When Eloise Anderson, the owner of an antiquarian bookshop, arrives at the grand Aircroft estate to ask retired librarian Jane Hunter and eccentric collector Cameron Clewe for help, Jane and Cam expect a bookish inquiry. But the bookseller has a different sort of assistance in mind—clearing her mother’s name of a murder Eloise is convinced she didn’t commit.

Eloise’s mother has just died after spending many years in prison for allegedly killing Eloise’s father. Armed with new information found in her mother’s effects, the bookseller is determined to uncover the true killer so her mother can rest in peace, even though the case is now colder than ice. When Jane tracks down the original detective from the investigation and discovers him stabbed to death in Eloise’s bookshop, Jane and Cam are sure this murder is connected to the cold case. They think it’s the same killer, but the police unfortunately have their own prime suspect, and this time around it’s Eloise.

Cam and Jane’s cold-case sleuthing turns urgent—find who committed the murders or watch another innocent woman rot in jail as a cold-blooded killer walks free.

Librarian Jane Hunter works for wealthy Cam Crewe cataloging his book collection. As a side gig they investigate cold cases together. Eloise Anderson approaches them to ask for help clearing her mother’s name. Her mother has recently died in prison, convicted of murdering Eloise’s father.  But before they can do much investigating Eloise is accused of murder and they now turn their investigation to proving whether or not she is guilty.

Our amateur sleuths are an odd pair. Jane is a sixty-something-year-old retired librarian while Cam is a young, wealthy reclusive businessman so the usual cozy mystery trope of the two main characters flirting with romance is not a side focus for these mysteries. Cam appears to be somewhere on the spectrum showing a dislike of leaving his house or dealing with strangers while also having a healthy interest in pretty young women. Jane, as she makes clear to her adult daughter, is not interested in romantic relationships. Another difference from most cozy mysteries is no one has a pet. That said the two main characters work well together with Jane acting as a sort of Archie to Cam’s Nero Wolfe. The mystery moves along at a steady, if slow, pace and while I suspected who the murderer was it was pleasant getting to the denouncement. Two secondary investigations that have continued from the first book - the identity of Cam’s real father and the truth of a long ago suicide - are partially solved while we have ongoing questions about one of them for the next book. Overall this is a pleasant read, with interesting characters I look forward to learning more about. Recommended ~~ Stephanie L Bannon

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