I liked Gemma better in this installment, although I still find her a little insufferable (a Holmes characteristic? Did Watson (Jayne) want to smack him on occasion?). The mysteries about the fire and the murder were good and the investigating well done and although I pegged the killer, there were enough red herrings that I was led away again, and was pleased with the resolution.

Definitely a series to keep on my TBR list!

Vicki Delany's fourth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery is A Scandal in Scarlet. Gemma, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, and her dog Violet are out for a walk one night when Violet alerts her to a burning building - a local history museum. When the new director is murdered at a fundraiser auction at the tea shop soon after, Gemma again finds herself in the middle of a mystery Having gotten accustomed to Gemma's mannerisms, I enjoy this series. New readers may find her less than charming, but she grows on you. This book is a nice addition to the series!

This is the fourth installment in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series and I am still enjoying it very much. When a fire damages the Scarlet House and much of the contents, Gemma and Jayne agree to host a fundraising auction at Mrs. Hudson's Teashop. The local business owners all make donations except for the annoying Maureen, who owns a local Art Store. When the new Chairwoman of the Board of the West London Museum is found strangled in the teashop's storage room, the auction is off and Maureen is a suspect. Now if you have read any other books in this series, you will know that Maureen and Gemma are far from friend, but when Maureen asks Gemma for help, she cannot turn her down. In her normal Gemma style, she begins to ask questions and make observations. With more questions than answers and another body, can Gemma help solve this crime before anyone ends up dead?

Gemma Doyle is a British expat owner of The Sherlock Holmes bookstore and emporium. She is partners with her friend Jayne, who owns the tea shop next door. Ryan, her police officer boyfriend is constantly trying to get Gemma to butt out, but she does not listen well. I am interested to know where her relationship with Ryan goes from here. At the end of the book, they are very happy together and I hope that continues in the next book, Ryan seems to mellow her somewhat. There was a lot of action in the book, which I liked. The mystery was well plotted and I had no idea who the killer was until it was revealed, however, it was believable. This book can be read as a standalone, but I would suggest you read them in order so you do not miss out on the character development and background. A solid Cozy Mystery Series for cozy lovers.

After a fire destroyed the Scarlet House that was part of the West London Museum, Gemma and Jayne agreed to hold a fundraiser tea in the teashop along with an auction featuring items donated from the town businesses and individual. When Gemma found Kathy, the museum board's chairman dead in the storage room for the teashop, she agreed to look into things because the annoying business neighbor Maureen claimed she was being blamed for the crime. After another seemingly unrelated murder (yep, Gemma found that body too) Gemma continued to investigate with her trusty sidekick Jayne (sometimes alone though) and must have struck a nerve when she, or rather the cat Moriarty, scared off an intruder after she'd closed one night.

This case had me baffled for sure! I really had no idea who the killer was, but it wasn't shocked when I found out who it was. The showdown and subsequent boat chase was pretty awesome and exciting. I liked how Gemma and her friends had a little wrap-up session at the very end of the book in the form of a summer picnic. Gemma and Ryan are in a very good place now, so I hope that continues because even Jayne noticed how happy Gemma had been. It was fun that Uncle Arthur was actually somewhat present in this book instead of being just a text. It reminds me of Charlie from Charlie's Angels how he was never seen. Uncle Arthur was actually not seen in the book, but he was on land and back at his home at one point.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38363179-a-scandal-in-scarlet" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="A Scandal in Scarlet (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery, #4)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1527081243m/38363179.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38363179-a-scandal-in-scarlet">A Scandal in Scarlet</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/550956.Vicki_Delany">Vicki Delany</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2305366478">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
While walking her dog Violet late one night, Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, acts quickly when she smells smoke outside the West London Museum. Fortunately no one is inside, but it’s too late to save the museum’s priceless collection of furniture, and damage to the historic house is extensive. Baker Street’s shop owners come together to hold an afternoon auction tea to raise funds to rebuild, and Great Uncle Arthur Doyle offers a signed first edition of The Valley of Fear.<br /><br />Cape Cod’s cognoscenti files into Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, owned by Gemma’s best friend, Jayne Wilson. Excitement fills the air, but the auction never happens, before the gavel can fall, museum board chair Kathy Lamb is found dead in the back room. Wrapped tightly around her neck is a long rope of decorative knotted tea cups—a gift item that Jayne sells at Mrs. Hudson’s. Gemma’s boyfriend in blue, Ryan Ashburton, arrives on the scene with Detective Louise Estrada. But the suspect list is long, and the case far from elementary. Does Kathy’s killing have any relation to a mysterious death of seven years ago?<br /><br />Gemma has no intention of getting involved in the investigation, but when fellow shopkeeper Maureen finds herself the prime suspect she begs Gemma for her help. Ryan knows Gemma’s methods and he isn’t happy when she gets entangled in another mystery. But with so many suspects and so few clues, her deductive prowess will prove invaluable<br /><br />The author has given us us another well written mystery that is full of twists, turns, red herrings, and plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing about who the killer is until the action filled conclusion. The characters are well written, well developed, and believable which makes them seem very life like. I don't like how Maureen who has disliked Gemma and Jayne sine book one wants their help in clearing her name when it turns out she is the prime suspect in the murder. I like that Gemma and Ryan's relationship continues to go strong since they seem to be perfect for each other, I hope their relationship continues to grow as the series goes on. I would like to see Jayne begin a relationship with a nice guy since her last boyfriend in the series was a total jerk who didn't deserve her. I have been a fan of this series since book one and look forward to the next book in the series.<br /><br />I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my honest review.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1344649-faythe-shattuck">View all my reviews</a>

Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore, alerts the town when she and her dog discover a fire at the West London Museum. No one is hurt, but the museum's furnishings are lost, and there is great damage to the building. In an effort to rebuild, the town comes together and sets up an auction, hosted at Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, and owned by Gemma's business partner and best friend, Jayne Wilson. Gemma's uncle Arthur even offers a signed first edition of The Valley of Fear.

But when museum board chair Kathy Lamb is found dead in the back room, strangled by a long rope of decorative knotted tea cups, the auction turns into a murder scene, with plenty of suspects.

This is one of my favorite series, and this book was an intriguing addition. As always, Gemma uses her keen powers of observation to get to the bottom of things, and there is plenty of things to investigate.

There are exes, a feud between two different yacht clubs, a relationship that is being rebuilt with a policeman, and bad blood between Gemma and a policewoman. These are great ingredients to add to a deftly plotted mystery.

This installment had a great addition, that of a killing seven years past. The way it featured into the story kept me guessing to the end. I always look forward to a new book in this series, and A Scandal in Scarlet is a great addition.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

I really enjoy reading the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries. I cannot wait until the next one is released!

Vicki Delaney, Canadian mistress of cozy mysteries, embraces the reader in A Scandal in Scarlet, fourth in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries. Gemma Doyle, propietor of the Holmsian bookshop, has embroiled herself in a murder investigation again: the chairwomen of the local history museum lies dead behind the scenes at an auction to benefit the museum Whodunit? a local store owner? a divorced husband or his new spouse? who indeed. Read and solve for yourself.

I liked the idea of this a bit more than the execution. What’s a better idea for a bookshop mystery series than setting it in a Sherlock Holmes themed store? Its a bit cutesy that it’s set in a fake (i think) New England town called New London and on Baker Strret, though not at the exact address Holmes had. It’s too bad the protagonist is kind of a jerk who I have a hard time rooting for. Gemma Doyle owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore, and her bff runs the adjacent cafe, Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. Gemma is a bit of an overly observant know-it-all, the kind of savant who can tell you exactly how many people were ina crowded party and where they stood. Sound familiar? The mystery itself was good and I liked it overall, but mildly. I even got an earlier book in he series from the library to see if I’d like Gemma any better, but I didn’t. it’s totally fine for cosy mystery lovers, but not my favorite.

A Scandal in Scarlet is book 4 in Vicki Delany’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Gemma Doyle discovers the local museum on fire while walking her dog at night. Many objects were destroyed and much of historic house is damaged. Fortunately, no one was injured since the museum was empty. In an effort to restore the building, the local shop owners come together to hold an auction at Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. Everyone donates toward the event but just prior to the start of the auction, Kathy Lamb, the chair of the museum board is found dead. The murder weapon? - a decoration sold in the Tea Room.

Gemma plans to stay far away from the investigation. She doesn’t even want to get involved to help Maureen Middleton, the shopkeeper from across the street, when she asks Gemma for help. Contrary to her plans, Gemma finds herself neck-deep in what is another murder mystery much to the annoyance of her boyfriend, Ryan Ashburton, and Detective Louise Estrada.

