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Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #11
The Devil in the Details
The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing cold murder.
Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.
But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.
As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin.
Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.
But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.
As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2026
73 people are currently reading
640 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Delany
60 books1,953 followers“It’s a crime not to read Delany,” so says the London Free Press.
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most varied and prolific crime writers.
She is the author of four cozy mystery series: The Tea by the Sea series from Kensington Books, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane and the Year Round Christmas series from Penguin. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she writes the Lighthouse Library Series.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com , www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor, and twitter: @vickidelany
Vicki is part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen (http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Killer Characters (http://www.killercharacters.com)
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
December 27, 2025
Another great installment in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries. A few thoughts: (1) Will we ever meet Great Uncle Arthur in person? (2) How can one women push her way into so many murder investigations, (3) Are ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriends always out to get us? Plus... I can easily say I enjoyed the mystery, the wedding, the baked goods, and the Sherlock Holmes references. Can't wait for more in the series.
January 26, 2026
Book 11 of this series and it's one of the better ones. The main character, Gemma Doyle, is written as an acutely observant person who sometimes lacks discretion about sharing her conclusions. She has the tendency to be overbearing, especially when she is pursuing a line of inquiry. Delany has written her this way on purpose, as the Sherlock Holmes stories feature prominently in this series and Gemma is potentially related to Arthur Conan Doyle. It's hinted that she may be very much like his famous creation.
Often Gemma drives me a bit crazy with her obtuseness in her treatment of other people. In this novel, however, she is blunt and a bit pushy from time to time, but not obnoxious about it. I liked this version of Gemma and that's why I keep reading this series. To quote the nursery rhyme, when she's good she's very, very good and when she's bad, she's horrid.
Gemma is extremely happy that her best friend and business partner, Jayne, is marrying a local restaurateur Andy. The couple seem perfectly happy. Jayne's birthday party is going well, until Gemma realizes that Jayne's ex is working the event as a waiter. It's obvious from watching him that he is jealous of her happiness and hates Andy. If that wasn't enough, an ex of Andy's crashes the party, hoping renew their relationship. Andy is not pleased to see her. When she ends up dead at the end of the evening, Andy appears to have the best motive of anyone to kill her.
Gemma pulls out all the stops to save the wedding. With her eye for detail, she combs through online news, records, and social media accounts. Can she determine who benefits from this death? Delany provides a couple of very plausible red herrings. At least this time, Gemma has the sense to keep her detective boyfriend informed and near by.
A very enjoyable installment of this long running series.
Often Gemma drives me a bit crazy with her obtuseness in her treatment of other people. In this novel, however, she is blunt and a bit pushy from time to time, but not obnoxious about it. I liked this version of Gemma and that's why I keep reading this series. To quote the nursery rhyme, when she's good she's very, very good and when she's bad, she's horrid.
Gemma is extremely happy that her best friend and business partner, Jayne, is marrying a local restaurateur Andy. The couple seem perfectly happy. Jayne's birthday party is going well, until Gemma realizes that Jayne's ex is working the event as a waiter. It's obvious from watching him that he is jealous of her happiness and hates Andy. If that wasn't enough, an ex of Andy's crashes the party, hoping renew their relationship. Andy is not pleased to see her. When she ends up dead at the end of the evening, Andy appears to have the best motive of anyone to kill her.
Gemma pulls out all the stops to save the wedding. With her eye for detail, she combs through online news, records, and social media accounts. Can she determine who benefits from this death? Delany provides a couple of very plausible red herrings. At least this time, Gemma has the sense to keep her detective boyfriend informed and near by.
A very enjoyable installment of this long running series.
September 8, 2025
Gemma is the proprietor of a Sherlock Holmes themed bookstore on Cape Cod. A stranger crashes the engagement party of her friends Jayne and Andy; she identifies herself as Andy's ex. An unexpected death follows, and Gemma is in full investigative mode, which only intensifies when someone she's suspicious of is murdered. Gemma is a bit too curious for her cop boyfriend and makes some questionable decisions, pestering people for answers, and confronting people who might be a danger to her. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
January 21, 2026
As the synopsis says, there was drama at every corner. This series is growing on me. I have several to read and am looking forward to that. Gemma isn’t your typical amateur sleuth. Things also get complicated because she is dating Ryan, one of the detectives. I didn’t figure out who the culprit was until it was revealed. I also like the setting and the vast age ranges of characters. Highly recommend.
I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
January 14, 2026
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Jayne and Andy’s wedding is just a week away, but today is Jayne’s birthday and also the birthday of Sherlock Holmes. First, Gemma has to celebrate the Great Detective at her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, then she will get over to the Blue Water Café for Jayne’s birthday celebration. Some wedding guests have arrived in town early to attend both the birthday party and the wedding. One uninvited guest crashes the party: Tina Armstrong, Andy’s ex. Also adding to the drama, Jayne’s ex, Robbie, is now working for Andy and is a waiter at the party.
Gemma and Jayne take a minute during the party to connect out on the deck when they see a dark shape moving in the water below, and it isn’t a seal. “Pale white arms, tendrils of long hair, a flash of red fabric,” it’s a body in the water. Tina Armstrong has met a watery demise, and Andy is pegged as the number one suspect!
Gemma knows Andy is innocent; she just needs to find the real killer fast so he and Jayne can walk happily down the aisle.
I always enjoy catching up with Gemma and Jayne, and of course, there is another body. Gemma actually dives into the frigid waters in an attempt to save the woman. Murder? Suicide? Accident? Gemma has a lot of responsibilities with her shop and her duties for Jayne’s wedding, and now a murder investigation, but she delegates well. Because Gemma’s boyfriend, Detective Ryan Ashburton, is friends with Andy, he has to step back from the investigation. Still, Gemma is moving ahead, questioning probable suspects and not always making the best decisions. When she finds another body, things get even more interesting. For a woman who strives to always be right, Gemma is tested to solve these mysteries.
Ms. Delany’s descriptive writing style puts her readers right on the scene. From the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom, Blue Water Café, and everywhere Gemma travels to find the truth, it is easy to envision each place and the people she meets. The main plot and the subplots transition so well, too. It was very entertaining to see Gemma have her Sherlock Holmes moment when all the clues fell into place, and the exciting showdown. I loved the comical wedding arrival.
The Devil in the Details is an excellent addition to this series. Small-town setting, quirky characters, and a top-notch mystery blend together for another Perfect Escape.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Jayne and Andy’s wedding is just a week away, but today is Jayne’s birthday and also the birthday of Sherlock Holmes. First, Gemma has to celebrate the Great Detective at her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, then she will get over to the Blue Water Café for Jayne’s birthday celebration. Some wedding guests have arrived in town early to attend both the birthday party and the wedding. One uninvited guest crashes the party: Tina Armstrong, Andy’s ex. Also adding to the drama, Jayne’s ex, Robbie, is now working for Andy and is a waiter at the party.
Gemma and Jayne take a minute during the party to connect out on the deck when they see a dark shape moving in the water below, and it isn’t a seal. “Pale white arms, tendrils of long hair, a flash of red fabric,” it’s a body in the water. Tina Armstrong has met a watery demise, and Andy is pegged as the number one suspect!
Gemma knows Andy is innocent; she just needs to find the real killer fast so he and Jayne can walk happily down the aisle.
I always enjoy catching up with Gemma and Jayne, and of course, there is another body. Gemma actually dives into the frigid waters in an attempt to save the woman. Murder? Suicide? Accident? Gemma has a lot of responsibilities with her shop and her duties for Jayne’s wedding, and now a murder investigation, but she delegates well. Because Gemma’s boyfriend, Detective Ryan Ashburton, is friends with Andy, he has to step back from the investigation. Still, Gemma is moving ahead, questioning probable suspects and not always making the best decisions. When she finds another body, things get even more interesting. For a woman who strives to always be right, Gemma is tested to solve these mysteries.
Ms. Delany’s descriptive writing style puts her readers right on the scene. From the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom, Blue Water Café, and everywhere Gemma travels to find the truth, it is easy to envision each place and the people she meets. The main plot and the subplots transition so well, too. It was very entertaining to see Gemma have her Sherlock Holmes moment when all the clues fell into place, and the exciting showdown. I loved the comical wedding arrival.
