The Cloak and Dagger Club

Cloak and Dagger Club Mystery #1

by Jackie McMahon

Inspired by Agatha Christie's real-life Detection Club, a murder among a group of golden age mystery writers meets a second chance romance in this debut novel from author Jackie McMahon.

London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she's been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club.

Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace's glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She's even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club's rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain's most popular crime writer.

But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police's prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he's not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other—before the murderer strikes again.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery, Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 2026

About the author

Jackie McMahon writes murder mysteries with history, twists, and perhaps a romance (or two). She currently resides in Florida with her two cats, and in her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and sharing obscure historical facts she has recently learned. You can find her on Instagram and YouTube at @jackiereadsandwrites.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

While predictable, it was still an enjoyable read. The mystery wasn't suspenseful and the romance could've been better, but I did read it in one sitting and it was very entertaining.

Lucy gets invited to be a part of the Cloak and Dagger Club, a club of famous authors discussing their work every week.. Her first book was a success and this is an amazing opportunity for her, even if her ex-fiancé Frank is in the club. But Horace, the president of the club, gets murdered and Frank is the prime suspect. Lucy is on a mission to clear his name and every member of the club is on her list. Her and Frank are investigating and discovering secrets, but will they be able to find the real killer before Frank takes the fall, all while old feelings start to creep in..

I liked Lucy, she was determined and caring and I loved how her mind worked, but I do think she deserved better.
Frank wasn't my favourite, he let her down and while he did redeem himself a little in the end, I still think he should've grovelled more..
I loved the club members, each of them memorable and with a secret, I did have a favourite though.. They were an entertaining group, but Horace was the worst..

I loved the progression, how we slowly found out the secrets that the members hid and how we got a glimpse of the books they all wrote . I did guess all the secrets right, but it was still an enjoyable experience reading about it. I wasn't entirely sure who the killer was, but I still got it.. I don't mind a mystery being predictable, as long as the book is still fun.
Now, the romance wasn't my favourite, I know they have history and they were a good couple before, but I didn't like how they ended and I don't think they should've gone back together. The whole Rita thing was also totally unnecessary, I honestly don't get why she was even there. It lasted more than it should've and I hated that..

This was quite good for a debut novel and I'm definitely going to read whatever she writes next!!

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC.*

[Manon (mysterymanon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an absolute pleasure to read this 1930s mystery/romance inspired by the real-life Detection Club. I appreciated the details it took from the real thing, like the human skull and special oath employed during initiation ceremonies. (The real skull was named Eric. There are some very diva photos of Dorothy Sayers posing with Eric the Skull.)

I liked the dynamic between Lucy and Frank, plus the other writers in the book. The mystery is solid and while I had a hunch for most of the book, I was surprised—and very happy!—to be proven wrong at the end.

This skews very cozy (clean romance + traditional cozy mystery) so don’t expect a sweeping saga or spicy read. For me, it was just what I was looking for: a historical mystery infused with Golden Age charm, crafted for a contemporary audience.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery set in a 1930 London with vibes of Agatha Christie was a fun read. Lucy is invited to join the Cloak and Dagger Club after she has a hit mystery thriller. The idea of the club is that no one is better suited to solve mysteries than the mystery writers. Lucy is to be the 7th member of the club but on her first meeting with the other writer/members the leader is murdered...poisoned and stabbed. So the remaining members have a mystery to solve and know that one of their own is the killer.

I heard about this book in a college alumni bulletin -- the author is a fellow graduate of Gettysburg College.

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 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.

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.

Overall, this was a fun historical mystery with a cozy atmosphere, an engaging investigation, and characters I'm interested in spending more time with. I'll definitely be back for the next installment and hopefully Frank will continue earning those second-chance points. 😄

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining homage to 'golden-age' mysteries. I fingered the perp as soon as the relevant clues were provided. On the one hand, I appreciate the fair play to the reader, but on the other I would have liked to have to work a little harder. Discovery of all the characters' secrets was fun. Will give the author a break for a debut, but hope that future installments are a bit more clever. Obligatory romance sub-plot was annoying, but not too obtrusive.

[Janereads10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found my new favorite mystery series. Good news — this is only Book 1. McMahon captured 1930s London not just through the language and clothing but through the vibe of the era, and that made all the difference. Lucy and Frank were a delight to follow, their sleuthing dynamic easy to root for, and the romance element gave the mystery a heart. The puzzle itself kept me guessing and the reveal was satisfying in a way that felt earned.

