Schooled in Murder starts a new series that is connected to the Blue Ridge Library series by the author. There are cameos from Emily Moore, Richard Muir and Amy Muir, the heroine of the Blue Ridge Library series.
Jenn Dalton is the head of the writing center at Clarion University and an author of a mystery series. When a professor in the English department dies, Jenn can't believe that Mia, a student she has mentored, is involved. Tapping her mystery writing experience, Jenn puts on her sleuthing hat.
The reader is introduced to more about Clarion University and a new cast of characters.
This is a well-written mystery with a number of suspects. I look forward to seeing more of Jenn Dalton, Campus Sleuth.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to be introduced to this new series.

Thank you Victoria Gilbert ( @victoriagilbertauthor ), Crooked Lane Books ( @crookedlanebooks ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read Schooled in Murder early (out January 7, 2025).

Victoria Gilbert is a must read and this new series is no exception!

Writing center department head/mystery author Jenn Dalton finds herself entangled in a real life crime when she finds the body of a Clarion College professor. When a young co-ed is suspected, Jenn and friends begin to investigate to prove the girl’s innocence.

Schooled in Murder a spin off of The Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series, and it was fun to see a few of those characters mentioned briefly in this series as well.

#SchooledinMurder #NetGalley #VictoriaGilbert #CrookedLaneBooks

Jenn Dalton and a small group of friends get involved in trying to solve the crime of who killed a professor. Their main goal was to prove Mia, one of Jenn’s students, who had recently argued with the man, innocent of the crime. They discover several suspects, all with motive and opportunity, and Jenn finds herself in trouble several times. Jenn also finds herself reluctantly entering into a relationship with Zachary “Zach” Flynn, the campus psychologist.

A fun whodunit with murder, danger, twists, turns, secrets, adultery, and more!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Schooled in Murder is the first book in the new Campus Sleuth Mystery series by established mystery author Victoria Gilbert.

The series sleuth is Jennifer "Jen" Dalton, a 32-year-old mystery writer and the head of an on-campus university writing center in Virginia.

When a faculty member is murdered in the campus library, the evidence implicates one of the students Jen mentors. Jen believes the student is innocent and decides to investigate the crime with the help of a few colleagues.

I enjoyed this mystery. The sleuth was believable. Her background as a mystery author gave her the skills she needed to investigate and solve a mystery.

Jen also has three colleagues willing to help out. They are less quirky than some of the characters you see in some other cozies, but all of them are likable.

The clues are inserted in a way that allows the reader to solve the mystery along with the sleuth.

There is also a closed door romance subplot that was unexpected but not unwelcome. I was just happy to see a non-law-enforcement love interest. It was a refreshing change.

I would recommend this book to readers who like cozies, particularly the author's other mystery series (such as the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries).

Thanks to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book in a new series.

Jenn Dalton is an author and educator at Clarion University, Virginia. When an arrogant professor is found murdered and one of Jenn's students is arrested, she and her friends go into sleuthing mode in order to find the real killer.

This is an interesting mystery with a number of possible guilty parties. Using a Uni campus for the setting is original and made a nice change from bookshops, tea rooms and the other common back drops. The developing romance between Jenn and Zach was very entertaining and provided the lighter moments in the story.

I have enjoyed all of this author's other series so far and now I will be adding this one to my list.

Jen is an English professor who also writes a popular murder mystery series. When one of her students is accused of killing one of Jen’s co-workers, she puts her mystery-solving skills to work. With the help of some of her friends, they are determined to clear the student’s name… and find the actual killer.

I’ve read and enjoyed this author’s other cozy mystery series, so I had high hopes for this book. Those who read her Blue Ridge Library series will recognize at least the name of Clarion University, and several characters from that series put in cameo appearances in this book, which was fun. Now I wonder if characters from her other series will appear in future books? I like the major characters in this book and can’t wait to get to know them better as the series progresses.

The mystery was well-done and kept me guessing throughout. I was certain I knew who the killer was, but I was wrong and didn’t begin to suspect the actual culprit until events in the book made it obvious. Given that character, the motive made sense.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series to find out what happens next to Jen, Zach, Bri and the rest.