The Devil in the Details is an excellent addition to this series. Small-town setting, quirky characters, and a top-notch mystery blend together for another Perfect Escape.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
January 6, 2026
This is the fourth book I have read in the series (having begun from book six) and I think it's time that I read it from the beginning. It's a solid cozy mystery series and I like the homage the author has paid to Sherlock Holmes in the creation of her characters and the setting of West London, Massachusetts.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Vicki Delany for the digital ARC of the book.
The book publishes today!
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Vicki Delany for the digital ARC of the book.
The book publishes today!
April 13, 2026
Gemma Doyle's best friend Jayne's wedding is rapidly approaching and Gemma is busy preparing to be Jayne's bridesmaid as well as running the shop while Uncle Arthur is off... somewhere... again. But first, January 6th is a double birthday celebration: first for the Great Detective and then it's home to change and off to Jayne's birthday party at the Blue Water Café. It's not a major milestone birthday or anything, just Andy's way of showing his love for his fiancé and welcoming out of town guests. Things are not going well for the Andy in the Café kitchen. His new chef is insubordinate and arrogant and Gemma notes one of the servers is none other than Jayne's ex-boyfriend, Robbie. Robbie still seems hung up on Jayne even though they broke up a long time ago. He is determined to get Jayne back. Then Andy's ex Tina gate-crashes the party, drunk and bitter over a long ago breakup. She, like Robbie, seems to want her ex back. Just as Gemma tries to warn Jayne about the impending ex drama, she discovers something floating in the water. Not something - someone! She dives in to rescue the person from the frigid January ocean and is shocked to discover it's Tina and she's unresponsive. Detective Louise Estrada is on the case while Ryan is away at a conference. She believes someone deliberately pushed Tina off the deck but Gemma thinks Tina just had a mishap or perhaps even suicide. When Ryan returns, he's prepared to keep an open mind and dig up as many clues as he can. Soon he realizes, the suspect he's after must have been a party guest or even the host himself! Gemma's search for answers leads her to another dead body and a high speed car chase through town. With Jayne's wedding only days away and Jayne in hysterics, it's up to Gemma to find the answers she needs to clear Andy's name - without Ryan's help because as best man, he's too friendly with Andy to be unbiased. This case may prove her trickiest one yet.
I didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous books. I didn't really care who the murderer was as long as it wasn't Andy or his family, which obviously, being a cozy mystery, I knew wouldn't be the case. The story was slow to start with but picked up about halfway through. I thought I knew whodunit pretty much right away but I turned out to be wrong. There were clues that led nowhere and would have been a twistier mystery. There was less Sherlockian content in this story than the others and I missed that. I enjoy the rabid fandom even if I'm not overly familiar or interested in the Great Detective and his stories. I AM into another writer with a rabid fandom so I get a kick out of the Sherlockians.
Another thing different about this novel is Gemma shows emotions and she allows others to muddle her thinking. She's also shockingly nosy and is prepared to do a little breaking and entering to interrogate a suspect. Or entering anyway. Gemma is too distracted and busy to do her bridesmaid duties, outsourcing some of it and she doesn't even recognize Ashleigh's worth until other people tell her. For some reason, Detective Ryan Ashburton loves her. She does have a big heart and she cares a lot about her friends but she's kind of annoying. I think her personality is supposed to mimic Sherlock's but she comes across as kind of on the autism spectrum to me, I think she's neurodiverse and it's nice to have that kind of heroine without commentary on her having a "disability" or "learning difference." She is who she is.
Gemma does keep Ryan in the loop this time but he's not home until the initial investigation is underway and then he has to recuse himself from the second investigation so he's just a go-between Gemma and Det. Louise Estrada. Louise begrudgingly accepts Gemma's observations and insights but conducts her own investigation. She still finds Gemma a pain in the neck and ideally would love to charge Gemma with every crime in West London but she knows she can't. I don't think she's trying to pin the deaths on Andy but she's following the rules.
Jayne is very much a Jane Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) character. She's lovely but sometimes too naive. She doesn't see what Gemma sees and when someone is fake to her face, Jayne believes they are being sincere. This personality trait is what makes her a great friend but she could get into trouble, especially now she's marrying a restauranteur. We get to know Andy more in this book. He's devoted to Jayne and lives to make her happy. He doesn't want fame and fortune or to run a fine dining restaurant. His passion is food and entertaining people. Andy loves to cook and he has his way of doing things which causes him to butt heads with his new chef. It's off season and times are tough so he has to take what he can get. Dude you hire a chef and you don't think he wants to be creative? It's like hiring an artist and then saying you don't like their work. Andy might just be stressed out about the upcoming wedding and honeymoon when he won't be in full control hands-on in the restaurant. Hopefully he's not always so tightly wound. I like knowing Andy has a sense of humor and he gets it from his dad. His dad never has a chance to crack a joke on page but I can tell he's the king of Dad jokes. Andy rags on his dad every chance he gets, in a loving manner, of course. Andy's mom is overprotective and itching to interfere in her adult son's life. She gets a little too upset about the reappearance of his ex and is too emotionally involved. Of course she loves Jayne, who could not, but maybe let your adult son live his life and not get involved? Try not to let your personal feelings show?
I enjoyed getting to know Ashleigh a little better. She's so funny. I love her sense of style. Ashleigh is a caring daughter and very worried about her mother. Ashleigh acts more like an adult than Bunny. Bunny is still trying to relive her glory days as a pop star and is looking for any opportunity to gain a foothold back in the biz. She tends to exaggerate and misrepresent herself as a more important celebrity and more wealthy than she actually is. Bunny doesn't live in reality yet. She can't understand why Ashleigh wants to work for a living yet wasn't that what she was doing as a pop star? Donald is annoying as heck with his Conan Doyle obsession and talking about Sherlock on and on to a captive audience. He's even giving tours of the Emporium, telling people what they should buy! Gemma, not being a people person, actually approves of Donald's sales technique but is aware enough to know when he's cornered someone who looks like a deer in the headlights. Mrs. Ramsbatten Gemma's neighbor, is a delight. A still-sharp 80-something, she seems to enjoy the gossip and drama surrounding Jayne's party and I think she would be a willing Watson to Gemma's Sherlock if she could.
The new characters are not especially interesting or appealing. Martin, the new sous-chef is temperamental and egotistical Andy and Martin are constantly butting heads. Martin is a jerk who delights in taunting anyone he considers an inferior and is insolent to Andy. I see why Andy is upset but I also see Martin's point-of-view. He trained to be a chef and he's eager to do things his way but there's doing this your way and there's listening respectfully to the company policy and in Andy's restaurant, it's please the customer even if the customer's tastes are not your own. I think Martin could have committed murder just to spite Andy and ensure the restaurant closes. I wonder if he's been planted? Presumably Andy checked references though.
Robbie Ellis is a sore loser. Life hasn't worked out the way he hoped and he's so egotistical he doesn't realize a lot of his problems are of his own making. He seems to be a talented artist but won't listen to critics, friends or anyone else. I admire him for doing things his way but he needs to find a real job if his art isn't selling. Waiting tables doesn't count. Why would Andy hire him? Robbie has a chip on his shoulder and a sneer on his face. He wants Jayne back but he doesn't really love her or he would accept she's moved on and want her to be happy. He's possessive and obsessed to the point of being creepy and only Gemma sees it. Andy's ex Tina is rather similar yet her problems are less of her own making and more circumstances. SOME are her own doing. She drinks WAY too much, showing up drunk and drinking throughout the evening. She's negative and has trouble controlling her feelings. She wants Andy back.
George Friedman, a restauranteur/businessman who gave Andy his start in business doesn't seem to wish Andy well. Who invited this guy? He spreads terrible rumors about Andy and I'm wondering if the rumors are actually about himself or if he's spreading rumors to make history repeat itself? Then he tries to ruin Jayne's happiness barging into her workplace to inform her of his opinions. With friends like this guy, who needs enemies? Unless George IS the enemy? He must need money or something. He latches on to Bunny, wooing her, Ashleigh fears, for her connections or money he thinks she should have. She has neither and Ashleigh is worried but Bunny seems happy with this guy. He's not my taste. He seems sleazy and I would not be surprised if he's a murderer.
