A Killer Clue is the second book in the Hunter and Clewe cozy mystery series by Victoria Gilbert, featuring the unlikely sleuthing duo of retired librarian Jane Hunter and eccentric collector Cameron Clewe.
Title: A Killer Clue
Author: Victoria Gilbert
Series: Hunter and Clewe #2
First Published: September 24, 2024
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genres: Mystery
Acquired: from the publisher via Netgalley
*** Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes. ***
When antiquarian bookshop owner Eloise Anderson asks retired librarian Jane Hunter and eccentric collector Cameron Clewe for help, Jane and Cam expect a bookish inquiry. But Eloise has a different sort of assistance in mind—clearing her mother’s name.
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, Eloise is convinced her mother is innocent and she’s 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.
Another fantastic mystery
I absolutely loved the first book in this series (you can read my review of A Cryptic Clue here) and couldn’t wait to get back into it.
Jane and Cam are so different – in age, temperament, social skills, social class…and just about every other category you can think of – but work together so incredibly well that they have become one of my favourite amateur sleuthing duos. Their opposite natures bring them together and their experiences and skills complement each other very well.
This mystery was full of twists and turns and for most of the book I was continually guessing at who the murderer was. The final reveal was really satisfying and definitely not exactly what I was expecting, which always makes mysteries more fun.
Jane and Cam are a dynamic duo
Aside from the satisfying murder mystery, I also enjoyed some of the supporting characters we met in the first book becoming more involved. There were some new characters introduced, including a possible love interest for Jane.
But at the heart of this series is the growing respect and friendship between Jane and Cam. I’m really liking how they work together and Cam is becoming a better person with Jane’s influence. You can see the respect and care growing between the two, even though they maintain a very professional relationship. It’s such a unique pairing amongst all the cozy mysteries I read and is a standout one.
Aside from the two murders in this book, there was also the long-overarching mystery behind Cam’s family history that has carried over from book one. It doesn’t get completely resolved in this book either, but that just leaves more intrigue for next time!
Quote from A Killer Clue
