Review by Booklist Review
Retired librarian Jane Hunter continues her work cataloging the collection of eccentric Cameron Clewe. When a favorite bookseller of Cameron's, Eloise Anderson, asks for help exonerating her late mother in the death of her father, he is eager to help and enlists Jane's assistance. But when Jane visits Eloise's shop, she finds Eloise cowering near the body of a police officer who may have had new information on the case. Cameron quickly moves Eloise into his mansion while he and Jane try to solve the case, leaving Jane wondering if his interest in Eloise is purely platonic. Meanwhile, Jane and her friends continue to work on the identity of the mysterious woman who appears in a photograph in the archives of the original owners of Cameron's estate (see the first book in the series, A Cryptic Clue, 2023). Rare books and local history collections play a part in this bookish North Carolina--set cozy. Gilbert balances the two mysteries with a deft hand, leading to a conclusion that leaves just enough questions for the next book in the series.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Gilbert's dependable second cozy featuring North Carolina book collector Cam Clewe and his librarian friend, Jane Hunter (after A Cryptic Clue), the pair juggle two intertwined murder investigations. Knowing that Cam and Jane moonlight as gumshoes, Chapel Hill bookseller Eloise Anderson comes to Cam with a request. Eloise's mother, Abigail, has recently died in prison while serving time for her husband's murder--but Eloise maintains her mother's innocence and wants to clear her name. Cam and Jane agree to help out, but their inquiry grows complicated when Eloise is arrested for the murder of former police detective Bruce Parker, who spearheaded the investigation that put Abigail behind bars. Now, Cam and Jane are either caught in the web of a murderous mother-daughter duo or facing down a killer with a vengeance against the Anderson women. To find out which, they take a closer look at the police on the case and Eloise's peers in Chapel Hill. Along the way, their knowledge of vintage books--including a rare copy of Alice in Wonderland--helps them crack the case. Gilbert stacks the proceedings with solid suspects, convincing red herrings, and a treasure trove of trivia about mid--20th century mystery authors. Golden Age whodunit fans will have fun. Agent: Fran Black, Literary Counsel. (Sept.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Jane Hunter is responsible for cataloging Cameron Clewe's extensive collection of rare crime novels, and she's protective of her boss. Cameron suffers from anxiety, doesn't like to leave the house, and struggles with social skills. But he's always intrigued by a mystery, and he and Jane have solved several cases. When bookstore owner Eloise Anderson insists on delivering Cam's latest purchase, she also brings an unusual request. Her mother has just died in prison, where she spent 15 years. Eloise wants Cam and Jane to prove that her mother did not murder her father. When Eloise was 18, her father was found stabbed to death in the bookshop, and her mother was the only person around. It looks like history is repeating itself when Jane finds Eloise alone in the bookstore with the body of the retired police detective who investigated the earlier murder. Jane and Camerson soon discover links to lost rare books and secrets about the bookshop. VERDICT The sequel to A Cryptic Clue, with its red herrings, missing books, and charming detecting duo, is a traditional cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of Kate Carlisle and Jenn McKinlay.--Lesa Holstine
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A wealthy North Carolina man and his personal librarian make an odd but effective detective team. Cameron Clewe has been searching for the identity of his birth father with no luck. Brought up by a stepfather who left him the beautiful Aircroft estate and a great deal of money, Cam finds life joyless without knowledge of his biological father. Jane Hunter, who handles his library, and personal assistant Lauren Walker somehow keep him on track until Eloise Anderson, an antiquarian bookseller from Chapel Hill, arrives to ask Cam and Jane, who've already solved one mystery, to help prove that her mother--who recently died in prison--was innocent of murder. The sleuthing duo take on the case even though Eloise may be hiding things that make her mother look guilty. When Eloise herself is arrested for the murder of Det. Bruce Parker, who was in charge of her mother's case, few believe that she's innocent. But Cam pays her bail, hires a lawyer, and takes her into his household while he and Jane search for another suspect. Parker had been looking for a book in Eloise's storeroom, a book that may provide a motive for murders now and in the past. Jane is also searching for the identity of a woman whose photo was found in Aircroft's attic along with a drawing of her. A servant who never knew her last name identifies her as Lily, the love of Calvin Airley, son of the estate's former owners. Both the real motive for murder and the identity of Cam's father are shrouded in secrets from the past. The finely drawn characters are the stars in this complex batch of mysteries. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
