A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, Bk 1)
Author:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Dollycas's Thoughts
Jane Hunter may be 60 years old but she was not ready to retire, the university had other ideas. So she was searching for a unique challenge to use her skills and earn some money to supplement her pension.
Cameron âCamâ Clewe is a unique man. A wealthy 33-year-old who collects rare books and other artifacts like a huge amount of items related to classic detective and mystery authors. He is looking for an archivist to make a complete inventory and classification of his recent acquisition.
The two meet and Jane agrees to take the job. But before she even starts a dead body is found in Cam's library. Maybe retirement wasn't such a bad idea. The victim was Cam's ex-girlfriend who happened to be the heir to a pharmaceutical fortune. Now Cam is the prime suspect in her murder.
Cam then decides he will be able to clear his name quickly but he is going to need some help. You see, he lacks basic social skills and is afraid to leave his property. So he makes Jane an offer he hopes she won't refuse. While Jane isn't 100% sure her new boss is innocent she still agrees to do a little sleuthing. She hopes she isn't making a bad decision. Retirement may be looking better and better every day.
____
I really enjoyed meeting Jane and Cam. They are both very unique individuals thrown into a murder investigation almost immediately after meeting. We also meet Cam's assistant Lauren, Jane's landlord, Vincent Fisher, and his lady friend, Donna Valenti. They are all interesting in their own ways. I really enjoyed a protagonist close to my own age. The author has done a great job of developing them throughout the entire story while leaving room for us to get to know both better as the series continues.
Cam's home is huge and he allows "friends" to use it to host charity and other events. He usually makes an appearance and disappears to other rooms for the rest of the evening. He has set up part of the attic to keep his vast collections safe with proper heating, cooling, and moisture control. Jane gets to work there and because of the murder, in the music room but she is really free to roam the place. I enjoyed Ms. Gilbert's descriptions of the place and its grounds along with Jane's apartment and Vince's home. A curious mystery develops because of something Jane finds in the attic. It piqued my interest right away.
Since the murder happened during an event there were several suspects in addition to Cam. I really liked that the author spent time giving some backstories, history, and connections between them and the victim. Some were happy to provide "information". Ms. Gilbert set up some nice twists but one clue sent me right on the killer's trail. The showdown and reveal turned out to be very exciting. At one point my heart slowed because I was afraid that something was going to happen but it didn't. I was surprised by a few things but I will not spoil that for anyone. You must read the book yourself :)
A Cryptic Clue has set this series off on a wonderful start. Filled with characters I want to know better and a captivating mystery or two, my attention was held and I was entertained from the start. I am excited for this series to continue. A Killer Clue is set to be released on April 9, 2024.
Jane Hunter may be 60 years old but she was not ready to retire, the university had other ideas. So she was searching for a unique challenge to use her skills and earn some money to supplement her pension.
Cameron âCamâ Clewe is a unique man. A wealthy 33-year-old who collects rare books and other artifacts like a huge amount of items related to classic detective and mystery authors. He is looking for an archivist to make a complete inventory and classification of his recent acquisition.
The two meet and Jane agrees to take the job. But before she even starts a dead body is found in Cam's library. Maybe retirement wasn't such a bad idea. The victim was Cam's ex-girlfriend who happened to be the heir to a pharmaceutical fortune. Now Cam is the prime suspect in her murder.
Cam then decides he will be able to clear his name quickly but he is going to need some help. You see, he lacks basic social skills and is afraid to leave his property. So he makes Jane an offer he hopes she won't refuse. While Jane isn't 100% sure her new boss is innocent she still agrees to do a little sleuthing. She hopes she isn't making a bad decision. Retirement may be looking better and better every day.
____
I really enjoyed meeting Jane and Cam. They are both very unique individuals thrown into a murder investigation almost immediately after meeting. We also meet Cam's assistant Lauren, Jane's landlord, Vincent Fisher, and his lady friend, Donna Valenti. They are all interesting in their own ways. I really enjoyed a protagonist close to my own age. The author has done a great job of developing them throughout the entire story while leaving room for us to get to know both better as the series continues.
Cam's home is huge and he allows "friends" to use it to host charity and other events. He usually makes an appearance and disappears to other rooms for the rest of the evening. He has set up part of the attic to keep his vast collections safe with proper heating, cooling, and moisture control. Jane gets to work there and because of the murder, in the music room but she is really free to roam the place. I enjoyed Ms. Gilbert's descriptions of the place and its grounds along with Jane's apartment and Vince's home. A curious mystery develops because of something Jane finds in the attic. It piqued my interest right away.
Since the murder happened during an event there were several suspects in addition to Cam. I really liked that the author spent time giving some backstories, history, and connections between them and the victim. Some were happy to provide "information". Ms. Gilbert set up some nice twists but one clue sent me right on the killer's trail. The showdown and reveal turned out to be very exciting. At one point my heart slowed because I was afraid that something was going to happen but it didn't. I was surprised by a few things but I will not spoil that for anyone. You must read the book yourself :)
A Cryptic Clue has set this series off on a wonderful start. Filled with characters I want to know better and a captivating mystery or two, my attention was held and I was entertained from the start. I am excited for this series to continue. A Killer Clue is set to be released on April 9, 2024.
