This is the latest installment in a delightful cozy mystery series. This is a great series for anyone just getting into cozy mysteries. This particular book involves a garden club, so there's lots of talk about flowers and soil and whatnot. There's also some movement in the greater story, particularly with the characters' personal lives, which is a nice payoff for those who have read all books in the series. My only quibble is that I think the author mentions Benedict Cumberbatch a few too many times for my taste.

All in all, this is a lot of fun, and highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.

This is the 6th book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series but the first one I have read. Gemma Doyle, a British, owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in a small New England town in Massachusetts and when she is not busy with her shop, it seems she is busy using her powers of deduction towards solving mysteries and crimes... in typical Sherlock Holmes style. This book finds Gemma solving two mysteries: the first, a teeny weeny one of locating the pet cat of a twelve year old girl Lauren and the second and more serious one involving Lauren's mother who is accused of murdering a fellow garden club member Anna Wentworth.

Even though I haven't read any of the previous books, I did manage to get the gist of who and what the main characters are like. The one thing that I was not sure about was Gemma and detective Ryan's relationship. Apparently, their romantic relationship is an on-off-on affair as hinted and going by how they interacted in this book, I don't seem to have much hope for them. I found it weird and hypocritical that Ryan is mostly aloof and indifferent towards Gemma and always telling her not to butt in the official investigation but is ever ready to get any information from her when she comes across any clues or leads. Not too sure about this pairing.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Vicki Delany for the e-Arc of the book. I just discovered that the author Vicki Delany also writes as Eva Gates.

The book was published on 12th January 2021.

Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!

This is book 6 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Gemma is hired by 10 year old Lauren to find her missing kitten. Gemma tries to tell people she's not a detective but days after finding the kitten, Lauren is back to hire her to clear her mom of murder. Sheila had an argument with the victim about their gardens and when Anna is found dead, Sheila is the main focus of the police. Filled with Sherlock Holmes trivia and quotes this story is a fine cozy to solve. Can be read as a stand alone book. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Who knew Gemma had it in her to be mothering type person for a girl who needed a mom right now? I thought she was pretty awesome and caring at how she took care of Lauren. The fact that Lauren was intelligent only added to it, because Gemma talked to her as if she was older, and it seemed like Lauren really enjoyed that. It was cute how Lauren took on Gemma's English accent and some of her manner of speaking the more she hung out with her.

To back up, Gemma volunteered to watch Lauren when her mom was suspected of killing her garden club rival and her aunt Irene, the town reporter was at a conference. I'm satisfied with the series in the relationship area too as Gemma and Ryan continued their dating life. Jayne and Andy had drawn closer which pleased Gemma to no end since she was always matchmaking them. I wasn't sure about the killer until the clues started coming together at the end. I always love how Gemma's Sherlock-like mind hones in on something and won't let it go until she's right.

The ending was super sweet, everything that wasn't already explained was wrapped up, and I really hope we get to see Miss Lauren again sometime in the series! She's really a cool kid!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it!

Book 6 in the series.

A very pleasant surprise!

I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan when I read the first book, and really only asked for this one because I quite frankly didn't realize it was part of that series until I started reading. But right away, my biggest complaint was made moot. Gemma is much more likeable in this book than she was in the first, and her first interaction with a child made me smile. She still comes off as unsympathetic sometimes, but at least it's tempered by other things.

The small mystery at the beginning was cute, and the main mystery was interesting and well plotted out.

I actually look forward to more books in this series, now.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

This was my first venture into Vicky Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, and it won't be the last. Very satisfactory reading!

The story opens with Gemma Doyle explaining to Lauren Tierney that no, she is not a consulting detective, and she can't help Lauren find her cat. One things leads to another, Gemma does find Lauren's cat, and Lauren thinks Gemma is the best thing since sliced bread. Shortly thereafter, Lauren is again asking Gemma for help - this time, in proving her mother innocent of murder.

I simply adore Gemma! For starters, she owns a bookstore. That right there makes her my kind of people. Also, she calls it like she sees it. I imagine she's seen as somewhat abrupt by people who don't know her well (and maybe sometimes by those who do). But her slightly prickly exterior hides a genuinely caring heart. She tries her best not to get involved here, either in finding Lauren's cat or in clearing her mother, Sheila, of murder. But events seem to conspire to pull her in, and so she investigates to the best of her ability.

I haven't read the entirety of the series, so maybe I'm missing some backstory on Gemma and Ryan. I can see where he might want her to keep clear of investigations so he can do his job, but sometimes he seemed more callous toward her than the situation would warrant. That rubbed me the wrong way. Gemma can do better. And Estrada is just plain ugly to Gemma, even when Gemma is trying to be kind. I don't really care for mean girls, and Estrada is one. She gets my dander up every time I read her name on a page.