Audrey Whitehall, Andy's great-aunt, is a retired celebrity gossip columnist. She claims she was retired because celebrities post their own drama online now and no one cares but hasn't she ever heard of TMZ? She could have gone to work for one of the tabloid style magazines the paparazzi sell photos to but that doesn't seem to be her style. She liked to be the one controlling the narrative and ruining people's careers. She's the only one who seems gleeful at the loss of life of a young woman barely in middle age. I find her creepy and want to know why Andy's family felt the need to invite this distant relative they probably never see? Her plus one is her goddaughter of sorts, Madison, a young influencer (wannabe?) who is bored and miserable. Well yes, Cape Cod in January is FREEZING and Cape Cod at any time of year is largely boring for a young adult. In my neighborhood when I was a teen/young adult, there was no one under 40 and over 13 and not much for teens. The mall was geared for old people and the activities for families with young kids. WHY does Jayne want to get married in January? My cousins married on the Cape in the spring and early fall. It was freezing and windy on the beach. I feel for Madison but... she's rude to Audrey and makes it seem like she was forced into coming and stuck there with no escape. She's an adult and can leave any time. My suspicion is she doesn't have the money and Audrey is holding Madison on a string making Madison think she'll inherit Audrey's money or some other kind of hold. They're both miserable people but would they commit murder? I don't think Madison would but I think Audrey would have in her younger days to protect her story if the celebrity didn't bribe her to keep quiet. Now she's old and frail and probably didn't kill anyone.
I didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous books. I didn't really care who the murderer was as long as it wasn't Andy or his family, which obviously, being a cozy mystery, I knew wouldn't be the case. The story was slow to start with but picked up about halfway through. I thought I knew whodunit pretty much right away but I turned out to be wrong. There were clues that led nowhere and would have been a twistier mystery. There was less Sherlockian content in this story than the others and I missed that. I enjoy the rabid fandom even if I'm not overly familiar or interested in the Great Detective and his stories. I AM into another writer with a rabid fandom so I get a kick out of the Sherlockians.
Another thing different about this novel is Gemma shows emotions and she allows others to muddle her thinking. She's also shockingly nosy and is prepared to do a little breaking and entering to interrogate a suspect. Or entering anyway. Gemma is too distracted and busy to do her bridesmaid duties, outsourcing some of it and she doesn't even recognize Ashleigh's worth until other people tell her. For some reason, Detective Ryan Ashburton loves her. She does have a big heart and she cares a lot about her friends but she's kind of annoying. I think her personality is supposed to mimic Sherlock's but she comes across as kind of on the autism spectrum to me, I think she's neurodiverse and it's nice to have that kind of heroine without commentary on her having a "disability" or "learning difference." She is who she is.
Gemma does keep Ryan in the loop this time but he's not home until the initial investigation is underway and then he has to recuse himself from the second investigation so he's just a go-between Gemma and Det. Louise Estrada. Louise begrudgingly accepts Gemma's observations and insights but conducts her own investigation. She still finds Gemma a pain in the neck and ideally would love to charge Gemma with every crime in West London but she knows she can't. I don't think she's trying to pin the deaths on Andy but she's following the rules.
Jayne is very much a Jane Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) character. She's lovely but sometimes too naive. She doesn't see what Gemma sees and when someone is fake to her face, Jayne believes they are being sincere. This personality trait is what makes her a great friend but she could get into trouble, especially now she's marrying a restauranteur. We get to know Andy more in this book. He's devoted to Jayne and lives to make her happy. He doesn't want fame and fortune or to run a fine dining restaurant. His passion is food and entertaining people. Andy loves to cook and he has his way of doing things which causes him to butt heads with his new chef. It's off season and times are tough so he has to take what he can get. Dude you hire a chef and you don't think he wants to be creative? It's like hiring an artist and then saying you don't like their work. Andy might just be stressed out about the upcoming wedding and honeymoon when he won't be in full control hands-on in the restaurant. Hopefully he's not always so tightly wound. I like knowing Andy has a sense of humor and he gets it from his dad. His dad never has a chance to crack a joke on page but I can tell he's the king of Dad jokes. Andy rags on his dad every chance he gets, in a loving manner, of course. Andy's mom is overprotective and itching to interfere in her adult son's life. She gets a little too upset about the reappearance of his ex and is too emotionally involved. Of course she loves Jayne, who could not, but maybe let your adult son live his life and not get involved? Try not to let your personal feelings show?
I enjoyed getting to know Ashleigh a little better. She's so funny. I love her sense of style. Ashleigh is a caring daughter and very worried about her mother. Ashleigh acts more like an adult than Bunny. Bunny is still trying to relive her glory days as a pop star and is looking for any opportunity to gain a foothold back in the biz. She tends to exaggerate and misrepresent herself as a more important celebrity and more wealthy than she actually is. Bunny doesn't live in reality yet. She can't understand why Ashleigh wants to work for a living yet wasn't that what she was doing as a pop star? Donald is annoying as heck with his Conan Doyle obsession and talking about Sherlock on and on to a captive audience. He's even giving tours of the Emporium, telling people what they should buy! Gemma, not being a people person, actually approves of Donald's sales technique but is aware enough to know when he's cornered someone who looks like a deer in the headlights. Mrs. Ramsbatten Gemma's neighbor, is a delight. A still-sharp 80-something, she seems to enjoy the gossip and drama surrounding Jayne's party and I think she would be a willing Watson to Gemma's Sherlock if she could.
The new characters are not especially interesting or appealing. Martin, the new sous-chef is temperamental and egotistical Andy and Martin are constantly butting heads. Martin is a jerk who delights in taunting anyone he considers an inferior and is insolent to Andy. I see why Andy is upset but I also see Martin's point-of-view. He trained to be a chef and he's eager to do things his way but there's doing this your way and there's listening respectfully to the company policy and in Andy's restaurant, it's please the customer even if the customer's tastes are not your own. I think Martin could have committed murder just to spite Andy and ensure the restaurant closes. I wonder if he's been planted? Presumably Andy checked references though.
Robbie Ellis is a sore loser. Life hasn't worked out the way he hoped and he's so egotistical he doesn't realize a lot of his problems are of his own making. He seems to be a talented artist but won't listen to critics, friends or anyone else. I admire him for doing things his way but he needs to find a real job if his art isn't selling. Waiting tables doesn't count. Why would Andy hire him? Robbie has a chip on his shoulder and a sneer on his face. He wants Jayne back but he doesn't really love her or he would accept she's moved on and want her to be happy. He's possessive and obsessed to the point of being creepy and only Gemma sees it. Andy's ex Tina is rather similar yet her problems are less of her own making and more circumstances. SOME are her own doing. She drinks WAY too much, showing up drunk and drinking throughout the evening. She's negative and has trouble controlling her feelings. She wants Andy back.
George Friedman, a restauranteur/businessman who gave Andy his start in business doesn't seem to wish Andy well. Who invited this guy? He spreads terrible rumors about Andy and I'm wondering if the rumors are actually about himself or if he's spreading rumors to make history repeat itself? Then he tries to ruin Jayne's happiness barging into her workplace to inform her of his opinions. With friends like this guy, who needs enemies? Unless George IS the enemy? He must need money or something. He latches on to Bunny, wooing her, Ashleigh fears, for her connections or money he thinks she should have. She has neither and Ashleigh is worried but Bunny seems happy with this guy. He's not my taste. He seems sleazy and I would not be surprised if he's a murderer.
Audrey Whitehall, Andy's great-aunt, is a retired celebrity gossip columnist. She claims she was retired because celebrities post their own drama online now and no one cares but hasn't she ever heard of TMZ? She could have gone to work for one of the tabloid style magazines the paparazzi sell photos to but that doesn't seem to be her style. She liked to be the one controlling the narrative and ruining people's careers. She's the only one who seems gleeful at the loss of life of a young woman barely in middle age. I find her creepy and want to know why Andy's family felt the need to invite this distant relative they probably never see? Her plus one is her goddaughter of sorts, Madison, a young influencer (wannabe?) who is bored and miserable. Well yes, Cape Cod in January is FREEZING and Cape Cod at any time of year is largely boring for a young adult. In my neighborhood when I was a teen/young adult, there was no one under 40 and over 13 and not much for teens. The mall was geared for old people and the activities for families with young kids. WHY does Jayne want to get married in January? My cousins married on the Cape in the spring and early fall. It was freezing and windy on the beach. I feel for Madison but... she's rude to Audrey and makes it seem like she was forced into coming and stuck there with no escape. She's an adult and can leave any time. My suspicion is she doesn't have the money and Audrey is holding Madison on a string making Madison think she'll inherit Audrey's money or some other kind of hold. They're both miserable people but would they commit murder? I don't think Madison would but I think Audrey would have in her younger days to protect her story if the celebrity didn't bribe her to keep quiet. Now she's old and frail and probably didn't kill anyone.