Audiobook Note: Elizabeth Knowelden's narration was spectacular. Her nuanced performance for each character brought the 1930s to life in audio just as vividly as the writing did on the page. Fans of mystery will find a lot to love here.

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio, Berkley, and NetGalley for my advance review copies. All opinions are my own.

[JennyGirlReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I read a real honest-to-goodness, old-school style mystery book and this one came at just the right time. Set in the 1930's in London, the Cloak and Dagger Club is for well known mystery writers. When one of them ends up dead, and not trusting the lead detective assigned to the case, two of its members take it upon themselves to try to solve the mystery.

This book delivered on so many things that I love about books. The vivid historical setting chockful of wonderful details, a good classic whodunit with twists and turns that kept me guessing, a cast of characters that were delightful and memorable, and even an angsty second chance romance thrown in for good measure. It also was more emotional than I expected which was a nice surprise. I love a book that can put me in my feels, especially when I am not expecting it. The LGBTQ story line of one of the side characters was chefs kiss, especially considering the intolerance of the time period.

I was floored to learn this was a debut novel and am thrilled that this looks to be the first book in a series and cannot wait to read more.

* Thank you to Jackie McMahon, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an e-book ARC in exchange for me honest opinion.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful and fun read! I love that it seemed equal parts romance and mystery; I am such a sucker for second chance romance. The setting was so fun, I love any sort of club or group with an unlikely mix of characters and these characters were all so multifaceted and interesting. There were so many twists and turns and I love how we get to know all of the characters, their backgrounds and who they are deep down. I really loved the ending and this book made me emotional at times. I already can't wait to read more!

Audiobook note: This narrator had such a soothing voice with just the right amount of pep for the investigation and emotion when deep truths are revealed

Thanks to the publisher for a free copy and ALC; my thoughts and review are my own.

[Lisa Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately want to read this again! The Cloak and Dagger Club is a brilliant ode to the Golden Age of Crime fiction, and a beautiful love story, all wrapped up in a really well written novel. Reminiscent of the Detection Club that Agatha Christie lead, this club is a meeting of some of the most beloved crime writers in 1930. But as their leader seems to have been murdered, all of the members who were at the meeting, which is the last place he was seen alive, are now suspects. The writers range from a Countess, to a war hero, a writer of cozy vicar books, to a well known “ladies’ man”. And then there’s the newcomer, Lucy Hubbard, who has written her first book to some acclaim, but can’t really understand why she was invited to this revered club meeting. Within hours, the man who invited her is dead, and she’s one of the suspects. This book was so thoroughly enjoyable it just has to turn into a series. And maybe a tv show??? A girl can hope. 5 ⭐️

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cloak and Dagger Club is the debut novel of Jackie McMahon, and this historical cozy mystery, with a bit of romance thrown in, proves to be quite an enjoyable read. The Golden Age setting is charming, taking place in 1930s London. Lucy Hubbard is now a best-selling author with her very first book — perhaps this is why she’s been invited to join the Cloak and Dagger Club, a group of authors who critique one another’s work.

Having recently ended her engagement to fellow club member Frank Murray, a little professional jealousy comes through. Frank looks as if he just might become Britain’s most popular crime writer. However, the club’s organizer, Horace Hazelmoor, Frank’s nemesis, is found murdered. With a very limited pool of just six suspects, who among them not only wanted Horace dead, but actually went through with it?

With Frank at the top of the suspect list, Lucy is certain of his innocence, so the two pair up hoping to solve the murder. Meanwhile, given their history, it soon becomes clear that their feelings for one another haven’t gone away.

This first book in a new series shows wonderful promise. Easily comparable to the style of Agatha Christie, Jackie McMahon brings the mystery while adding in humor and romance. A good modern-day comparison would be the delightful Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn. So prepare to be entertained, and join the other readers already waiting in queue for the next installment.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Kelly - readinginthe419 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this 1930s mystery/romance inspired by England's real-life Detection Club whose members included the likes of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. This was such a clever take on that famous club and indeed reads much like a cozy Christie murder mystery.

In this fictionalized account, the Cloak and Dagger Club is composed of some of England's most celebrated mystery authors. And Lucy Hubbard, whose debut novel has skyrocketed to the top of the charts, has been invited to join the club. The twist? Her former fiancé, Frank Murray, is already a member with several best sellers behind him.

