Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, is walking her dog Violet one night when they find historic Scarlet House on fire. Damage to the house and contents is extensive so the West London shop owners come together to hold an afternoon auction tea to raise funds to rebuild. Gemma's uncle Arthur contributes a valuable copy of a Sherlock Holmes book (the Valley of Fear) to the auction. But before the auction can start, Gemma and her friend Jayne find museum board chair Kathy Lamb dead in the back room, strangled with a long rope of decorative knotted tea cups.

Unpopular local shop owner Maureen Macgregor is the main suspect since she had argued with Kathy shortly before her death. Maureen asks Gemma to snoop around to prove her innocence and she reluctantly agrees to help her nasty neighbour. There are plenty of possible suspects and motives for Gemma to sift through. Another murder occurs and someone then tries to break into Gemma's shop. Gemma decides to confront her prime suspect with her theories and she ends up in a boat chase as the killer attempts to flee.

The characters in this series are developing nicely. Gemma is less abrasive in nature than in previous books and she is starting to develop a romantic relationship with West London detective Ryan Ashburton. The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries continue to entertain and provide a satisfying read.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Crooked Land Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Gemma is far too curious for her own good and Maureen is one angry and rude Chiquita, together they give this book its vitality. Having a murder occurring in their place of business and another when they paid a visit, didn’t sit well with Inspector Ryan, who is also Gemma’s boyfriend, and his partner Inspector Estrada. Darn, the poor guy can’t for the life of him keep Gemma away from the crime scene, she is like a magnet to crime. Anyway, this has been a very electrifying and intriguing mystery, the characters are great and the storyline awesome, and Gemma is great along with Jayne they are two class acts, a truly must read.

This was another top-notch instalment in a great cozy series. I really enjoyed how the characters have developed and the intricacies of the plotline. It remains a whodunnit until the very end.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

Another great read in this series. I love the character of Gemma, Ryan and Jayne. I like the small town setting of West London and of course the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, Gemma tries to stay out of this this mystery, since a close friend isn't suspected, but just can't seem to keep herself out of it. Luckily, she has Jayne as backup and Ryan is being very understanding that Gemma just can't seem to help herself. Good mystery and kept me guessing.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. - Author has put out another good read!

I received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Vicki Delany always delights and A Scandal in Scarlet is one of her best. An auction, tea shop and murder...terrific combination! Set in Cape Cod, Scandal takes you away to a loveless setting with an entertaining cozy mystery that keeps you guessing from beginning to end.

A Scandal in Scarlet by author Vicki Delany is the 4th book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series, and another good addition. Genna Doyle, the owner of the Sherlock Homes Bookshop was walking her dog Violet, when the dog alerted her to a fire, which turned out to be the West London Museum. To raise money for the museum, an auction was scheduled, but before it could start, the library board chair was found dead. Gemma is determined to solve the murder, and the mystery begins. This book has more twists and turns, that kept me reading page after page. I love the quirky people and situations in this book. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries, I strongly recommend this book.

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Scandal in Scarlet by Vicki Delany is a delightful and deadly series. This mystery is a Sherlock Holmes bookshop mystery. When the bookshop holds an auction, a woman named Cathy, who was in charge of the auction, gets more than she bargained for when she is found strangled in the back room. The story revolves around the search for a killer as the bookshop owner continues to claim their innocence. A great blend of suspense, books and characters. Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced reader’s copy.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery with lots of details about Gemma's Sherlock Holmes bookstore and a number of mystery books in it. Gemma is a great character who prides herself on her attention to detail and ability to identify criminals much like Sherlock Holmes himself. I very much enjoy these books and the way she goes about solving the mystery. Very interesting ending to this book! This is a light entertaining read, and if she writes more I’ll gladly read them. I am going to go back and read the others in the series

"A Scandal in Scarlet" is the fourth book in a series about Gemma Doyle who owns a Sherlock Holmes bookstore and has deduction abilities that rival those of the famous detective. Even though she was at the scene when a body was discovered, Gemma for once does not want to investigate, but because of the circumstances, she is in the middle of it once more.

