The Cloak and Dagger Club (Cloak and Dagger Club Mystery #1)
Author: Jackie McMahon
Genre: Historical Mystery | Cozy Mystery
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5 stars)
Synopsis
Lucy Hubbard's dream of becoming a successful mystery writer is finally coming true. Her debut novel has earned glowing reviews, and she's invited to join the prestigious Cloak and Dagger Club, an exclusive society of Britain's finest crime writers.
The club gathers at London's luxurious Ritz Hotel, where Lucy expects to celebrate her literary success.
Instead, she's reunited with the last person she ever expected to see: her former fiancé, Frank Murray.
Before either of them has time to deal with their complicated history, the club's founder, Horace Hazelmoor, is found murdered with a knife in his back. With Frank becoming the prime suspect, Lucy is convinced there's no way he could be the killer.
Together, they'll have to uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again.
My Thoughts
I always say that historical fiction isn't usually my go-to genre, but give me a historical mystery with cozy vibes and I'm much more willing to jump in.
This one definitely had strong Agatha Christie-inspired energy.
Lucy has just been invited to join the prestigious Cloak and Dagger Club, an elite society of mystery writers that meets at London's glamorous Ritz Hotel. It's an incredible opportunity... until she discovers that one of the other members is none other than her former fiancé, Frank.
Their reunion is awkward enough, but things quickly take a turn when Horace, the club's founder, is discovered murdered with a knife in his back.
With Frank becoming the prime suspect, he and Lucy reluctantly join forces to uncover the real killer before it's too late.
I really enjoyed the mystery.
While I did find it a little predictable at times, it still kept me entertained, and I liked following Lucy and Frank as they pieced everything together. The historical setting was another highlight, and the Ritz Hotel made for such a fun backdrop. It added a touch of glamour that contrasted nicely with the murder investigation unfolding behind the scenes.
The romance was probably the weaker part for me.
I didn't dislike Lucy and Frank together, but I couldn't help feeling that Frank had a bit more work to do before fully winning me over. Maybe it's because this is only the first book in the series, but I definitely wanted a little more groveling after everything that happened between them.
I'm hoping that's something we'll see more of in future installments.
Final Thoughts
The Cloak and Dagger Club is a charming historical mystery that blends a classic whodunit with cozy vibes and a touch of second-chance romance.
Even though I guessed a few things along the way and wasn't completely sold on the romance just yet, I genuinely enjoyed the investigation and the Golden Age mystery atmosphere.
I'll definitely be back for book two...
...and hopefully Frank will continue earning those second-chance points.
⭐️ 3.5 stars
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
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