But Lucy's first meeting takes a wrong turn, when the King of Crime, Horace Hazelmoor, is found stabbed to death in his hotel room, and Frank is the number one suspect.

This was a fun mystery to follow with so many suspects that I didn't know who to trust. Except Lucy of course. Although she's new to the group, she knows in her heart that Frank couldn't be a killer. She was clever and confident in her detective work, but she struggled to keep her past with Frank buried. The romance is more in the background, and I loved rooting for her and enjoyed watching the two authors mend their broken hearts and take a second chance.

The book was populated with several great characters and a few clever twists, along with a healthy dose of humor. Best of all, I didn't guess the real murderer although I had several guesses along the way.

This debut novel appears to be the start of a new series, and I would definitely pick up the next installment. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie, cozy mystery/romance reads, and historic mysteries.

Many thanks to author Jackie McMahon and Berkley Publishing for my complimentary ARC of this book. I read it while on vacation in London and left it in the hotel's mini lending library for another reader to enjoy.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I love cozy mysteries with a romance subplot so this was perfect for me!

The mystery itself was fun and I loved that all of the characters had their own secrets and motives. I enjoyed trying to guess the killer as well as trying to guess everyone's secret, and some were quite scandalous! The reveal itself was shocking and fun....I mean who doesn't love a villainous monologue, and I enjoyed the little bit of action at the end as the culprit was captured. I was totally off base on who it was, and I'm so mad at myself I didnt guess it sooner.

The cast of characters were all lovable, especially Lucy. She was a great main character and made it easy to root for her to figure out who the killer was. The Lucy and Frank romance subplot was very well written, but as I'm not really a fan of the second-chance trope, I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book more.

I cant wait to see what these characters get up to and what murder they will solve in the sequel!

Thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy!

[Ryleigh Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

I absolutely love when a good mystery book has a side plot of romance — it truly makes the stakes higher imo, especially when the love interests are suspected for murder for a majority of the book. This book gave “Knives Out” vibes with everyone in the group having a secret to hide. It was definitely interesting by watching it all unfold. While some of the secrets were “shocking”, each one still played an important part to the plot.

I saw some people saying that the romance didn’t seem believable, but I thought it made total sense with their extensive history and of course the forced proximity of solving the case heightened emotions. Overall very entertaining, quite entertaining, but I wouldn’t consider it groundbreaking.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Dana Vit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this eARC!

This was a fun read! Set in the 1930’s, Lucy gets an invitation to join the Cloak & Dagger Club, a club exclusively for mystery writers. Lucy attends and is faced with “meeting” Frank, with whom she has a past. Of course someone dies, and of course it’s got to be a member of the club. I loved that every member has a secret! And there were some great misdirects along the way. In fact, I was almost 💯 sure that it was a particular suspect, but I was so wrong! I loved it. Very good characters in this closed circle mystery. I liked them all.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty solid read for me. I found the beginning of this to be a little slow but found myself really enjoying the story play out as I kept reading.

I did initially have trouble connecting with the characters but by the end I was hooked and I would continue reading more mysteries if this is going to be a series.

I do wish there was a little more groveling between Frank and Lucy but I still liked where their relationship was at the end of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for and advance copy of the ebook.

[Lily]

I picked this one up because I’d seen it recommended as a no spice read, but“no spice” doesn’t always mean “clean.”

While there were only kisses in the portion I read before DNFing, the language was much stronger than I personally enjoy, and there was LGBTQ+ content that doesn’t fit the reading standards I use for Lily’s Reading Corner.

Because of that, I decided this one wasn’t the right fit for me and chose to DNF it early.

🌶️: Kisses only (before DNF)
🤬: 20 uses of h*ll
5 uses of G*dd*mn
30 uses of d*mn
45 uses of G*d
1 use of b*tch
4 uses of b*st*rd

⚠️ LGBTQ+ Characters
📖 DNF

[Deanna Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a super quick, cozy mystery and kept me reading the entire time! It was a bit predictable, but the ending was still satisfying. I came to really love the characters and that was one thing I loved the most about this book. I was rooting for everybody, and I love Lucy and Frank. This is a great book to read overall, and entertaining.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book!

[Lauren | TransportedLFL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the free audiobook. These are my opinions.

I had a great time with this mystery. It's set in 1930 London, and Lucy Hubbard is an emerging author of detective mysteries. She receives an invitation to the Cloak and Dagger Club, a group of mystery authors who meet regularly to discuss their work. But the club leader, author Horace Hazelmoor, is murdered. And Lucy's former flame Frank is a club member and suspect.