It was fun seeing Gemma's relationship with Lauren start to grow. Should the storyline ever allow for Gemma having children of her own, after seeing her with Lauren, I think she'd be a good mom. And it was fun getting to know Mrs. Ramsbatten. It would be a treat to live next door to her.

I'd love to see more of Gemma's Uncle Arthur. He sounds like quite a character. I'll have to start at the beginning and see if we get to know him other than knowing that he's off traveling someplace exciting. And I hope we get to see more of Jayne and Andy and their budding relationship. They are so cute!

This was a delightful read, with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing just about until the big reveal. Four stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance reader copy. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books that I don't actually like.

Gemma is back at it again! It starts off with a young girl asking her for help finding her missing cat because her aunt told her that Gemma was good at finding things. Lauren said she would even pay, but Gemma tells her she isn’t a consulting detective and she can’t promise her to look for her cat. Turns out she didn’t have to worry about disappointing the kid to much as Violet, Gemma’s dog, finds the kitten. So now Lauren thinks Gemma is just the coolest person ever!

Gemma thought she had seen the last of Lauren but it wasn’t but just a day later that Lauren comes asking for her help again, but this time it’s to prove her mom didn’t murder someone. Who would have thought gardening could be so dangerous and full of drama but Gemma is finding out they are a very competitive lot.

Lauren’s mom doesn’t make herself look innocent either as she is a very cold individual and very vocal about how knows the victim is the one that ruined her garden, etc. Gemma has her work cut out for her in trying to solve this because not only does her boyfriend, Ryan, one of the detectives wants her to stay out of things but his partner seems out to get Gemma at every turn.

I really like the main character, but I think the reason I enjoyed this one so much more than the others in this series was the young girl Lauren. She really looked up to Gemma after she found her kitten and the fact that she was doing her best to help her mom. Gemma is from England and the young girl was taking on all her British phrases and it was super cute. With Gemma it is so funny that she can spot a clue nobody else can but doesn’t even realize the girl was starting to talk like her and her friend Jayne had to point it out.

I also thought the mystery was pretty decent, although I pretty much had it figured out. I do like to read and find out if I get it right or not!

I think if you are a fan of cozy mysteries then you should pick up this series!

4.5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Sherlock Holmes mystery series by Vicki Delany.

Gemma Doyle is known for her sleuthing ways. When she is hired by a young girl to prove her mother’s innocence, she finds herself perplexed. It would be an easy case for Sherlock, but her, not so much.

This reminded me a little bit of Clue. Was it Sheila in the Garden with the Trophy? Only time will tell.

This was a fun mystery to follow. You really don’t get bored with such a unique protagonist. And when you add the Sherlock stuff, I am all in.

Loving this series. Definitely time for a marathon!

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Sherlock Holmes bookshop owner Gemma Doyle is asked by 11-year old Lauren to help find her missing cat Snowball. Surprisingly, the normally prickly Gemma ends up finding the lost cat with the help of her dog Violet, and she enjoys Lauren's enthusiastic praise and gratitude. To Gemma's dismay, Lauren shows up again, this time asking Gemma to prove that her mother Sheila is not a killer.

Sheila had hoped to win this year's trophy at the West London Garden Club but her garden was destroyed just before the judging. Sheila goes and confronts rival Anna Wentworth, accusing her of the vandalism, and also having an affair with her husband. Anna is killed that night so it's no surprise the police are looking at Sheila as the prime suspect for the murder.

Gemma uses her acute powers of observation and nosy nature to investigate, much to the dismay of her police boyfriend Ryan. Gemma is more empathetic in this case and the story ends with a satisfying conclusion.

This is my favourite book so far in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

I don't find Gemma the warmest of characters and her engagement with other characters tends to settle this cozy series lower on my cozy list. If I chose to be charitable (I thing Gemma's actions could be looked at differently) Gemma's helping out a pre-teen shows a softer side and the very ending of the book ties up one dangling string warmly. She even has a better scene or two with Donald, still a bit judgey, but more accepting.

Gemma's investigation is good and some interesting things occur. The ultimate reason she comes up as the solution is really dubious though. There was no tangible proof and the guilty characters blabs to the cops when a half way decent lawyer would have seen it never go to court.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

"A Curious Incident" is another great Sherlock Holmes-themed cozy mystery. Delany's series is a must-read for both Sherlock Holmes fans as well as those wh enjoy cozy mysteries.

