I have read several other series by the author and have very much enjoyed them. This new series is another one I can see will join the list. Jenn Dalton, an author of cozy mysteries and educator at a writing center at a local college is horrified to discover a body of a professor and one of her tutorees is the prime suspect. Along with several others, including an annoying psychologist who just might be a bit handsome, Jenn sets out to see if she can prove Mia innocent. But if she isn't careful, she may also find herself Schooled in Murder...

I liked Jenn and her friends. Zachary Flynn, the psychologist, could be a bit annoying at times, but the sparks fly between Jenn and him and she more than holds her own against him. Of course, I adored the cat. The mystery was satisfying with plenty of suspects and twists to keep you guessing. I look forward to the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I feel I am on a cosy mystery binge and I am enjoying it immensely. This is yet another great book by Victoria Gilbert and I always look forward to seeing what comes next. In this one we have a mystery writer who has to solve a real crime. This is a new mystery series and this, the first book in the series, has hooked me. I love the storyline and the characters especially Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Dalton. She has a few great sidekicks as well making this a book with many quirky characters.

This book has a bit of everything including a hint of romance. It is well written (of course) and flows well along with it being a quick and easy read. I love books like this as they are fun but have some depth and good mystery to then. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A new mystery series from the talented Victoria Gilbert. This time it is about the adventures of Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Dalton, a mystery novel author and educator at Clarion University in Virginia.
When an argument between an unfriendly professor and Mia, one of Jenn’s students, leads to the professor being found dead, Mia is the prime suspect and Jenn, along with other friends, will try to find the culprit to exonerate Mia.
An excellent start to a promising new series.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

I read and enjoyed the first book in Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library cozy mysteries, which I understand has a connection to this new series. Not having read more of that series didn’t stop me from enjoying Schooled in Murder, and I don’t really think reading one before the other is necessary. This new series is set around Virginia’s Clarion University, featuring mystery writer Jennifer Dalton who heads up the university’s writing center. She also happens to be a published mystery author, whose knowledge comes in handy when she decides to help clear the name of a student accused of murdering a professor on campus. Jenn teams up with her friend, Brianna, the school librarian, and Christine, a cafeteria manager, as well as the university’s psychologist, Zach Flynn, to solve the crime. Jenn and her co-amateur sleuths come up with a list of suspects, all of whom have various motives for wanting the professor dead. The investigation becomes even more complicated when another body is found, with everyone wondering if it is another murder or just an accident. There’s also the fact that someone doesn’t like that Jenn is sticking her nose where they don’t think it belongs.

Schooled in Murder was an enjoyable cozy mystery with an interesting cast of characters. While not exactly trained in investigations, Jenn’s long standing mystery book series gives her a slight edge in knowing what to look for in their real life murder mystery she and her friends are now investigating. I really liked the inclusion of a cafeteria manager sidekick. She can provide a different perspective, not to mention may be able to get information others aren’t able to given how people seem to overlook those in service positions like hers. Despite there being plenty of suspects, Jenn never lost sight of the possibility that Mia, the student accused of the murder, could still be the killer, even if she didn’t want it to be true. I thought that was smart on Jenn’s part, trying to stay objective while acknowledging her own bias. She wasn’t without her blind spots though. I cannot say too much about the mystery itself without risk of spoiling the whodunit, but I will say there were aspects of the mystery that seemed pretty obvious, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the author did that on purpose. There’s something meta about a mystery author writing a mystery with a protagonist who is also a mystery writer.

There is a thread of romance in the novel, which was well played. What starts out seeming to be annoyance with each other subtlety takes a more teasing note as the novel progresses, so when Jenn finally acknowledges her attraction to Zach, it comes naturally. The mystery was solid and had some tense moments. The university setting was a great backdrop for this story, touching on literary snobbery, misogyny, and a bit of academic politics. I found it to be an entertaining read all around. I look forward to seeing what direction Victoria Gilbert takes the series next. (And maybe I should continue with the Blue Ridge Library cozy mysteries in the meantime!)