I enjoyed the clear homage to Agatha Christie. Not only does this book feature a cozy mystery with an author's club, but there is even one club member whose stories sound quite similar to hers. We get lots of little snippets of many of the authors' works. I love that book within a book feel, and I always enjoy learning more about the publishing industry through different eras.

I only was able to guess a cople of the twists, and I went pretty far down the wrong path. So the was delightful in its ability to keep me engaged.

I best know Elizabeth Knowelden from historical romance audiobooks. She narrated this one superbly, bringing just the right amount of intriuge and suspicion to all the dialogue.

4.25 stars

[David Dunlap · Rating 3 out of 5]

(review to follow)

[Mje102 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this mystery!

[Clare Maloney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If secret clubs, sneaky murderous plots, and "just one more chapter" syndrome sounds like your thing, The Cloak and Dagger Club by Jackie Mchanon delivers. It's clever, fast-paced, and full of twists that had me side-eyeing quite literally everyone. I most definitely ignored my responsibilities to finish it lol.

Highly recommend—just don't blame the book when you stay up way too late reading it!

[Sarah Matchette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I picked it up and was able to get through it in a day- it’s an easy, fast-paced narrative that makes you want to keep reading until the end. I loved all the characters here- everyone was so interesting and well-drawn, and that made the relationships amongst the Cloak and Dagger Club all the better.

I also loved that this was a mystery and romance hybrid- Lucy and Frank’s history made their partnership in solving Horace’s murder all the more interesting and layered. I was so invested in their relationship!

I also loved the setting and the nods to the real-life Detection Club, which counted Agatha Christie as a member. This was definitely worth the read!

[Kim Macdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous story and enjoyable read.
So excited to see what comes next from this talented young writer !!

[Danike Parvu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this book was going to be incredible from the moment I read the blurb. I am SO pleased to have been right. The characters jump off the page at you- they are so real and believable. I was invested in their wellbeing from the start (well, excluding *that guy*, ugh). In addition to a wonderful and emotional second chance romance subplot, McMahon has created a masterful mystery filled with redirection after each clue that keeps you guessing. As someone who often figures out who did it early on in a story, I am pleased to admit: the reveal made me audibly gasp. I did not see it coming. Truly delightful. I am very excited to read book two when it releases!

[Jo Quillin Tomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of the summer! Filled with vintage mystery and romance, it was a joy to read.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5, fuck Frank. Lucy girl, you deserve SO. MUCH. BETTER. My gosh, I honestly want to rate this 1 star, but for the sake of this being a debut (not that I think debuts don't have to be good, but I'm willing to give a tiny bit of leeway), I'll give it a 2.

I was so looking forward to this book because I'm a sucker for mystery romances, but quite literally everything about this book disappointed. The FMC was a fucking idiot, the MMC was a piece of shit (seriously, no one on this Earth deserves to have this man as a romantic partner. If you ever encounter someone like this, RUN!!!), and the mystery was... eye-roll inducing. I know I've already said Lucy was an idiot, but my goodness, you're telling me these two are some sort of best-selling mystery authors? I'm not sure they could've put together 1 plus 1, even with the use of counting their fingers.

Man, I don't even know what aspect of this book to complain about first. I guess I'll start with the romance and teeny tiny itsy bitsy dick Frank. It takes a whole fucking lot of audacity to call something a romance when your MMC is with another woman ("oh but they weren't like... ACTUALLY... together." Right, so he's a bitch ass who's leading her on. He knew damn well she was looking for more...) for 90% of the novel and barely develops his relationship with the FMC. And frankly, I don't know why authors find this romantic, but saying "Oh I've always been in love with you" while making the MMC actively be with someone else IS NOT ROMANTIC. Like suddenly you're all "Oh I'm in love with Lucy"??? Right, after you abandoned her for your career and continued to date the OW even after she returned to your life. Fuck all abusive parents, but maybe your dad was right, Frank. You ARE worthless. Call him a fortune teller, the way he saw your future. If you loved Lucy, you'd leave her alone. Nobody needs you in their lives; do women a favor and stay away from them.

