Author: Vicki Delany
Genre: Mystery
Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781643857985
Crooked Lane Books
320 Pages
$26.99; $12.99 Amazon
January 11, 2022
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It's a crisp, early October weekend, and business is slowing down as fall descends at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room. Wealthy philanthropist and prominent Sherlockian David Masterson has rented Suffolk Gardens House, where he plans to entertain his friends in a traditional English country House weekend.
As the chosen caterers, Jayne Watson and Gemma Doyle get to work preparing lavish meals and setting up Sherlockian books and props for entertainment. Meanwhile, police detective Ryan Ashburton has taken time away from his duties to assist in the kitchen. It quickly becomes apparent that David's guests don't like each other -- or their host. Plus, some of them aren't even acquainted with the adventures of the Great Detective.
Before Gemma can ponder their relationships a poisoned dart sails through the window of the library, presenting Gemma Doyle with a three-book problem.
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When Gemma Doyle and her best friend Jayne Hudson are asked to cater a Sherlock Holmes weekend at the majestic Suffolk House, they agree, Both of them have always wanted to see the interior, and this is their chance. But what they don't expect is to find that the people host David Masterson has invited are hostile toward each other. What's more, some of them don't even know anything about Sherlock Holmes, which sets Gemma to wondering. At least she has help from her boyfriend, West London Police Detective Ryan Ashburton, who has taken time off to help them.
But after a tense first night, Jayne and Gemma have plans the next day to meet someone in the library. That is, until that person is killed by a poisoned dart, which struck accurately and fatally. Now Jayne and Gemma are in the middle of another murder investigation, and with a surfeit of suspects, Gemma's got to use her attention to detail to discover a killer before they kill again...
I initially didn't care for the first book in this series, but I am glad that I stuck with it. Each book has gotten better than the last, and the characters are evolving in their lives with each one. It's delightful to become involved with them, living in their world temporarily, and taking in the descriptions of West London, the characters, and their problems. This book, -- a three book problem, as it were -- is from Sherlock Holmes, when he would have a particularly sticky problem, and call it a three pipe problem. The titles are whimsical and anyone familiar with Holmes will understand them. But be aware that even if you are not familiar with Holmes that you will still enjoy the books.
Gemma is off and running once again wondering who would want to kill the person, and so begins her questioning of the guests for the week. Sometimes subtle, sometimes not; she intends to find out who had something to hide and why they wanted this person dead. But it soon becomes apparent that finding a killer isn't as easy as it could be, when everyone seems to not want to talk about it and even shies away from her.
So between the police doing what they need to do and Gemma doing what she's inclined to, we have a mystery that is not easy to solve and a group of people who might have all had a reason to kill. It gives a tantalizing story of greed, lies, blackmail, and murder, and keeps you on your toes while you search for a killer. When the ending comes, it is a surprise indeed, which makes it more than ever a most pleasant read. Highly recommended.
More on Vicki Delany's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/vicki-delany/
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