November 11, 2025
I find myself always a bit of a weird combo of annoyed and amazed in a good way at Gemma's mind. In this case, annoyed that she didn't seem to be giving Jayne her full attention despite seemingly being the one charged with doing several chores to prepare for the upcoming wedding. True, one has to admire her ability to think on her feet and delegate tasks to others but, well, there are expectations of being a bride's maid, too. Good thing she's got organized, dependable people on hand to take up the slack. Also, while she's definitely made huge strides in controlling her own tendency to appear superior, she's still got a ways to go. And, you've got to admit that anyone who'd dive into frigid waters to try to save someone takes guts. I'm definitely not liking her meandering out at night and trying to sneak into a potential murder suspect's home...alone...however.
Nope, not really going to share how this all came about, but there is definitely lots going on in this story. Wedding planning should rule but, well, she's still got a business to run, worries about Bunny's flirtation with a new guy who may or may not be legit, concerns for friends who may be struggling in many ways, and more. All while pestering people and confronting them to ask pointed questions. Detective boyfriend Ryan is already stressed when removed from the murder investigation due to friendship with the initial suspect, though glad to see he's working hard to keep Gemma and her impulse problems safe. All this said, I've grown to like not just Gemma, even when annoyed with her, but her circle of family and friends. True, Moriarty, her cat, still doesn't seem to like her but she's grown on me.
Bottom line, an enjoyable read that moves along at a steady pace, managing to create some vivid images of, uh, unusual wedding reception wear, let's say. Lots going on behind the scenes, too, including tension in the restaurant's kitchen staff. The investigation is bogged down a bit due to, well, missing Ryan's input and more than one investigation. And, of course, amidst the murder talk, it wouldn't be a Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery without lots of talk about Holmes and trying to keep up with Uncle Arthur's travels, which seem to happen in the blink of an eye. If you like clever mysteries with an equally clever sleuth, albeit a frequently annoying one, you'll enjoy this one. Thanks #CrookedLaneBooks for allowing me this early peek into Gemma's always interesting life. It's always fun to catch up with the characters and see if Gemma's social finesse has improved. Unlikely. Grin.
Nope, not really going to share how this all came about, but there is definitely lots going on in this story. Wedding planning should rule but, well, she's still got a business to run, worries about Bunny's flirtation with a new guy who may or may not be legit, concerns for friends who may be struggling in many ways, and more. All while pestering people and confronting them to ask pointed questions. Detective boyfriend Ryan is already stressed when removed from the murder investigation due to friendship with the initial suspect, though glad to see he's working hard to keep Gemma and her impulse problems safe. All this said, I've grown to like not just Gemma, even when annoyed with her, but her circle of family and friends. True, Moriarty, her cat, still doesn't seem to like her but she's grown on me.
Bottom line, an enjoyable read that moves along at a steady pace, managing to create some vivid images of, uh, unusual wedding reception wear, let's say. Lots going on behind the scenes, too, including tension in the restaurant's kitchen staff. The investigation is bogged down a bit due to, well, missing Ryan's input and more than one investigation. And, of course, amidst the murder talk, it wouldn't be a Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery without lots of talk about Holmes and trying to keep up with Uncle Arthur's travels, which seem to happen in the blink of an eye. If you like clever mysteries with an equally clever sleuth, albeit a frequently annoying one, you'll enjoy this one. Thanks #CrookedLaneBooks for allowing me this early peek into Gemma's always interesting life. It's always fun to catch up with the characters and see if Gemma's social finesse has improved. Unlikely. Grin.
August 21, 2025
Winter weddings, especially if there's a dusting of snow, are wonderfully romantic and magical occasions. Bookshop owner Gemma Doyle's best friend Jayne Watson's nuptials are just a week away, but first, there's her birthday to celebrate. With relatives arriving early to enjoy both special days, fiance Andy's restaurant, the Blue Water Café, is full of excellent food, happy, excited guests, and a huge pile of gifts. Getting some fresh air, Gemma is horrified to spot someone in the quay and dives in to try and save them but to no avail. Was it an accident, or was the unexpected party guest pushed? With Andy considered a prime suspect and boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton having to take an investigative back seat Gemma is soon on the case but, with a second death and the big day getting ever closer, can she prevent Andy being jailed while Jayne’s life falls apart right in front of her?
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this. A cosy with a wedding included is always fun, and the guests Gemma gets to know were great to read about. This is definitely worth a read.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this. A cosy with a wedding included is always fun, and the guests Gemma gets to know were great to read about. This is definitely worth a read.
January 9, 2026
Oh how I love being back in West London! And with the emotional payoff for things that were set in motion from the first book? We love to see it!
I'll admit I was nervous to read this; I've been mildly disappointed by the last few installments, but this one brought me right back in and I'm so glad! I already can't wait for the next adventure with Gemma & Co.
4.5 stars from me!
I'll admit I was nervous to read this; I've been mildly disappointed by the last few installments, but this one brought me right back in and I'm so glad! I already can't wait for the next adventure with Gemma & Co.
4.5 stars from me!
January 16, 2026
When this series is working, it is fire, and when it is not, well, it is absolutely not. I admit to being concerned after the previous book because that one was SO good [could we get two in a row?], but it turns out, my concerns and fears were unfounded; this was a really good read.
A very good mystery [I was SURE I knew who the killer was - I was SO wrong!], some interesting side stories that give some more history for some of the regulars, Jayne and Andy's happy day and a reveal that had me holding my breath for a bit. Add in a "sweet" ending [IYKYK] and the book just really worked.
As this has been one of my favorite series' [and really, the only one of the many the author has published that I have both stayed with and consistently enjoyed], even with a couple missteps along the series path, it was a real treat to be back in this world with characters I truly like and want the best for. I only have one complaint and it is this - the continued use of a V E R Y unpleasant narrator; while she does the MC's voice well, all of the others are awful [many of them sound exactly the same and so there ARE moments where you are unsure of who is speaking], jarring, off-putting, and it is only because I absolutely NEED the audiobook do I continue to listen [and grumble]. I feel it truly takes away from the overall experience of a really good book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vicki Delany, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A very good mystery [I was SURE I knew who the killer was - I was SO wrong!], some interesting side stories that give some more history for some of the regulars, Jayne and Andy's happy day and a reveal that had me holding my breath for a bit. Add in a "sweet" ending [IYKYK] and the book just really worked.
As this has been one of my favorite series' [and really, the only one of the many the author has published that I have both stayed with and consistently enjoyed], even with a couple missteps along the series path, it was a real treat to be back in this world with characters I truly like and want the best for. I only have one complaint and it is this - the continued use of a V E R Y unpleasant narrator; while she does the MC's voice well, all of the others are awful [many of them sound exactly the same and so there ARE moments where you are unsure of who is speaking], jarring, off-putting, and it is only because I absolutely NEED the audiobook do I continue to listen [and grumble]. I feel it truly takes away from the overall experience of a really good book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Vicki Delany, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2026
This is by far my favorite of Vicki Delany’s series. The chemistry among the beloved characters continues to deliver, and the mystery in this one is engaging and satisfying in its reveal. I’d like to see this level of polish in her other works. I’d also like to see Uncle Arthur make a substantial appearance in the next one 😉
Related, but not related, Kim Hicks should NOT narrate any more books. Her uneven attempts at accents and voices are so cringeworthy that they bring down every read.
I received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Related, but not related, Kim Hicks should NOT narrate any more books. Her uneven attempts at accents and voices are so cringeworthy that they bring down every read.
I received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2025
#TheDevilintheDetails #NetGalley is the latest book in this series to all things Sherlock Holmes.
The time is here! Jayne's wedding day is finally approaching and Gemma is beyond thrilled for her best friend.
Jayne celebrates her birthday just a few days before her wedding and when two unexpected exes turn up, Gemma fears trouble is brewing.
