Fans of Sherlock Holmes will delight in the sleuthing duo of Gemma and Jayne in this clever and captivating series debut by the nationally bestselling author of the Year Round Christmas mysteries Gemma Doyle, a transplanted Englishwoman, has returned to the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod to manage her Great Uncle Arthur’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. The shop—located at 222 … shop—located at 222 Baker Street—specializes in the Holmes canon and pastiche, and is also home to Moriarty the cat. When Gemma finds a rare and potentially valuable magazine containing the first Sherlock Homes story hidden in the bookshop, she and her friend Jayne (who runs the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room) set off to find the owner, only to stumble upon a dead body.
Gemma is the police’s first suspect, so she puts her consummate powers of deduction to work to clear her name, investigating a handsome rare books expert, the dead woman’s suspiciously unmoved son, and a whole family of greedy characters desperate to cash in on their inheritance. But when Gemma and Jayne accidentally place themselves at a second murder scene, it’s a race to uncover the truth before the detectives lock them up for good.
“A delight—fast, fun, and full of Sherlockian lore. Cheers for a charming, intelligent heroine as observant as The Great Detective himself.” —Carolyn Hart, New York Times–bestselling author of Walking on My Grave
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4 stars to Vicki Delany’s Elementary, She Read, the first in a new “Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery” series. I’ve read a few other books by this author, jumping at the chance to read this new series, as I really enjoy her ability to immerse you in the setting of a quaint and charming little town full of memorable characters. And it did not disappoint.
Story
Gemma is a transplant from England, now residing in West London on Cape Cod in Massachusetts as part-owner of her uncle’s Sherlock Holmes bookshop and new friend’s traditional tea shop. When a busload of mystery loving grannies invade their stores, and a rare edition of a magazine turn up hiding on the bookshelves, Gemma knows something is not right. She tracks down one of the women, but finds her murdered in her hotel room. The police suspect Gemma, as her story of “Good Samaritan to return the magazine” cannot possibly be true. When she learns the woman was serving as a nurse in a very rich family of known Sherlock Holmes book collectors, the story gets even more puzzling. But it’s when another death puts her back in the spotlight that Gemma begins to worry she may be put in jail for a crime she had nothing to do with. Using her own highly-skilled research and investigation techniques, Gemma solves the case but almost goes down as one of the victims.
Includes a few side stories with her friend Jayne, her former boyfriend the cop and a few interesting neighborhood characters who either love her or hate her! Oh yeah, and her dog and cat who are quite a hoot.
Strengths
I always enjoy the first in a new series… to see how the author introduces characters, builds a setting and invests in the themes and motifs which will guide the future books. Vicky Delany does not disappoint, as this one looks to be as strong as the “Year Round Christmas” series. Delany has a knack for creating vivid and personable characters. Sometimes you don’t really care for the character, but not because the character is poorly written — it’s always because she packs a punch in finding ways for you to hate people and love them at the same time. That’s how I fell about the new detective who shows up to crack the case. The woman must have a soft spot somewhere but Gemma can’t find it. And I wanted to slap the cop on many occasions for her rude behavior. Good writing makes you feel that about someone in a story.
Sherlock Holmes has been done before. But this is done in a lighthearted way, such that it’s not over-the-top, rarely boring and usually well-integrated. You learn a little about Doyle, 19th century England and various other historical tidbits all the while enjoying the differences between American and Britain. Plus there are several goofy moments where you can picture the scene happening at some point in your own life. Might even make you want to become a Sherlock-follower yourself!
Suggestions
The book was consistent, just like all of the rest of Delany’s novels that I’ve read before. It’s a good read, full of great characters, but… I want to see Delany push it a little further next time and have a very complex mystery with more players about the town. Introduce more families, show more connections, bring a bit more of England to Massachusetts… Transport us somewhere different where we want to find ourselves lost in. We’re right on the cusp, and I’m betting book two in this series will do it.
Final Thoughts
Good plot. Fun characters. Clever writing. Everything you need in a basic murder mystery with a splash of something new and exciting. A definite read for fans of the author and genre, and a good intro to the cozy for those not ever having the pleasure of encountering one before. Plus… who doesn’t love a book about famous authors and detectives?
