The Game is a Footnote

Book 8 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series
by Vicki Delany

Gemma Doyle, part-owner of both Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom and the adjoining Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, is skeptical of the current case she’s being asked to investigate. According to Leslie Wilson, mother of Gemma’s best friend Jayne, possible ghostly happenings have occurred in the oldest home in the town of West London, Massachusetts. Scarlet House was built in 1648 and despite its age, it doesn’t have a history of hauntings or other paranormal activity. Until now. Items are disappearing from their usual spots only to be found later in odd places.

But the board chair, Robyn Kirkpatrick, had an unsettling experience while giving a school group a tour. Robyn saw a woman at the end of the upstairs hallway—a woman she didn’t know and couldn’t identify. Robyn looked away for a split second and when she looked back, the woman was gone. Further questioning of the staff revealed Robyn was the only one who had seen her. Gemma is on the verge of telling Robyn and the rest of the board she has no interest in pursuing this case, but instead she finds herself agreeing to spend the night in the old home, to see what is really going on.

The night doesn’t go well. Instead of clearing up the mysterious goings-on, the mystery deepens when a rolling pin is found where it wasn’t earlier, and something sets off the animals in the barn. Eventually, everything calms down and nothing is found to explain the commotion. At an emergency board meeting the next day, Jayne and Gemma give their report. Once back in town, Jayne realizes she’s forgotten her purse at Scarlet House and they go back to retrieve it. Once they get there, retrieving the purse is forgotten with the discovery of a body in the barnyard. No longer is this a case of a possible poltergeist, but of a murder. Someone is targeting Scarlet House for unknown reasons. Gemma needs to find out why before another murder occurs.

Vicki Delany
Publisher
Hardcover | $26.99
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Jan 10, 2023 | 320 Pages | 5-1/2 x 8-1/4| ISBN 9781639101450

#TheGameisaFootnote #NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks

I just love Vicki Delany's A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, and 'The Game is a Footnote' is no exception. There are so many nuanced layers of enjoyment to be had as British ex-pat Gemma seeks to resolve the murder of a re-enactment museum staff member with the usual blowback from law enforcement. Gemma is just such a delightful, quirky, brilliant character and I cherish the time I get to spend with her as she attempts to make her hometown a safer place while retaining a relationship with her policeman boyfriend. The resolution, involving Gemma's mysterious sister Pippa was a bit of a surprise for me. I loved it and can't wait for more!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I really like Gemma and her ability to be factual in what she sees that others just don't notice. I enjoyed the mystery and hope for many more in the series.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I started reading this series from book number six and even though I have a backlog to cover, from what I have read so far, this has to my favourite book of the series.

This book covered all the bases--paranormal hauntings, murder (new and very old), old family secrets and the truth behind the theft of a piece of jewellery belonging to Queen Victoria which are all connected to Scarlet House, a historical museum in West London, Massachusetts.

It was also while reading this book that it finally hit me the author has created her main characters around the original Sherlock Holmes characters (better late than never I guess). Pippa, Gemma's elder sister, is the female version of Mycroft and I enjoyed her presence in the book. There is also a subtle mention of the author's other series 'A Lighthouse Library Mystery' in one of the scenes which I thought was cleverly done.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Vicki Delany for the e-Arc of the book. I had finished reading this book way before the publication date but got delayed in writing a review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was great.

The Game is a Footnote: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery
By Vicki Delany
Crooked Lane Books
January 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium owner Gemma Doyle has rightfully earned a reputation for using her acute observation skills to form equally brilliant conclusions. While it has helped to solve crimes that the West London, Massachusetts police cannot, Gemma is now being asked to solve a far more unusual mystery. The mother of Jayne Wilson, who co-owns with Gemma their Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, is seeking their help in investigating the haunting of the Historic Society’s Scarlet House. Committee members have been reporting a series of missing and rearranged items, with most of the hijinks occurring at night. While Gemma and Jayne immediately conclude that culprits are more likely to be prankers than spooks, they are persuaded into being reluctant ghostbusters and spending the night in West London’s oldest home. It’s not an ectoplasmic spook whom Gemma stumbles across though, but the very corporal corpse of one of the volunteers.