However, it takes two to make a relationship, so dumbass Lucy isn't getting off scot free either. Lord help this girl, dumb in relationships and dumb in IQ. I've always said with romance novels, the MMC should always be more obsessed and in love with the FMC than she is with him. This book proves exactly why: sure, Frank says he loves Lucy, but he's NEVER done anything to prove it (no, jumping in front of the gun alone doesn't convince me he loves her... we've had the whole 95% of the book before this proving he doesn't). Meanwhile, Lucy falls over herself for him. GIRL MAKE HIM GROVEL AND WORK FOR IT A BIT??? He's literally the reason y'all broke up in the first place, and was JUST with someone else. What the fuck is wrong with you? I actually groaned out loud when she married him at the end... but you know what? Some women make their own cages. Enjoy yours, Lucy.

And worse, she's not only dumb in relationships. The way she acted, the questions she asked, her whole, just, personality. One word, idiotic. You're telling me this woman, who's supposedly some sort of mystery novel genius, really let that bad cop lead her around by the nose? Right... are we sure her novels aren't ghostwritten? I'm not convinced she could rub her last remaining 1/2 of a brain cell to put together a novel, much less a good mystery one.

Now, as for the mystery aspect... I'm not quite sure you could call this a mystery, tbh. It's giving more "I'm nosy and like poking around in people's businesses". Now, I'm sure the mystery element was surprising if you read the book blindfolded and with earplugs in, as to ignore the elephant in the room doing ballet in a tutu, screaming "LOOK AT ME". However, personally, the grand reveal had me like: Wow, no way??? I couldn't POSSIBLY EVER have guessed that. The fact that they honed in on those people so much and ignored literally every other possibility... be fr, this was purposefully to piss the readers off, right? Honestly, if you're going to have characters this incompetent, at least don't make them mystery writers (although tbf, I guess writing mysteries doesn't automatically mean you're capable of solving them irl...).

The writing, as in the usage of words, is nothing to write home about, but not bad. My problem was, as shown in what I said about the mystery above, it didn't seem well thought out. The plot didn't seem too mystery-like, even if they were solving a whodunit, and the ending left a lot of questions to be answered, in addition to the rapid wrap-up of the romance. At the very least, with respect to the romance, the author could've had Frank break up with Rita and then SLOWLY redevelop his romance with Lucy in future books. As it is right now, I'll give them 3 months before a divorce. Or you know, just cut out Rita's character entirely.

Overall, just one big disappointment for me. I expected so much more, especially from a publisher as big as Berkley. I was looking forward to a new mystery romance series to look forward to, but looks like I'll have to look elsewhere (I would've LOVED the PG/Dodo book).

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cloak and Dagger Club is the debut novel of Jackie McMahon. I believe it's the first in a series; I hope so, as I absolutely loved this book! It was inspired by Agatha Christie's real-life Detection Club, which is a great premise for a series. Not only do we get a historical mystery about a book club of famous writers, but it's also a second-chance romance. Be still my heart! I can't believe I'm actually reading a series at the START, and not jumping in the middle of it like I usually do.

London, 1930. Lucy Hubbard is on the cusp of achieving her dreams. With her first mystery novel debuting with strong sales and glowing reviews, she's been invited by Horace Hazelmoor, the king of crime fiction, to join his elite group of writers—the Cloak and Dagger Club. Thrilled at the opportunity, Lucy finds herself swept up into Horace's glamorous world at the Ritz hotel. She's even willing to put up with the inconvenient presence of her former fiancé, Frank Murray, the club's rising star who is on track to eclipse Horace as Britain's most popular crime writer. But when Horace is found with a knife in his back, Frank is the police's prime suspect. Despite their complicated history, Lucy knows he's not capable of murder. With suspects galore and the danger rising, these two mystery writers must race to solve the crime—and fight their lingering feelings for each other—before the murderer strikes again.

