Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany

Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are busy managing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Baker Street and adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in anticipation of the store’s upcoming book signing with the illustrious Renalta Van Markoff, author of the controversial Hudson and Holmes mystery series. But during the author Q&A session, dedicated Sherlockian Donald Morris verbally attacks Renalta and her series for disgracing Sherlock’s legacy, only to be publicly humiliated when the author triumphantly lashes back and gains the upper hand. That is until Renalta collapses on the table―dead.

Donald insists he didn’t do it and pleads to his friends to clear his name. Fortunately, Gemma and Jayne have no shortage of suspects between author’s bullied personal assistant, her frustrated publicist, the hapless publisher, a handsome rare book dealer, an obsessively rabid fan, and a world of other Sherlock enthusiasts with strong objections to Renalta’s depiction of the Great Detective. It’s up to the shrewd sleuthing duo to eliminate the impossible and deduce the truth before the West London police arrest an innocent man in Body on Baker Street, the second Sherlock Homes Bookshop mystery perfect for fans of Miranda James and Kate Carlisle.

SERIES: Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #2
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Crooked Lane Books
RELEASE DATE: September 12, 2017
PAGES: 304

Other Books In This Series

One of my favorite things about this series is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There is a lot of subtle humor going on – Moriarty the cat, Gemma’s quirks, her employee’s ever-changing style, the Benedict Cumberbatch lifesize cutout. All while honoring the Great Detective (in all his forms) at the same time.

And then there’s Renalta Van Markoff, the diva-ish author who descends on Gemma’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop & Emporium in Body on Baker Street. Complete with slightly-crazy fans, an entourage, and a scandalous take on Sherlock Holmes, Renalta makes quite the impression. Unfortunately for her, that impression is short-lived when she keels over in true-to-form diva fashion in the middle of her signing at Gemma’s store.

Of course Gemma can’t stay out of it, and the rest of the book is spent tagging along as she uses her Sherlockian powers of deduction and a good old-fashioned dose of nosiness to solve the case. Her investigative adventures keep you guessing as well, and you won’t want to put this one down until you’ve figured out whodunit.

Bottom Line: Subtle wit, great characters, and nods galore to everyone’s favorite Baker Street detective – these are the qualities that make Body on Baker Street a must read. Gemma is relatable, even in her social awkwardness, and the book store is stocked with items and books that will have bookworms twitching for a visit. Even though this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / Love it!

Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than twenty-five books:  clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. Under the name of Eva Gates, she writes the Lighthouse Library cozy series for Penguin Random House. Her latest book is Body on Baker Street, the second in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane.

Vicki is the past president of the Crime Writers of Canada.  Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, the Bony Blithe, the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak, and the Arthur Ellis Awards.

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