Jayne's ex is a server at her future husband's restaurant, and Andy, the future husband, is shocked when his ex crashes the party.
Hoping not to make waves, they both try to go with the flow, however, when someone drowns in the water, Gemma has no choice but to investigate.
This is an exciting addition to this series, and I think it may be my favorite, for now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
The time is here! Jayne's wedding day is finally approaching and Gemma is beyond thrilled for her best friend.
Jayne celebrates her birthday just a few days before her wedding and when two unexpected exes turn up, Gemma fears trouble is brewing.
Jayne's ex is a server at her future husband's restaurant, and Andy, the future husband, is shocked when his ex crashes the party.
Hoping not to make waves, they both try to go with the flow, however, when someone drowns in the water, Gemma has no choice but to investigate.
This is an exciting addition to this series, and I think it may be my favorite, for now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
April 4, 2026
Fabulously wound plot with the characters' personal lives wrapping seamlessly throughout the mystery. If you are a keen observer as Gemma and Sherlock Holmes are/were then you may untangle the hints to find the solution to the mystery faster, but if you are a normal reader then you might be left untangling until the end! As always, a wonderfully written mystery is the meat of the story, but the characters and their personal lives are the hook that keep you coming back for more. I can't wait to see what happens in the characters' personal lives next as well as what mystery will have them rushing to find the solution before someone else falls victim to whatever scheme or murderer appears on the scene next! FYI: If you like audiobooks then this series needs to be on your must listen list as the narrator does an outstanding job of bringing the characters to life with unique voices for each. In particular, I feel the narrator is able to bring Gemma's unique personality to life in a manner that makes you understand and like her even more!
September 1, 2025
I didn’t like this book as well as the others in the series. I’ve read all of the previous books in the series and enjoy the characters and the location being on Cape Cod. This story seemed to have too many characters and each had their own history which was brought to the current story. Many of these stories didn’t seem very relevant. Many red herrings were also tossed around and most didn’t amount to anything. I guess I should be used to this, but why do female characters in cozy mysteries do things like drop by the apartment of a suspected killer at 10:00 pm, alone? I look forward to the next book in this series and hope that I like it better.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.
October 26, 2025
Sherlock Holmes Bookstore Mystery #11
Short and sweet like the book:
I like reading Vicki Delany cozy mystery she always gives us a sweet touch and delight us with surprises and plenty of suspects.
Andy about to marry Jayne is throwing a birthday party for his beloved when during the evening Tina, old fling of his, and an uninvited guest plunges to her death in icy water. The big question: Was it accident, suicide, or murder?
Using her distinctive Holmesian methods Gemma goes into sleuthing mode and finds plenty of people who might have wanted the woman to drown. …..and the irresistible cozy chaos begins….
This story did not disappoint it is always a pleasure to revisit with Gemma Doyle and the gang. The main suspect being Andy, Gemma raced to prove his innocence. I like how she goes about eliminating or adding suspects to her list and prove she is right. And the plot thickens when a second body is found and more twists and turns are added to the equation making a cleverly twisty mystery, full of exes and mostly secrets to kept us guessing to the very end. It is not fast paced but keep a steady tempo all through.
Although this may be the 11th in the series, the story is fresh and the characters only change slightly. It is a fun and an interesting series easy to get into and one I look forward to rekindle with.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane Books as well as Netgalley for this ARC.
Short and sweet like the book:
I like reading Vicki Delany cozy mystery she always gives us a sweet touch and delight us with surprises and plenty of suspects.
Andy about to marry Jayne is throwing a birthday party for his beloved when during the evening Tina, old fling of his, and an uninvited guest plunges to her death in icy water. The big question: Was it accident, suicide, or murder?
Using her distinctive Holmesian methods Gemma goes into sleuthing mode and finds plenty of people who might have wanted the woman to drown. …..and the irresistible cozy chaos begins….
This story did not disappoint it is always a pleasure to revisit with Gemma Doyle and the gang. The main suspect being Andy, Gemma raced to prove his innocence. I like how she goes about eliminating or adding suspects to her list and prove she is right. And the plot thickens when a second body is found and more twists and turns are added to the equation making a cleverly twisty mystery, full of exes and mostly secrets to kept us guessing to the very end. It is not fast paced but keep a steady tempo all through.
Although this may be the 11th in the series, the story is fresh and the characters only change slightly. It is a fun and an interesting series easy to get into and one I look forward to rekindle with.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane Books as well as Netgalley for this ARC.
November 4, 2025
It is always interesting to spend time with Gemma and her posse. This book finds us just after the Christmas holiday but with Jayne and Andy's wedding fast approaching. Andy decides to have a big birthday party for Jayne as many people are already arriving in town for the wedding. Andy has closed off the decks to his restaurant for the winter and also closed for regular business to host the party. Everything is flowing fairly smoothly, Andy is questioning his hiring of a sous chef with an attitude, but the party has great food, music, and friends. The vibe gets a little interesting when an ex-girlfriend of Andy's crashes the party, especially since she has already had a couple of drinks. When the ex ends up in the water and dies despite Gemna's efforts to save her, was it an accident or something more sinister. With more and more interesting factors coming in to play, a lot of people in town for the wedding and Andy starting to look more and more like a suspect, will the wedding actually go on? Can Gemma help get things cleared up in time, or will she just make the local police crazy! Come along for a wild and crazy ride. Thanks to #Netgally, #CrookedLaneBooks, and the author for an opportunity to read! #TheDevil in the Details #SherlockHolmesBookshopMystery #VickiDelany #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader
January 12, 2026
Great addition to the series! I enjoyed following along with Gemma as she tried to figure out whodunnit while juggling her maid-of-honor duties for Jayne’s wedding. The mystery was well-paced and had just enough suspects to keep it interesting and I had no idea who the guilty party was until the very end ( I rarely do). I highly recommend the whole series but start at the beginning to get the full feel of the locale and characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the review copy.
February 22, 2026
3 stars for the story but 4 stars for the characters.
April 2, 2026
Sadly, not a good read for me. I didn’t care for most of the characters especially Gemma. The storyline wasn’t that interesting either.
February 20, 2026
3.5 stars
In this 11th book in the 'Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries', bookstore manager/amateur sleuth Gemma Doyle investigates two deaths. The book works fine as a standalone.
*****
British native Gemma Doyle now lives in the town of West London in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. There she co-owns and manages 'The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium' for her Uncle Arthur, a nonagenarian who likes to travel and indulge in his hobbies.
Uncle Arthur, Gemma, and her best friend Jayne Wilson.....
.....co-own 'Mrs. Hudson's Tearoom', which adjoins the bookstore, and both establishments do a lively business - especially during tourist season.
Gemma prides herself on having Sherlockian powers of observation, and often embroils herself in murder investigations. This sometimes helps Gemma's boyfriend, Police Detective Ryan Ashburton, but it usually irritates his partner, Detective Louise Estrada.
*****
As the story opens it's January 6, and there are two big birthday parties in West London: an afternoon celebration for Sherlock Holmes at Gemma's bookstore.....
.....and an evening party for Jayne Wilson at the Blue Harbor Café, which is owned by Jayne's fiancé Andy Whitehall.
Jayne's birthday shindig is a prelude to Jayne and Andy's wedding in six days, and guests include local people as well as relatives who've come to town ahead of time.
The birthday party is festive, with fine wine and one of three choices for dinner: fish, steak and frites, or pesto pasta - followed by birthday cake.
The celebration is going well, but Gemma notices a couple of glitches. First, Jayne's old boyfriend Robbie Ellis - who still carries a torch for Jayne - has been hired as waitstaff, and he shoots hateful glances at Andy all evening.
Second, Andy's previous girlfriend Tina Armstrong - who's been trying to get Andy back - shows up as an uninvited guest and causes a stir.
The Blue Water Café has an open deck jutting over the bay, and guests go out from time to time to smoke, get a breath of fresh air, or gaze across the water. Tragically, toward the end of the evening, Gemma and Jayne step out on the deck and see Tina Armstrong's body floating in the bay.
Detective Louise Estrada arrives and investigates the incident as a possible murder, with Andy as the prime suspect.
Ryan can't help with the case because he's friends with Andy, but Gemma happily goes into sleuth mode.