Schooled in Murder is the first installment of a new series by Victoria Gilbert. Jenn is a mystery writer and student mentor at Clarion University. When she finds the body of a professor who apparently fell to his death from the mezzanine in the library, her sleuthing instincts awake in full blossom. Aided by two friends and the handsome school psychologist, Dr Zach Flynn, she is determined to clear one of her students’ name who was seen arguing with the victim shortly before his death. Soon she is in grave danger herself.
I enjoyed reading this book, even though it took me a while to like the main character who stubbornly took the murder investigation into her own hands without so much as involving the police. However, it was interesting how she discussed the case with her friends and drew comparisons to her mystery books often. This actually made the novel feel a little like ‘real’ life. Her bantering with the psychologist was entertaining and witty. It was clear from the beginning that there might be a romance brewing. All in all, this is a funny, lighthearted and quick read which kept my interest the whole time. I’m looking forward to the next installments.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Ms Victoria Gilbert for the opportunity to read this advance copy. I truly enjoyed it, and the above is my honest review and own opinion.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Jennifer “Jenn” Dalton loves her job at Clarion University in Virginia where she is the director of the campus writing center. She also pens a “fairly successful mystery series” under a pseudonym. Her colleagues believe her books are less than literary achievements as they are genre fiction. The powers that be in the English Department wish their students to apply themselves and strive for higher literary endeavors. Jennifer mentors her students in whatever they want to write but one pushy professor, Douglas Barth took one student, Mia Jackson to task in a shameful encounter. Later he is found dead and she is missing. Mia was upset about her grade and told the man so loudly but Jenn couldn’t believe she could kill anyone. Yes, there was evidence that could show the two had met but no proof she killed her professor.

Jenn Dalton is used to writing murder mysteries but solving a murder in real life is a lot more complicated. Could she actually catch a killer? She enlists some help from others at the college. Campus psychologist, Zachary Flynn, cafeteria manager Christine Kubiak, and librarian Brianna Rowley agree to band together with her to try to bring down the killer and throw the book at them.

Schooled in Murder is a spinoff from Ms. Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Characters in that series have visited or worked at Clarion University and some are mentioned in this story, but you do not need to have read that series to enjoy this one.

The murder happens in chapter one so we hit the ground running when we meet protagonist Jenn Dalton. As the story continues we meet several supporting characters including Jenn’s friends Bri and Christine, assorted professors, and the head of the department. Psychologist Zach Flynn pushes himself into the group as his attraction to Jenn grows. Mia Jackson is the prime suspect in the professor’s death but other suspects are soon in the mix. The problem with the first book in a series is introducing all the characters so we don’t get much depth. It took me time to warm up to Jenn and I felt the author pushed the relationship between her and Zach too hard too soon but I am open to see where it goes. All the characters have room to grow as the series continues and I look forward to them being more fleshed out.

Usually, with the first book in the series, it is hard to include a complicated mystery while introducing all the characters but Ms. Gilbert gave us one to sink our teeth into. I appreciated how Jenn and her fellow sleuths asked questions and discussed what they found out and their theories about the case. Another murder brought a new batch of theories. Jenn knew she was on the right track because of some alarming incidents. I honed in on the killer before Jenn which didn’t occur until the scary showdown.

Schooled in Murder was an entertaining read that has laid the groundwork for the continuation of this series. I love the college setting and that Jenn is a cozy mystery author. I can only imagine what she and her friends will get tangled up in next. Bring on book two!

When one of her mentees became the main suspect in the
death of a professor, Jen could not resist getting involved in the investigation. She refused to believe, she did it. Her curiosity led her down a twisted trail, which had her facing a gun, a loaded one at that. It was an entertaining, intriguing, and exciting read.

This was a fun, cozy mystery novel in a university setting. After the death of another faculty member in her department at Clarion University and one of her students a prime suspect, it is up to Professor Jenn Dalton to solve the mystery. There were a number of suspects and I was hooked until the end on whodunnit with, with definitely a number of mini red herring trying to throw us off the sent. Definitely a fun mystery novel if you are looking for a whodunnit!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this novel.

With 17 books and five series to her credit, Victoria Gilbert has earned her devoted fan following. This one is the opening volume for her new Campus Murder Mysteries, and it promises to draw in readers new and old to the academic setting of Clarion University in Virginia. Main character Jen Dalton is an author and English Professor. She is, in fact, a writer of murder mysteries with her own fans among her students, as well as some detractors among her own colleagues, who, rather typically, view her genre as not at all the kind of literature that has any place in the hallowed halls.

Jen is adept at defending and or/ignoring the snobs, but some of her students are quick to pick up the figurative sword to defend her. Then a well-known anti-fan in the English department turns up dead. Much of the evidence, material and witnessed, suggests that one of Jen’s students, Mia, possibly went too far in her impassioned defense of her favourite professor. Jen the mystery writer must then converge with Jen the sleuth, as she uses the knowledge she has gathered for her literary work to exonerate the hapless Mia. With the help of a number of her coworkers, including a psychologist, a librarian and the cafeteria manager, what follows is an intriguing, fast-paced and fun cozy mystery for a winter’s afternoon.

