Antique books and murder!

How exciting. A middle aged librarian, Jane Hunter, working for a wealthy man, Cameron Clewe. They connect over books and mysteries. They investigate cold cases. Running along in the background is the ongoing search for Cam’s father.
Meanwhile a young woman has come asking for their help. Eloise Anderson’s mother, Abby, died in prison. Abby was incarcerated for killing her husband. Eloise now runs the family bookshop, The Last Chapter, that deals in antique books. Eloise wants to find out the truth. She wants her mother’s name cleared of the label “Murderer.”
It seems Eloise’s mother had refused to have the case reopened. Who had she been trying to protect?
Jane goes to interview Eloise further, and is off Cam to talk to the detective on the case, Detective Bruce Parker. However, Jane finds Eloise covered in blood and cradling a body in the bookshop. It’s Detective Parker.
The plot follows several leads in trying to find the truth about Eloise Anderson’s innocence, alongside the ongoing search for information about Cam’s father.
A dangerous and enthralling road to the answers!

A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This is the second book in the Hunter and Clewe series and I missed the first one, but this one is easily read as a stand alone. I have read a couple of books by Victoria Gilbert and enjoyed them, so I was happy to pick up another.

Description:
When Eloise Anderson, the owner of an antiquarian bookshop, arrives at the grand Aircroft estate to ask retired librarian Jane Hunter and eccentric collector Cameron Clewe for help, Jane and Cam expect a bookish inquiry. But the bookseller has a different sort of assistance in mind—clearing her mother’s name of a murder Eloise is convinced she didn’t commit.

Eloise’s mother has just died after spending many years in prison for allegedly killing Eloise’s father. Armed with new information found in her mother’s effects, the bookseller is determined to uncover the true killer so her mother can rest in peace, even though the case is now colder than ice. When Jane tracks down the original detective from the investigation and discovers him stabbed to death in Eloise’s bookshop, Jane and Cam are sure this murder is connected to the cold case. They think it’s the same killer, but the police unfortunately have their own prime suspect, and this time around it’s Eloise.

Cam and Jane’s cold case sleuthing turns urgent—find who committed the murders, or watch another innocent woman rot in jail as a cold-blooded killer walks free.

My Thoughts:
There are really three mysteries in this book. There was a murder in the past in Eloise's bookshop and her mother was convicted - was she really guilty? Another murder in current times in the bookshop and Eloise is the prime suspect - did she do it? Then, there was a death in the past at the Aircroft estate which was ruled a suicide - was it truly suicde or could it have been murder? Lots of questions here that keep your attention, and red herrings abound. This book kept my interest and the plot moved well. Yes, there were some eye-opening surprises. Great characters here and a beautiful estate. I live in Winston-Salem, NC and I loved that the Aircroft estate is set there, and I recognized many of the area locations like Old Salem, our Moravian community. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery book will like this one.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Having read the first book, I was eager to catch up with this senior-junior sleuthing duo. Cameron, in his thirties, is agoraphobic and relies on Jane, who is in her sixties, to conduct investigations. Cameron's wealth is frequently mentioned, as it enables their efforts, but it also raises questions about his motivations.

The story begins intriguingly with Eloise’s plea to re-examine her father’s murder, believing her mother was wrongfully convicted. However, the murder of the detective complicates matters. Eloise is arrested but later released thanks to Cameron's legal team. Jane finds herself questioning why Cameron goes to such lengths to protect Eloise, especially allowing her to stay in his home—something that remains puzzling even by the end of the book.

As Jane and Cameron investigate, Cameron steps out of his agoraphobic comfort zone briefly, which adds an interesting layer to his character development. Another subplot involving Cameron’s personal life, introduced in the first book, takes a surprising turn in this installment, leading Jane, Cameron, and readers down a compelling path.

While the investigation into the cold case and the new murder is engaging, the resolution fell short for me. Despite the red herrings and suspects, the ending was more shocking than satisfying, not quite meeting my expectations.

