The story is about Gemma, an owner of a bookstore specializing in Sherlock Holmes, becomes unwittingly involved in a murder.

Gemma is an intelligent, observant woman, who as observant people tend to do, notice things that others might not. She is very Sherlock Holmes-esque and this story shows a more human side, how being like Sherlock could alienate your friends.

It's a really enjoyable read and I can't wait for more in this series.

I don't have superlatives enough to express how much I enjoyed this book. Gemma Doyle is absolutely delightful. I love how her brain works, often to the detriment of relationships with friends and a romantic interest or two. Her sidekick Jayne is a treasure in a Dr. Watson sort of way, and the mystery was engaging and suspenseful and surprising all at once. I literally did not want this book to end. I would give it 10 stars if I could, and urge all to hurry out and get it. You won't be disappointed.

Vicki Delany's new series promises to be just as much fun as Constable Molly Smith. The setting is on the Atlantic and the character is Gemma Doyle, a Sherlock Holmes bookstore owner who shares the same sleuthing talents as Arthur Conan. The Watson in this series is the baker who runs the tearoom next door, and her relationship with Gemma is reminiscent of Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles' friendship with retail neighbor Ruby. You don't have to be a Holmes lover to enjoy the book, although Laurie King fans and Benedict Cumberbatch lovers will get an extra kick. Aside from the mystery, there's an intriguing love interest, and Gemma's store co-owner, Uncle Arthur, hasn't even been introduced yet. Good reading ahead!

A new mystery series to read--yay! I like Gemma Doyle and her Holmes-ian qualities. Although her adventures are totally unrealistic, her justifications to herself make perfect sense. I also like her circumstances--that she's running a Holmes book/souvenir shop started by her uncle but is only a Holmes fan, not a fanatic.

Although the murderer is unpleasant all along, and raised my suspicions somewhat early on, there were plenty of other suspicious characters, too. I especially liked that the romance subplot didn't take over the book. I'm hoping that's the case for future entries in the series. This felt like a fresh character, and I'll be looking forward to book 2!

Fun and off-beat cozy featuring a logical, deductive thinker a la Sherlock. Her name is Gemma Doyle and she runs a Holmes-centric book & knickknack shop.

A mysterious woman hides a valuable collector's edition magazine in Gemma's shop. By the end of the day, the woman is dead -- murdered in her hotel room. And Gemma is the chief suspect since she found the body while attempting to return the magazine.

Gemma just can't stop herself from trying to untangle the puzzle, but the police don't want her help. The lead detective is an old flame, and the assistant detective would like nothing better than to see Gemma arrested.

This was a strong debut with a little bit of quirky charm. Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my review.

I really liked the plot, but the main character was a bit obnoxious. I'm assuming she was supposed to be a modern Sherlock Holmes, but she ends up sounding too uppity to be endearing. The detective was also a bit annoying. But the mystery itself was interesting, and there were some interesting supporting characters.

Do you like Sherlock Holmes? Do you like a good cozy mystery? If you can answer yes to both these questions, you will adore Elementary, She Read. It's charming, witty, and smart. This series starter was utterly enchanting. After turning the last page, I added this series to my auto-buy list.

Gemma Doyle moved to the US to take over her uncle's bookstore, Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. After a mysterious strange hides an extremely rare Sherlock Holmes manuscript in her shop, Gemma tracks her down to return the book only to find the woman murdered. Suspected of the crime, Gemma is determined to use her highly developed powers of observation and deduction to find the real murderer.

The plot of this book is wonderfully intricate and suspenseful. With each new development, I had to reassess my guess of who the murderer was. There was a really nice mix of various unsavory characters and all of their actions were consistent and logical (at least in terms of their characterization). With each new addition, the mystery became more complicated and the stakes became higher. Also, the regular secondary characters (aka the non-unsavory ones) were really developed. Jayne was an interesting foil to Gemma. Their friendship was realistic and I adored it. I would love a best friend with those cooking skills!

