I’ve read a lot of the books in this series now! This is similar to some others in the series- it’s enjoyable and relaxing to read. It’s fun to hangout with the gang again of Gemma and Jayne. A good cozy mystery

Gemma is a tough character to like. Having read the previous books in this series, she has grown on me. The book was set almost entirely at a nearby country house. The pace of the book was a bit slow, but the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to the next installment.

Vicki Delany’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series reaches its seventh installment with A Three Book Problem and it’s still going as strong as ever. Best friends Gemma Doyle and Jane Watson have a great dynamic as well as an uncanny ability to solve the most perplexing of mysteries, and Gemma’s love interest Detective Ryan Ashburton does his bit too.

This time around, Gemma has agreed to help Jane cater for a swanky weekend house party at Suffolk Gardens House, an event that happens to have a Sherlock Holmes theme. The party is being hosted by David Masterson, a mega rich Sherlockian who happens to be an online acquaintance of Gemma and Jane’s friend Donald, for an eclectic group of guests who don’t seem like they would have wanted to spend time together if they had a choice.

To her distinct lack of surprise, Gemma discovers that she is neither a natural hostess nor a good commis chef; however, the weekend quickly becomes more to her taste in the most unfortunate of manners when Masterson is murdered with a poisoned dart. With the possible suspects comprising the closed circle of party guests, Gemma determines to track down the killer before the police get a chance to do so.

A Three Book Problem is an action-packed and amusing cosy mystery that is perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes. The central mystery is nicely perplexing and the cast of characters generally engaging. It’s a whole lot of fun to solve the murder mystery alongside Gemma and Jane.

I can’t believe that this series is already on Book 7! I’m still not bored of the characters or the situations they find themselves in – author Vicki Delany always seems to be able to keep things fresh. I love that Sherlock Holmes and his stories take a more centre stage in this book – I mean, yes, Gemma runs the Sherlock Holmes bookshop, but this time she and Jayne are working at a book club dedicated to discussing the Holmes canon so I got to indulge my love of the Great Detective even more than usual.

Gemma Doyle is a great amateur detective and consistently is one of my favourite cozy mystery protagonists. She is intelligent and observant, without being too annoying about it and she has a healthy dose of cynism and caution that serves her well. Once in a while she’ll do something impulsive (or, all the time, if you ask Officer Estrada) but most of the time she stays pretty level-headed. Her bluntness and lack of tact may be annoying to some, but I find it hilarious. Her shop, The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium always sounds like a great place to spend an afternoon.

I also like how many of the supporting characters have developed through this series, including Gemma’s boyfriend, Ryan, and Gemma’s best friend and business partner, Jayne. Plus, no adventure would be complete with a mention of Gemma’s Uncle Arthur, who is often globe-trotting for the most trivial reasons.

The books in this series are always light in tone, descriptive and quick-paced and A Three Book Problem is no exception. I think one of the ways that Delany keeps things fresh with this series is by putting her characters in new settings. While the characters are familiar to the reader, the new setting puts a new perspective on things and makes it all feel slightly new. This time, Gemma and Jayne spend most of the book at Suffolk Garden House, a large ‘country house’ that would be the perfect setting for any Agatha Christie mystery.

And while there is murder afoot, this book isn’t overly-serious, as befits a cozy mystery. Instead, there are some humourous moments and the dialogue never gets bogged down. You get enough information so that you can definitely read this book as a standalone, but as with all long-running series, there’s a more recognition and familiarity if you’ve read more of the series.

As for the murder itself, this is (as always) a spoiler-free zone, so I’ll just say that the murderer was not who I expected. There are some interesting twists and turns to throw the reader off their guard just enough to keep them guessing.

Overall, this was another enjoyable addition to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series and I’m already looking forward to Gemma’s next adventure.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Vicki Delany had me with the title, #AThreeBookProblem , and the lovely cover, and the book didn't disappoint.
Although I had not read any of the earlier books in the series, Delany is talented at making the book stand alone for those who have no familiarity with the series. The characters are engaging, the bookish mystery is fun and complex, and it all combines into a fun page-turner perfect for summer reading. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book works well as a standalone or as a part of the series. The characters were likable, though the plot's pacing could have been adjusted somewhat to maintain reader interest. Overall, the book was decent, though it wasn't incredibly shocking, nor did it blow me away.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this story!

