Member Reviews

Entertaining and engaging page turner. Several suspects and satisfactory conclusion with the culprit being a surprise, but believable. Sherlock Holmes, authors, book store, tea room, some typical British things, and a splash of romance all add to the story.

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This is an outstanding cozy mystery - one of the best I have read! Gemma Boyle, manager of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium (located on Baker Street in West London, Massachusetts) is approached to host a book signing by Renalta Van Markoff, author of a very popular and controversial mystery series. During the signing, the author suddenly dies, leaving Gemma working around the clock in questioning the myriad of suspects, connecting the clues and bringing Renalta's killer to justice while helping her friends.

Such a well written novel - our protagonist is a logical Brit who uses her skills of deducation and observation to stay a couple of steps ahead of the police and the killer. The setting is perfectly described, and the characters, right down to book shop cat, Moriarty, consistently add to the plot, while never distracting from it. Fast paced, I stayed up way too late to finish this book. I cannot wait for the next - one of the best out there!

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced reading copy.

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I thought the best part of this one was seeing the interactions and affection between Gemma and her friends, like Jayne and Douglas. Gemma's character is one I really like, and I was glad to see her back in this second book in the series.

In this installment, a popular author of a fictional series about Sherlock Holmes wants to do an almost last minute book signing at Gemma's store. The author comes for a pre-visit, and she is one nasty individual. The day of the book signing, a murder occurs, and Gemma is soon investigating so that one of her friends will not be falsely charged.

I really enjoyed seeing the familiar characters from the first book, and enjoyed some of the new ones. There were also a few of those that readers love to hate! I thought this book moved along at a very nice pace, and the storyline held my attention from start to finish. It was a very enjoyable book, and I'll be looking forward to the next one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

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Gemma Doyle and her best friend, Jayne Wilson manage the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. They’re getting ready for the book signing of Renalta Van Markoff. She is the author of the controversial Hudson and Holmes mystery series, which grates against everything that noted Sherlockian Donald Morris believes. When he confronts the author during the Q&A session, she lashes back and humiliates him. The next moment, the author takes a drink and drops dead. Once the police get involved, Donald insists that he didn’t have anything to do with her death. He asks Gemma and Jayne if they could help them find the true killer.
A fantastic cozy mystery! I loved how Gemma, who had great observation and deductive skills, had problems dealing with people. It made her seem more human and less perfect. I loved the great variety of suspects, from the timid and shy personal assistant to the dashing and handsome publicist. It made finding out whodunit difficult until Gemma revealed the culprit in the end. Lastly, the food and tea that was described in the book made me crave for sugary treats, cucumber sandwiches, and cream tea. An advanced readers copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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This was a strong addition to what is a charming series! We once again join Gemma and Jayne as they manage their respective day to day activities for their businesses. Chaos ensues as at the last minute they are tapped to host a book signing for a prominent author in the Sherlock Holmes universe. Everything seems to be going off without a hitch until the author is murdered and Gemma is once again thrown into the investigation.
What keeps me totally engaged in this series is the uniqueness of the storyline. Gemma is all of us, trying to keep her head above water while at times being socially awkward. The plot was strong, characters charming and interesting, and I was definitely surprised at the end. If anyone is looking for a good read, look no further.

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Gemma Doyle's second case comes right to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium when best-selling author of a Sherlock Holmes mystery comes to do a signing and dies by drinking water laced with cyanide. When one of Gemma's customers is accused, she is on the case to clear his name.

This book has a wonderful assortment of suspects from the publicist and the downtrodden personal assistant of the author to the author's "biggest fan" to the disgruntled and delusional would-be author who is convinced that Renalta stole her idea and refuses to give her credit. Gemma's friend is a major Sherlock Holmes fan who threatened Renalta in public for what he saw as her inaccurate portrayal of the Great Detective.

Gemma is a great character who has a lot of the same characteristics as Sherlock Holmes. She is also known for her uncanny and accurate deductions which don't endear her to the police including her former boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton. But Gemma and her sidekick Jayne Wilson who runs Mrs. Hudson't Tea Room are on the case.

I really liked the story and liked that bookseller Gemma also mentioned a number of other books the also star Sherlock Holmes which were written by contemporary authors. The story had lots of twists and turns and was an engaging read.