There was just a touch of romance in this book and I loved it. It never overwhelms the plot and actually works really well with the mystery (handy when one of the love interests is a member of the policy force). I'm definitely a fan of one of the male characters for Gemma (I don't want to spoil who but as soon as he appears in the plot, you're going to love him as well). Hopefully the next book will develop that relationship further.

As for Gemma herself, I absolutely adore her. She has the observational and social skills of Sherlock Holmes but isn't quite as arrogant or aloof. There are some moments where she shows a surprising amount of introspection, which made her even more relatable. She knows her flaws and how they can affect her relationships (one moment made me a little teary on her behalf).

This was a very excellent beginning to a promising new mystery series. I will be eagerly anticipating the next installment.

The Cape setting outside of Boston was a mental get away in the dead of winter. Fun read with vivid characters that draws you into the their lives in a small tourist town. I look forward to reading more.

Jumping the ‘pond’ to escape the shadow of her philandering ex-husband, Gemma Doyle has taken up residence with her Great Uncle Arthur in West London on Cape Cod. Though not a huge fan of the famous Doyle’s protagonist, she helps her Uncle in the running of his Sherlock Holmes’ Book Shop and Emporium while her friend, Jayne runs Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Shop next door. As Gemma begins to pick up and restore order to the shop after a tour bus of ladies depart, she finds a priceless manuscript shelved within the books and soon comes across a mystery fit for the likes of any Holmes fan. The only problem is, Gemma isn’t a fan and she’s the prime suspect. Putting her sharp skills of deduction to work may just get her into more trouble before she can find the true killer.

Filled with eccentric characters and frustrating police procedures, Delany has offered up a new anti-sleuth in Gemma Doyle. Delany’s characters are fully defined and sometimes you truly want to shake Gemma until she straightens up. The pages are full of flaws, friendship and trust. Yes, and murder, treachery, and jealousy. What decent mystery isn’t? A completely entertaining book and I can’t wait for the second installment!

Sherlock Holmes would be an annoying person to know (if he were a real person). Some of those annoying traits manifest themselves in Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London, Cape Cod. Gemma finds a magazine that might or might not be a Sherlock Holmes collectors item tucked away in her store. The person who hid it is found murdered and Gemma and her business partner Jane Wilson investigate. I felt there were times when the author was trying too hard to have her character emulate the prissy Holmes. Maybe that will smooth out in the next book

"Elementary, She Read" is a first installment in A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series from an established "cozy mysteries" writer Vicky Delany. This particular series is written with the many Sherlockians in mind, more populous now than probably in Conan Doyle's day, due to the enormous popularity of BBC's "Sherlock" and CBS' "Elementary". I have been SHERlocked by Cumberbatch as well, and so I eagerly reached for the book when it became available.

The novel follows the adventures of Gemma Doyle (no relation, probably), a transplanted Brit, who runs a bookshop specializing in all things Sherlock Holmes. That the shop is located at 222 Baker Street, West London, New England, is very much providence, not coincidence - the place was originally solely owned by Gemma's mysterious travelling uncle, a Sherlock fan himself, who had purchased the place precisely for its address. The similarities to the original Conan Doyle stories don't end here - Gemma also owns half the stake in the adjacent Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, ran by a Jayne Wilson (I wonder how much the author was tempted to keep the character's name as Jane Watson, for surely a female John Watson this character is supposed to represent). Add to the mix a cat named Moriarity (who happens to love everyone BUT Gemma, of course), a priceless Conan Doyle publication, and a murder, and we have ourselves all elements necessary to weave a captivating mystery.

For the most part, the novel delivers on that promise. Gemma is the Sherlock Holmes stand-in in the story, displaying keen sense of observation and deduction. Her acute reasoning skills allow her to stay well ahead of the police in the investigation, and eventually solve the mystery - and the answer is a twist I dare you to see! However, even though Delany manages to soften some of Sherlock’s more disagreeable traits in Gemma, she still comes across as a bit unlikable, even aggravating at times, especially in her treatment of Jayne. It is, unfortunately, very hard to fall for a character you find irritating.

Jayne herself, who the story casts in the role of Gemma's sidekick, is actually hardly that. She tags along on some of Gemma's travails, and tries to act as a buffer between Gemma's abrasiveness and the world, but other than that comes across as kind, but rather simple. Hers is not John Watson-caliber intelligence, far from that, actually.