The character development continues in A Scandal in Scarlet. Gemma is painfully observant, and she tends to alienate herself and the people around her. She does so without malice and that's what makes her character quirky and lovable. The supporting characters round out this great cozy mystery. Gemma's best friend Jayne is her partner-in-crime and she has Gemma's back. Ryan is one of the police officers assigned to the cases in all four books in the series. Their relationship history sometimes gets in the way of the investigation. The chemistry between them is strong, undeniable, and believable. I enjoy their dynamics and love romances that don't take over the book but are there in the background. It makes the characters more realistic to me.

The plot for A Scandal in Scarlet was laid out well and the world building was as great in this book as it was in the previous three. I was able to visualize everything that was described, and I felt like I was there at the bookshop, tea room, and auction. The author did a great job masking who committed the murder and bringing in other contenders who had motive. I really enjoyed A Scandal in Scarlet and highly recommend the entire series to lovers of cozy mysteries.

This is the fourth book to this series and the first I have read.
A good story line to follow. And a few red herrings and a lot suspects to consider.
Loved Gemma’s book store named Sherlock Holmes and of course her best friend called Jayne Wilson.
In all a enjoyable read and I will be going back to read from book one .

Loved this book. It is book 4 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series and it's the best yet. Gemma and Jayne are again embroiled in a murder in their small town of West London, USA. Gemma discovers the Museum on Fire while walking her dog and during a fundraiser to repair the building the director is found murdered in the tea shop. Can be read as a stand alone but fans will be happy to be updated on romances and Uncle's extended trip. Readers will learn a lot about old books and Sherlock Holmes. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the 4th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery and I loved it!
Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop calls 911 when she smells smoke outside the West London Museum while taking her dog for a walk. The main building is a total loss so the Baker Street’s shop owners come together to hold an afternoon auction tea to raise funds to rebuild the museum. All is going nicely at Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room (owned by Gemma’s best friend, Jayne Wilson) and everyone is waiting for the auction to begin when Gemma finds that museum board chair Kathy Lamb has been murdered in the back room. 
Ryan Ashburton is officially investigating the murder, but that doesn't stop Gemma from asking a few questions of the people involved. With so many suspects and so few clues, her deductive prowess proves invaluable.

Title: A Scandal in Scarlet

Author: Vicki Delany

Series: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop book 4

Chapters:

Pages:

Genre: cozy mystery

Rating: 3.5 stars

A Scandal in Scarlet is the fourth book in the A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series by Vicki Delany. Gemma Doyle has promised herself and her police detective boyfriend that she will quit getting involved in trying to solve mysteries. But when she is the one to find the West London Museum in flames while out walking her dog violet one evening, and with following events, she finds herself in the middle of another mystery.
This is a fast paced cozy mystery with a Sherlock Holmes like Detective in Gemma Doyle. whose brain works almost like Sherlock Holmes. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first books in the series but it was still an enjoyable read. Fans of Sherlock Holmes, cozy mysteries about bookshops will enjoy this one. And even though I didn't love it I still look forward to new books in this series.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This is absolutely the best book in the series so far! The characters are really showing some depth and growth that has been really needed. I love that Jayne is finally getting the respect that she deserves as Emma's sidekick. A great mystery with multiple potential suspects to add a few twists and turns along the way to keep you intrigued and entertained! I am totally looking forward to the next book in the series! I look forward to seeing how all the characters progress in the future books!

This is the fourth Gemma Doyle book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series by Vicki Delany, it was my first and can be read as a standalone novel. However, it is important to note that I didn’t really resonate with Gemma or the town, maybe because I did not read the previous novels but Gemma’s interactions with everyone just felt a bit forced to me throughout the book.

The novel follows the sleuthing Gemma Doyle, a British owner of a Sherlock Holmes’ themed book shop in Cape Cod. While walking her dog late one night, she notices that the local museum is on fire and calls emergency services, saving the building. Although the outer shell of the museum was saved through Gemma’s quick phone call, most of the items inside the museum was destroyed in the fire. The town of West London decides to hold an auction with items donated from the local businesses to help get the museum back up and running. The fundraiser is set to be a big hit, however, before it can start the chairwoman of the museum is found dead and a fellow shopkeeper as the main suspect. Gemma doesn’t even actually like the suspected shopkeeper, but she knows that something does not seem right and starts to investigate the case herself with help from her friend Jayne.