Victoria Gilbert’s storytelling and character development, especially of the recurring characters, are excellent as always. Despite some reservations about the conclusion, this was an interesting addition to the series, and I look forward to the next book.

The second book in the Hunter and Clewe series and by an author whose other series I already enjoy.

Jane Hunter works at cataloguing Cameron Clewe's extensive book collection and in the previous book they worked together to solve a murder case. In A Killer Clue they are presented with two cases, one of a mystery woman and the second another murder. They work well together especially as Cam has a fear of leaving his house and relies on Jane to do the legwork in their investigations!

I enjoyed following all the different leads and red herrings and was suitably surprised at the reveal for the murder. The mystery woman turned out to be a huge surprise especially for Cam. It was also a perfect lead in to a third book.

Cam and Jane are asked to clear the name of a woman who has spent many years in prison for a murder her daughter is convinced she did not commit. They reluctantly take on the case, and as their investigation proceeds, they realize they want to find out who *did commit the murder – and if the most recent murder is somehow related.

This is the second book from this series, and I enjoyed it as much as the first book. I wasn’t sure about Cam at first, but his character has grown on me. Nothing is said one way or the other in the books, but some of his behaviors make me wonder if he’s not neurodivergent, an unusual trait for a cozy MC. I like Jane and her friends and the rest of Cam’s staff. They all work well together, and a romantic development seems to be on the horizon.

In addition to the cold case, there was a present-day murder to think about, and it was evident that the two were somehow connected. I began to suspect the present-day killer before it was revealed in the book, but the cold case solution surprised me. I didn’t figure out the motive for the cold case until just before it was explained in the story, but the current-day motive was obvious almost from the start.

I’m eager to read the next book in this series to see what happens next with Cam, Jane and the rest.

Who really killed Eloise's father all those years ago? More urgently, who killed the police detective who was responsible for sending her mother to prison for the crime? Jane and Cam, an unusual pair of amateur detectives have two mysteries (as well as another-no spoilers) on their hands in the second in a series that differs a bit from the cozy tropes. I like it for the characters- for Jane, the retired librarian and for Cam the much younger tech guy and bibliophile who seems to be on the spectrum. They work well together, with Jane serving as a sort of social and emotional mentor for Cam. The mysteries themselves are well done. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book was okay, but nothing struck me as a real strength. I had trouble connecting with the main characters, Jane, personal librarian, and her boss, Cameron, a wealthy young loner. We get details about their lives, but, where it matters, there is no depth. Maybe I would have seen this differently had I read book one in the series prior? Jane’s daughter, an actress, visits her and plays a minor role in the book, but this is almost a wholly different storyline. The set up of the mystery was interesting - I mean, who doesn’t want to find out why a former cop has been murdered in the back room of a bookstore? The investigation, though, was awkward, with Jane and Cam having meetings and experiences with several possible suspects, but those are so truncated they were more of a distraction - with the same info given in the brief dialogue summarized from Jane to Cam or vice versa. Having. The ending resolved the loose ends, but in a predictable manner. All that said, if you want a quick read that serves as a distraction from your daily life, this will do the job.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this mystery.

This is second book in The Hunter and Clewe Mystery series. Cam is wealthy and he is the owner of Aircroft, his family estate, and he hired Jane, a retired librarian, to become his cataloguer of his extensive book collection. TBH, he may be the boss but they have a fantastic bond and help each other out when needed. Cam and Jane are also amateur sleuths, which lead them sometimes into danger! The story begins with Eloise Anderson, owner of the Last Chapter Bookshop, asking them for help for her Mum, Abby, to prove she didn't kill her Dad, Ken. All the subplots weave together with a few red herrings thrown to a satisfying ending! It was a page turner of a read.