Gemma’s nemesis Detective Louise Estrada refuses to admit that the amateur detective has any justification for meddling in the homicide case, and while not entirely wrong no one doubts that Gemma will indeed investigate. When not spotting the clues that indicate which customer has just reunited with her spouse, Gemma will be locked in a farm, face hangry farm pigs, and be threatened by a killer as she solves the mystery of the homicidal haunting. A former pop star looking to buy the Scarlet House, a missing bookshop assistant, and the arrival of Gemma’s equally brilliant family member have Gemma putting all of her brain’s gray cells to the test before she herself becomes a ghost.

This 8th in the series is a charming delight for fans of Sherlock Holmes and country cozy mysteries. Scenes depicting Gemma’s skills at connecting the dots from the few clues she sees are always a highlight of these novels, as is her justifiable confidence in her intelligence. Even more entertaining is when the one person who challenges her intellect arrives in town and Gemma is caught off-guard, and for once she is not the only one hoarding all of the information. Gemma’s dogs are on hand to be their usual adorable selves, while her boyfriend is off reluctantly spending time with his father. Despite Gemma’s intellect she rarely displays a condescending attitude towards others, although she does admit to an impatience with superficialities that is often hilarious and enviable. A final confrontation with the killer leads to a rescue by a surprising savior, but perhaps it shouldn’t actually be that unexpected. Gemma and Jayne continue to be a clever and very engaging Holmes-and-Watson detecting duo, with their friendship as strong as their detecting capabilities. This is another winning mystery by the prolific author who places her own modern twist on the classic mystery genre.

This is the 8th book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany set in West London on Cape Cod, Massachusetts featuring Gemma Doyle. Gemma manages Great Uncle Arthur's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. The shop is located at 222 Baker Street and is also the home of Violet, Gemma's cocker spaniel. In addition, Gemma 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 being a bit of a mystery-solver, so when Gemma and Jayne are asked to investigate whether the apparent ghostly goings-on, including moving candlesticks, at Scarlet House, a local museum, are real or a prank, she rejuctantly agrees.

I started this series late to the party at book six. With her kindness, resourcefulness and sassy attitude, I was pleased to be in Gemma's company again. Vicki Delany has surrounded Gemma with a great supporting cast and Jayne especially is easy to warm to. Gemma and Jayne are both in relationships; Gemma is with her detective boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, and Jayne's love interest is fiancé Andy Whitehall, a restaurateur. Of course, Gemma's shop cat, named Moriarty deserves a mention. Additionally, Pippa, Gemma's sister arrives from England to catch up on some family time. Plus, there's the appearance of a pop-star.

The author has written a strong mystery here. With its great plot, the pacing is comfortable and I enjoyed it immensely. Vicki Delany's occasional humorous touches had me chuckling and helped to make The Game is a Footnote a compelling, fun read. I was totally entertained from the beginning so bring on book #9!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

This is the eighth book in a series and the second I have read. I found it read well on its own. It did get off to a bit of a slow start as a murder doesn't happen until well into the story. Gemma is a suitable amateur sleuth. She notices things others miss. Her character is hard to like at times and I do wonder why her policeman boyfriend seems so enamored of her. Her sister pays an unexpected visit and I really liked her. She added a note of international intrigue to the novel. The past pop music star that visited town and the drama surrounding her was strange and detracted from the mystery plot.

I like the series because Gemma manages her uncle's bookstore specializing in Sherlock Holmes items. There is a cat in the bookstore too. The bookstore makes a great base of operation for Gemma. In general, this novel is a good and entertaining cozy mystery.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

This is the eighth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series and the third book I have read in this series. I enjoy Gemma and Jayne's sleuthing and their ability to insert themselves into every mystery in their town of West London. I love Gemma as an employer, she is the only one concerned by her employees disappearance.

A sharp eye for observation and a keen sense of body language help lead Gemma to being able to draw reasonably sound conclusions and solving mysteries. Due to her success in these deductions, our sleuth and her best friend are once again drawn into a mystery that starts out seeming like a prank and ends in murder. Can Gemma solve the mystery before becoming the next victim? You'll have to read to find out! I have to admit that I was slow to warm up to Gemma in the first book, but by the second I was feeling her human side more and now I am a huge fan! I absolutely love the friendship that Gemma and Jayne share as well as the businesses that they share. They know each other so well that they can sense what each other needs or feels. Add in a couple of handsome beaus for each, a gaggle of wonderfully unique friends and coworkers and family with unique connections in the political world and you have a delightfully woven tale to entertain you for hours! I am already waiting impatiently for the next book in the series to come out!

