The Cat of the Baskervilles: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery

Gemma and Jayne are back for the third offering of A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone or as part of the series, so well does the author inject a bit of background on characters and store. The mystery will keep every armchair sleuth on the edge of their seat as we look at another classic Holmes story, this time set for the theater. Gemma and her uncle own the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, and Gemma’s best friend Jayne is their business partner at the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. The setting is West London, on Cape Cod. Jayne does most of the baking at Mrs. Hudson’s, so her life begins at four in the morning and ends early in the evening. Jayne is catering afternoon tea at a fundraiser for the West London Theater with help from her mother, Leslie, and Gemma. Theater people are very different, as they quickly see. Sir Nigel, a big-name actor of the British stage is going to play Sherlock. A much younger man, Eddie, is his understudy who develops a liking for Jayne from the first time he sees her. Sir Nigel is tipsy when he arrives at the tea. Nigel’s priority is to impress everyone and stay as tipsy as possible. He insults Jayne’s mother loudly, as well as an actress who insults him. Nigel is asked to share a quote from The Hound of the Baskervilles, which he played in for many years in London. He couldn’t finish it, so Eddie finishes it while Sir Nigel sits for a bit. The theater backers begin to leave, and Gemma sees Leslie assert herself with Nigel. Nigel is nowhere to be seen when the van comes to collect the actors for the hotel. Gemma and Grant, a friend and fellow bookseller, take one path to look for him as others search the grounds. Not only does she find a piece of the ruching Leslie had added to the servers’ aprons snagged on a branch, she finds Nigel – at the foot of the cliff, with the ocean tide coming in around him. Even though Gemma pocketed the ruching, Leslie is still a prime suspect. Gemma is the kind of woman who doesn’t make new friends easily, as she is very observant, and very blunt about her observations and resulting deductions and opinions. Being observant is sadly not something we learn in classrooms, and being blunt needs to be tempered with kindness. Jayne is a loyal friend, however, and a sweeter young woman would be hard to find. Sir Nigel has few social graces, and is hateful even to Gerald, who has stood by as his personal assistant for several long years. We also see and learn more about local Sherlockians. Gemma’s skills of observation are put to the test, even though she has an enemy on the police force who doesn’t want her help. The mystery is very well-written, and all clues point to Leslie except for one little hidden detail that only the police knew. One that, had she known earlier, Gemma would have known who the bad guy was. It is enjoyable to watch the personalities interact as well as Gemma’s detection work. She learns a few secrets about the late actor, but nothing that would point to the murderer. I did not guess who the bad guy was – will only say it was one of the last people I would have thought. I highly recommend it to those who like surprising cozy mysteries served with a bit of classic literature, history, dry humor, and good friendships. From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this from the publisher and NetGalley, and here is my review.

Famous stage and movie star Sir Nigel Bellingham arrives in West London, Massachusetts to star in a stage production of The Hound of the Baskervilles put on by the West London Theater Festival. Before rehearsals can even start, Sir Nigel plunges to his death from the cliffs. Now it's a matter of whether it was suicide or murder. Before the play opens, Leslie Wilson, mother of Gemma’s best friend Jayne, arranges a fundraising afternoon tea to be catered by Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. The tea is a huge success, but when it’s time to leave, Sir Nigel has gone missing, only to be found at the bottom of the rocky cliff, dead. Unfortunately, Gemma not only finds the body, but she also finds evidence incriminating Leslie Wilson. When the police, in the presence of handsome detective Ryan Ashburton and suspicious detective Louise Estrada, focus their attention on Leslie despite the numerous other suspects, the game is once again afoot. Its again up to the highly perceptive Gemma and the ever-confused but loyal Jayne to clear Leslie before she is arrested. -- Series: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery - Book 3 Author: Vicki Delany Genre: Cozy Mystery Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Anyone who enjoys Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, Sherlock Holmes series will devour The Cat of the Baskervilles. Ms. Delany has created a wonderful series in the vein of Mr. Doyle right down to the memorable characters and the methods Sherlock employs to deduce the villain. The setting of West London, Mass is picture perfect, and theatre is a fitting setting for murder and mystery. In today's world of formulaic stories, it is nice to come across one that is outside of the general cozy genre and which emphasizes the clues and deductions over simple romance and tired plots. The age of Doyle and Christie is alive and well, and readers will be drawn to stories that contain more than the average book. Gemma is a great detective who uses reason and observation as her tools. She isn’t the average everyday sleuth. Running her business, The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, she has an advantage over her Homes obsessed customers and even the police. She can deduce clues and motives faster and better. Often, before the police even realize a crime has been committed Gemma is already investigating. Other characters such as Jayne and her mother, Leslie have personalities that compliment Gemma’s. Ryan and Grant are great love interests even though the reader will know from the beginning what Gemma’s heart wants. This is the third book in the series, but it is not necessary to read the previous installments to understand what is going on and who the players are. The story is fun and entertaining as well as though provoking, and can be read in one sitting. The Cat of the Baskervilles Is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Doyle or Christie, and any reader who just wants a good book.