Victoria Gilbert’s Schooled in Murder is a delightful debut to a new cozy mystery series, set against the vibrant backdrop of a college campus. Jennifer Dalton, an author and writing center director, stumbles upon the body of a professor infamous for his disdain for genre fiction. When her student Mia, the main suspect, disappears, Jennifer uses her mystery-writing skills to investigate, joined by a quirky sleuthing team. The campus setting brims with life—Gen Z students glued to their phones, college politics, and the ever-present threat of damaging rumors.

The novel excels in setting up its characters, sleuthing dynamic, and a touch of romance, though the second half feels slower-paced. While the frenemies-to-lovers subplot is charming, it could have been trimmed to maintain focus on the mystery. Jennifer’s determination drives the narrative as she faces threats from the killer while unraveling a trail of secrets.

Overall, Schooled in Murder is an engaging, well-crafted cozy mystery with an atmospheric setting and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end. It’s a promising start to what looks to be an entertaining series.

The plot is well developed, engaging, and full of twists and turns. The characters are well rounded, likable, and realistic. Loved the suspects & drama, it has really creative motives. I also really enjoyed the romance portion Jenn has.

3.5 🌟
1 🌶️

Schooled in Murder is the first book in a new series by Victoria Gilbert set on the campus of Clarion University. Our protagonist, Jenn, is a published author managing a Writer's Center in the campus library, where she coaches students in their creative writing. The English department is run by some professors who have declared that Jenn is not a real author because she writes mysteries, and there is tension between the old guard and the new. It's no surprise when one of the professors winds up dead. Jenn, the head librarian, and the cafeteria manager begin asking questions and investigating. Add in a handsome Psychologist who antagonizes Jenn in interesting ways and this cozy mystery is off and running. This was a fun read with a good pace and likable characters. It kept you guessing for a good part of the story. The chemistry between Jenn and Zach (the psychologist) were awkward at times but it could have been their personalities. But they work in an interesting way. I would read the second installment as it was a fun cozy read.

Thank you, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eArc. These opinions are mine.

Jenn Dalton was an author of mysteries, with ten books to her name. She also tutored writing students at Clarion University in Virginia and had many promising students under her care. When a professor, who frowned on "genre fiction", was found dead and one of Jenn's students was implicated in his death, she knew she had to find the killer to prove Mia's innocence. When she, Bri and Christine became amateur sleuths to solve the murder, and things began happening to Jenn, they knew they had the murderer worried. But finding out who it was, was something else entirely. And then there was Zach, psychologist on campus and all round irritating nuisance - could they solve the case between them?

Schooled in Murder is the 1st in the Campus Sleuth Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert and it was fun and entertaining. Meeting up again with Richard Muir of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series was great; it means the two series are loosely linked. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Jenn gets up to in the next book in the series. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

I love the idea of a cozy series set in the world of academia. It’s one that I haven’t come across as often so I was anxious to receive/read it. And I appreciated that it jumped right into the mystery. We’re instantly introduced to the protagonist Jenn & what will be her fellow sleuths, quickly & adeptly. I enjoy her having a team of other university employees aid in the detecting.

This is an excellent start for a new series. Jenn is a clever, relatable heroine & the supporting cast is top notch. The descriptions of the university setting are engrossing & really pulled me into the story. Loved the suspects & drama, it has really creative motives. I also really enjoyed the romance portion Jenn has, usually those are my least favourites angles in cozy mysteries, however this is handled beautifully & I found myself looking forward to those chapters.

This was such a great first book to kick off my year of reading. I hope another one follows swiftly. I highly recommend it 😊

✏️

Read if you like:
* Secret Bookcase series by Ellie Alexander
* The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan

As a fan of the author’s other cozy series Blue Ridge Library mysteries which I believe has two more books coming, I was pretty excited to realize this was set at the same college where Richard Muir, Amy's husband from that series was a dance instructor. And Jenn, the main character was living in Taylorsford. I loved all the name dropping and even the good sheriff Tucker got a mention. A character that was kinda minor and recurring ended up being a more featured character in this book as Jenn's landlady. When she was talking to Jenn about an information source, I just had a feeling I knew who she meant and now I can't wait to see if Jenn ever gets to meet the person.

This book drew me in from the first page and wouldn't let go until the very last page. What an awesome book hangover too! The showdown was tense and exciting with Jenn definitely getting the upper hand. I absolutely can't wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

4.5 stars
Jennifer Dalton is the director of the writing center at Clarion University in Virginia and discovers a body in a seldom used area of the library. The victim has no shortage of enemies, a few which are close to Jenn. She is determined to prove that a young woman she mentors is not guilty of the crime.