Schooled in Murder is the start of a new mystery series, Campus Sleuth Mysteries, with a clever blend of humor and intrigue. Jen is a dedicated author and educator at Clarion University. However, she loves writing genre fiction which sets her apart from her other co-workers in the English department, who look down on her and her work. When a confrontation between an arrogant English professor and one of Jen's student, Mia, leads to a shocking murder Jen must do what she can to help clear Mia's name. Schooled in Murder is a charming and well-crafted mystery that will give you those cozy whodunits mystery vibes. Can't wait to see what the next book in the series brings us.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Schooled in Murder is the first book in a new series, Campus Sleuth Mysteries. Jennifer Dalton, author and educator in a university, is a great main character in Schooled in Murder. Brianna and Zach, who also work at the university, are helping Jennifer to investigate, in order to find the real culprit and clear the accused student's name. The setting and the characters are the driving force in this great cozy mystery. I had previously read and enjoyed the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert, and I was definitely most pleased with this new book. Ms. Gilbert knows how to spark the reader's interest by building a solid mystery, with a smart storyline. I highly recommend Schooled in Murder, it's guaranteed to please cozy mystery readers who like stories involving writing, books and/or school.

This was one of the best cozy mysteries I've read in a long time! As a librarian, I might be a bit biased since the setting of this book revolves around a library, and the campus librarian turns out to be a super cool sleuth :) But I really liked all the characters and thought the mystery was very well plotted. The language was immaculate, and the story's structure was perfect! I loved reading this book and looked forward to picking it up. I hope this becomes a long mystery series because I can't wait to read the next book :) A truly entertaining and delightful cozy mystery that's well worth reading.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this book. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

In this cute cozy mystery we meet Jenn Dalton who is a mystery author who works at a college writing center. We meet Jenn as she gets off the elevator and discovers a dead body. Jenn goes downstairs and asks the person at the desk to call the police and the victim is a college professor who was seen shortly before his death arguing with a student who instantly becomes the prime suspect after nobody is able to get ahold of her. Jenn and her friends Bri and Christine act like ammeter sleuths in order to solve the case and clear a student’s name. Jenn realizes that her assistant Erin didn’t go to the doctor like she said that she did the day Doug the college professor died after being pushed off an mezzanine and they have a history since Doug kept Erin from becoming a tenured professor like she always wanted. Erin finds Jenn injured after falling trying to listen to two other suspects and confesses to killing Doug and not Glen. Glen Alexander died after being pushed by Poppi who was Doug’s mistress since he was the one that convinced Doug not to give Poppi credit on the book he was about to have published. Jenn also ends up with a love interest Zach who is a psychiatrist at the college Jenn works at. Just a typical cozy mystery which is why I love cozy mystery books plus this kind of reminds me of the Mystery 101 movies on Hallmark

Schooled in Murder is the start of a new cozy mystery series by Victoria Gilbert. The Campus Sleuth Mysteries series is a sort of spinoff of Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series. If you read that series you will recognize the college Jenn works at - Clairon (it is also the college that Amy Webber's husband Richard Muir works at) and the town Jenn lives in is the same one Amy does.

If you enjoy The Blue Ridge Library series then you will enjoy this one.

I had a little trouble envisioning Jenn as her own character. For some reason, I kept thinking of the main female character of another series Gilbert writes, A Hunter and Clewe Mystery.

There is a lot going on in this book. We have to meet the cast of characters. Not only is there the group of regular characters to introduce but also the random community members that are more involved as possible suspects. So I thought it was ambitious to have not one, but two murders.

I enjoyed the characters and if you enjoy a little romance in your cozy mysteries there is an obvious relationship setup that progresses quickly.

I liked the mystery and was invested in solving it. I'm not thrilled about how the solving of the mystery unfolded. I like to collect clues and then figure out the person and motive along the way. We had some of that along the way but then Jenn just tells us how it all happened. It felt like "oops, the story has become too long and I need to wrap it up".