A Curious Incident is the sixth book in Vicki Delany’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Having heard people talking about how bookshop owner Gemma Doyle was so good as solving mysteries, 11 year old Lauren Tierney approaches Gemma asking her to find her lost kitten. Although Gemma tells the girl she is not a consulting detective, she inadvertently, with the help of her spaniel Violet, finds and returns the kitten to the child.

A few days later a teary eyed Lauren approaches Gemma once again. She wants Gemma to solve the mystery of who destroyed her mother’s award winning garden, and, ultimately, to clear her mother of the murder of the woman her mom had publicly accused of doing so.

In Gemma’s usual style of observation and listening, she collects a variety of clues, some complementary and some conflicting, as she puts together a solid case to solve the crimes. With the regular reminders to not interfere in police business from her boyfriend, Detective Lieutenant Ryan Ashburton, and the often contentious encounters with his second, Detective Louise Estrada, it is still Ryan she turns to share the information she collects.

In another twisty-turny well developed plot, Ms. Delany again presents her readers with a fast paced mystery that keeps you guessing until the last clue falls. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the digital advance reading copy of this book.

I love cozy mysteries and this one was no exception. I love that Gemma constantly gets pulled into investigations, even when she is trying her best to stay out of them. I also love all of the characters that Vicki has created for the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries, there are some interesting characters in the bunch.

Vicki has made the seaside town of West London sound so inviting that I wish I could go there right now and visit the Sherlock Emporium and the tearoom; even if they have had a couple of murders.

Can't wait to read the next book.

A Curious Incident is the sixth installment in Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series written by Vicki Delany.

In this installment Gemma against her better judgement helps an eleven year old girl Lauren clear her mother Sheila of murdering her best friend Anna, after the said friend demolished her mother's garden and ruined her chances of winning the prestigious award.
Needless to say Detective Ashburton, Gemma's boyfriend is so perturbed by her constant involvement into his investigations, that their relationship is in jeopardy.

This series has quickly become one of my favorite series, due to constant quality stories, strong and smart characters and beautiful settings.
All characters including recurring ones are more dimensional and are constantly evolving. I also like how more and more often all her friends and family always come together to join forces and help Gemma figure out the murderer.
The setting is so breathtaking that I always wish that I was there.
The story is well paced, with several red herrings to keep things interesting but without any frivolities and silliness. It is intelligent, solid and really different from many others of its genre.
There is a great sense of humor that emerges once in a while just to spice things up.

As always I highly recommend it.

I just finished reading this book yesterday. I will be heading to the library to pick up the previous books shortly! It was that good!

What did I like? First, the main character owns a bookstore, so that's definitely a plus. Second, there are cute dogs and cats which always make me happy. But most important I just couldn't stop reading it! The characters are imaginative and interesting and the story is easy to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this cleverly written book!

A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany is the 6th A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a book or two. I thought A Curious Incident was well-written with developed characters and steady pacing. Gemma Doyle is a unique protagonist. Gemma is an Englishwoman who lives in West London, Massachusetts where she manages the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, which she co-owns with her uncle Arthur. Gemma has a keen eye for detail. She notices things and makes connections that others miss. I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes references in the story as well. West London is a charming small town filled with quaint shops. There is a cast of residents that suit a small town (gossipy woman who compete against each other). Lauren was a great addition to the story. She is such a sweetie. I enjoyed the interactions between Lauren and Gemma. I also love Gemma’s sweet neighbor, Mrs. Ramsbatten. She has such an interesting past. The whodunit had several suspects, a red herring, and good clues. There was one aspect of the case that I found unique. I enjoyed following Gemma as she questioned people and discovered clues. It is fascinating how her mind works. The one thing I am not a fan of is the relationship between Ryan and Gemma. I do not feel any sparks between them in this book and I did not like how Ryan treated Gemma. I am hoping someone new will come to town who will be a better match for Gemma. A Curious Incident was a delight to read. I am eager for the next book in this engaging series. A Curious Incident is an entertaining cozy mystery with a missing moggy, a troubled tween, a clever canine, a disgruntled detective, a grouchy gardener, and a snoopy shop owner.

3.5 stars

In this 6th 'Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery', amateur sleuth Gemma Doyle investigates the murder of an avid gardener. The book work fines as a standalone.

Englishwoman Gemma Doyle now lives in the town of West London in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. There she co-owns 'The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium' with her Uncle Arthur Doyle - a spry nonagenarian who likes to travel and romance the ladies. Gemma also co-owns the adjoining shop, 'Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room', which is run by her best friend and business partner Jayne Wilson.