There are many people who had the means and motive to kill the victim and it was interesting to speculate who could have done it, especially after the situation got more complicated in later chapters. The investigation progressed at a realistic pace, the suspense was well done and the resolution made sense. What I really liked about this book is that Gemma was reluctant to get involved; it was a nice change and it allowed the author to explore a different way of making sure her protagonist still had to investigate. I also enjoyed that she was a bit out of it every now and then. She makes small mistakes, other characters are able to get information that was not available to her and there are moments when she has to resort to tricks to make some progress.

Of course, Gemma is still herself which means that she observes stuff that others cannot see, can be a bit rude, is confrontational and has trouble to pick up on social clues, but I feel like she mellowed out even more since the last book and one can see that she is trying her best. It was great that her relationship with Ryan was very important - and that it influenced how she acted while working on the case. Since he works for the police, her behaviour (which sometimes skirts close to breaking the rules) can reflect on him and it was realistic that they had problems because of that. There were real consequences when she messed up, which I thought was great. I also like how Estrada was written - her always trying to accuse Gemma of the crime got a bit old, so it was nice to see that there was some improvement.

All in all, "A Scandal in Scarlet" is a good read. The mystery is interesting, the story is well written and it was nice to see the characters again (and to observe how they changed since the last book).

A SCANDAL IN SCARLET, the fourth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany, is probably my favorite in the series so far! I’ve enjoyed watching the protagonist, Gemma Doyle, grow over the course of the stories and with this new release, she seems to have come into her own. She is still overly observant, but has learned to tone down her abruptness which makes her more relatable. Ms. Delany captures the spirit of Sherlock Holmes by developing Gemma’s orderly sense of intellect in noticing clues and helping to solve murders. I especially enjoyed the Sherlockian vibes portrayed with her foray into disguising herself in this book. I hope to see more of the disguises in future books, whether or not it helps Gemma find clues.

Not only is Gemma a terrific character but the author has also developed good supporting characters, such as Gemma’s best friend, Jayne Wilson. They have a great friendship and work relationship since Jayne is part owner in Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom. I love how Jayne is willing to drop everything in order to protect and help Gemma out to solve the mystery while providing a bit of comic sidekick humor. Detective Ryan Ashburton is another welcome addition to the story, helping to bring out a tender side of Gemma. I’ve enjoyed watching their relationship blossom in a sweet manner while he’s learned to be more accepting of Gemma’s intellect and deducing skills. Ms. Delany intertwines a long ago, unsolved crime and a current day murder with great skill. She provides plenty of suspects for the crimes which kept me guessing. She also provides plenty of action with good pacing, keeping the reader engaged and turning pages. The exciting conclusion wrapped up the threads of the story and has me waiting impatiently for the next installment!

This is the fourth in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, and I highly recommend it! I would also read the others in the series first.
Gemma and friends are reluctantly pulled into the investigation of the murder of Kathy Lamb, member of the museum board. With similarities to another crime years ago, is everything what it seems?
Definite must read for Holmes enthusiasts and cozy lovers alike.

Gemma Doyle, intrepid amateur sleuth, is channeling Sherlock Holmes once again and helps investigate a current case and inadvertently figures out a cold case as well.

The adventure starts when Gemma, while walking her dog Violet, spots smoke coming from Scarlet House, a local museum, and calls the fire department. Within days a fundraiser to repair the damage is scheduled to be held in Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom, located in the same house with the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, partly owned by Gemma. Unfortunately, the newly elected head of the Scarlet House Board is murdered during the fundraiser.

This series is exceptionally well done. Gemma’s powers of observation and deduction seem to get her into hot water since she usually says what she thinks and sees. Vicki Delany has fabricated a charming community situated in Cape Cod where transplanted Britisher Gemma now lives. The characters feel genuine, the dialogue realistic and the pace is steady and engaging.

A highlight of these stories are the discussions and reference to a lot of the books and literature devoted to the study of Sherlock Holmes. Ms. Delany has obviously done quite a bit of research on Sherlock Holmes and shares it easily, and in context, with her readers.