Jenn is a likable main character and I enjoyed her friendship with Christine, the cafeteria manager, and her potential romance with psychologist Zachary. I was able to guess the killer, but I still loved this fast-paced fun book and am already looking forward to the next "Campus Sleuth Mystery."

I received an advance copy of the ebook for review consideration from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Schooled in Murder is a great start to a new series, Campus Sleuth Mysteries, that has a connection to the Blue Ridge Library series. by the author The new series is centered around Clarion University that is visited from time to time in the prior series. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in the new book with reference to old friends. Jenn Dalton is the director of the Writing Center and a published author. When she finds the body of an English professor and Mia, one of her mentees, is the lead suspect, she and other colleagues set out to proof the student's innocence. Dr. Zach Flynn is a psychologist at the university and becomes a close friend and protector when Jenn runs into trouble. There are plenty of suspects and people who were not fond of the victim that makes the story interesting. I am looking forward to reading more in the series.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review and these are my thoughts.

Jen Dalton is the director of Clarion University’s writing center. While doing research at the campus library, she discovers the body of Prof. Doug Barth. Her mentee, Mia Jackson, is the primary suspect. Despite the professor clutching a paper of Mia’s in his hand, Jen doesn’t believe that Mia did it. Working with a reference librarian and a cafeteria worker, Jen delves into the mystery of the professor’s death, she realizes that more than one person disliked the professor. Soon, she gets death threats, gets attacked on campus, and someone cuts her brake lines. Who really killed the professor? Who will do anything to make sure that Jen doesn’t solve the mystery?

The plot is well developed, engaging, and full of twists and turns. The characters are well rounded, likable, and realistic. The building up of the mystery draws the reader into Jen’s world. Readers who like light-hearted mysteries, strong female PIs, and cozy mysteries will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

I love a good cozy mystery and schooled in murder delivered. The book follows an author Jennifer who is absolutely in love with her job and her students. All that changes when a confrontation between a student and professor occurs resulting in a dead body. The plot thickens when the suspect disappears but Jen decides to sleuth and solve the murder case. Thrilling, great characters and a great plot.

When cozy mystery author and educator Jen Dalton went searching the Clarion University’s library archives, she never expected to find a dead body of an overbearing English professor. One of Jen’s favorite students jumps to the top of the suspect list. Believing that Mia is innocent, Jenn teams up with a university librarian, the cafeteria manager, and a psychologist to find the real killer.

I typically enjoy Victoria Gilbert’s cozy mysteries, but I just could not get into SCHOOLED IN MURDER. The only “evidence” the reader has that Mia is innocent is Jen’s opinion that her student couldn’t possibly have murdered anyone no matter the motive. Mia herself barely makes an appearance in the book, and the couple glimpses of her made her appear even more suspicious/guilty. By the end of the book, I still had no idea exactly Jen does at Clarion University other than that she works in the writing center. The others were cardboard characters except for the psychologist/love interest. Zach comes across as a total narcissist and creep. Up until the big reveal, I hoped he was the killer just so that he would be forever removed from the series. Sadly, Zach is probably here to stay. The book was well written, and the mystery was intriguing. The characters just could not engage my interest.

While I've enjoyed other books by this author, this one wasn't for me. I think the idea for the series and this particular mystery are very interesting, but I just couldn't connect with the characters and didn't really care what they did, so I DNF'd at 26%. I would try the second in the series, however, as I know that in first books it can be challenging to introduce all of the characters and their backstories, setting, etc. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance digital copy!

Schooled in Murder is the first book in a new series by Victoria Gilbert. I really enjoyed this book. It is well written and the storyline flows smoothly. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I especially liked the banter between the main character, Jenn and a psychologist, Zach. Their interactions made me smile and even chuckle.

Jen is a mystery writer that runs the campus writing center at Clarion University. One of the students that she mentors is accused of murdering a professor at the university. Jen is positive that the student didn't do it. A couple of her friends on campus agree with her and decide to investigate and help clear the student's name. I look forward to the next book and getting to know the characters more.

I like this author, I find her books entertaining. Sad to say it took me a bit to figure out it was set in the same area as the author's previous series.
This just made me like it more however. The mystery kept me guessing. I look forward to more in the series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.