SCHOOLED IN MURDER (Campus Sleuth Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert will be released on January 7, 2025, by Crooked Lane Books.
When cozy mystery author and educator Jen Dalton went searching the Clarion University’s library archives, she never expected to find a dead body of an overbearing English professor. One of Jen’s favorite students jumps to the top of the suspect list. Believing that Mia is innocent, Jenn teams up with a university librarian, the cafeteria manager, and a psychologist to find the real killer.
I typically enjoy Victoria Gilbert’s cozy mysteries, but I just could not get into SCHOOLED IN MURDER. The only “evidence” the reader has that Mia is innocent is Jen’s opinion that her student couldn’t possibly have murdered anyone no matter the motive. Mia herself barely makes an appearance in the book, and the couple glimpses of her made her appear even more suspicious/guilty. By the end of the book, I still had no idea exactly Jen does at Clarion University other than that she works in the writing center. The others were cardboard characters except for the psychologist/love interest. Zach comes across as a total narcissist and creep. Up until the big reveal, I hoped he was the killer just so that he would be forever removed from the series. Sadly, Zach is probably here to stay. The book was well written, and the mystery was intriguing. The characters just could not engage my interest.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.