The next evening, Gemma's nosing around turns up another dead body, and Gemma is sure the two deaths are related. Gemma's 'suspects' include everyone who was in the Blue Harbor Café on the night of Gemma's party, including a sous chef who argued with Andy; a former gossip columnist writing a tell-all; a restaurateur with financial problems; a rude young woman; and many more.
To interview people, Gemma drops in on them unannounced; corners them in restaurants; bothers their relatives; and generally makes a nuisance of herself. Nevertheless, Gemma's keen powers of observation eventually help her uncover the culprit.
While all this is going on, Gemma still manages her bookstore and takes care of her pets; Jayne still bakes for Mrs. Hudson's Tearoom; and both women prepare for Jayne's wedding by going for dress fittings, making seating arrangements, writing place cards, etc.
Some of my favorite characters in this series are the bookstore cat Moriarty, who likes everyone EXCEPT Gemma;
and bookstore assistant Ashleigh, who has her own inimitable sense of style.
I'd love to dine at the Blue Harbor Café and taste Andy's crab cakes and crab and shrimp curry. 😊
This is an enjoyable cozy mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley, Vicki Delaney, and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 21, 2026
This is one of those mysteries where further tragedy could have been avoided if everyone had just listened to Gemma. A second death comes on the heels of idle speculation regarding the woman's death.
Overall I enjoyed the mystery and the frantic run up to Jayne and Andy's wedding. Now comes the long wait until next January to see if there will be a twelfth book!
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2026/com...
Overall I enjoyed the mystery and the frantic run up to Jayne and Andy's wedding. Now comes the long wait until next January to see if there will be a twelfth book!
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2026/com...
August 5, 2025
This is my introduction to the world of Gemma Doyle and her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, but this is the 11th book in the series. So, I need to catch up!
The introduction was hard going. Fans of the series likely breezed through but I found the description of our main characters and setting confusing. First chapter is all internal dialogue (save one random exchange) from a scattered mind. We have layered birthday parties and weddings, cats and dogs, various relatives, future plans and past memories, all taking place in a Baker Street which is not Baker Street in a London that is not London. The purpose is to get the reader up to speed on the book's world, but it wasn't inviting to me as a newcomer to the series. Overall, there are just too many people and too much description to keep track of!
Also lots of repetition and editorializing and not much action. But plenty of withholding info from the police. Does seem to be an agenda here, either on the part of the author or the character, not wanting the police to solve the mystery.
There's plenty wrong with this book. The writing is repetitious and full of unnecessary details.
At the top of chapter 13, Gemma is convinced the death is accident and suicide but everything she does is a murder investigation. A few pages later she is certain of the murderer. Then a few pages after that, she's back to insisting it's suicide or misadventure. The motives are inconsistent.
The ending is unsatisfyingly vague in at least one respect (no spoilers!) and seems simply to say Gemma was right all along and we don't really need to prove it. Also, problems that seemed so urgent earlier in the book simply vanish.
This is a cozy mystery for readers who want to immerse themselves in the world of Gemma Doyle and aren't much fussed about the mystery or the story. The book grew on me, but I probably won't be reading another in this series.
*I received a free copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The introduction was hard going. Fans of the series likely breezed through but I found the description of our main characters and setting confusing. First chapter is all internal dialogue (save one random exchange) from a scattered mind. We have layered birthday parties and weddings, cats and dogs, various relatives, future plans and past memories, all taking place in a Baker Street which is not Baker Street in a London that is not London. The purpose is to get the reader up to speed on the book's world, but it wasn't inviting to me as a newcomer to the series. Overall, there are just too many people and too much description to keep track of!
Also lots of repetition and editorializing and not much action. But plenty of withholding info from the police. Does seem to be an agenda here, either on the part of the author or the character, not wanting the police to solve the mystery.
There's plenty wrong with this book. The writing is repetitious and full of unnecessary details.
At the top of chapter 13, Gemma is convinced the death is accident and suicide but everything she does is a murder investigation. A few pages later she is certain of the murderer. Then a few pages after that, she's back to insisting it's suicide or misadventure. The motives are inconsistent.
The ending is unsatisfyingly vague in at least one respect (no spoilers!) and seems simply to say Gemma was right all along and we don't really need to prove it. Also, problems that seemed so urgent earlier in the book simply vanish.
This is a cozy mystery for readers who want to immerse themselves in the world of Gemma Doyle and aren't much fussed about the mystery or the story. The book grew on me, but I probably won't be reading another in this series.
*I received a free copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 19, 2026
This is a series that is an homage to Sherlock Holmes, mentions the canon over and over, knows all the lingo, the pastiche, EVERYTHING. We get excessive adjectives to describe everything (especially food) in minute detail. It looks like 100 people got an ARC and gave a fawning review. The author thanks a couple people for reading her drafts and pointing out errors.
NONE of these people noticed that the murder victim was wearing a navy dress with a white belt at the party and a red dress when she was fished out of the ocean an hour later?
I've enjoyed this series and this author for a long time, but recent books in several series have felt like she is trying to crank out too many books per year, and this is the most egregious of all.
NONE of these people noticed that the murder victim was wearing a navy dress with a white belt at the party and a red dress when she was fished out of the ocean an hour later?
I've enjoyed this series and this author for a long time, but recent books in several series have felt like she is trying to crank out too many books per year, and this is the most egregious of all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2025
Look. I know it’s slightly unhinged to start a series at book ELEVEN, but I regret nothing. Was I mildly confused for the first three chapters? Absolutely. Did I barrel forward like Gemma Doyle charging into a murder scene with no backup, no plan, and a mild sense of superiority? Also yes.
In The Devil in the Details, we’ve got a cozy seaside town full of suspects, a birthday party slash wedding countdown situation, and more exes than a Taylor Swift breakup album. Gemma is supposed to be celebrating her bestie Jayne’s birthday (and Sherlock Holmes's too, because yes, we party for fictional men now), but someone decides to add “dead body in the water” to the guest list. And then another ex turns up dead, and now it’s not a party, it’s a full-blown Agatha Christie plotline with cake.
Jayne’s fiancé Andy gets the prime suspect edit, which is great timing, considering their wedding is, you know, in six days. So Gemma’s back on her chaotic girl detective nonsense, interviewing weird aunts, snobby restaurant investors, and a truly chaotic Gen Z influencer, all while dodging her own emotions like they’re evidence in a locked-room mystery.
This book leans hard into the cozy mystery vibes, quirky characters, small-town nosiness, red herrings dressed in wedding formalwear, but it also has that brittle emotional undercurrent that sneaks up on you mid-snark. Like, yes, I was here for the murder and the cake, but then suddenly we’re talking about Gemma’s history of emotional repression and I had to put the book down for a second and reevaluate my own commitment issues?
The best part, though? Watching Gemma evolve. She’s still deeply allergic to feelings and has the social finesse of a filing cabinet, but she tries in this one. Her bond with Jayne softens her sharp edges just enough that you root for her, even when she's making bold, reckless decisions like sneaking into a suspect’s house alone at night (classic cozy heroine behavior).
That said… this wasn’t a five-star banger for me. The pacing felt weirdly uneven in the middle, like the book got lost in its own guest list, and the second death didn’t pack the punch it needed. And while I know Gemma is supposed to be blunt-bordering-on-rude, she dipped a toe too far into “insufferable know-it-all” territory a few times and I had to mentally shake her like a snow globe.
Still, the mystery was satisfying, the setting was vibey (give me freezing ocean views and murder any day), and Gemma’s investigative shenanigans delivered just enough chaos to keep me reading. I’m absolutely going back to book one like the good little completionist goblin I am. 3.5 stars from me and an emotional support cravat for Gemma. She’s earned it.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect the Waitstaff, the Wedding Guests, and the Ghost of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Himself
Massive thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC and for letting me crash this party at book eleven like a messy bridesmaid with a secret flask and too many questions. I’ll absolutely be RSVPing “yes” to the rest of the series.
In The Devil in the Details, we’ve got a cozy seaside town full of suspects, a birthday party slash wedding countdown situation, and more exes than a Taylor Swift breakup album. Gemma is supposed to be celebrating her bestie Jayne’s birthday (and Sherlock Holmes's too, because yes, we party for fictional men now), but someone decides to add “dead body in the water” to the guest list. And then another ex turns up dead, and now it’s not a party, it’s a full-blown Agatha Christie plotline with cake.