Cozy mystery that I came into my hands at the right time! It took a while for me to get to read it, but once I was able to sit in my porch swing I read it in a single afternoon. Cute story.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Gemma, Ryan and Jayne are all at Suffolk Hall to participate in a Sherlock Holmes event. There are fellow Holmes aficionados and an assortment of other characters who are in attendance. The festivities are cut short when the host is murdered with a poison dart. In an attempt to discover the killer, Gemma and Ryan learn more about the deceased and the facade of a kindly gentile man is dashed as he is revealed to be duplicitous, vindictive and cruel. All of which means there is no shortage of people who might have wanted to do him ill. And it appears they are all in the house.

While Ryan does not want Gemma to investigate, he is eager to listen to her observations and the information she has picked up by talking to those involved. Even his partner begrudgingly seems to appreciate that Gemma has remarkable skill. Her attention to detail is almost as good as the great detective.

The story is a solid one with lots of twists and turns. The characters are interesting and the relationships have all evolved during the course of the series. Four purrs and two paws up.

Bookshop owner Gemma Doyle and teashop owner Jayne Watson are hired to cater a Sherlock Holmes-themed weekend at a large country home, but the homeowner and party thrower is murdered with a poisoned dart.

This seventh title in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series features the same main cast of characters from previous books, but the story drags a bit and the country house setting is not as interesting as it could be. The plot dragged after the initial action, making this my least favorite book in the series so far. There are no big character developments, so fans of this series can probably skip it without issue.

This is the 7th book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Although you can read this book without reading the previous books, you will miss important character development and backstory. Although most books in this series are set in or around the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, A Three Book Problem is set at a country estate, Suffolk Gardens House, for an event for an eccentric Holmes fan and his invited guests. Jane will be cooking, Gemma serving and providing entertainment and Ryan, forgetting he's a policeman for a few days playing sous chef. When the host, wealthy philanthropist and prominent Sherlockian David Masterson is murdered, Ryan must put his police hat back on to solve the case.

This is a closed door mystery, or should I say, closed estate mystery. Who in the group wanted David dead? Who has the most to gain? Everyone there was a suspect, except Gemma, Jane and Ryan. When David's wife arrives there is also a question of whether she might have paid someone to shoot a poisoned dart at her husband. Gemma is a bit of an odd duck. She has excellent observation skills as well as deduction, but she is also socially inept and often offends people with her straight forward, honest manner. She amazes me with all the small things she sees and the nuances she picks up on. There are many suspects with various motives, so it becomes a puzzle to solve, something Gemma is amazing at. Once again Louise Estrada, Ryan's partner is involved, but she seems to be thawing a bit toward Gemma. Donald is one of my favourite characters as he brings the humour to the story with his Sherlock Holmes personna, he is in his glory in this book. I did not guess the culprit at all, and found the mystery itself well-developed and interesting. I liked that Gemma was not in danger during the showdown, but it was still a great conclusion. Overall this was another fun Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I quite liked it.

Book 7 in the series.

I quite liked this one, Gemma has grown on me through the last few books, and I liked the setting. My only complaint was I felt the mystery was too simple, as I figured out who the murderer was early on in the book and why.

But it was still a quick, entertaining, read.

I truly hope to see more of Gemma.

⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed this one, but it didn't blow me away. I enjoyed the setting and the Sherlock Holmes angle. It held up well as a standalone (always a bonus). The characters were likable. I didn't find Gemma to be too annoying. The mystery kept me guessing. I found the romance between her and Ryan a little strange. Normally I don't love a lot of romance stuff in my cozies, but I found it odd that they are a couple (sleeping together) but didn't touch or kiss or anything in front of others. It just struck me as odd. 🤷🏻‍♀️ My other issue was I just found it all a bit dull and long winded. So a bit of a mixed bag, but I enjoyed it enough that I will request the next book in the series and see it is better overall.

<b>SIDE NOTE:</b> This book had formatting issues I found annoying. Missing characters combos "FF, TH, FI..." which made it a chore to read. It is also the 4th or 5th book this year that has had this same issue. I wish NetGalley would figure out what is happening. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley**

A Three Book Problem is the 7th in the Sherlock Holmes bookshop series and it takes Gemma Doyle and Jayne Watson away from their usual environs of the bookshop and tea room to a Sherlockian English countryside manor.