This is book 8 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany, and it came out on January 10, 2023.
In this one, Gemma and Jayne are asked to investigate whether the seemingly ghostly goings-on at the Scarlet House, a local museum, are real or just a ploy to get at the house or something in the house. The usual hijinks ensue. There is an odd side story about Gemma's employee, Ashleigh that I can't quite figure out the relevance of, but maybe it will play into a later book in the series. Overall, I liked the story, but I felt like the case didn't really warrant 315 pages. Still, I like visiting West London, MA, the setting for this cozy mystery series.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and her best friend Jayne are asked to spend the night in Scarlet House. It's the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts and now a historical re-enactment museum. The board members and docents have noticed some strange happenings. They want Gemma and Jayne to either confirm or debunk a ghost theory. Gemma doesn't believe in ghosts, but does believe they are being pranked for an unknown reason.

It's turned over to the police when Gemma and Jayne find the dead body of one of the board members in the barn.....but Gemma and Jayne continue to investigate.

It's interesting reading how Gemma puts facts together like puzzle pieces, much like Sherlock Holmes might have done.

This is the eighth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery and a great read.

The opening about the history behind the Scarlet mansion was quite engrossing and promising. I thought the book was rather entertaining and well written. I just quickly felt a bit overwhelmed by the number of characters and the uneven pace of the plot. I think it would’ve helped a lot if I’d read the first seven books in the series beforehand.

If you’re familiar with the series, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it a great deal. The setting and the overall atmosphere are everything you want in a cozy mystery.

There are no surprises that I enjoyed another cozy mystery by Vicki Delany. I love her entire concept for the Gemma Doyle mysteries: a Brit living in America and running a Sherlock Holmes themed bookshop and teahouse with her best friend Jayne.

The Game is a Footnote includes a crossover of two mysteries: What happened to a particular crown jewel of Queen Victoria? And who murdered Dave Chase?

Delany makes a playful pun of the family at the center of the mysteries-the surname Scarlet. A couple of the original Sir Doyle stories of the perceptive detective include the word scarlet. Perhaps most notably A Study in Scarlet. Delany has set Gemma's home and livelihood not far from Salem, Massachusetts which was once home to The Scarlet Letter author, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Delany's fictional Scarlet House is set on Cape Cod with the rest of the story.

Readers are only taken to the Queen's court through storytelling about a stolen jewel, a missing maid, and a ne'er-do-well Scarlet ancestor.

What did take me by surprise was that Delany introduces a large plot shift three-quarters of the way through the book when she has Gemma's sister Pippa show up unexpectedly at the door. No one, including Gemma, gets to know exactly what Pippa does for a living only that she is connected to powerful people and resources like the royal family.

Pippa is a bit like Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark. You need something done? All it takes is a phone call from her. It does make for easy outs. As like Tony Stark, when you hang up the phone and then you and your crew are immediately promised safety, that's a convenient way to move the plot without intricate details of espionage, diplomacy, paperwork, or other silly things of the real world.

Jayne Wilson is considered Gemma's Dr. John Watson. She doesn't have a big role in this particular story. In fact, her mother Leslie becomes Gemma's connection to the Historical Society. that has asked her to investigate spooky happenings at Scarlet House.

Gemma and Pippa play off each well. They have competitive natures but are still playful-maybe not like kittens exactly, but more like lion cubs.

The Game is a Footnote by Vicky Delany is the eight installment in her beloved and highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series.

I have been religiously reading her books from the start and this is definitely one of my favourite series.

I love everything about it, the setting is perfect both in summer and winter months like in this installment.
The main protagonist is so clever, observant and throughly interesting. She is so smart, her deduction skills always leave me in awe and even when she makes dangerous decisions they are very calcuted and worth the risk.
All characters, including the reccuring ones are so well developed and there is constantly something happening with at least one of them,
There is never a dull moment, the mysteries are well presented with clues clearly laid out for all to follow should they choose to do so.
The ending are well rounded, plainly and satisfactory explained.

