Publishers Weekly
10/31/2022
A request from the board of directors of Scarlet House, the oldest building in West London, Mass., which is currently being used as a historical reenactment museum, sparks Delany’s eighth mystery featuring Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium (after 2022’s A Three Book Problem). Scarlet House’s board members are concerned about a series of odd occurrences that some believe are evidence that the property is haunted; random objects have disappeared before reappearing in odd locations, and something spooked the animals in the barn belonging to the house late at night. Gemma’s guess that the incidents were just pranks is disproved when one board member is murdered on the grounds, his neck broken in what first appeared to be an accidental fall. Gemma and her friend Jayne Wilson, who runs an adjacent business, Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, investigate, endangering their lives in the process. A subtle clue reminiscent of one from a classic Conan Doyle story will please Sherlockians, and Delany plays fair with her cluing. The inventive plot bodes well for the series’ future. Agent: Kimberly Lionetti, Bookends Literary. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Game is a Footnote:
CRIME WRITERS OF CANADA 2024 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FINALIST: THE WHODUNIT AWARD FOR BEST TRADITIONAL MISTERY!
“Will please Sherlockians . . . [An] inventive plot.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Sherlock Holmes’ methods work once more in a charming combination of history and mystery.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“[An] entertaining Sherlock Holmes pastiche . . . Will appeal to fans of quirky characters and bookstore settings.”
—Library Journal
“Plot twists, Sherlock Holmes lore, historical facts woven through the story, engaging characters, and the details of running a small business in a coastal town enhance this satisfying cozy.”
—Booklist
“A love letter to classic mysteries with suspense, sleuthing, and humor.”
—Manhattan Book Review, 5-star review
“Readers will be on the edge of their seats loving every word.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“A fun and finely crafted 'whodunnit' cozy mystery . . . highly recommended for readers attracted to Amateur Female Sleuths.”
—Midwest Book Review
“If you’re a fan of this series, you will once again be happy with this one.”
—Red Carpet Crash
“Delany delivers a great story at a very suspenseful pace . . . A 5-star read.”
—Reviewing the Evidence
Praise for the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries:
"A must read for lovers of all things Sherlock Holmes."
—Jenn McKinlay, NYT and USA Today bestselling author
"Vicki Delany is one of my favorite mystery authors and with Elementary, She Read, she has outdone herself."
—Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author
"Cheers for a charming, intelligent heroine as observant as The Great Detective himself.”
—Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author
“Thoroughly delightful. I defy anyone to read this book and not fall in love with the uber-observant Gemma Doyle."
—Laura DiSilverio, bestselling author
“Huzzah for Vicki Delany who’s created vivid characters, a setting that will whet the appetite of mystery readers, and a who-dun-it well worth investigating.”
—Kylie Logan, nationally bestselling author
"A treat for Holmes fans with plenty of twists and turns in the best Sherlock-ian style."
—Kirkus Reviews
“Gemma is a delightful sleuth, and the tidbits of Sherlockiana will engage both cozy fans and Holmes devotees.”
—Booklist
“Suggest for fans who enjoy humor in the Sherlock Holmes pastiches or readers of Carolyn Hart’s ‘Death on Demand’ mysteries.”
—Library Journal
“Delightful…Cozy fans fond of Sherlock Holmes will have fun.”
—Publishers Weekly
Library Journal
11/01/2022
Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London, MA, insists she is not a consulting detective, and she certainly isn't a ghost hunter. But her best friend's mother ropes her into investigating when Scarlet House, a 300-year-old living history museum, has a few problems. Items disappear and reappear in strange spots in the house, while the farm animals are in an uproar at night. After spending the night and hearing a scream and items falling, Gemma is convinced someone is causing trouble. She suggests that the board needs to change the locks and increase security. It's too late, though. When Gemma and her friend Jayne return to the property looking for Jayne's forgotten purse, they discover a body in the barn. Once again, Gemma is involved in a murder investigation. She's also looking for her bookshop clerk who disappeared and left the shop wide open. Murder, a missing woman, and then Gemma's sister, Pippa, a fixer for the British government, turns up. She's interested in the recent happenings at Scarlet House. VERDICT This entertaining Sherlock Holmes pastiche (sequel to A Three Book Problem) will appeal to fans of quirky characters and bookstore settings.—Lesa Holstine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-11-16
A ghost hunt turns to murder.
British expatriate Gemma Doyle owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and, with her partner, Jayne Wilson, half of the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in West London, Massachusetts. An expert on all things Sherlock-ian, Gemma has used the Great Detective’s methods in the past to solve crimes, so she’s naturally asked to discover who’s haunting Scarlet House, built in 1648 and currently owned by the historical society. The disappearance of several items that later turn up in odd places and the fact that the animals in the barn are carrying on for no discernible reason sound less like the work of spirits than of practical jokers, but Gemma reluctantly agrees to investigate. With Ryan Ashburton, her detective boyfriend, out of town, Gemma beds down for the night in Scarlet House with Jayne and Andy, her boyfriend, while animal caretaker Dave Chase, a retired veterinarian, and neighbor Craig Jones stay in the barn. Several odd and scary things happen, but it’s not until Dave takes a fatal tumble from the hayloft that Gemma takes things seriously. It’s rumored that the historical society is in financial trouble and that Scarlet House may be for sale. Though there are no glaringly obvious suspects, many people involved with the house seem to have conflicting agendas. When Gemma’s older sister, Pippa, who has a hush-hush job for the British government, suddenly arrives, Gemma doesn’t think for a minute that she’s just come for a visit.
Sherlock Holmes’ methods work once more in a charming combination of history and mystery.