Gemma and Jayne are catering a weekend event hosted by Sherlockian David Masterson. David has invited many people to this gathering, but as we soon find out, they all don't really like each other or David Masterson, and several do not appear to be true Sherlockians. Gemma of course finds this intriguing in itself but nothing is more intriguing than David Masterson's murder right in front of Jane and Gemma by poison dart. True to form, Gemma uses her considerable skills in observing her surroundings and parsing out problems, ultimately identifying who murdered their host, which to this reader was a complete surprise.

There are so many possible suspects in this mystery! As Gemma uncovers clues it is revealed that many of the guests have reason to want David Masterson out of their lives. Along the way each of the guests is described in detail, causing you to develop a like or dislike for each of them and being certain you've identified the murderer...until Gemma uncovers something else!. Through keen observation and thought, Gemma uncovers several clues and observations that the police have missed. Unlike other cozies, Ryan welcomes Gemma's input and his respect for Gemma's thought processes is apparent.

Any fan of Sherlock Holmes will like this series, and A Three Book Problem is an enjoyable addition. I will look forward to reading book 8!

Much like Sherlock, Jemma must use her deductive reasoning and her smashing English accent to look at all the signs, as there are more than four, when the party host becomes the victim of a darting. A most unusual gathering of people to supposedly discuss the Cannon while in period dress at a mysterious Victorian home. It also seems that this group has very little good to say about their host. Jemma has a bit of an advantage over Sherlock, she has baker/cook extraordinaire Jayne Wilson, her best friend, for a Watson, and Detective Ryan Ashburton, her very clever and handsome boyfriend instead of Scotland Yard. No one is above suspicion and everyone has a motive, or at least the appearance of a motive, even the widow who seems a tad too dramatic about her great love and loss. Excellent read with red herrings, brilliant deductions and perfectly paired with mini mushroom tarts.

Business is slowing at the Sherlock Holmes bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs Hudson’s Tea Room. Wealthy philanthropist a prominent Sherlockian David Masterson rents Suffolk Gardens House where he plans to entertain his friends in a traditional English country house weekend. As the caterers get to work preparing lavish meals and setting up books and props for entertainment. While the police detective has taken time away from his duties to help in the kitchen. It quickly becomes apparent that David’s guests don’t like each other or their host. Some aren’t even acquainted with the adventures of the great detective. Before Gemma can ponder the relationships a poison dart sails through the window of the library presenting Gemma Doyle with a three-book problem. Can she figure out where the dart came from and who is involved. A very enjoyable story with great characters and an enjoyable plot to the story.

This was a well written cozy with an interesting storyline. I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed visiting with them again.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would love to say this book was good, to do it justice, but I refuse to fill in the blanks anymore too many missing letters.

I love this series as the mysteries are always interesting and well plotted. i'm not a fan of Gemma but I like the other characters.
That said this is a gripping and entertaining story featuring a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Three Book Problem is the seventh book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series but the second one I have read after getting introduced to the series with the sixth book last year.

In this book Gemma and her friend Jayne are chosen to organise and cater a Sherlock Holmes themed weekend hosted by a wealthy and prominent Sherlockian, David Masterson with Gemma's police detective boyfriend Ryan joining to lend a helping hand. Gemma finds that most of the invited guests don't get along with each other and the host and have no interest in anything Sherlockian but have other ulterior motives to attend the get together which culminates in a murder by a poisonous dart.

I know I have a lot of catching up to do but I have liked what I have read of the series so far. I remember mentioning my doubts about Gemma and Ryan's relationship in my review of the sixth book but in this book they seemed much more in sync. Overall this was a fun, good, cosy mystery. I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes so I know I will be enjoying this series.

I received an e-Arc of the book by the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Vicki Delany via NetGalley.

RATING: 4 STARS
2022; Crooked Lane Books

Every winter, I look forward to reading a new mystery in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series. I love Gemma, her friend Jane and all the other quirky characters in the series. A Three Book Problem did not disappoint! It was a fun adventure, besides the murder thing.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***