A true delight of a series.

The Game is a Footnote is book #8 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany.

Gemma Doyle is asked to look into some mysterious events at the Scarlet House, a historical museum. She agrees to do it and as the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.

It was fun following along with Gemma and Jayne. As they were trying to solve one mystery, it seems like they kept finding another mystery. It kept me guessing. I can’t wait for the next book to see if they get around to planning Jayne’s wedding.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I love the title's play on words. The Game is a Footnote is book 8 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series. Having followed the series since it's beginning, I was excited to catch up with Gemma and Jayne.
The mystery is convoluted and doesn't come together until right at the end. I was surprised by the outcome and how the author wove together the strands of many skeins to get a cohesive picture at the end.
I enjoyed having Gemma's sister pop in for a visit and how her visit was important to the final outcome.
I still don't really get what happened with Ashley, Gemma's shop assistant. It was a piece that didn't feel fully resolved at the end.
I listened to the audio book and enjoyed the narrator. I also received an ebook copy for review. Both versions of the book are a delightful addition to the mysteries series.
This book could be read as a standalone, but as with most of my favorite cozy mystery series I recommend reading the entire series so that you understand the characters better and can follow more of the background threads that sneak in book to book.
Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media. #DreamscapeMedia

The Game is a Footnote by Vicki Delany takes us back to The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and its proprietor, Gemma and her sidekick, Jayne, the genius behind Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. Gemma and Jayne were at a table with with Jayne’s mother who was relaying a strange story about all the people who now believed there was a ghost inhabiting the Scarlet House, the local historical museum where she volunteered. She told several odd stories, until Gemma put a stop to it and insisted she hear the last story from the person involved. They made an appointment for that evening where another seeminglysensible woman relayed her story of seeing a ghost. Gemma, Jayne, and Jayne’s fiance, Andy, agreed to spend the night in the house to see for themselves. It was a refreshing change for Gemma to investigate something other than murder, despite the fact she didn’t believe it for a moment. Obviously someone was up to something.

As always Gemma ferrets out the culprits and the reasons for the deception, but not before there is a death (murder) and a visit from her sister who works for a very shady department in the British government. It was an interesting case with all of Gemma’s compatriots taking part. Gemma is an interesting transplant from England who often sees things differently, making her difficult to love, as her boyfriend, the police detective points out regularly. There is another minor mystery when Gemma’s employee, Ashleigh, walks away from the bookshop in the middle of the day, not to be heard from for several days, until Gemma finds her. These are well-written characters with a solid core who get along well. The mystery was a convoluted one and solved the murder and the ghosts all in one. If you are looking for a comfortable, entertaining read, look no further.

The audio book was read by Kim Hooks, and was not nearly as good as the printed book. Hooks resorted to weird voices to differentiate between characters which I don’t care for. I also didn’t like her voice for Gemma, who sounded too old and maybe, too regal. Many of the others were good, except her portrayal of men, which I didn’t care for.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Game is A Footnote by Crooked Lane Books, with the audio from Dreamscape Media, both through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DreamscapeMedia #VickiDelany #TheGameIsAFootnote

This is an interesting story with some very interesting characters. Who knows what our ancestors have been up to. Maybe we are better off not knowing. I love the friendship between Gemma and Jayne. I think my favorite line is when Estrada groaned “Two of them”. I had to giggle then. What an interesting relationship between Gemma and Pippa. Then, lets throw Uncle Arthur into the mix. Very interesting family! Another of my favorites is Mrs. Ramsbatten. Love it when the “older” generation gets into the mix. I can’t wait to see what is in store next for Gemma and Ryan. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

There’s rumors that Scarlet House is haunted. It’s one of the oldest buildings in town and was a residence and small farm. Gemma Doyle, co-owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore, has been asked to investigate. Ghosts aren’t really her thing but she finally agrees. As the story evolves, Gemma’s sister Pippa pops in. Well Pippa doesn’t really pop anywhere and Gemma is suspicious that she runs the world or England at least. Could Pippa be involved in this mystery? I truly enjoyed this book and love Pippa.