I don't know what I loved more - the romance, mystery or characters. They were all entertaining and engrossing. Let's start with the mystery. Horace Hazelmoor was labeled the king of crime fiction, but it looked like his work would be surpassed by Frank Murray. Lucy Hubbard just wrote her first book and it's extremely well received, but she's stunned to be invited to join his elite group of writers, the Cloak and Dagger Club. What she's not thrilled about is seeing Frank again; they were engaged, and Lucy broke it off 3 years ago. But she couldn't pass up this opportunity. After Horace was murdered, it seemed he had an ulterior motive for gathering these writers together, but what was it? And just who had more reason to kill Horace than anyone else? Scotland Yard is thinking that Frank had the most to gain. Lucy and Frank decide to solve the murder themselves instead of waiting for the cops to arrest Frank. It's difficult, as they both obviously still have feelings for each other. Could the murderer be one of the club members? They are an interesting lot. I liked them all, but my favorites (besides Lucy and Frank!) were Christina Wong, Graham Lockhart and Countess Andrassy. All of the writers present had secrets of their own. One of the best things about the story was that each writer had a chapter of one of their books included throughout the mystery, giving us a bit of insight into each of them. The second chance romance between Frank and Lucy was very endearing; I knew those crazy kids were meant to be together! I had absolutely no clue as to who killed Horace. I thought I knew, but it turned out to be one I least expected! And there was a bit more about the murder that was revealed at the end that had me gobsmacked! This is the most fun I've had with a mystery book in a long time. I've read a lot of great ones, but I loved the fun I had with this one. I will definitely be reading the next book this talented new writer comes up with! Please don't make me wait too long.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I just love a good mystery.

I read this book in almost one sitting, on two different plane rides from Arizona to Colorado to Ohio.

The Cloak and Dagger Club is a group of elite crime writers in 1920s London, and when Lucy Hubbard gets an invitation to join, she doesn’t hesitate. Even if that means willingly seeing her ex fiancé, Frank, again.

But when the president of the club is killed, and the police begin pointing fingers, Lucy and Frank need to learn to trust one another again to solve the real life murder mystery they’ve found themselves in.

I loved Lucy so much. I think from the first page I just couldn’t help thinking to myself, now there is a character who feels like a best friend. Who you wish could be your best friend. And maybe, a character that reminds you maybe you yourself aren’t all that bad if you share some of Lucy’s qualities.

I loved learning about all of the characters alongside Lucy and Frank as they worked to solve the mystery. It was such an enjoyable way to get to know everyone.

I didn’t really notice until the end, but there was almost no spice in this book. I say that because most of the time, when a book doesn’t have any sort of spice, it is so glaringly obvious in the romance. The so-called clean branded romances make it a point to not have anything on the page, which is of course okay but often a very, very distinguishing feature of the sub genre. However in this book, the love between Lucy and Frank was so well written, and spice or no spice, so enjoyable. I love that. I love when the absence of something like spice does not become its own facet of the book.

I also really appreciated that the book is about people who read, write and love books. The descriptions were that much more fun, the banter that much more witty, all because we were reading writers written by an author. That can be done well and it can be done not so well, and the way it was done in this book really had me giggling and highlighting all throughout!

The two things that did not totally grab me/hook me/feel super plausible:

- Horace’s character felt shallow at times. Why was his motivation to be so famous he’d live forever? Was it his past? Was it a publisher? Frank’s character had such a well thought out backstory, the love story between Frank and Lucy was built on shared history since it was a childhood friends to lovers and second chance, and almost every other character, we got to see their motivation, their why, their big thing that made them who they were. But with Horace, I felt like I missed that. He was arrogant and conceited and kept dirt on all of his so-called friends—why?

- The Countess and the Albert the detective investigating Horace’s death fell a bit flat. The twist at the end was nice, a little rough around the edges but definitely took me by surprise, but again, I wanted to know more. We get a little bit about Albert through Graham’s character. We get a lot from the Countess straight up telling us her backstory. But I still wanted more. However I concede we cannot always get more on everyone, I do know that, otherwise every book would be a million pages, or perhaps more accurate, never finished!

- Rita’s character, to me, could have been left out entirely. Or she could have been a one night stand Frank ran into when he and Lucy were sleuthing, therefore “confirming” what the tabloids and Albert said about Frank. She almost came off to me like a red herring. The way she talked about writing and wanting to be an author herself, I almost wondered if she was being set up as the crazy fan who killed to be in her own murder mystery with her favorite author. Frank’s thoughts in response to her actions did move his character along, but I think the plot could have done that, too. But if she was a red herring she definitely did her job, I got so distracted thinking about her I did not see the end coming.

Overall, this was a delightful mystery romp, and I am so glad I chose it as my plane book today 😊

[Aster Carlyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery about mystery writers that had every ingredient for a great homage to Agatha Christie’s world, but I spent the whole book waiting for it to grab me and it never really did. Final Score: 2.4

What I Liked About This Book
This is one of those books where I’m not 100% sure how to write it, because I mostly have mild complaints, but this truly isn’t a terrible book! On a prose level, this was fine, but I don’t have a lot that I found noteworthy. I really loved the premise behind this book and, even though it ultimately didn’t land for me, I do think this was a loving homage to Agatha Christie. While Lucy was an okay protagonist, Horace might have actually been my favorite character to explore in this one even though he was killed at the beginning of the book. Getting to learn everyone’s relationship with Horace and why *they* could have been the one to kill him was interesting.