If you love Sherlock Holmes, this is the cozy mystery for you! Gemma Doyle is the part owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in New London, Massachusetts. She is originally from England, but has been living in the USA to help her Uncle Arthur run his bookshop. Gemma enjoys Sherlock Holmes but is not fanatical about him. Her Uncle is the one who is the big fan, and for the duration of the book he is away traveling the United States.
Gemma is an interesting character. There are a lot of references to her English accent, and her love of tea. But the main thing about her is she has an almost Holmesian level of observation and deduction. This can cause her to appear rude in other people’s eyes. The policewoman running the investigation develops a hatred of her. I am not sure exactly why.
My favorite part of the book were the scenes set in the bookshop. It seems like such a nice, happy place to work. Who knew there were that many Sherlock items in the world. Although to be fair, the shop seems to sell any book with even a loose connection to Sherlock Holmes. It makes me wish I could have a little book store too.
This is the first book in the new Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. If this book is any indication, I think this series is going to be a great success!
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This cozy was a 3 1/2 star read for me. Gemma owns and operates a Sherlock Bookstore on Cape Cod and is enjoying the beginning of the summer season. Her best friend, Jayne, operates an attached tea room named after Sherlock’s Housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. Gemma is supposed to be a Sherlock like character who notices many details other people miss. Unfortunately this trait does become annoying. I hope it is toned down a little in future books. When a valuable Doyle item is hidden in her shop and the owner is found murdered she sets outs to solve the mystery. I felt the mystery was weak. Since the final clue was a visual one and not available to the reader the solution was a surprise but the motive was a stretch. I did like the small town setting and the bookstore background. The book was an easy and quick read. Since I like this author’s other series I will probably read the next one. Enjoy
Absolutely adorable! I love Gemma. She’s smart and awkward, but more endearingly so than the original Holmes. The action was fast-paced and well-plotted. And the romantic angle was well done.
Definitely recommend picking this cozy mystery up for a quick weekend read… preferably with some hot tea, a flannel blanket, and a furry creature to pet in your lap. (I’ll leave the choice of creature up to you. 😉 )
What a fun book!
I had high hopes for this as a nice, light diversion. It was fine – there’s nothing really wrong here. But there’s nothing really right either. The most interesting character is not, actually, Gemma (the bookstore owner and Holmes-esque main character. It is not either of the major supporting characters either (the sort-of love interest or the best friend-cum Watsonian partner in crime). Instead, it’s actually Great Uncle Arthur, who barely plays a role in the tale. At least he has some mystery and intrigue about him… The others all feel like stereotypical tropes in a genre that, I rather fear, is starting to play itself out.
Of course, even in the land of stereotype there is often enjoyment to be found in the very comforting nature of the characters or plot – but only if the story in question accepts and acknowledges that it is derivative. This one wants to be something unique, and that to my mind is where it faltered. This is not a new addition to the world of Holmesiana – it is, at best, a side dish rather than an entree. If it took itself a little less seriously and played up the cozy factor and the derivation, I think the book would have been more enjoyable for me… And yes, that is rather unusual for me, since I usually am a firm believer that more originality is better. It was cute enough for what it was, but unfortunately I doubt that I”ll be watching for a sequel…
The first of six, in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery. This one got lost in the TBR pile, but I am so glad I read it and will continue with the series. The idea of a book shop and protagonist with a take on Sherlock Holmes. Cute story and mystery, I want to watch this series develop.
Once you start reading it is tough to put down!! Loved the setting, the antagonist female police officer and the mysterious disagreeable store cat with a true Sherlock stories name. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Because I am a good friend and I let my bestie talk me into all sorts of shenanigans [reading and otherwise LOL], I am reading the first three of these books in prep for the NetGalley book coming out in November.
She is lucky that I really enjoyed this. 😉
I’ve always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes movies so couldn’t wait to see what this series would be about. I love it. The setting of West London on Cape Cod is unexpected, but works perfectly for these stories. The characters are relatable and there’s just enough of a romance undertone between the main characters. The thing I especially like in my mysteries is a twist at the end, and this book has one.