An auction to rebuild the West London, Massachusetts, History Museum leads to murder. Gemma and Jayne offer the cafe as a place to hold the auction, but on the day of the event, organizer Kathy Lamb is found dead minutes before the fundraising auction is about to occur. Gemma wants to investigate, but her relationship with Detective Ryan Ashburton and her adversarial relationship with Detective Louise Estrada holds her back a bit. There are plenty of suspects including all the back stabbing members of the committee, Kathy's ex-husband and his new wife. An excellent mystery.

Gemma gets involved in her next mystery when she and Jayne offer to host an auction to raise funds for the local museum and the museum board chair Kathy Lamb who is the auctioneer is found strangled to death in the room where the auction items are being stored. Gemma doesn't really want to get involved. Her investigations have gotten in the way of her romance with Detective Ryan Ashburton before and she doesn't really have a stake in this one. None of her friends are suspects.

Maureen, who is the owner of a business across the street, becomes a suspect when she has a loud argument with Kathy in front of those waiting for the auction about her late and ugly donation. Maureen demands that Gemma clear her name despite the fact that she is anything but a friend of Gemma's. Gemma isn't interested in helping her, but her curiosity is aroused and she begins investigating.

There are any number of suspects. Kathy's ex-husband and his new rich wife are at the auction and could be involved. The whole politics of the museum also provides suspects in the ousted chair and the obsessed volunteer who was on the verge of being fired. Even two local and rival yacht clubs get involved as suspects. After all, some believe the the new wife of her ex-husband already is guilty of the murder of her first husband and may have wished to get rid of Kathy out of jealousy.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery with lots of details about Gemma's Sherlock Holmes bookstore and a number of mystery books in it. Gemma is a great character who prides herself on her attention to detail and ability to identify criminals much like Sherlock Holmes himself.

This author was so clever to use the Sherlock Holmes names and stories in this book. Having grown up with Nancy Drew and graduating to Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes as well as seeing all the movies I was able to get all the references in the book. Gemma Doyle is the part owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop. She is also part owner of the tearoom next door. The book starts off with a fire at the town museum. The tearoom offers to host an auction to help pay for the repairs to the museum done by the fire. The night of the auction Kathy who is the fundraiser head of the museum is murdered right before the auction is about to start. From there the chase is on to find the killer. There is another murder and Gemma and her friend Jayne (her Watson) sniff out clues to help find the killer. This book had me guessing throughout and really held my interest. I loved the addition of Moriarity the cat and his antics. I have not read the other books in this series but intend to. Hats off to the author for a well written book.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. This series just keeps getting better. I was surprised by the resolution of the mystery, which made it that much more enjoyable. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Another fantastic installment of Gemma and Jayne with it's typical in the details plot twists. Solid plot, believable killer and motive, good character development for Gemma and her support group. While West London does seem to have had quite a lot of murders in just one summer, this was a lovely addition to the series and left me looking forward to the next installment.

Another nicely written book of the Sherlock Holmes bookshop mystery, which i enjoyed very much.
I was looking forward to reading it and i was happy that it was as good as the previous books.

Gemma Doyle found herself again in the middle of a murder investigation, much to the despair of Detectives Ashburton and Estrada. It is still fascinating and amusing to see getting herself into impossible situations and offending many people with her observations, although she seems to be much more "human" than the Great Detective.
This time, it is the body of Kathy Lamb, Museum board chair, that was found during the auction she planned for the museum and that was hosten in Mrs Hudson's tearoom. Kathy had no shortage in "enemies", which complicated the matter a bit for Gemma, but not for long.

I enjoyed reading it and i liked the plot. Only, i would like to get to know better the other fascinating characters of the books, the fact that it is always narrated by Gemma make it harder perhaps, but it would be interesting to know more about the others well.

Another fine entry in a terrific series. The characters are realistic and enjoyable, and the mystery itself is entertaining. A lot of twists and turns keep things interesting. Gemma gets a little stupid at the end, but other than that, it's a great read.

'A Scandal in Scarlet' is another delightful offering in Vicki Delany's A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. I love Gemma Doyle's awkward charm and her brilliant mind. The mystery is intriguing, the characters are engaging and there is humor and romance. I appreciate the progress of Gemma and Ryan's relationship. I love these visits and look forward to many more.