Another disappointing aspect of the story is Gemma's romance with the handsome detective Ryan Ashburton. Rather than a promise of a slow-burn romance, we are presented with a pairing that already went through all the stages of a love affair, and is now only - perhaps - reconnecting. As a reader, I felt like I missed out on all the things that make a romance great, from the first blush of infatuation, through push and pull of attraction and denial, to the climaxes of first kiss, first declaration, first consummation.

Only one aspect of the story was truly grating, however, and that is the character of Detective Louise Estrada, whose excessive dislike of Gemma is simply inexplicable. That sentiment influences Estrada's professionalism to an unbelievable degree: disregarding all evidence to the contrary, she pins the murder on Gemma and sticks to her claims like a dog to a bone. That the rest of the detectives don't seem to question - or indeed notice - Estrada's behavior, is baffling in the least. And, in the end, the reader never even finds out the reasons for this disproportionate hostility.

In all, you will find this book a very engaging read, especially if you are a Sherlock fan - of whichever iteration. But it's not a page turner I hoped it would be. Almost, but not quite.

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I will post this review on my GoodReads page, Amazon and Instagram in the week of publication, and add the links below as they become available.

A Charming Cozy Mystery !

This charming read begins with Gemma Doyle ,the half owner of the Sherlock Homes Bookshop And Emporium. Gemma and her best friend Jayne get unwillingly pulled into a murder investigation, after they find a mysterious lady, who left a valuable magazine in the bookshop....dead in a hotel room.
  A cozy, charming, who-done- it ! Great for the cozy mystery reader !
4 stars !

I really enjoyed this book.

Gemma Doyle (probably no relation) is an Englishwoman running a Sherlock Holmes Bookstore in a small, Cape Cod town. She finds herself and her best friend Jayne right in the middle of two murders that appear to be related to an extremely valuable piece of Holmes memorabilia. The twists and turns would do the Detective proud.

No language, very little violence-or at least explicit-and no sexual descriptions. It was an easy read and a pleasant way to spend a few weekend hours.

4 - 4.5 stars

Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium sits comfortably at 222 Baker Street, West London. That’s Cape Cod, not England, of course, but it doesn’t stop the part owner, Gemma Doyle, from falling in love with the place. Originally from London, Gemma owns the bookshop with her great uncle Arthur, who swears that he is distantly related to Sherlock’s author, Arthur Conan Doyle.

Gemma’s best friend Jayne wanted to start a cake shop next door, so they knocked down the wall between the two shops and run it all together.

After a busload of bridge players steps in for a scone and a quick browse among the shelves, Gemma realizes that a rare and expensive magazine by Conan Doyle has been sneakily left between two books. Where else would you hide a tree but within a forest? Gemma, being the super observant sleuth she is, works out who left the magazine. Gemma and Jayne track the mystery woman to a local hotel, but when they get there, they find the woman has already been murdered.

Investigating the case for the local police is the handsome detective Ryan Ashburton. The fact that it has been only a couple of years since he and Gemma broke up, just makes it harder for them both. The criminals have planted Gemma firmly in the spotlight as beneficiary of the crime, and the rest of the police have pegged Gemma firmly as the prime suspect. How will Gemma get out of this?

This book was a lot of fun to read. Comfortably in the cozy mystery genre, Gemma is clever and very observant. It is appropriate that her bookshop favours Sherlock Holmes, because she exhibits many of his behaviours of observation and deduction. Jayne is a good sidekick. Clever enough to be believable without ever stealing the limelight, she is a good foil for Gemma, who can be a little bit of a know-it-all.

The plot rolls along and the characters fit nicely within it. The pacing is good, and there is enough of the location for the story to feel embedded without the location ever taking over the main elements of the story. Not much happens in the romance department with Ryan, but this has clearly been set up as a series (this is book two), so I’m presuming that more will develop down the track. Great Uncle Arthur could be fun to get to know too, and it could be interesting hearing more from him in future adventures.