Jayne’s fiancé Andy gets the prime suspect edit, which is great timing, considering their wedding is, you know, in six days. So Gemma’s back on her chaotic girl detective nonsense, interviewing weird aunts, snobby restaurant investors, and a truly chaotic Gen Z influencer, all while dodging her own emotions like they’re evidence in a locked-room mystery.
This book leans hard into the cozy mystery vibes, quirky characters, small-town nosiness, red herrings dressed in wedding formalwear, but it also has that brittle emotional undercurrent that sneaks up on you mid-snark. Like, yes, I was here for the murder and the cake, but then suddenly we’re talking about Gemma’s history of emotional repression and I had to put the book down for a second and reevaluate my own commitment issues?
The best part, though? Watching Gemma evolve. She’s still deeply allergic to feelings and has the social finesse of a filing cabinet, but she tries in this one. Her bond with Jayne softens her sharp edges just enough that you root for her, even when she's making bold, reckless decisions like sneaking into a suspect’s house alone at night (classic cozy heroine behavior).
That said… this wasn’t a five-star banger for me. The pacing felt weirdly uneven in the middle, like the book got lost in its own guest list, and the second death didn’t pack the punch it needed. And while I know Gemma is supposed to be blunt-bordering-on-rude, she dipped a toe too far into “insufferable know-it-all” territory a few times and I had to mentally shake her like a snow globe.
Still, the mystery was satisfying, the setting was vibey (give me freezing ocean views and murder any day), and Gemma’s investigative shenanigans delivered just enough chaos to keep me reading. I’m absolutely going back to book one like the good little completionist goblin I am. 3.5 stars from me and an emotional support cravat for Gemma. She’s earned it.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect the Waitstaff, the Wedding Guests, and the Ghost of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Himself
Massive thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC and for letting me crash this party at book eleven like a messy bridesmaid with a secret flask and too many questions. I’ll absolutely be RSVPing “yes” to the rest of the series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review to foJanuary 6 is an important day this year. First, it is the day this most challenging mystery of the series is released (2026). January 6 is when Sherlock Holmes’s birthday is celebrated. Gemma’s bookstore, Sherlock Holmes’s Bookshop & Emporium, held a party. Most important, it is Jayne’s birthday. Jayne’s fiancé, Andy, closed his popular restaurant to celebrate with a private party for Jayne. Most of the guests will be at Jayne and Andy’s wedding, less than a week away.
This has become one of my favorite series. Gemma and Jayne, best friends, are a favorite sleuthing pair. It took the first two or three mysteries of the series for me to warm up to Gemma. Now I admire her, and even covet her innate ability to see and sort details faster than most. This cozy mystery, like the others in the series, is plotted and executed flawlessly. The engaging characters could pop out of the pages into real life and be very well received.
Two people at the party were of extreme concern to Gemma and Trish, Andy’s mother. One is a woman about Gemma’s age who came into Jayne’s party late, uninvited. She saw the one vacant seat at Gemma’s table, and sat. Tina, a beautiful woman, said she knew Andy from years back. They dated for a long time, including through his time in culinary school and her time in theater school in New York City.
The other person is Robbie, a self-proclaimed artist who had dated Jayne and left town after they broke up. Andy had hired extra waitstaff for the party, and Robbie was one of them. When Robbie saw Jayne, the longing in his eyes was unmistakable – as was his rage when he looked at Andy.
Late that evening, Gemma and Jayne took a short break on the restaurant balcony. Gemma looked down and thought she saw something in the water below. When Jayne realized it was a person, Gemma ran down to the dock and leapt into the icy waters off the Cape. Andy followed moments later and retrieved Tina. The medical examiner saw only one injury, where she may have hit her head on the concrete or a rock. Did she commit suicide? Fall? Or was she pushed?
A couple days later, Gemma discovered a link between Tina and Robbie. She went to Robbie’s to get more information from him. She went out back to his patio, and someone attired in black ran out the door, hotfooted past her, jumped into a car, and sped off. For several reasons, the police believed that Andy killed Robbie. Detective Ryan Ashburton, Gemma’s long-term boyfriend and Andy’s best man at the upcoming wedding, had to stay out of the investigation into Robbie’s murder. Andy wanted to call off the wedding, rather than tie Jayne down with someone who might go to prison. She refused. Jayne knew that Andy hadn’t killed anyone. Gemma had helped solve several murders; Jayne assisted her with each of them. Jayne begged Gemma to find who really killed Robbie.
I loved this mystery! It was challenging, presenting several twists and turns that kept it breathtakingly fascinating. At first, a few characters seemed unnecessary to the plot or subplots. The author doesn’t waste words or characters, and they had their own interests at heart. The end was surprising and very satisfying! I highly recommend this, and the others in the series, to those who appreciate well-written cozy mysteries with lively, fascinating characters.
Many thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane, who provided a pre-publication copy of this novel through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
llow -
This has become one of my favorite series. Gemma and Jayne, best friends, are a favorite sleuthing pair. It took the first two or three mysteries of the series for me to warm up to Gemma. Now I admire her, and even covet her innate ability to see and sort details faster than most. This cozy mystery, like the others in the series, is plotted and executed flawlessly. The engaging characters could pop out of the pages into real life and be very well received.
Two people at the party were of extreme concern to Gemma and Trish, Andy’s mother. One is a woman about Gemma’s age who came into Jayne’s party late, uninvited. She saw the one vacant seat at Gemma’s table, and sat. Tina, a beautiful woman, said she knew Andy from years back. They dated for a long time, including through his time in culinary school and her time in theater school in New York City.
The other person is Robbie, a self-proclaimed artist who had dated Jayne and left town after they broke up. Andy had hired extra waitstaff for the party, and Robbie was one of them. When Robbie saw Jayne, the longing in his eyes was unmistakable – as was his rage when he looked at Andy.
Late that evening, Gemma and Jayne took a short break on the restaurant balcony. Gemma looked down and thought she saw something in the water below. When Jayne realized it was a person, Gemma ran down to the dock and leapt into the icy waters off the Cape. Andy followed moments later and retrieved Tina. The medical examiner saw only one injury, where she may have hit her head on the concrete or a rock. Did she commit suicide? Fall? Or was she pushed?
A couple days later, Gemma discovered a link between Tina and Robbie. She went to Robbie’s to get more information from him. She went out back to his patio, and someone attired in black ran out the door, hotfooted past her, jumped into a car, and sped off. For several reasons, the police believed that Andy killed Robbie. Detective Ryan Ashburton, Gemma’s long-term boyfriend and Andy’s best man at the upcoming wedding, had to stay out of the investigation into Robbie’s murder. Andy wanted to call off the wedding, rather than tie Jayne down with someone who might go to prison. She refused. Jayne knew that Andy hadn’t killed anyone. Gemma had helped solve several murders; Jayne assisted her with each of them. Jayne begged Gemma to find who really killed Robbie.
I loved this mystery! It was challenging, presenting several twists and turns that kept it breathtakingly fascinating. At first, a few characters seemed unnecessary to the plot or subplots. The author doesn’t waste words or characters, and they had their own interests at heart. The end was surprising and very satisfying! I highly recommend this, and the others in the series, to those who appreciate well-written cozy mysteries with lively, fascinating characters.
Many thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane, who provided a pre-publication copy of this novel through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
llow -
February 24, 2026
As I've mentioned in previous reviews, this series features English transplant Gemma Doyle, who co-owns and manages the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium at 222 Baker Street in the Cape Cod, Massachusetts town of West London. (Her nonagenarian Great Uncle Arthur is the other owner, although he prefers traveling the world to running the day-to-day operations.)
Ms. Doyle (supposedly a distant relative of Sir Arthur Conan) is blessed with observation and deduction skills worthy of The Great Detective himself. She also is blessed with her own Watson - her friend Jayne Wilson, who just happens to own the adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room. (Although it's not a literal comparison, given that Gemma - not Jane - narrates the tale.)
I've enjoyed the first ten books in the series to varying degrees. I don't think this was the best in the series, but it was really good.
If you regularly read my reviews, you know I avoid detailed plot summaries in them to prevent "spoilers." Instead, I stick to the book's jacket description. So, here's the one for this novel:
"The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing cold murder.
Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.
But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.
As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin."