This is a book that you need to have read other books in the series to enjoy. If you haven’t read any other books, please don’t pick this book up. I personally had not read any of the other books and I was lost multiple times in the book. There are plotlines that will carry over and if you don’t know where they came from or what they are based on, this book will not resonate with you. Jane character is an odd duck. She is very educated which is lovely, but I kept trying to figure out what time period this book is set in. I know it is set in modern times due to references, but it also felt like an old school mystery. This book was just a huge miss for me. I think that is truly based on not having read any of the other books so please understand that is where this review comes from. I won’t be posting on social media about it so as not to deter others from reading it.
Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

This second book in the Hunter & Clewe mystery series is another enjoyable book-related mystery featuring Jane Hunter, a retired librarian, and her boss, a reclusive businessman, Cameron Clewe.

Here, Cam's top source for obtaining old books is accused of murder and Jane and Cam are on the trail.

As usual, lots of terrific characters and plenty of book-related plot.

Loved it, as I love the author's other mystery series. Highly recommended!!

A Killer Clue is book 2 in Victoria Gilbert’s Hunter and Clewe series and was chock full of mysteries to keep the reader on their toes.

A Killer Clue is written in first person from the point of view of Jane Hunter, a librarian cataloging the book collection belonging to her boss, Cameron Clewe. When Cameron’s favourite source for antique. Books is accused of murder, he decides to come to her aide and asks for Jane’s assistance.

I loved that the main character, Jane, was an older woman, in her early sixties, still active, and working, and seemingly content to be single. Her boss, Cameron, was also an interesting character, as a younger man dealing with some form of agoraphobia. They made for an interesting pair when it came to investigating a mystery.

Speaking of mystery, this story contained three mysteries, 2 of which seemed loosely related, and one completely unrelated. Of the two related mysteries, one was a cold case, which made the solving the mysteries even more interesting.

A Killer Clue was an enjoyable mystery, full of interesting characters, and with enough action to keep the reader’s interest. Although it’s the second book in the series, it is easily read as a standalone. I had not read book one in the series and had no problem jumping in with this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Reclusive young businessman Cam Crewe and his librarian/amateur sleuthing partner retired librarian Jane Hunter have their next case walk in the door in the person of a young rare books dealer that Cam has worked with for years. Eloise Anderson wants Cam and Jane to prove that her mother did not murder her father despite the fact that her mother has recently passed away in prison having been convicted of the crime.

When Jane travels the next day to interview Eloise at her bookstore, she discovers Eloise hunched in a corner and a body in the office. The body belongs to the detective who investigated the murder of Eloise's father who was also stabbed in the back.

With Eloise arrested for the murder, Cam and Jane have lots of work to do to find the real killer although Jane isn't at all sure that Eloise isn't the killer. While investigating the recently retired and shady partner in the bookstore and a rival rare books collector, they come to learn that a missing but very valuable book might be the center of the crime.

I enjoyed this mystery. Cam who suffers from social anxiety and Jane who is a no-nonsense woman make a great detecting team.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

The author had me hooked. I could not put this down. Every time I thought I knew where the author was going the story took a turn in a direction I never even thought of. This was one book I just couldn't put down

I really enjoyed reading A Killer Clue, the story has an easy flow, interesting characters, humor, mystery and crime all set in a most beautiful scenery. The descriptions of places, flowers, smells, feelings are so good that I could visualize all of them. This is the first book that I've read by this author and I'll be certainly looking for more. Highly recommended!
I thank Ms. Gilbert, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

The second book in the Hunter and Clewe series introduces a new mystery and also continues on with the mystery of the woman in the painting that was introduced in book one.

Personally, I found the woman in the painting mystery more engaging in this book than the murder mystery. Overall, both were fine, but I can't put my finger on why exactly the murder mystery was lower on the scale for me. I recall finding the investigation from book one compelling. It felt different in this book, almost a little unfocused at moments. Maybe a lack of physical evidence in the mystery? It's a mystery where everything is deduced from conversations. Sometimes crimes are solved that way, I'm sure, but the intuitive leaps in this mystery may have been too great at times. The conclusion of the murder mystery was a little odd - I couldn't buy into the reason behind some character motivations. But I did like the large suspect list, the rabbit trail possibilities, and the sometimes difficult characters and interactions. All designed to make the reader wonder who is guilty and all adding fun to the mystery.