Where It Fell Short For Me
I still can’t exactly pinpoint *why* this book never fully caught my interest, but I felt disengaged from the start. The mystery itself had promise, but there were some significant issues in the setup/investigation. I tried to wave some of my irritation with the investigation away because it makes sense that the primary focus was investigating the other authors given this is inspired by Agatha Christie, but not exploring more of this world felt like a missed opportunity.

The romance arc was not very interesting to me. I can see how these two had chemistry, I wasn’t invested enough in them to really feel like I was rooting for them. As a couple, they work, but for some reason I just didn’t really care.

This might have been a me issue, but I also never really felt immersed in the 1930’s atmosphere. McMahon definitely laid the groundwork and it felt historically accurate, so this may have just been because I wasn’t really engaged in this book overall.

There were also a fair number of *show don’t tell* issues right from the start and while I think a lot of McMahon’s prose work is solid, it felt like they didn’t trust their audience from the beginning. This type of craft issue always bothers me, but because this was an issue right from the beginning and it’s a murder mystery I think that’s a big part of the reason I was pretty checked out of this book the whole time - if the author doesn’t trust the audience with the basic concepts in their book, it makes me feel like they *really* aren’t going to trust them with the mystery aspect.

Final Thoughts, Opinions & Recommendations
I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I always feel bad when a book is just “meh” in my mind because I never know what to say in the review. I mentioned it above, but this truly isn’t a bad book, it was just kind of forgettable for me. Maybe if I had read a lot of Agatha Christie books this would have hooked me better and it would have felt more nostalgic?


My thanks to NetGalley & Berkley for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

TL;DR
Would I Recommend it? Not really
Would I Reread it? No
Would I Read More From This Author? I would be open to reading them again in the future
Spice Level:** 2 Sweet/Closed-Door - The "PG" Zone. Expect kissing, flirting, and sexual tension, but when intimacy happens, it's "behind closed doors" or fades to black before anything explicit is described.

Star Score Breakdown
Personal Enjoyment: 2
Overall Execution: 2.5
Craft & Writing Quality: 2.5
Characters: 2.5
Plot: 2.5
Final Score: 2.4

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Cloak and Dagger Club" is a romance set in 1930 in England. Frank and Lucy met as children, became best friends, and fell in love. Lucy supported Frank's writing, but when he made it big as a published crime novelist, he neglected his now-fiancée in his craving for the praise and approval that he'd never gotten from his abusive father. Lucy broke up with him and wrote her own best-selling mystery novels. Three years later, they meet again at a crime writer's club meeting, investigate a murder, decide they're still in love, and we end with the details of their wedding. This is romance genre. While the characters were engaging and mildly developed, the mystery simply existed to help us get to know the characters better.

While some of this might be fixed by the final version (as I read an Advanced Reader Copy), I wasn't particularly impressed with the mystery aspect. Yes, there were clues, but it was a pretty simple mystery. Lucy was observant, but she failed to put clues together and only solved the crime because whodunit was convinced Lucy had it figured out and basically prompted her to reason it out. Frank at least had a burst of brilliance in which he put clues together and came to rescue Lucy.

Anyway, the main problems: One, the workers at the hotel where the victim lived had motive, means, and opportunity, but Frank and Lucy immediately decided the murderer must be someone from the writer's club. No one, not even the police, once suspected the barman who could have easily done the whole thing. Two, the police don't appear to do any detective work beyond providing time of death and a mention that both poison and a knife were involved. The detective simply harassed Lucy to pressure her into accusing Frank. Three, even though it was extremely obvious when the poisoning occurred, that death took some time, and that the knife didn't kill the victim, Frank and Lucy asked for alibis for when the death occurred. This was meaningless information.

They also spent most of their investigation digging up secrets on their fellow club members in the hopes of finding a motive. This should have messed up their friendships but somehow everyone's the best of friends by the end. Somehow along the way people forgot to even question how the knife got into the victim's back, and we only learned the answer in the final few paragraphs because we're in the thoughts of that attempted murderer. But we're supposed to pass attempted murder off as okay because it was a homosexual who did it out of love to protect their partner from exposure. Hmm.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language.

I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.