I really enjoyed this adventure by Delany. She knows the Sherlock characters and series’ well, and there is enough detail mentioned to know that Delany has done her homework. Where the Sherlockian fun really emerges is through her main character Gemma. Gemma is a lot of fun, and very quick with her observations and to sort through various plot possibilities as delivered by Delany. Delany is clever to have softened some of Sherlock’s more irritating habits in Gemma, so she has become a more rounded and approachable character than the original.

I highly recommend this book. I’m heading out to find book 1, and will eagerly anticipate book 3 when it is published. Enjoy.

Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

I'm a Sherlock Holmes fan, and this fan fiction cozy mystery kept me reading straight through. It was a unique plot with entertaining characters. I like a clean read with not much blood and gore, and this provided that and didn't need it to make their case. It moved fast enough to keep me engaged and left enough bread crumbs to keep me guessing until the big reveal. I love it and will definitely read more of this author in a cozy nook with a cup of tea.

Gemma Doyle has moved to West London, New England to work as part owner/manager of her uncle's store, Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. But after a recent bus tour, she notices an item out of place on one of the shelves...an item that may turn out to be a valuable collector's item. Convinced she saw the person who may have left the item in her store, she and her friend, Jayne, follow clues to a hotel where they indeed find the owner, dead in her room. When Gemma becomes the prime suspect, she knows she needs to help solve this crime. This is the first book in a new series. I initially found the in-depth details slightly off putting, but Gemma's character soon endeared itself to me. Like a female version of Sherlock on the TV series "Elementary," she is extremely observant and deductive, but overly blunt and a bit socially inept when dealing with others. The other characters in the story were also interesting, including her long time friend,
Jayne, the chief detective on the case and a former beau, and his partner who seems intent on proving Gemma's guilt. And of course, let's not leave out her dog, Violet, and the store cat, Moriarity. The mystery itself provided several fun twists. I am looking forward to the next book in this series to see how these relationships develop. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this ARC through Net Galley.

One of the best books I have read thus far this year. This isn't your ordinary mystery it's more than that. The lead character is very special. I felt that I was in the shop when it was being described. There were scenes in the book that you can just close your eyes and think that you are right in the middle of it.

I am looking forward to more by this author.

Any book with a bookstore as a character is a good book. Gemma Doyle is too much like Sherlock Holmes for her own good when helping solve a local murder.
Goodreads

Gemma Doyle runs a bookshop on Cape Cod specializing in Sherlock Holmes. When she finds a priceless copy of the first Sherlock Holmes story hidden on her book shelves, she uses her phenomenal and nearly photographic memory to figure out who left it there. When she and her friend Jayne who runs Mrs. Hudson't Tea Room next door go to find her, they discover that she has been murdered.

Gemma is not particularly pleased to find that one of the investigators is Ryan Ashburton. She and Ryan had a close relationship until they unexpectedly broke up and he took a job in Boston. His partner is Louise Estrada who seems to take an immediate dislike to Gemma. Now Gemma not only has to fend off a detective who is certain she is guilty but also collectors who have heard rumors that she has possession of the priceless Sherlock Holmes artifact.

Gemma is busy investigating and has a lot of suspects. Is it the new book dealer who moved into town? Is it someone in the family of the man who left the priceless artifact to the nurse who cared for him in his final illness? Is it the son of the nurse (and murder victim) who inherited the story?

I liked Gemma who was perceptive and clueless at the same time. I liked her relationship with her friend Jayne. When I learned the reason that Ryan left her, I took a real dislike to him but he did grow on me as the story progressed.

I would be eager to read more adventures for Gemma and her friend Jayne.

I often enjoy characters that have some quirks. The co owner of the Sherlock Holmes gift shop set in Cape Cod in Vicki Delano's Elementary, She Read, has a photograph memory and an extreme attention to detail. This can come in handy when stocking shelves of her book and gift shop, but be very trying to the police investigation of a murder with ties to her shop. I read this book in exchange for a review. As someone who has read my share of Sherlock Homes I found the twist of the shopkeeper and her friend following in his footsteps. I would like to read more to see what these characters get up to next.