A Three Book Problem
It’s a crisp, early October weekend, and business is slowing down as fall descends at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and adjacent Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room. Wealthy philanthropist and prominent Sherlockian David Masterson have rented Suffolk Gardens House, where he plans to entertain his friends in a traditional English country house weekend.
As the chosen caterers, Jayne Wilson and Gemma Doyle get to work preparing lavish meals and setting up Sherlockian books and props for entertainment. Meanwhile, police detective Ryan Ashburton has taken time away from his duties to assist in the kitchen. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes apparent that David’s guests don’t like each other or their host. Plus, some of them aren’t even acquainted with the Great Detective’s adventures.
Before Gemma can ponder their relationships, a poisoned dart sails through the library window, presenting Gemma Doyle with a three-book problem.
The Details
Series: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery – Book #7
Author: Vicki Delany
Genre/Category: Cozy – Bookshop/Tea
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 1643857983
Page Count: 320
Rating: 
The Review
There is something about Sherlock Holmes that makes fans a bit nuts. In A Three Book Problem, the obsessive crazy fans come out of the woodwork, and Gemma finds herself smack dab in the middle of all the insanity and, unfortunately, murder. Between her bookshop emporium, the tea room, and doing catering, with a busy social life, she has little time to spend investigating a murder, but she finds that she has little choice in the matter.
Suspects line up, an entire house full of them. Clues abound but do not necessarily point to just one person. The method of murder is original and interesting. The setting of the Sherlock weekend event is picture-perfect unless you look too closely. Who wouldn’t want to spend a few days at a traditional English country house? But this house isn’t what it seems, and neither are the people invited to the unforgettable weekend away with friends. The red herrings are there but were unnecessary. Supporting characters did not play a significant enough role in this addition to the series. Ryan, in particular, although present when the murder took place, doesn’t spend as much time as he should have investigating. I would like to have seen more of the bookshop emporium and the tea room in this story and a little less of the so-called English country house.
When Gemma unveils the murderer, it will not come as a surprise to anyone. You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out the clues and the killer’s identity. The pace of A Three Book Problem is slower than I would have liked. Gemma isn’t a terrible character in general, but she seems rude and uncaring about anyone this time around. Even though this book did not live up to expectations, I feel this is still a good series and look forward to seeing where the author takes Gemma next. I hope we get to spend more time at the bookshop emporium and tea room and get to interact more with Jayne and Ryan.
The Author
Vicki Delany (Eva Gates) is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than thirty books: clever cozies to gothic thrillers, gritty police procedurals, historical fiction,n and novellas for adult literacy.
Vicki lives and writes in bucolic Prince Edward County, Ontario. She is a 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.
Other books and series by this author readers may want to pick up include, The Cat of the Baskervilles or the “A Tea By The Sea Mystery” series, Tea & Treachery.
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