Book Review: When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

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When I Kill You  by B.A. Paris  opens with Nell Masters feeling as though she's being watched, possible by someone connected to her past. She tries to convince herself it's al in her head, brushing it off as paranoia. But, is her past truly coming back to haunt her? B.A. Paris is one of my favorite authors from across the pond, so when I saw she had a new novel coming out, I knew I had to request an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) from NetGalley. When I received the approval, I was overjoyed. A big thank you goes out to both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. Going into  When I Kill You , I knew absolutely nothing about the synopsis before requesting it and diving in. At first, I did struggle a bit to get into the story. Part of that was because the writing didn't feel as strong as I've come to expect from the author; it came across as a bit juvenile. That said, the further I read, the more the wri...
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Book Review: A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1) by Victoria Gilbert

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Cozy Mystery Book Review of A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1) by Victoria Gilbert
A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1) by Victoria Gilbert was published on July 11, 2023. This engaging mystery novel introduces sixty-year-old Jane Hunter, who starts a new job with Cameron “Cam” Clewe after being forced to retire from her long-time librarian career. On her very first day, Jane discovers a dead body, and Cam turns to her for help to clear his name, setting the stage for a suspenseful and twisty mystery.

I want to give a huge thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1). I was immediately drawn to the intriguing cover and synopsis and was thrilled to receive a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Initially, I struggled to get into the story, so I set it aside and returned to it later. Changing my mindset made all the difference, and I ended up really enjoying the plot. Jane Hunter is a strong and relatable main character, while Cameron Clewe took a little longer to grow on me, but I warmed up to him as the story progressed.

The novel features a wide array of suspects, keeping me guessing about the killer’s identity until the very end. When the truth was finally revealed, it felt completely unexpected, which added to the suspense. There were also a couple of underlying mysteries involving certain characters’ identities that weren’t resolved. While this was a bit frustrating, it seems likely that these storylines may continue in a sequel, which I’m looking forward to.

Overall, I enjoyed A Cryptic Clue (Hunter and Clewe, #1) by Victoria Gilbert, and I gave it four out of five stars. If you enjoy mystery novels with unexpected twists, engaging characters, and a hint of suspense, this book is definitely worth checking out.

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