A Deadly Clue by Victoria Gilbert
Cozy mystery fans will absolutely delight over Victoria Gilbert’s A Deadly Clue, the 3rd in A Hunter and Clewe Mystery series!
Cameron Clewe (Cam) is an extremely talented young man with inherited wealth. Fears and phobias hinder his every day life. His social skills need some serious work! His vast estate in North Carolina features sprawling gardens, beautiful fountain and a domed greenhouse in a lush setting. His mansion is a maze of beautiful and eclectic rooms, including a massive private library.
Jane Hunter is a 60+, widowed former librarian, now working for the eccentric Cam. She’s cataloging his massive book collection for his personal library. It’s a great opportunity and a steady job. But it’s more than that. Jane truly enjoys working for Cam not only as a valuable employee, but as a true friend.
Jane is not only helping him with his library, but giving him good doses of her wit and wisdom – basically helping him maneuver through his fears and eccentricities. In spite of his awkward ways, Cam has always loved a good mystery. He’s always enjoyed helping others. This leads him to helping out friends who need some private sleuthing. And what better sleuthing partner than Jane?
In their latest venture, Jane is sent to the estate of the wealthy Stewart family to pick up some rare books. But the day Jane picks up the books is the same day the Stewarts are hosting a family gathering. What should have been a birthday celebration for Finn Stewart, turns into family chaos, accusations, backbiting, hidden pasts and ultimately murder.
When a member of the Stewart family implores Cam and Jane to do some of their quiet super sleuthing, Cam agrees to help. When they begin poking around, dark Stewart tragedies are brought back into the sunlight: a long ago questionable car crash involving 3 young Stewarts took the life of a mother and daughter …and more recently, questionable suicides.
A Deadly Clue is not only a challenging mystery for fans to solve, but features a unique dynamic between Jane Hunter and Cameron Clewe. It’s a cozy that breaks the mold. There’s no romance between Jane and Cam . It’s a solid working relationship, and more importantly, a solid friendship. Like the TV duo of Oscar Madison and Felix Unger (TV’s Odd Couple), A Deadly Clue provides readers with mismatched characters that are unique and thoroughly entertaining.
Other characters in this tale are just as interesting and add to the plot. Jane’s daughter, Bailey, a semi-successful actress and her chauffeur boyfriend/struggling writer, can’t help but get caught up in the case. Jane’s landlord/journalist friend and his girlfriend stay quietly in the background, supplying Jane and Cam with valuable insider info.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Wealth for good. Wealth for evil. In this case, it’s Cameron Clewe vs. The Stewarts.
This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. With winter weather hitting many parts of the United States, this is a perfect time to pick up a good book – A Deadly Clue snugly fits the bill!
A copy of this book and cover photo were provided by Crooked Lane Publishing.