Elementary, She Read is the first book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series by Vicki Delany. Gemma
Doyle, a transplanted Englishwoman, co owns and manages her Great Uncle
Arthur's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod.
The shop--located at 222 Baker Street--specializes in the Holmes canon
and pastiche, and is also the home of Moriarty the cat. When Gemma finds
a rare and potentially valuable magazine containing the first Sherlock
Homes story hidden in the bookshop, she and her friend Jayne (who runs
the adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room) set off to find the owner, only to
stumble upon a dead body. The highly perceptive Gemma is the police’s
first suspect, so she puts her consummate powers of deduction to work to
clear her name, investigating a handsome rare books expert, the dead
woman's suspiciously unmoved son, and a whole family of greedy
characters desperate to cash in on their inheritance. But when Gemma and
Jayne accidentally place themselves at a second murder scene, it's a
race to uncover the truth before the detectives lock them up for good.
Elementary, She Read
is a fun and entertaining read. While managing a Sherlock Holmes themed
book shop Gemma thinks much like the fictional detective. She is
intelligent, but like most Sherlock based characters is lacking in
social graces, which makes her life both highly entertaining and
occasionally cringe worthy. I liked the spirit and execution of the
character. I also enjoyed the flighty nature of her great uncle, and her
enduring friendship with the forthright Jayne. The mystery is well
built, with several layers and twists, some of which were completely
unexpected and others that were emotional satisfying. I really enjoy the
read, and want to read more about Gemma, and her fellow residents of
West London.
Elementary, She Read is
a solid beginning to a series, and I am interested in the characters
and the town. I think Sherlock fans, of all eras, and cozy or hobby
mystery fans will enjoy the read as much as I did. I look forward to
seeing where Gemma goes from here.
