Gemma Doyle and her BFF Jayne are more than business partner, they are partners in crime. Literally. Well, at least when it comes to solving crime.

Gemma runs the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore, Jayne runs the tea room next door. When they agree to host a fund raiser for the local museum, the head of the board who is emceeing the event is found murdered in the kitchen. Gemma find herself asking questions and getting involved while Jayne comes along to help keep Gemma out of trouble.

This is the first book in the series I have read and there was no gap. It was a good read. I wasn’t aware that Vicki Delaney is also Eva Gates who writes the Lighthouse Library Mysteries. Guess that’s why I enjoyed this book…I like her writing style. A great book to ad to your reading list!

I adore this series by Vicki Delaney and she knocks it out of the park with a mystery to delight any Sherlock fan. Amidst the mystery you get delightful details of the bookshop and tea room especially the yummy food and book recommendations that I have added to my ever growing to be read pile.

Another great book in the series. I like the lead female character, she is definitely different than most lead females in cozy mysteries. I like how blunt she is when talking with people. I hope there will be many more books in this series. I just wish the cat didn't seem to hate the main character so much. Doesn't make sense. Cats love their owners, lol.

Gemma and Jayne are at it again in A Scandal In Scarlet.
Set in the quaint little town of West London, located on Cape Cod, this has become one of my favorite series.
As the storyline opens, the dynamic duo are hosting a tea and auction for the museum, to help with repair costs after a fire.
When someone is found dead, strangled to death, it sets off Gemma to do a little investigative snooping.
This series is very realistic and the characters are so believable, I feel like I know them all.
I'm not excited to see what's in store next for this colorful crew of characters.

I volunteered to read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

Another great story is a perfectly executed series! I love how the author never varies from what made the first book in the series so easy to love. The main character, I love her so much. Trying so hard to help, curiosity getting the best of her, while trying not to offend and give to much away with how her mind works. The mystery was well thought out and was very easy to follow without giving away too much too early.

I am a Sherlock Holmes devotee and love anything to do with him, or even based on stories that he has appeared in and was so glad to be able to read this book.

It was extremely well written, majority of the characters were very engaging bar one (will explain further at the end!) and was set in a book store, one of my favourite places to visit. Was a nice, cosy read.

Unfortunately the one character I could not engage with was the main one, Gemma, I found her too abrasive, to the point of downright rudeness. Even when it's pointed out to her how rude she has been, she does the same thing another time. Did not like her at all, I'm afraid to say.

On the whole an enjoyable book.

Ok, so besides being a top-notch cozy mystery and a good Sherlock pastiche, what I really want to point out is how fantastic it is that Delany bases the story in an independent book store! The book, as well as the rest of the series, is chock-a-block full of references to Other Books in the Sherlock and gaslight mystery genres! As a Sherlock Holmes fan, I've read a fair share of them, but I love finding out about ones I've missed. Gemma is a proud owner of her bookstore, and matches readers to their interests, and it's seamlessly integrated into the story. There are other characters who collect rare editions of the books, promoting the ownership of books. We need a lot more of that in today's society! Well done!

I liked this book. The main character Gemma has a fascination with Sherlock Holmes stories. She's smart and is able to detect/observe things in the manner of Holmes. In this story she applies her skills to solving two murders that take place. It's nicely paced and the characters are fun. #AScandalInScarlet #NetGalley

Gemma is not a perfect main character but that's refreshing to read in this series. She has her quirks and her mannerisms can rub people the wrong way, but it also makes her real. This was a fun read, that was hard to put down. The ending was pretty neat, too.

I wish I could vacation to West London and visit Gemma's bookstore and Jane's tearoom! I always enjoy returning to this series, though you could easily start with this book and still understand what is going on. The mystery is well crafted and I love the characters.

This series just keeps getting better and better! One of the best cozy mystery series out there. If you've been curious about them or frustrated with the frankly ridiculous dialogue that tends to populate the genre, I recommend you give Vicki Delany's books a try. Relaxing, engaging, and fun! Reads like an episode of Rosemary & Thyme, tonally.

This cosy mystery is set in a Sherlock Holmes themed bookshop with attached tea shop . It is the fourth in the series, but can stand alone. Gemma Doyle is a quirky character who notices more things than most, so it is a natural fit for her to investigate anything that goes on in her adopted Cape Cod town. This time there was a murder in the back of the tea shop. I enjoyed the clues sprinkled throughout the book as well as the interaction between the characters and the Cape Cod setting. It was an easy enjoyable read. I read an ARC thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books.

Definitely for lovers of Sherlock Holmes. The whole Sherlock environment is very catchy. I could live in an environment like that quite easily. The plot start off a little slow, but gains momentum and speeds up during the unfolding... to a very interesting and totally unexpected conclusion. A very easy read that kept me awake, not wanting to put it down . Lovable, believable characters, with a certain flair for mysteries

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an advance copy of A Scandal in Scarlet by Vicki Delany. This is the fourth in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series and my first encounter with the series. The mystery in this book stands alone and can be read without having read the previous ones and is completed within this novel. There appear to be continuing threads of relationships between the protagonist and other secondary characters in the novel and the reader might enjoy reading them in sequence, although that isn’t required.

The book is well plotted, with clues sprinkled throughout the book for the most part. There is one vital clue that is essential, however, which is withheld until the final few pages of the book and allows for the unmasking of the murderer. Throughout the book, I had my belief of who the murderer was, and although I was correct,I had to reach my conclusion based on a combination of information and unsubstantiated suspicion.

Secondary characters in the book are interesting and serve to help advance both the story and deepen the personality of the protagonist for the most part. I would enjoy seeing them developed even more fully in future books within the series. The one “off note” for me was the on again-off again sharing of information between the protagonist and her police department boyfriend. I question whether or not someone in law enforcement would encourage a private individual in the way he does. At the same time, he does not share sensitive information with the protagonist and the way they share investigative information.

Overall I found this book an interesting, enjoyable read and a good summertime or beach read. It is populated with likeable characters in a town that sounds like an interesting place to visit. As a vacation spot, it has many appealing features including a walking community, picturesque streets and buildings and enough activities to please a wide range of individuals. All in all, it sounds attractive enough to make me interested in planning a vacation to the Cape Cod area.

I enjoy a book that includes cute and cuddly animals. This one has just that. The interactions between characters are well done. The book has a nice small-town atmosphere with a good mystery. Plus, you don't need to read the prior books to enjoy this one in the series, but I'll probably check out the others. A fast-paced, good read.

Not a big Shakespeare fan, but I do enjoy this series. I'd liked how this one involved the tea shop and the museum. Warm characters and a well developed mystery, not disappointed with this one.