Gemma has a reputation for solving mysteries, so when 11-year-old Lauren Tierney can't find her kitten Snowball she asks Gemma to help. Gemma serendipitously locates the feline while walking her cocker spaniel Violet, and cements herself as a heroine in Lauren's eyes. Afterwards, when Lauren's mother Sheila is suspected of murder, the girl asks Gemma for assistance once again.

This puts Gemma on the horns of dilemma. The bookstore owner loves to investigate homicides, but she's been told to stop sticking her nose into police business by her boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton and his partner Detective Louise Estrada. Nevertheless, Gemma feels she can't let Lauren down, and snoops around anyway.

Gemma learns that Lauren's mother Sheila Tierney and the victim Anna Wentworth were fellow members of the West London Garden Club. Both women were expert horticulturists whose yards were on the prestigious garden tour, and in competition for the best garden trophy.

On the morning of the judging Sheila awoke to find her flowers and bushes destroyed. Completely distraught, Sheila rushed to Anna's house, accused her of sabotage, and loudly threatened her. Later that night Anna was killed while walking her dog Peony.

The police find few clues at Anna's murder scene, but Sheila's previous behavior makes her a prime suspect. Moreover, whispers circulate that Sheila was having an affair with Anna's husband Mike.

While the police make their inquiries, Gemma sneakily inspects the crime scene, surreptitiously snoops into the lives of the Tierneys and Wentworths, and mines the West London rumor mill for information.

During the investigation, 11-year-old Lauren Tierney and her cat Snowball become temporary houseguests at Gemma's home. Since school is out for the summer, Lauren also helps out at the Sherlock Holmes' Bookshop and Emporium - where she assists customers, and at Mrs. Hudson's Tea Shop - where she learns to bake. Lauren is a sweet girl who hopes to clear her mother of suspicion and repair her parents' seemingly troubled marriage.

When Gemma is busy outside the emporium, she leaves the bookstore in the capable hands of her twentysomething assistant Ashleigh, whose eccentric wardrobe reflects her mood. For instance, inspired by a garden club visit, Ashleigh wears a floppy straw hat and a gardening outfit. The emporium also gets occasional help from Gemma's friend Donald - a former lawyer turned Sherlock Holmes scholar - who likes to wear an inverness cape and deerstalker hat.

In addition to running her business, Gemma has daily partners' meetings with Jayne in the tea shop. There the ladies enjoy the eatery's leftovers, which can be egg and salmon tea sandwiches ,raspberry tarts, mini coconut cupcakes, and raspberry macarons.

Gemma and Jayne also pursue their romantic interests, Gemma's being her cop boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, and Jayne's being her restaurateur beau Andy Whitehall. Gemma couldn't be happier about this, since she's been trying to get Jayne and Andy together for ages.

Despite police objections, Gemma unearths clues that help solve the murder, which the astute reader may sniff out as well.

This is an enjoyable cozy mystery with a pleasant New England setting and popular recurring characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, Vicki Delany, and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the book.

A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany is the newest Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery where Gemma, a bookshop owner, is not a consulting detective, or so she tries to tell little Lauren when Lauren comes to her about her missing cat. She is not able to reinforce this statement with Lauren when she accidentally locates the kitten with the help of her friend and dog, Violet, the cocker spaniel owned by her great uncle Arthur but cared for by Gemma. So a couple of days later Lauren arrives again with another simple request: keep her mother from being arrested. Gemma repeats that she is not a detective and urges Lauren to trust the police but indeed Gemma keeps getting drawn into the mystery of who killed Anna Wentworth. It got very convoluted, very quickly with quite a few suspects, including Gemma's little eighty- year-old neighbor, Mrs. Ramsbatten, although only momentarily. The more often Gemma repeated she was not a consulting detective, the more fate drew her into the whole mess, which appeared to be about who had the better garden. Anna won the competition but only because Sheila's garden had been destroyed the night before, removing her from the competition. Anna was killed while walking her dog, after Sheila had made threats.

This is such a fun series with Gemma and her great uncle Arthur owning and Gemma running the Sherlock Homes Bookshop and Emporium and her best friend, Jayne, running Mrs. Hudson's Tearoom right next door. That made Jayne her Watson all too often. The garden club had not really been on Gemma's radar until this incident. She did not have a green thumb. Her garden was cared for by Mrs. Ramsbotten and several of her friends, as a favor to Arthur. This is a fun bunch of people with interesting lives and loves. It was a good plot and an interesting story, as always. I like this series and recommend this book.

I was invited to read a free ARC of A Curious Incident by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #acuriousincident