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Body on Baker Street is the 2nd book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series. I had not read book 1 before starting into this one, but I'm definitely going back to read it! It didn't take anything away from the story that I had missed out on in the 2nd book.

This was a fun book to read. I love the characters and the flow of the story. I really have nothing bad at all to say about this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series! I've read many other books by Vicki Delany and maybe I'm biased but, I just enjoy everything she writes. If you are looking for a fun series, with some great Sherlock references, this is the series for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Vicki Delany for yet another great cozy read!

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2nd mystery in this series. Just as well done as the first. Love the Sherlock references and tidbits. Characters are likable.

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The premise of these books is interesting and sets the heroine apart from some others in the genre. The writing is decent. The setting and the plot line feel a bit formulaic.

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I know that very book I read by Vicki Delany is going to be wonderful. BODY ON BAKER STREET is proof of that. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series.

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have enjoyed both books in this series. Gemma and Jayne are a modern day Holmes and Watson duo. Gemma can't stop herself from looking for clues to the murders in town.
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Great second book in the series. The second was as good as the first. Easy reading and entertaining. Lead female character is different than many others in cozy mystery series. A nice change. Setting is nice and characters are delightful.

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Vicki Delany has provided another winner in this sparkling addition to her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Gemma Doyle can't help herself - she is just too logical, and smart and prescient. This makes for difficulties in her personal relationships, but she is skilled at detecting. All that skill will be necessary to solve the death of a visiting author in her bookshop. 'Body on Baker Street' is charming, witty and downright fun. I am anxious for more!

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Gemma Doyle and her friend Jayne Wilson are the female versions of the great detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. Watson. The books plot is well written which makes it difficult, to know who murdered author Renalta Van Markoff inside the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Emporium.

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Have not read the first in the series and not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, but found this series and the bookshop very enjoyable and well written, most likely will be checking out more in the future.

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This is a new cozy series (#2- Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery) based in a small tourist town in New England. Book one set up the co-op tea shop next door but you don't need to read Elementary, she read, to enjoy the mystery of who killed a visiting author. The villagers fit right into the story and add some color and gossip to the book. Ms. Delany has written several cozy series and this is another great addition to her title list. I love the cat.

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The Body on Baker Street is the second installment in The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries. Englishwoman Gemma Doyle and business partner and friend Jayne Wilson run the busy Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room at 222 Baker Street in West London, Massachusetts. When the flamboyant bestselling author Renalta Van Markoff wants to do a book signing and author Q & A at the bookstore to promote the latest book in her popular Mrs. Hudson series about Mrs. Hudson, Gemma can’t refuse. But when Renalta is poisoned during her book signing Gemma and Jayne once again investigate to find the murderer.

Just as in the first book of the series, Elementary, She Read, we get to see the many unique and quirky cast of characters of West London, and Gemma once again uses her Sherlockian deduction skills to outwit the police in discovering who the murderer is. In my review of her first book I stated I had hoped in the future the crimes became more complex because I felt the murderer in the first book was rather easy to deduce, and this one did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this series for fans of cozies and Sherlock Holmes.

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I was looking forward to reading this book but this was a huge disappointment.
The storyline of an author killed at a book signing has been done to death (no pun intended), as well as someone else actually being the writer of the books and a relative.
The main character thinking she could break into a police station was completely laughable.
It was hard to follow if the author was trying to set it in England or Massachusetts.
The eventual "unmasking" of the murderer was hardly the thrilling climax that it was obviously written to be.
This book was like a very bad Murder She Wrote episode.
I do not publicly post negative reviews so I will not share this on social media.

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I love this series. I stayed up really late on Monday night to finish reading Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany. I think this series is fantastic. Book two and I really enjoy this Sherlock style cozy mystery. Main character Gemma is even more on point in book two, with her trusty best friend Jayne and a whole heap of trouble in her "small book shop" is visited by a mega author in Body on Baker Street. As much as I enjoyed this mystery and story I was equally intrigued by Jaynes tea shop and menu, I had the worst craving for cream tea at 11 pm! This book was a delight to read and felt quite indulgent to stay up late to finish it! This is a great summer read and will be out at the beginning of September for you to enjoy!

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