I think I was really at a disadvantage from not having read the previous books, the story itself is easy to follow and does not need any back story. However, the characters are already developed and their shared history with each other would have been more understandable had I read the previous books. Gemma is a very smart investigator, and also has a handy “maybe” boyfriend on the police force – which seems to be a bit of a common theme with mystery series. The mystery is entertaining and kept me guessing for the majority of the book due to the plethora of potential suspects and characters. I actually really enjoyed the story itself, and which I could have liked the book better but the writing threw me off.

I was not a fan of the abrupt writing style, it almost seemed a bit amateurism to me and while I was reading I did not feel like I was following someone through a journey but rather, someone was telling me what happened in short sentences. For example the narrative was very much like “I went to the store. I saw this person. I had dinner with her. She talked about her cat. I was tired and wanted to go home.” So because of this writing style, which I know some people really enjoy, I felt like I could not really believe the characters or get into the relationships as much as I would with another author. Everything was told from Gemma’s point of view, so her relationship with her friends and with her love interest just seemed a bit surface level to me. This did get better towards the middle of the book when more actual conversations were happening and I could try and see things from the point of view of the other characters. But honestly, by the time I got to the middle of the book I was already uninterested and not really enjoying the story as much as I could have had the writing been different.

I would recommend this book for those who like quick, easy mystery reads and who do not mind abrupt writing styles.

~ Harshita

A Scandal in Scarlet by Vicky Delany is the fourth book in A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.

I decided to give this book a go, hearing some wonderful things about this series and I must say that it hasn't disappointed. Even though this is the first book I have read and not something I usually do, I still had no problem getting into the story and familiarizing with the characters.

I love the setting and the whole idea of the book store with tea and gift shop and Holmes vibe.
It is a well written and cleverly plotted story with many great characters both main and secondary.
I like the heroine, how intelligent and righteous she is and how she fights for her friends. The setting is absolutely gorgeous.
In this installment Gemma witnesses local museum burning down. To collect funds for rebuilding town holds an auction, but before it can even begun chairwoman of the museum is found strangled. So when a local shop owner and a friend gets labeled as a chief suspect, Gemma has no choice but to get involved despite her boyfriend's objections.
All in all a delightful series and I will definitely go back and read all previous books.

I’ve read the Year Round Christmas series by Vicki Delany and loved it. I was looking for another series of hers to start and I came across this book on netgalley. It is the fourth book in the series and I was a little lost at times having not read the other books, but for the most part I was able to follow along. I love way this author writes and the worlds she creates. I can’t wait to go back and read the other books.

This is the 4th in The Sherlock Holmes Bookstore Series by Vicki Delany. I have read and enjoyed the entire series and was thrilled to receive this for review. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My opinions are my own. . I highly recommend the entire series.
I love this series because it is always a well crafted sleuth , a perfect charming setting and has great charcters that all add to the story. The books each grow in depth with each new release and the author has the definitive cozy mystery series formula here with all the right elements for a long successful series.

In this next in series our protagonist Gemma Doyle of All Things Sherlock Bookshop and her best friend and partner in Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, Jayne Wilson, volunteer to host a special tea and auction to raise funds for repair after a fire occurs at a local business. . The tea party is a success but the auction is not to be. Gemma and Jayne find volunteer Nancy strangled to death in the back room of the Tea Room.

Gemma steps up to investigate with her detective friend when she finds out a fellow shop owner is suspect number one. When a second body is found by Gemma and Jayne again, Gemma almost catches the murderer having arrived right after the murder occurred ! The plot thickens as clues add up and soon Gemma is on another chase and manages to solve another cold case murder at the same time.

This was a exciting read that kept me turning pages into the night. The sleuth was so well crafted and had so many twist and turns I was unable to figure out the ending. It was a fun cozy read and I look forward to the next in series. The supporting charcters all fit just right into the story and the author has crafted the perfect location with the bookstore and small town atmosphere. A delightful book !

The books in this series are getting better and better. I’m becoming quite invested in Gemma and Ryan, Jayne and Andy (hopefully!), and the daily ins and out of the bookstore and Mrs. Hudson’s. I think Delany has really hit her stride with the writing in this one. My only complaint is that the mystery itself got a bit muddled at the end. I’m not certain all of the elements were needed. Nevertheless, I am not only looking forward to future installments, but I am making predictions to my friend about what will ensue. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long to find out!