It’s up to Gemma and Jayne to root out the killer in national bestselling author Vicki Delany’s sixth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery when the winner of a garden tour trophy is left pushing up daisies.“I am not a Consulting Detective,” Gemma Doyle reluctantly tells 10-year-old Lauren Tierney, when the little girl comes to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to beg Gemma to find her missing … Gemma to find her missing cat, Snowball. Gemma might not be able to follow the clues to find the cat, but her dog Violet follows her nose to locate the missing kitten in a neighbor’s garden shed. Gemma and Violet proudly return Snowball to her grateful owner, and Gemma basks in praise for a job well done. But a few days later Lauren is back with ten dollars in hand, wanting to once again hire a consulting detective, and this time for a far bigger job: Her mother has been accused of murdering her garden club rival.
Sheila Tierney’s garden, which everyone said was the one to beat for the West London Garden Club trophy, had been vandalized the night before the club’s early summer tour. Sheila confronted her former friend and gardening partner Anna Wentworth in a towering rage, and the women nearly came to blows. Later that night, after having won the trophy for best garden, Anna is found murdered and Sheila Tierney is the police’s prime suspect.
Despite herself, and despite the disapproval of her police detective boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, the game is once again afoot, and Gemma finds herself and Jayne Wilson using their powers of deduction to ponder yet another curious incident.
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amateur-sleuth, cosy-mystery, family-dynamics, friendship, law-enforcement, murder-investigation, pets, suspense, verbal-humor, small-business, small-town*****
Even though this is sixth in series, that doesn’t in any way spoil the fun if the reader hasn’t yet read the others. Set in the small Massachusetts town of West London in Cape Cod, British ex-pat Gemma Doyle Gemma tries her best to stay out of the crime described adequately in the publisher’s blurb. I was somewhat surprised and disappointed that the boyfriend came across more as an insecure cop becoming more of a bully than in previous books, so I wonder what will come of that. I like her relationship (or lack of one) with bookstore cat Moriarty and her devotion to her dog, Violet. The story is entertaining as well as humorous which is the perfect combination. Of course I enjoyed it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
A Curious Incident” is the 6th instalment in “A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop” Mystery series by Vicki Delany. I believe this is the first book I have read in the series, and it can easily be read as a standalone but I recommend reading in order. I have since purchased a few in the series.
The story is entertaining as well as humorous which is the perfect combination. The setting of West London in Cape Cod is idyllic I love books set by the sea with a small town feel. The idea of a tea room and bookstore as the main characters business was fantastic being two of my favourite things. I loved the characters of Gemma and BFF Jayne along with Moriarty the bookstore cat and Violet the dog. I really liked the interaction between Gemma and Lauren and hope we see her again in future books.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with enough twists to keep you interested. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Curious Incident is the sixth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series and an entertaining read. This time around, the competition between members of the garden club turns deadly, when a garden is destroyed and a member is murdered. This time around, Gemma is asked by a young girl to help prove her mother did not commit the murder. I very much enjoyed the introduction of Lauren, the niece of one of the secondary characters, and the bond that formed between her and Gemma. All of the secondary cast of characters make return appearances with some special things in store for the reader. What I found interesting is that this time around, Gemma actually tried not to investigate but rather leave the case to Ryan and Louise. However, the best-laid plans get derailed.
The mystery kept me guessing because we really don’t know all of the people involved in the murder. As always, I enjoyed following Gemma as she unraveled the clues in her very logical, and straightforward manner. She has an eye for detail and an ability to take in all she sees around her, process it, and then form logical conclusions based upon all the facts. She is a unique character, but I also enjoy that she is softening a bit and somewhat less obvious to social queues.
If you are a fan of this series then I’m sure you are going to enjoy this latest mystery from author Vicki Delaney. I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through Netgalley. The opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.
Gemma is drawn into a mystery from the start of this novel. A young girl asks her to locate her missing kitten. At first she is reluctant to agree to the job however everyone of value in her life has faith in her ability to reunite this girl with her pet.
When Lauren, (The young girl), returns asking for Gemma’s help again. Her Mother has been accused of murder. The local garden club is having a fund raiser garden tour. The visitors will vote the best garden which will than receive a plaque to display in their garden. Lauren’s Mother threatened the victim when her garden was vandalized and she believed the victim to have done it. That evening te murder occurs.
Gemma and Jayne, her business partner in the tea shop, must tread carefully. Gemma’s boyfriend and his partner do not want or need her help. Gemma trys her best to stay out of the crime. Clues keep falling in her lap. She invariably decides that she is the only one who can solve the murder,
This is the sixth in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. This is a stand alone novel. I have read the others in this group and I love how the supporting cast of characters have been developed and are multi dimensional. They add to the color of the stories. I highly recommend not only this installment but all of the others,
This is my favorite book in the series so far. The book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone mystery. The characters have continued to develop and evolve over the series. Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, Gemma is a fun modern spin on Sherlock. I like that Gemma embraces helping the little girl. Her relationship with this young girl gives Gemma a more relatable personality. The secondary characters are realistic, relatable, and entertaining. The mystery is well-developed with several well -lace red-herrings to keep the reader engaged in the story. I recommend this book to fans of the series, Sherlock Holmes, and cozy mysteries.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.