Monday, August 28, 2023

A Cryptic Clue

Title: A Cryptic Clue
Author: Victoria Gilbert
Published: July 11, 2023 by Crooked Lane Books
Format: Kindle, 320 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Hunter and Clewe #1

First Sentence: On the day I met Cameron Clewe, I thought I was simply changing jobs.

Blurb: A retired librarian gets back to the books—and into a devilish murder case—in acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert’s new series, the perfect literary adventure for fans of Kate Carlisle and Jenn McKinlay. 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 the 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?

My Opinion: I didn't enjoy this book and should not have read beyond the first few chapters. The descriptions were excessive and repetitive, and the plot contained unrealistic events. The author included too many elements without proper development, resulting in a slow-moving story that abruptly concluded. I had to backtrack and remember the culprit and how they had fit into the story. Needless to say, the characters were unremarkable and despite being the first book in a series, I have no desire to read the second installment.

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