goes missing, leaving Jen determined to prove her innocence.

What I really appreciated about this book is its engaging blend of wit and suspense. Jen’s background as a writer gives her a unique perspective that really drives the narrative forward. She’s not just a character; she’s relatable, juggling her passion for genre fiction with the snobbery of her academic peers. Her determination to solve the case adds an exciting layer to the plot, as she teams up with an interesting cast of characters, including a cafeteria manager, a campus psychologist, and a librarian—each bringing their own quirks to the sleuthing team.

Now, let’s talk about the cover for a second. It’s absolutely delightful! The visual really sets the tone for what you can expect from this cozy mystery. However, I did find myself wishing for a bit more context about certain characters and backstories. At times, it felt like I was jumping into the middle of a narrative rather than starting fresh. A little more background could have deepened the reader's connection to Jen and her friends right from the start.

Overall, Schooled in Murder is a solid debut that has me curious about where Jen’s adventures will take her next. Despite feeling like I missed out on some foundational details, Gilbert's witty writing and engaging plot kept me turning the pages. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries like those by Ellery Adams or Lorna Barrett, this one is well worth your time!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Schooled in Murder is the first book in the Campus Sleuth Mystery series. Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read. I liked the setting of the book and how it tied into Jenn’s position as an author/director of the writing center at a university. It added another layer to her interactions with various characters throughout the story. The mystery was good as well, although things felt a bit confusing/convoluted at times. This was a good start to a new series, and I look forward to book two.

Schooled in Murder is the first book in Victoria Gilbert’s new Campus Sleuth Mysteries series. It was an enjoyable cozy mystery, but it didn’t quite stand out for me. The premise was intriguing, and I liked the small-town academic setting, but the story felt a bit slow at times. While the mystery itself had some interesting twists, I found the characters a little flat, and the resolution was somewhat predictable. That said, the writing was solid, and fans of cozy mysteries in general might still find it worth a read. Thank you to Crooked Lane books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Schooled in Murder is the first book in Victoria Gilbert’s new Campus Sleuth Mysteries series. Jenn Dalton, an author and director of the writing center at Clarion University in Virginia is unwillingly pulled a murder investigation. (*Victoria Gilbert fans will note the literary universe shared with the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries.)

When an unpopular professor is found dead and one of Jenn's promising students, Mia, becomes the prime suspect, Jenn feels compelled to investigate to clear Mia's name.

Teaming up with campus psychologist Zachary Flynn, librarian Brianna Rowley, and cafeteria manager Christine Kubiak, Jenn begins unraveling the mystery. The university setting provides a unique backdrop, and the friendship among the characters makes this mystery even cozier. The plot is well-paced, with plenty of twists to keep readers guessing.

The Campus Sleuth Mysteries series is off to a great start with Schooled in Murder. I’m looking forward to exploring more of what this academic setting has to offer.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Schooled in Murder from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Schooled in Murder is the first in a new cozy mystery series centered around a mystery author who works at a local college. In the debut book, Jen is thoroughly enjoying her life writing fiction and leading the university's writing center. When a controversial professor is murdered and a one of Jen's students is considered the prime suspect, Jen takes on amateur sleuthing! She cannot let Mia be found guilty of a crime she did not commit. However, as Jen digs deeper into the investigation, she realizes that this professor had quite a list of enemies.

Schooled in Murder was simply not the cozy for me. I wasn't a huge fan of the classroom environment, and the characters were all rather flat. Additionally, I didn't find the actual murder mystery to be that intriguing, and the overall pacing was extremely slow. Then, towards the end, I felt the author wanted to spice the plot up more and tried adding in another murder; however, it all felt too messy.

This is a new series by this author. It takes place at Clarion College where Jenn (who is a mystery author) works in a writing lab. One of her students was see fighting with an English professor shortly before he was killed. Jenn witnessed the altercation but believes Mia is innocent. She, along with her friends set out to find the real culprit.

I enjoyed this book. I kept thinking that the location was familiar and then I realized I have read many books for the other series. The writing style is easy to read and just a nice escape. The characters are fun and there may be a little romance on it's way. Great way to spend a lazy afternoon.