Book Review: ‘A Scandal In Scarlet’ Is The Next Fun Sherlock Holmes Bookstore Mystery

by | Nov 7, 2018 | Books | 0 comments

Author Vicki Delany is back with her fourth Sherlock Holmes bookstore mystery. This time it involves two deaths that seem to be tied together and right in the middle of it as usual is Gemma Doyle in West London on Cape Cod. She owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore and is part owner of the Tea Room which is next door to her bookstore with her friend Jayne.

When a fire breaks out at Museum one night when Gemma is out walking her dog Violet she calls 911 and it’s quickly put out. When a fundraiser is announced to raise funds to repair it everyone is asked to donate to an auction. The Tea Room is the site for the auction and things are going okay until Maureen shows up. She owns a business in town and is not liked by many. She causes a stink with Kathy Lamb, who is chairman of the Museum. When the auction doesn’t start on time, Gemma goes looking for Kathy and finds her dead. Once again she’s around the scene of a crime. The police come and investigate.

When Maureen is made a prime suspect she asks for Gemma to help clear her name (she help before in a case). She says she will look into it but no promises. So she and Jayne put on their detective hats and starts questioning people much to the chagrin of Ryan Ashburton (her police detective boyfriend). The more they dig, the more scandals and secrets they learn and have their list of potential suspects. It reaches a boiling point when the killer tries to take Gemma out once and for all.

A fun small town mystery with fun characters, a simple and easy story to follow and a cute dog and shop cat (any novels with animals I’m all in). And a good romance with Gemma and Ryan, who have been off and on for a few years and seem to be on again. Put it all together and you have a fun story.

You can pick it up in stores on Tuesday, November 13.