It was still a fun little read - one that is sure to entertain.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Friday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/01/schooled-in-murder-by-victoria-gilbert.html

Schooled in Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the debut of A Campus Sleuth Mysteries. I have been reading cozy mysteries since the inception of the genre and I always look forward to beginning a new cozy mystery series. Unfortunately, I felt that Schooled in Murder missed the mark. Jennifer “Jen” Dalton is an unlikeable protagonist. She has a prickly personality that could have worked if done correctly, but it was off putting and annoying (made me tempted to toss her over the mezzanine). We meet Jen’s friends along with other characters, but they were not fleshed out (they were flat). We get scant details on them. I learned more about the writing center and its schedule. I wish the author had not tried to force a romance in the first book (we need to get to know the characters first). The mystery takes place in the first chapter which makes the story feel protracted. There are incidents along the way as well as a second murder. Jen does ask questions. The answers are then repeated, shared, and discussed with her friends. The guilty party can be identified early in the story (there might as well be a neon arrow pointed at the person). The second murder was unneeded. The reveal for it was rushed at the end. I liked that the author tied this series to A Blue Ridge Library Mysteries. Clarion College is where Richard Muir teaches dance. There are cameo by a couple of the characters (blink and you will miss them). Schooled in Murder has a good premise, but the story was disappointing.

Gilbert's new mystery series features an intriguing new sleuth and a unique setting, while maintaining some ties to her original cozy mystery series. An enjoyable read.

This is the first in a new series by Victoria Gilbert. I am a fan of her Booklovers B&B Mystery series, so I was excited to read this first installment of a new series.

Jen Dalton is a 32-yr old mystery writer who also leads the writers center at a university in northern Virginia. Jen finds the body of an English professor, who is not a fan of the genre fiction that she writes, at the college and then a student she is mentoring ends up the prime suspect. She finds herself with quite a few suspects. She has her team of sleuths to help and also the campus psychologist who develops an interest in Jen as well as the mystery.

This was good first book of a series. It did take me a little bit to get into the story and start enjoying the characters. I wasn't sure how much I really like Jen but towards the middle I started to see more of her personality and her interactions with the other characters warm up.

I look forward to the next book and getting to know these characters better.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to read this ARC.

3.5 stars rounded down to 3 because I thought some of the plot was strange.

This new cozy series takes place on the fictional college campus of Clarion, where the head of the writing center (not a professor) and mystery author discovers a dead body in the library. It turns out a student she was mentoring was seen arguing with the deceased and is now a suspect in his murder. She does not think her mentee is capable of such a heinous act and decides to investigate. Now, I realize that people commit crimes for a lot of off the wall reasons but honestly murdering a professor over a C minus is a HUGE stretch, even for a fictional genre. In general, cozy mystery baddies usually have MUCH better motivations for their crimes.

So naturally, non-professor, a reference librarian and the cafeteria manager band together to try and solve the crime since the police don't have a better suspect. Now, I have read other cozies by Ms. Gilbert and I think she is suffering from the same fate as her protagonist where she is trying to find new unique plot points to fill her books and is running short of ideas.

I hung in there just to see what happens but honestly, I don't like any of the characters enough to continue the series.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A promising start to a new series by Victoria Gilbert.
Not quite a spinoff of her other series, the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, this series is new, but the few touches from her other series made it feel familiar and comfy. I came away from this feeling neutral about the characters, not really connecting to them, but also not disliking them. I liked the setting and found myself nodding a long to many of the things, like the hours in the library and stressing over term papers.
One thing I really liked about this book is the murder happened in the first chapter. I felt it really started this book off at a good pace, and we could learn about the characters as we went.
I enjoyed this book and will continue with the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

YES! A new series by Victoria Gilbert! I love her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, so I was delighted when I saw that she would have a new series, set in the same area, but with new characters!

Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Dalton is the director of the writing center at Clarion University (same college where Amy’s husband Richard from the Blue Ridge series teaches). Jenn is also a successful cozy mystery author, so she’s busy with working full time and writing!

Despite her busy schedule, Jenn is happy to mentor students like Mia, a talented romance writer. Many in the English Department at Clarion look down their noses at genre fiction, and Mia has several unpleasant (and loud!) encounters with one professor in particular.

So it doesn’t look good when that professor is found murdered, clutching one of Mia’s assignments. The police zero in on Mia as the prime suspect, but Jenn just knows she can’t be guilty. Using her sleuthing skills she’s acquired writing cozy murder mysteries, Jenn dives into an investigation of her own, along with Christine Kubiak, a cafeteria manager at the university, Zachary Flynn, the charming but annoying campus psychologist, and Brianna Rowley, a university librarian.

This was such a fun read. Solid mystery with not just one murder, but two and ending had me sitting straight up in bed! I love the sleuthing team, especially that they all come from different areas of the university. It’s so fun that Jenn lives in Taylorsford – I love the crossovers from the other series. There’s also a romance subplot that is entertaining and just the perfect amount to balance the mystery. Wonderful cozy details bring the story to life. I also enjoyed the campus setting. I was sad when I finished! @crookedlanebooks