Book Review: The Price of Honey (Deadly Ambition #1) by Liane Moriarty

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The Price of Honey (Deadly Ambition #1) by Liane Moriarty is an Amazon Original Stories short story scheduled for publication on April 1, 2026. This short mystery story opens with Honey Beckett riding in an Uber on the way to her husband’s funeral, struggling to process the shocking reality that he is actually gone. The situation feels surreal to her, and as she arrives at the service, the emotions surrounding the day only become more complicated. Honey ultimately decides she needs to sit with Barney’s previous three ex-wives, and the gathering of these women creates a moment filled with tension, curiosity, and one final sense of betrayal that ties them all together. Because I am an Amazon Prime member, I received a digital copy of The Price of Honey for free through the Amazon First Reads program . A huge thank you goes out to Amazon for providing the opportunity to read this short story early before its official release. Programs like First Reads are a great way for readers to ...
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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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