The mystery of the woman in the painting very much caught my interest. It felt more than a hunt for a person. It also felt like a treasure hunt of sorts because the characters seemed more excited about this than the murder mystery. There's certainly more to be revealed in this story line and I must know what happens next!

The two protagonists are still written well and I enjoy how they play off each other in the book. Just like with book one, basing the story from Jane's point of view is a key ingredient to what makes the books enjoyable to read. Her voice is strong and consistent and I think many readers can relate to her observations. She's part Jessica Fletcher and part Miss Marple, in my view, and it's a great balance.

I will be looking out for the third book in this series. I have a feeling it's going to be a treat!

Link to video review will be added later.

I loved this book! 😍 It takes place near Chapel Hill, NC, but all I could picture was quaint little towns and beautiful village homes. And of course Aircroft, the gorgeous estate Cam Clewe has inherited. He has hired Jane Hunter to be his in-house librarian, but they happen to do some amateur sleuthing too. The writing was amazing. Plus there was so much going on. The historical murder that Jane and Cam were trying to prove had ended with the wrong person being convicted, the new murder in almost the exact same spot, and the mysteries involving the original owners of Aircroft, as well as the secrets hidden in Cam’s family tree! So much mystery!!! And it was all handled brilliantly! This was book two in the series, but I will quickly be going back to read book one. 5⭐️.

Victoria Gilbert's A Killer Clue is a satisfying cozy mystery, peopled with an interesting mix of characters and moved forward by a pair of mysteries: one about the family history of a central character and the other about a murder that took place in an antiquarian bookshop and a subsequent murder that is certainly connected to the first—but the connection is elusive.

I found the book to be a slow start and set it aside for a while, unsure about whether I wanted to finish it. When I picked it up again, I quickly become engaged and knew that I would be finishing it. Time spent with these characters does wind up making a reader want more of their companionship.

The detective pair at the heart of this novel are Hunter and Clewe. Hunter is Jane Hunter, a woman in her 60s with an adult daughter who is becoming increasingly successful as an actress. Jane Hunter has a background in library science and was hired by Cameron Clewe to catalog his collection of rare books and ephemera. Clewe has money, as that book collection might suggest—he also has begun amateur investigation of cold cases. He doesn't read faces and body language well and as well as doing library and detective work with Clewe, Jane is also teaching him how to interact more effectively with others.

A Killer Clue is the second volume in this series, but it makes a good stand-alone read. Victoria Gilbert is adept at providing backstory in non-clunky ways. (Awkward backstory is a particular peeve of mine.)

If you like cozy mysteries, particularly those that revolve around the world of books and book collectors, A Killer Clue is a treat you can give yourself when you need a vacation, but don't have the time or money for actual travel.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

This cozy features the sleuthing team of a young rich man with some anxiety disorders, and a retired librarian/book cataloguer. They have an interesting relationship, kind of like he has a favorite aunt. They enjoy delving into cold cases.

He has some outstanding issues stemming from looking for his unknown father. Their current case involves a young woman whose mother has died in prison for killing her father. She has never believed her mother committed the crime and wants to clear her reputation. Not far into the investigation, another similar murder occurs and the young woman is now the suspect.

We see a bit more of the two amateur detectives' relationship, plus the librarian's grown daughter visits and that leads to some more character revelations. The dialogue is sometimes a bit stilted, and the plot doesn't always hang together perfectly, but the unusual setup and personalities are pleasant reading. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

'A Killer Clue' features two intriguing (but not altogether likeable in my opinion) characters in Jane Hunter and Cameron Clewe. They form an unlikely alliance in attempting to solve mysteries, the greatest being Cameron's origins. This story involves a death related to a priceless book. The ending offers so much potential, and was full of surprises. I had one issue with the discussion of Jane's sexual orientation, which was in no way germane to the story. Cameron has issues which relate to the overall premise of the story. I look forward to more of Cameron's story.


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