Overall, Ms. Delany did a good job of developing the above plot into another fun entry in the series. And over the course of the 11 novels, I've grown to enjoy the exploits of Gemma, Jayne, Donald, Ryan, and the rest of the West London characters. So, I'll continue to read future entries in the series and try to appreciate them for what they are: fun, easy-to-read cozies.
Ms. Doyle (supposedly a distant relative of Sir Arthur Conan) is blessed with observation and deduction skills worthy of The Great Detective himself. She also is blessed with her own Watson - her friend Jayne Wilson, who just happens to own the adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room. (Although it's not a literal comparison, given that Gemma - not Jane - narrates the tale.)
I've enjoyed the first ten books in the series to varying degrees. I don't think this was the best in the series, but it was really good.
If you regularly read my reviews, you know I avoid detailed plot summaries in them to prevent "spoilers." Instead, I stick to the book's jacket description. So, here's the one for this novel:
"The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing cold murder.
Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.
But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.
As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin."
Overall, Ms. Delany did a good job of developing the above plot into another fun entry in the series. And over the course of the 11 novels, I've grown to enjoy the exploits of Gemma, Jayne, Donald, Ryan, and the rest of the West London characters. So, I'll continue to read future entries in the series and try to appreciate them for what they are: fun, easy-to-read cozies.
January 8, 2026
📚The Devil in the Details
✍🏻Vicki Delany
Blurb:
The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing cold murder.
Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.
But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.
As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin.
My Thoughts:
Devil in the Details is the latest book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series featuring Gemma Doyle, Vicki Delany. a bookseller with Sherlock-like detective skills who assists the police in her hometown of New London. Jayne and Andy have difficult jobs, her running the tea shop next door to Gemma's Sherlock Emporium, and him running the hottest restaurant in town, Jayne and Andy are so in love and ready to get married. The wedding is a week away. Andy closes the restaurant to celebrate Jayne's birthday. With no time to lose, Gemma must race to prove his innocence so the wedding can go on. The friendship between Jayne and Gemma is the soul of this book: those quiet, heartfelt moments. The party ends with the discovery of a body in the water, which ends up being Tina.When Robbie ends up murdered, once again Andy is a prime suspect because Robbie made it pretty clear he wanted Jayne back.
I love mysteries ,, especially whoddunits and so this book was no exception. vicky delaney's the devil in the details, is fast paced and hooks you in.
Thanks NetGalley Crooked Lane Books and Author Vicki Delany for the advanced copy of "The Devil in the details" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#CrookedLaneBooks
#VickiDelany
#TheDevilintheDetails
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Vicki Delany
Blurb:
The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing cold murder.
Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to be a day marking not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.
But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.
As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin.
My Thoughts:
Devil in the Details is the latest book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series featuring Gemma Doyle, Vicki Delany. a bookseller with Sherlock-like detective skills who assists the police in her hometown of New London. Jayne and Andy have difficult jobs, her running the tea shop next door to Gemma's Sherlock Emporium, and him running the hottest restaurant in town, Jayne and Andy are so in love and ready to get married. The wedding is a week away. Andy closes the restaurant to celebrate Jayne's birthday. With no time to lose, Gemma must race to prove his innocence so the wedding can go on. The friendship between Jayne and Gemma is the soul of this book: those quiet, heartfelt moments. The party ends with the discovery of a body in the water, which ends up being Tina.When Robbie ends up murdered, once again Andy is a prime suspect because Robbie made it pretty clear he wanted Jayne back.
I love mysteries ,, especially whoddunits and so this book was no exception. vicky delaney's the devil in the details, is fast paced and hooks you in.
Thanks NetGalley Crooked Lane Books and Author Vicki Delany for the advanced copy of "The Devil in the details" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#CrookedLaneBooks
#VickiDelany
#TheDevilintheDetails
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 3, 2026
Did you know that for reasons unknown, Sherlock Holmes is celebrated on January 6th? I always learn interesting tidbits from cozy mysteries. This is also the birthday of the soon to be bride, Jane Wilson, Gemma Doyle’s best friend. If you are unfamiliar with the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries, don’t worry about being lost while reading the story; each one can be read as a standalone. If you get a chance you would want to go back and read from the beginning to be able to enjoy a really good story line. Gemma Doyle, the proprietress of the shop, and no she is not directly related to the Great Detective’s creator, but she does share similar characteristics as Holmes. Such as the way she is so logical and concise, but do not be put off by her very rational, very British demeanor because she is very sensitive in spite of that stiff upper lip. She just doesn’t make a habit of showing it, not to mention that emotions just get in the way of crime solving.
Emotions like those of the victim, Tina, Andy’s ex-girlfriend who is found unresponsive in the frigid water after making a spectacle of herself by showing up, uninvited and drunk, to Jane’s birthday party. The same can be said of Jane’s ex-boyfriend who looked to be mad at the world while at the same time talking about his impending success, in spite of working as a waiter to make ends meet. Interestingly enough, both exes seemed to know each other. There is also what appeared to be either jealousy or coveting by George the restaurateur who is throwing shade about a fire that led to an opportunity for Andy. The motives and suspects are varied and interesting, and this one includes a car chase thriller aspect for a little more spice than usual.
I really enjoy the way Gemma describes absolutely everything, so logical and concise, but do not be put off by her very rational, very British demeanor because she is very sensitive in spite of that stiff upper lip. She just doesn’t make a habit of showing it. She does a great job of being the maid of honor, running interference when necessary, and talking Jane off of a proverbial ledge because Andy is trying to be self-sacrificing. The solution to the mystery was well done. I had a partial idea of what was going on but not the complete picture. This story was just as interesting as the ones that came before it and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Emotions like those of the victim, Tina, Andy’s ex-girlfriend who is found unresponsive in the frigid water after making a spectacle of herself by showing up, uninvited and drunk, to Jane’s birthday party. The same can be said of Jane’s ex-boyfriend who looked to be mad at the world while at the same time talking about his impending success, in spite of working as a waiter to make ends meet. Interestingly enough, both exes seemed to know each other. There is also what appeared to be either jealousy or coveting by George the restaurateur who is throwing shade about a fire that led to an opportunity for Andy. The motives and suspects are varied and interesting, and this one includes a car chase thriller aspect for a little more spice than usual.
I really enjoy the way Gemma describes absolutely everything, so logical and concise, but do not be put off by her very rational, very British demeanor because she is very sensitive in spite of that stiff upper lip. She just doesn’t make a habit of showing it. She does a great job of being the maid of honor, running interference when necessary, and talking Jane off of a proverbial ledge because Andy is trying to be self-sacrificing. The solution to the mystery was well done. I had a partial idea of what was going on but not the complete picture. This story was just as interesting as the ones that came before it and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5/5 stars: This Delany's eleventh entry in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, which is a Literary Cozy Mystery set in Massachusetts. Featuring the British owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and co-owner of Mrs Hudson’s Tea Room finds herself turning her deductive mind to sleuthing when her best friend's fiance's ex-girlfriend is found drowned after crashing her best friend's birthday party. When the groom's revealed to be the prime suspect, she'll have use all her investigative skills and the assistance of her many friends to help her sift through the various suspects and all the clues left by the killer. But the murderer's wily and if she doesn't work fast not only is her dear friend's impending wedding day imperiled but she may wind up joining the victim in her watery grave.
With plenty of twists and turns, Delany has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Delany's writing and character work are brilliant; the main character's well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a great secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.
• Features a lovely winter (January) wedding.
• Delany's captured the essence of Holmes and sprinkles in tons of Holmsian Easter eggs. (Although you don't need to know anything about the literary sleuth and his mysteries to enjoy this series.)
• For Animal Lovers: There's store cat, the ever devious Moriarty, and the MC and her great-uncle have two adorable dogs.
While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Elementary, She Read. This is a favorite series; Highly recommend!
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
With plenty of twists and turns, Delany has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Delany's writing and character work are brilliant; the main character's well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a great secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.
• Features a lovely winter (January) wedding.
• Delany's captured the essence of Holmes and sprinkles in tons of Holmsian Easter eggs. (Although you don't need to know anything about the literary sleuth and his mysteries to enjoy this series.)
• For Animal Lovers: There's store cat, the ever devious Moriarty, and the MC and her great-uncle have two adorable dogs.
While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Elementary, She Read. This is a favorite series; Highly recommend!
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
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